Innovation Week I

What was the program of the event?

In the context of the Erasmus+ project digiTED, the University of Barcelona will host an educational hackathon in October 2023, aimed at teacher educators looking to enhance their digital teaching skills. The event will provide a dynamic environment for participants to collaborate, experiment and explore new ideas in the field of digital education. With an emphasis on innovation and creativity, the hackathon will challenge attendees to work together in transnational and interdisciplinary groups and develop practical solutions to real-world problems faced by educators. Through interactive workshops and networking opportunities, participants will have the chance to learn from experts in the field, as well as from each other and gain valuable insights into effective digital teaching practices. Whether you’re an experienced educator or just starting out, this hackathon promises to be an exciting and educational event, offering a unique opportunity to improve your teaching skills and network with other like-minded professionals. Don’t miss out on this chance to take your teaching to the next level!

Part of the learning programme developed by the project partners was a pre-task before the Innovation Week. This task consisted of a preparatory online meeting, to which all participants were invited to. Moreover, they were asked to share a short video on Flip to introduce themselves, as well as to share their motivations and expectations. Next to this, an online survey was completed by each teacher educator. The content, videos and results of the survey can be found here.

What is an educational hackathon?

An educational hackathon is an event that brings together students, educators, and industry professionals to collaboratively work on solving challenges or problems related to education and the integration of new technologies. The term “hackathon” comes from the words “hack” and “marathon,” and it usually involves an intense period of creating, designing, and problem-solving over a day or several days. In an educational hackathon, participants often work in teams to create innovative solutions that can improve the way we teach and learn.

Where did the event take place?

How was the event financed?

All costs related to the attendance at the upcoming Innovation Week I were fully covered by Erasmus+ for teacher educators employed at one of our partner institutions in Ireland, Estonia, Spain, Sweden and Germany. We provided each participant with a list of accommodations located in close proximity to the event venue, which were then paid for by their own institution through the Erasmus+ budget. In addition, the funding covered three meals per day, including breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Furthermore, it covered all costs associated with the participants’ travel to the event venue. This included airfare, public transport, and any other travel-related expenses.

What language was used during the Event?

The whole event, as well as all materials were conducted in English. This decision has been made in order to ensure clear communication and facilitate the participation of individuals from different European countries. 

What exactly did participation in the Innovation Week entail?

Who led the activity?

The Innovation Week was be led by the digiTED project consortium consisting of 12 teacher educators from Ireland, Estonia, Spain, Sweden and Germany. This team of professionals brought a range of experiences to the activity, with diverse perspectives and expertise.

Why we recommended taking part in the event? 

The event is designed to promote the development of new and creative ways how to use digital tools and technologies in your own teaching practice. With a focus on supporting your digital creativity, we aim at providing a space, where you can explore and use a variety of digital tools to gain hands-on experience to enhance your digital skills and competences.

One of the main goals is to give you the opportunity to learn from other teacher educators. By working collaboratively in interdisciplinary teams with professionals from around Europe, you will be exposed to new ideas and perspectives.

We further intend to help connect and coordinate professional learning opportunities for teacher educators across borders and disciplines, inside and outside institutions. Through the event, we hope to establish an interdisciplinary and transnational professional network to promote the engagement in future projects and initiatives.

I was not be able to take part in this event. Will there be any others?

Don’t worry! If you would like to take part in our Innovation Week, but are will not make it to the first one in October 2023, we want to assure you that we have two more events planned for the future. These events will have a slightly different theme, but they will have the same aim of promoting the digitalisation of teacher educators. Both events will be held in 2024 on the following dates: 

09-12 April 2024 at the Högskolan i Borås, Sweden (register here)

15-18 October 2024 at the National University of Galway, Ireland

We will be sharing more information about our upcoming events in the coming months, so stay tuned for updates. In the meantime, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you have any questions or concerns.