InterCap Training Package: Participatory Learning Methods in Global Education

The InterCap project, led by the CARDET research institute, starts from the assumption that the UN 2030 Agenda and achievement of SDGs rely on the contribution of the whole society, and not only policy-makers. The project established European CSO-university networks to empower educators on sustainable development and promote coherence in development education across EU countries. A fundamental aspect of this drive was the development of a comprehensive 30-hour training package for educators and trainers in the fields of migration and sustainable development.

InterCap was an EU-funded DEAR project implemented by a consortium of 13 organisations from 12 EU countries led by CARDET, Cyprus. The three year InterCap project was completed in January 2021 and more than 20,000 people accessed and reviewed its training package.

The InterCap training package was developed for blended learning environments, including online self-study and face to face sessions. The training package addresses the gaps in public understanding of key issues in sustainable development as well as the challenges in the delivery of development education, in particular in 12 EU member states (Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Germany, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovenia and the United Kingdom). 

The project research findings combined with partners’ education expertise led them towards interactive learning methodologies. The learners are presented with information and tools to develop professional skills including leadership, teamwork, project design and implementation. Consequently, the training package enhances the educators’ ability to address and explore contemporary national and global issues utilising innovative pedagogical approaches.

The comprehensive set of learning and educational tools help develop teachers’ and trainers’ capacity to use the following methods:

• Philosophy for Children (P4C),
• Open Spaces for Dialogue and Enquiry (OSDE) and
• Theatre for Living (T4L)

The training package focuses on the promotion of participatory and problem-based learning approaches that can promote an experiential and authentic learning experience for students and trainees. Such approaches offer learners an opportunity to contextualise the information they are presented, self-reflect and introduce a dialogue-oriented learning process relying on their active participation and engagement.

The participatory methodologies used in the InterCap training package promote critical thinking and thorough explorations of key issues on sustainable development  - both critically missing from formal education. Additionally, the training package incorporates non-formal education techniques to make learning a more engaging and interactive process.

The project team also ran a series of hybrid training workshops to present the package and train educators and trainers on how to use it.

By offering its workshops online, InterCap reached and attracted the participation of participants from across all the implementing countries, elevating their accessibility and minimising geographical restrictions. During the workshop evaluation, learners commended the interactive, motivating and inspiring approach of the training package and expressed their appreciation for new methodologies and approaches to engaging their students.   

MORE INFORMATION

The InterCap learning resources are available in English with selected parts translated in 8 EU languages via the project’s website.

The training package demo version can be accessed without registration here.

Registered users can explore the complete training programme via the project’s eLearning Platform.