On November 21, 2024, the international project’s final event “HACK-IT community of practice: innovative pedagogies for responsible education” took place at Kaunas University of Technology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities (KTU FSSAH). The aim of the event was to discuss innovative teaching methods that contribute to the future of socially responsible education.
The event was attended by professors from higher education institutions, education experts, and other specialists from Lithuania and abroad. They shared their experience of creativity, collective imagination, and critical thinking skills in education. Some speakers came from the University of Cambridge, the University of Bologna, and the University of Twente. The speakers stressed the importance of innovative education and encouraging students’ participation and responsibility when addressing global challenges.
The organizers – Head of the KTU Municipal Training Centre, Jolanta Vaičiūnienė and KTU Prof. Dr Raminta Pučėtaitė – were delighted with the event’s success. “This event proved the positive role of pedagogical innovations in higher quality education and the creation of a sustainable and responsible society”, said Jolanta Vaičiūnienė. Prof. Dr Raminta Pučėtaitė expressed the hope that the hackathon’s participants will implement learnt changes in their institutions and the society.
Tomas Mockaitis, a lecturer at the Higher Education Institution of Klaipėda, who started teaching biochemistry, biophysics, and immunology this year, also attended the event. As a new lecturer, he attended the hackathon to gather ideas for making his classes more engaging and interactive. When the hackathon was over, the professor shared his thoughts on how this learning experience inspired him and which new methodologies he would implement in his classes.
“I came to the hackathon to learn new strategies and improve my subjects. My classes currently are more theoretical and less practical. However, after the hackathon, I decided to incorporate additional gamification activities, visuals, and practical tasks. I think I will cut out a part of the theory to make it more interesting and engaging for students,” said Mockaitis.
He added that he should incorporate the topic of artificial intelligence in his classes. “It is important to educate students about the accurate and responsible use of AI. After all, it is not forbidden yet has to be used responsibly and purposefully”.
An English teacher Irina Dementjeva from Juozas Miltinis gymnasium of Panevėžys also shared her insights. She said the school she works in is theatre-focused and her pupils actively participate in international projects, such as Erasmus+. The teacher came to the hackathon to learn different points of view, find out how other projects work, and learn new ideas, which could be a great addition to her teaching methods.
“I came here to learn how to engage my pupils in learning in a more interesting and motivating way. I learned about the positive connection between games and communication, and I realised that computer games could become useful in developing cooperation and creativity, even if they sometimes seem exhausting,” said Irina Dementjeva.
She stressed the need to maintain humanity and communication in today’s education system through modern methods and technologies.
Associate Professor at KTU Dr Dainora Maumevičienė, one of the organisers, stated that the HACK-IT hackathon benefits teachers, professors, experts, and educators working in formal and non-formal education. The hackathon allowed education specialists to learn new teaching methods and to share successful outcomes with their foreign colleagues. She emphasised that education specialists had the chance to explore new pedagogical strategies and learn about modern technologies. Above all, they could find inspiration for integrating creativity and innovations into their daily work.
“This hackathon was a great opportunity for teachers to discover new ideas to not only improve the quality of their subjects, but also engage students and foster their creativity and critical thinking. It allowed them to delve deeper into educational innovations. Most importantly, it created a community built on cooperation and idea sharing, which are essential for modern education,” said Dainora Maumevičienė.
The event was funded by the Erasmus+ programme, emphasising the importance of international communication and transforming education.
You can read more about the event at KTU’s website.
The event’s photos are here.
