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Institution:
Modern
Didactics Center
(MDC)
Vilnius
Address:
Modern Didactics Center (MDC)
Studentu street 39-401
LT-08106 Vilnius, Lithuania
Tel.fax.+370 52751410
Contact persons:
volunteers in Lithuania
Wendy SAUL, University of
Maryland (USA)
Jeanne REARDON, Montgomery County Public Schools (USA)
Janice DOLE, University of Utah (USA)
Bonnie MORGAN, Utah State Office of Education (USA)
RWCT centers-modelling schools
Vilnius primary
school "Vyturys"
Director Ausra DRUMSTIENE
Taikos str. 189, LT-05209 Vilnius
Tel., fax. (370-5) 2460740
Vilnius S.Daukantas secondary school
Director Jolanta Gertruda KNYVIENE
Naugarduko str. 7, LT-01141 Vilnius
Tel., fax. (370-5) 2331488
Silute 1st
gymnasium
Director Laima SPIRGIENE
K.Kalinausko str. 2, LT-99130 Silute
Tel., fax. (370-441) 62008
Moletai gymnazium
Director Rima GUOBIENE
Jaunimo str. 5, LT-33127 Moletai
Tel., fax. (370-383) 51048
Certified
RWCT Lithuanian team:
Certifiers
Daiva
PENKAUSKIENE
Director
of Modern Didactics Center
Tel. 370-5-275-14-10
Asta
NAVICKAITE
Teacher-methodist
of primary grades of Modern School Center
Dr.
Valdone INDRASIENE
Head
of Social Education Department of Social Communication Institute of Vilnius
Pedagogical University
Dr.
Vida GUDZINSKIENE
Docent
of Health Education Department of Vilnius Pedagogical University
Danguole
DAUKSIENE
Teacher-methodist
of Vilnius primary school “Vyturys”
Lecturers
Evaldas
BAKONIS
History teacher-expert of Vilnius
S.Daukantas secondary school; head of Textbooks Research and Information
Center of the Center for Education Development
Danguole
DAUKSIENE
Teacher
of Vilnius primary school “Vyturys”
Raimonda
JARIENE
Teacher
of Lithuanian language and literature of Vilnius S.Daukantas secondary
school; senior specialist of the Center for Education Development
Dr.Rita
MAKARSKAITE
docent
of Education Department of Vilnius Pedagogical University
petkeviciene.r@gmail.com
Laima
SPIRGIENE
Director
of Silute 1st gymnasium
Violeta
SOPIENE
Teacher
of Lithuanian language and
literature of
Silute 1st gymnasium
Irena
ARLAUSKIENE
Senior Teacher of Lithuanian language
and literature
of
Silute 1st gymnasium
Asta
RAILIENE
Assistant
of Social Education Department of Social Communication Institute of Vilnius
Pedagogical University
Zivilė
BARKAUSKAITE-LUKSIENE
Assistant
of Social Education Department of Social Communication Institute of Vilnius
Pedagogical University
Grazina
SIVICKA
Vice-principal
of Vilnius A.Mickeviciaus gymnasium, teacher-expert of Polish language and
literature
Teachers
dr.
Dalia SURVUTAITE
Docent
of Educology Department of Vilnius Pedagogical University
Laima
TOLIUSIENE
Senior
teacher of History of Silute 1st gymnasium
Algirdas
GECAS
Teacher
of History of Silute 1st gymnasium
Laima
VERSIACKAITE
Senior
teacher of Vilnius primary school “Vyturys”
Zydrune
KALINAUSKIENE
Teacher-methodist
of Vilnius primary school “Vyturys”
Silvija
MARKUCKIENE
Psychologist
and teacher-methodist of Ethics of Vilnius
S.Daukantas secondary school
Ramune
ZILIONYTE
Teacher of Lithuanian
language and literature of Vilnius S.Daukantas secondary school
Zivile
JURGAITYTE
Teacher of Lithuanian
language and literature of Vilnius S.Daukantas secondary school
Irma
GECEVICIUTE
Teacher of Mathematics
of Vilnius S.Daukantas secondary school
Jūratė
MIKULEVIČIŪTĖ
Teacher
of Science of Vilnius S.Daukantas secondary school
Elvyra
DIRMAITE
Teacher
of Mathematics of Moletai gymnasium
Rima
GUOBIENE
Director
of Moletai gymnasium
Stase
STUNDIENE
Teacher
of English of Moletai gymnasium
Alma
VIDZIUNIENĖ
Teacher
o French and Ethics of Moletai gymnasium
Irena
JANCIONYTE
Teacher
of Physics of Moletai gymnasium
Jule
KAVALNIENE
Teacher
of English of Moletai gymnasium
Alė
VIZGIRDIENĖ
Primary
grades teacher of Mazeikiai “Ziburelis” primary school
Jūratė
MINGĖLAITĖ
Primary
grades teacher of Mazeikiai “Ziburelis” primary school
Nijolė
CIPARIENĖ
Primary
grades teacher of Mazeikiai “Ziburelis” primary school
Daiva
RADZIENĖ
Primary
grades teacher of Mazeikiai “Ziburelis” primary school
Vilija
VIRŠILIENĖ
Primary
grades teacher of Mazeikiai “Ziburelis” primary school
Daliutė
VADEIKIENĖ
Primary
grades teacher of Mazeikiai “Ziburelis” primary school
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Modern Didactics
Centre (MDC) is public non-governmental, non-profit organization for non-formal
adult education and in-service training. MDC was established in 1999 by
initiative of Vilnius Pedagogical University and Open Society Fund-Lithuania as
inter-university centre.
Reading
and writing for critical thinking (RWCT) project in Lithuania
Project supported by Open
Society Institute-New York, International
Reading Association.
Before starting RWCT project in Lithuania, quality of education content in
Lithuania schools was revised and the following conclusions were made:
- students are lack of skills of information search, selection and evaluation,
reflective thinking, attentive listening, debate;
- memorization of facts is prevailing as background of learning process;
- students are unable to make practical knowledge they amassed in school;
- students' creativity is restricted;
- teachers apply very few modern teaching methods in their practice;
- system of knowledge evaluation is imperfect;
- there are no evidences of information and democratic society in Lithuania
schools.
Research, made in Lithuania, shows, that many people meet
problems, because of the lack of self-confidence, critical attitude towards
personal abilities and capacity to reflect and make decisions. Those problems
create barrier for personal and professional development. Those skills are very
important for their future career and adaptation in society.
The young people must be prepared to
meet challenges of the rapidly changing world and information. Developing
critical thinking, as universal strategy, is still one of the biggest needs in
society.
RWCT project has identified a set of consistent behaviours and
characteristics in order to promote democratic interchange.
Advantages
- Classroom-based
Participants leave RWCT workshops ready to implement the strategies in their own
classrooms.
- Flexible
RWCT is effectively implemented in primary and secondary classrooms, in
pedagogical high schools, and in university classrooms, across many disciplines.
- Adaptable to local conditions
RWCT is designed for use with existing curricula and existing materials.
- Designed to build local capacity
Mentored by a select group of international educators, RWCT builds a corps of
skilled, in-country teacher trainers giving each country the capacity for
national expansion.
Aims
- To implement democratic practices in Lithuania schools in order to promote
educational reform.
- To introduce into schools strategies for interactive methods of teaching in
order to prepare pupils for citizenship in open societies.
- To set up models and methods of staff professional development for teachers
training
Activities
Lithuania joined the RWCT network in 1997. The project was started under one of
educational programs of Open Society Fund-Lithuania.
During the first year of the project volunteers from the International Reading
Association have worked with the in-country leadership team, formed from
Lithuania primary, secondary schools, gymnasiums and universities. RWCT
lecturers of the first generation, able to eventually demonstrate and teach
these methods to others, were prepared.
In year II, the first generation participants trained teachers of the second
generation. All these teachers became a part of the local leadership core.
Since 1998 dissemination activities were started and institutionalization
strategy was developed.
48 schools and education centres have participated in the project during
1997-2000, over 600 teachers from various Lithuanian schools attended RWCT
seminars.
After the RWCT project end in 2000, newly established Modern Didactics Center
took over the project and turned it to permanent in-service training program of
the centre. MDC coordinates network of trainers, delivers RWCT courses for
teachers, organizes certification processes and initiates other activities
ensuring project sustainability.
International conference
Development of Critical Thinking and Teacher Training in the XXI-st century -
Opportunities for Change. 21-23 February 2000, Vilnius.
Project evaluation:
- In 1999 the sociological survey was made to evaluate the efficiency and
improvement perspectives of the RWCT project in Lithuania. Cf. the Summary
of survey.
- In April 2000, the Open Society Institute commissioned the American
Institutes for Research to conduct an evaluation of the RWCT project. Cf. the Evaluation
Report - for the connection between information, their
organisation and integration into prior knowledge and critical thinking
see in particular p. 11 and Appendix C - p. 8-9)
RWCT centers-modelling schools
Since 1997 four schools joined the RWCT programme and
became RWCT centers-modelling schools. These schools with a significant
proportion of teacher educators familiar with RWCT methodologies serve as
demonstration sites for both pre-service and in-service teachers: teachers apply
RWCT methods in their lessons, deliver workshops for other teachers, and
organize open lessons. They also provide the basis for students' teaching
practices.
Higher education
Since the very beginning of project lecturers of Vilnius Pedagogical University
were involved as project participants and advocates.
In 1998 the course "Developing of Critical Thinking in Teaching Different
Subjects" was offered to Vilnius University and Vilnius Pedagogical
University students as one semester duration optional credit course. Since 1999
this initiative have been prolonged only in Vilnius Pedagogical University. More
than 100 students attending this course each semester.
Reading
and writing for critical thinking (RWCT) - A professional development
project for educators
Keywords: educational project - critical
thinking - critical thinking skills - critical thinking promotion - reading skills - writing skills -
critical debate skills - students' information skills - information search -
information selection - evaluation of information - learning process - modern
teaching methods - personal development - professional development - information
society - knowledge society - democratic interchange - active citizenship
- open societies - active learning - independent learning - lifelong learning
- classroom-based learning - in-service training for educators - in-service
training for teacher trainers - professional development for teachers - courses
for Educational Sciences students - critical thinking in higher education
- modelling schools
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