Innovations in Training

Mack Douglas said, “The average person uses less than ten percent of his total mental capacity.”  The question therefore is, “What is happening to the other 90%?”  Most people are barely scratching the surface of their total human potential, resulting in unnecessary failures or underachievement.  Dr. Howard Gardner of Harvard, in his book “Frames of Mind,” presented breakthrough evidence showing that people have seven intelligences, namely, math-logic, linguistic, spatial-visual, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and kinesthetic.  Failure to appreciate this in the past led to false labeling of many students as slow learners or as having low intelligence quotient, which led to damaged self-image and a long line of underachieving students.  The drop-out rate is on the rise because of the failure of schools to recognize the innate intelligence in students and the inability of these institutions to adjust to the students’ learning styles.  Other studies indicate that there may be other intelligences other than those identified by Dr. Gardner, such as environmental appreciation, metaphysical, and others, but they are yet to be confirmed. 

What we understood from the above text? Traditional ways of teaching and learning are not providing youth anymore with the proper skills and competences required by the labor market and society’s development. Old and ineffective teaching practices should thus be replaced by innovative learning techniques that put the youth in the middle of their learning process. MDL and SLEs are adding an essential ingredient to youth education and that is self-reflection about the things we are experiencing daily both in the education system and outside of it. 

The labor market today is more and more demandable, the competition between candidates is acerbic and the need for proving specific skills and competencies has gained a great importance. We cannot neglect the benefits and the added-value that non-formal activities can bring to the personal and professional development of youth. 

The reason why it has been given so much attention to this segment of education is that it has been acknowledged that formal education cannot supply anymore what young people need for their personal and professional development. Although we still witness a monopoly of formal education institutions, non-formal education contributes more and more to the life-learning process and to the development of human capital.

The project goals and objectives will be accomplished by two consequential connected activities:

1.Training course “Innovations in Training” (06 – 13 July 2021) – Struga, North Macedonia.

2.Dissemination through pilot training and workshops in regional communities (August 2021) – Europe.

By this we want to envision & encourage many educators in Europe to contribute in restructuring the education system with experiential methods of learning.