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Innovation Laboratories in the development of competences of special pedagogy teachers and people with special educational needs
Start date: Sep 1, 2014, End date: Aug 31, 2017 PROJECT  FINISHED 

According to the Polish census conducted in year 2011, total number of the disabled people amounted to approx. 4.7 million, which constitutes 12.2% Polish population. Among the handicapped persons, men’s share came to 46.1%, while women – 53.9%. Other sources state, though, that these interests may be underestimated due to occurring data underestimation. In year 2012, 17.4% disabled people aged 15 and more were professionally active, while share of working persons among disabled people aged 15 and more came to 14.7% and the unemployment rate was equal to 15.5%. Therefore, it is very important to take actions aiming at improved level of functioning of the disabled people, their integration with the rest of society and preparation to independent (as far as possible) life and consequently – satisfying job. Besides direct measures addressed to the disabled people, this aim may be achieved also through acting for the benefit of improved quality of education of persons preparing to work with the disabled people. Project “Innovation Laboratories in the development of competences of special pedagogy teachers and people with special educational needs” is addressed to three groups of recipients: students of special education – preparing themselves to work with the disabled people, teachers working with the disabled people and the disabled people. This project aims at exchange of experience and good practice within the scope of organising a didactic process with use of new teaching methods available through application of Innovation Laboratories in teaching specialised subjects and in organisation of didactic and therapeutic activities for persons with special educational needs. Innovation Laboratory (i-Lab) is a solution assuming co-existence of three interpenetrating elements: environment, moderation techniques (facilitation), technology. Environment – i-Lab is created in the way providing its participants with the sense of joint work in space dedicated to this, which does not look like a typical working environment. Each i-Lab is usually characterised with unusual interior design. Moderation techniques aiming at stimulation of a creative process through use of not only environment and technology, but also dynamics of a group work and other techniques to manage process so that participants use their ideas as efficiently as possible. Technology – the most modern, easy-to-use software enables anonymous involvement of all participants, quick discussion, recording appearing ideas, cooperation and voting. i-Lab enables relocation of users from their everyday environment to the extraordinary space favourable for creative thinking, solving problems and sharing ideas in the honest and unhampered way, overcoming barriers. As a result of project implementation, four partner institutions shall use experience of the Institute of Sustainable Technology - PIB in Radom and they shall take measures aiming at creation of innovation laboratory and including it in the process of teaching specialist subjects (e.g. special education) or within the scope of organising various activities for the disabled people. In pedagogical, therapeutic and educational activities, efficient techniques supporting a pedagogue in preparation of students to think independently, cooperate, perform the role of a group member are very important. i-Lab application in a didactic process meets these expectations and create the possibility of valuable supplementation of teaching in Polish schools. In particular, special pedagogues and experts of rehabilitation teams appropriately prepared to use i-Lab capacity may not only make their measures more attractive, but also increase their efficiency. Methods increasing teaching effectiveness and social competences of children are essential within the scope of working with students of special educational needs. Hence, it is important to include such ways of working with a group that initiate establishing interactions, support team work, enable to perceive substantial input of every member in terms of benefits for a group. In addition, the project shall enable long-term development of relevant mechanisms of i-Lab application at work of educational institutions. Within the special pedagogy area, there is huge demand for searching and discovering new ways to increase effects of education and therapy of persons with special educational needs. i-Lab usability is possible also in the area of diagnosing needs and problems of students and in the area of increasing effectiveness of work of supporting teams, e.g. during creation of projects and search for adequate aid strategies and support systems for students.

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