The CTL contributes to European Conference on Teaching and Learning Politics, International Relations and European Studies
The CTL team, Gorana Misic, Margaryta Rymarenko, and Jelena Belic participated in the 4th edition of the European Conference on Teaching and Learning Politics, International Relations and European Studies (EuroTLC), organised by the ECPR Standing Group on Teaching and Learning Politics. The overarching theme of the conference was Salience of Higher Education in the 21st Century: Learning to Think Academically. Gorana and Margaryta, together with Katja Biedenkopf from the University of Leuven, co-facilitated a workshop on case teaching, and Jelena lead a workshop on teaching critical thinking.
Gorana's and Margaryta's research examines the use of case studies as a teaching strategy under the paradigm of students as partners (cf. Healey, Flint, & Harrington, 2016; Mercer-Mapstone et al., 2017), aiming to promote their motivation, engagement and learning. They investigated how to use student selected or designed case studies to teach academic way of thinking through application of theory (BA level) and how to engage in critical evaluation and assessment of case material (MA level) based on research and practice. Assignments such as student lead case studies contribute to more inclusive classroom environment, encourage students to act as 'experts', and support peer learning.
Jelena's research focuses on examining the effectiveness of various teaching tools in fostering critical thinking skills of students. In the presentation, Jelena shared insights and observations about using a guided journal as a form of the so-called 'exploratory writing' (Bean, 2001) to help students engage in metacognitive processes. What is distinctive of a guided journal is that it extends the process of thinking through writing over time and it invites writers to develop a habit of continuously reflecting on their own thinking and tracking how their conceptions and ideas are changing and developing.
The conference also featured a virtual roundtable discussion on online teaching: From Teaching Online to Online Learning, where Gorana and Margaryta contributed as keynote speakers, focusing on online teaching strategies during the pandemic. They highlighted best practices of engaging students online and creating virtual learning communities.
The EuroTLC was an excellent platform to present and discuss teaching and learning practice in an interactive virtual setting that inspired new ideas and provided room for reflection and innovation. It was also a great opportunity for CEU CTL to share internationally the research-based practices and our experience with innovative pedagogies developed in the response to the rapid transition to online teaching.