Think, do, be positive. This is the motto of Audronė Daubarienė, a lecturer at the KTU Faculty of Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities. However, it would be too restrictive to describe this person in this way, as she is also Faculty’s International Relations coordinator, a professional translator, the head of the Linguistics and Translation Studies Committee, and an active participant in the activities of the KTU EDU_lab Centre. She also teaches modules related to the development of students’ learning competences at various faculties.
“Today, learning is student-centred – the focus is on the student and the teacher is there to guide the student in the right direction.“
Can you briefly tell us about yourself?
I am a native of Kaunas, I studied English Philology at Vilnius University, and I completed my PhD studies in Sociology at KTU. I started working at KTU (then called Kaunas Polytechnic Institute) during my studies. I grew up in this university, I have worked in various positions – from a laboratory technician in the language lab when I was a student, to a vice-dean at the former Faculty of Humanities, when I was already working as a teacher.
What do you teach at KTU, what activities take most of your time?
I am currently a lecturer, head of the Linguistics and Translation Studies Committee, and the Faculty’s International Relations coordinator. It is very difficult to say which of the activities takes up most of my time, as they are all related to studies, and are often intertwined.
The subjects I teach are related to my professional activities. I teach consecutive interpreting to BA students in Translation of Technical Texts program, because interpreting is my professional field, which I studied and then learned from my colleagues in Kaunas and abroad.
Another module I teach is “Public Speaking”. I developed this module in English when we were designing the BA New Media Language program, which is taught in English. My professional activities – interpreting and work related to management – naturally require knowledge and skills in public speaking. Therefore, when the opportunity to develop such a module came up, I took it with great enthusiasm.
This spring, I started teaching another module in English – “Intercultural Dialogues”. I “inherited” it from my late, respected colleague, Professor Vilmantė Liubinienė. Studies in sociology, daily work with international students, and many years of participation in international study projects were the perfect basis for me to take up this module.
As an active participant in the EDU_Lab Teaching and Learning Competence Centre, where we organise and deliver didactic competence development trainings for lecturers, I teach one competence in English – the ability to learn – in the “Introduction to Studies” modules at various faculties.
You mentioned that you are involved in the EDU_lab centre, which focuses on the development of teachers’ didactic competences. What does the change in the teaching process and the use of new methods bring to the relationship between teacher and student?
I am very happy that we have EDU_Lab at KTU and I am proud to be a member of its team. I always remember myself as a student and the monotony of teaching and learning methods. Things have changed a lot since then! Today, learning is student-centred – the focus is on the student, and the teacher is there to guide the student in the right direction. We use active learning methods where students explore, discover and apply knowledge.
You are an interpreter with an interest in consecutive interpreting. What made you choose this activity? What fascinates you most about this field?
As far as my work as an interpreter is concerned (I interpret at various events and trainings), I’m drawn to the constant challenge, I would even say that interpreting gives me an adrenaline rush. Even though all the homework seems to be done, you can never predict how the process will go, when the surprises will come. In addition to linguistic training, personal qualities are very important in interpreting: quick reactions, flexibility, stress management. Of course, experience is also a very important factor.
As a teacher, is there a teaching model, a principle, that you find the most acceptable, the most valuable in preparing tomorrow’s experts in humanities?
I believe that there is no one model of teaching. The most important thing to remember is that the focus is on the student, on their learning. Modern humanities studies are facing an existential crisis, as most students tend to choose studies with a very clear career path after graduation. What is our emphasis in preparing tomorrow’s experts in humanities? We emphasise the need for lifelong learning, critical thinking skills, professional linguistic knowledge and skills. New technologies, such as large language models, are changing the way linguists and translators work. The humanist of tomorrow is able to manage technologies, as they are everyday tools. We need the expertise to evaluate and manage the content produced by these tools. Such expertise is acquired through studying humanities.
How do you spend your free time?
I have always been interested in personal development: the practice of yoga and how it affects the body and soul, Buddhist philosophy has given me a deeper understanding of cause and effect, my fast-paced life and the multitude of things to do has led me to an interest in time management. Like many, I love to travel. For many years now, I have been going on summer holidays to Provence, where I can immerse myself in the cultural life, by attending various festivals such as the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence, the Festival d’Avignon, the Festival de La Roque-d’Anthéron, visiting beautiful towns and, of course, enjoying the sea and the sun.
To meet the other faculty members please visit fssah.ktu.edu/teachers
