Title: Improving the teaching career in physical education and sports through European Social Funds.
Abstract: Aim. This paper emphasizes the specificity of the teacher continuing education programs developed through European Social Funds at the Bucharest National University of Physical Education and Sports. Methods. To fulfill the aim of this paper, we applied a questionnaire for the program quantitative and qualitative analysis, by including items able to reveal teachers’ opinion about the discipline contribution to their education. Results. Results were structured on: total number of teachers vs. graduated teachers and their attitude towards the continuing education. Each category was analyzed by taking into account teachers’ experience and the types of institution they belong to. Conclusions. Conclusions present the advantages and limits of the continuing education in our specialty field. Key-words: education, teacher, physical education, sports Introduction This paper is part of the POSDRU project 19/1.3/G/13096 Professionalization of the teaching career in physical education and sports from the lifelong learning perspective, co-financed by FSE through POSDRU 2007-2013, its beneficiary being UNEFS and its implementation being achieved in partnership with the Teaching Staff Houses of Giurgiu, Teleorman, Olt and Dambovita, as well as with the Bucharest Municipal School Inspectorate, during 2 years (2010 – 2011). Professionalization of the teaching career represents a priority of the Romanian higher education system, in order to get it aligned to the European quality standards, in all the domains (N. Vinţanu, M. Stanescu, R. Bejan, 2003). Starting from the physical education and sports teacher’s current status, the UNEFS DPPD (Department for Teacher Training) had the initiative to develop a continuing education offer and to increase the participants’ interest in their lifelong professional improvement, by obtaining a cofinancing resource from the European Social Funds, through POSDRU 2007-2013, which supports the program progress. Within the mentioned project, the following education programs were accredited by the Minister Order no. 4620/5.08.2010: “Physical education in primary schools practical-methodical fundamentals”, “Extracurricular sports activities”, “Methods and means for the effort capacity recovery”, “ICT applications to physical education and sports teaching”, “Mentorship in physical education and sports”, “Sports training in children and juniors”. Each program is structured on 60 hours and grants 15 professional credit transfers. As this project provides continuous education programs, it creates the premises for teachers’ appointment in primary schools, by contributing thus to the increase of the employment general ratio, because it builds up competences specific to this education cycle. We also mention that, at this level, specialty teachers have been responsible with physical education classes since the school year 2007-2008, that’s why the teaching staff is recommended, by the school inspectorates, to attend some purposely conceived education programs. Due to this specific contribution, the project backs the national policies, by optimizing the quality of human resources training and by stimulating their involvement into the teaching career (D. Byrd, 1981, A. Delhaxe, 2005, P. Santiago, 2005). On another side, the project has a real contribution to the consolidation of teacher status and role, by reflecting the spirit of resolution adopted within European Committee for Education Conference (Bruxelles, 2005) “Europe needs teachers”. “Human resources represent the main value of European Union. Europe will become what Europeans want. Teachers will have the main role on that process. We have to be sure that our teachers will be capable and will want to answer to the challenges of the new based knowledge society.” (J.Figel, 2005; U. Fredriksson, 2005). In that way, the continuing education programs, promote new teaching methodologies in Physical Education and Sports, as ICT and advanced training methods for children and young people, from different sports branches. Aim This paper aims at highlighting a series of particularities specific to the educational programs developed in the project first year, in order to optimize the continuing education content and organization. 1National University of Physical Education and Sports Bucharest, ROMANIA Email: [email protected] Received 22.05.2011 / Accepted 21.07.2011 Ovidius University Annals, Series Physical Education and Sport / SCIENCE, MOVEMENT AND HEALTH Vol. XI, ISSUE 2 Supplement, 2011, Romania The JOURNAL is nationally acknowledged by C.N.C.S.I.S., being included in the B+ category publications, 2008-2011. The journal is indexed in: Ebsco, SPORTDiscus, INDEX COPERNICUS JOURNAL MASTER LIST, DOAJ DIRECTORY OF OPEN ACCES JOURNALS, Caby, Gale Cengace Learning
Publication Year: 2011
Publication Date: 2011-01-01
Language: en
Type: article
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