First short staff training on Design Thinking in curriculum design, Open Pedagogy and Service Learning

The three-day training focused on equipping teachers with skills and methodologies in design thinking in curriculum development, and innovative pedagogical approaches, such as Open pedagogy, Project-based learning, social innovation, and civic engagement, to enhance inclusive digital healthcare education. The training session for the Erasmus+ Heal-4-All project was held on November 20th – 22nd, 2024, at University of Split, Croatia.

The training opened with a welcoming introduction to the training program goals, led by the project coach, Branka Bernard. Participants engaged in team-building exercises to foster collaboration and set the stage for an intensive learning experience. During the first day of training, Branka introduced participants to the design thinking methodology in curriculum design. This session was followed by a presentation of the existing learning outcomes and curriculum structures from the participating schools. In small groups, the participants worked collaboratively to define new learning outcomes and outline course modules tailored to meet the project’s objectives. The day concluded with group presentations and a wrap-up discussion that refined the proposed learning outcomes and set the groundwork for the next day’s activities. Following a productive day, the participants enjoyed a networking dinner in Split’s historic city center.

The second day of training continued with practical sessions focusing Curriculum structure: Goals Pedagogical Approaches, Learning Outcomes, and Assessment, followed by group work, where participants worked on: Defining Learning Outcomes for Modules, Peer Evaluation and Consolidation of Learning Outcomes and Curriculum Mapping.
The third and final day of the short staff training began with a warm-up and relaxation exercise before a discussion on Introduction to Open Pedagogy: Concepts, Examples and Integration into Heal4ALL and Introduction to Service Learning which was led by Ivana Carev.

At the end of this three-day training session, participants expressed their satisfaction with the knowledge and skills gained. They highlighted the practical applications of design thinking and innovative pedagogical approaches, as well as the collaborative atmosphere that defined the training. This training provided invaluable insights and practical tools, paving the way for curriculum innovation and the enhancement of teaching methodologies. The Heal-4All project team looks forward to the next phase of activities.

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the Agency for Mobility and EU Programmes (AMEUP). Neither the European Union nor AMEUP can be held responsible for them.