A Professional Development Programme for the Digitalisation of Teacher Educators

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Barcelona

BORÅs

GALWAY

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The learning programme for teacher educators represents an innovative approach to digital professional development, combining pedagogical creativity, emerging technologies, and interdisciplinary, transnational collaboration. Its design ensures that participants do not merely receive digital training but actively engage in experiential learning, co-creation, and reflection, making it a model for transformative teacher education. 

  • A shift from traditional professional development to an active, challenge-driven model: The programme moves beyond passive training models by incorporating Challenge-Based Learning (CBL) and Gamification, ensuring that participants engage deeply with digital tools through real-world problem-solving. Unlike conventional workshops that focus on tool demonstrations, this programme challenges educators to design and develop their own educational escape games, fostering creativity, innovation, and hands-on experimentation.
  • A dynamic blend of virtual, hybrid, and in-person interactions, enabling flexible, accessible, and scalable professional learning: The programme is structured around multiple learning modalities, ensuring continuous engagement before, during, and after the main training event. By integrating virtual, hybrid, and in-person components, the programme enhances accessibility while maintaining high levels of collaborative learning and hands-on experimentation.
  • Structured integration of Design-Based Thinking (DBT) to promote teacher-driven innovation: Rather than simply exposing educators to digital tools, the programme guides them through a structured design-thinking process, ensuring that technology is integrated meaningfully into pedagogy. Participants do not just learn how to use digital tools; they learn how to create innovative, technology-enhanced learning experiences.
  • A replicable and adaptable framework for cross-institutional collaboration and digital upskilling: Unlike many CPD programmes that are one-off training events, this programme fosters sustainable professional learning networks and long-term collaboration across institutions and disciplines.

Objectives

Enhance teacher educators’ digital skills, competences, and creativity

Strengthen teacher educators’ ability to integrate digital tools into teaching. Align digitalisation with pedagogical objectives and provide opportunities to experiment with innovative teaching methods.

  • Foster creativity through experiential learning (e.g., gamification, VR).
  • Build digital pedagogy competences for meaningful tech integration.
  • Encourage peer collaboration through transnational teamwork.
  • Promote application and reflection on digital tool impact.
  • Establish sustainable professional networks.
Train and support teacher educators in their digital professional development

Provide practical, hands-on training to enhance digital competence and reduce barriers to technology adoption. Increase confidence and readiness in using digital tools.

  • Offer workshops, hands-on sessions, and online resources (e.g., AR materials, educational software). 
  • Conduct Innovation Weeks for immersive digital experiences. 
  • Implement a virtual makerspace for exploration and collaboration. 
  • Encourage peer mentoring and knowledge sharing.
Support teacher educators as agents of their own professional learning

Empower educators to self-direct their digital professional learning. Encourage autonomy, reflection, and critical engagement with digital education practices.

  • Provide flexible learning pathways, using hackathons and personalised training. 
  • Encourage self-directed skill development and innovation. 
  • Create platforms for educators to showcase and share best practices.
Facilitate cross-border and interdisciplinary collaboration

Strengthen international and interdisciplinary cooperation among teacher educators. Promote sustained peer networks and cross-institutional digital knowledge exchange.

  • Establish (virtual) learning spaces for digital collaboration. 
  • Organise hybrid conferences for international networking. 
  • Promote staff mobility for exposure to diverse educational contexts. 
  • Encourage transnational projects for long-term cooperation.