Three representatives of the University of South Bohemia undertook an international trip to Tomar, Portugal, thanks to our university’s membership in the international KreativEU consortium, where an expert workshop of the BIP (Blended Intensive Programme) entitled “Pedagogical Innovation – Rethinking Education for Tomorrow” took place at the local Polytechnic University.
Magdalena Malechová from the Department of German Studies, Faculty of Arts; Petra Plachtová from the MEVPIS Centre, Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters; and Hana Donéeová from the Department of Social and Charitable Work, Faculty of Theology, participated in a programme focused on modern teaching approaches and on finding new methods to more effectively support the learning process. Participants familiarized themselves with the fundamentals of pedagogical innovation, teaching and learning methodologies, and in practical workshops discussed ways to improve educational strategies. The programme also included work with multimedia (creating and editing videos and podcasts) and a module dedicated to gamification—its concepts, methodologies, and use of digital tools. A significant portion was devoted to topics related to artificial intelligence, especially its applications in education and content creation to support teaching. In their free time, participants were offered an engaging cultural programme. The workshop provided both inspiration and concrete suggestions for innovations in university pedagogy and for further development of international cooperation.
“Personally, the main benefit of attending the BIP at IPT in Tomar is primarily the expansion of my existing knowledge in the field of pedagogical innovations in connection with new technologies, as well as the international networking with other representatives of KreativEU universities. I will be able to apply the new insights not only in lesson planning and in teaching itself, but I will also use the contacts I made with other KreativEU participants for work on scientific-research or internationalization projects,” outlined Magdalena Malechová from the Department of German Studies, Faculty of Arts, University of South Bohemia.
“From a professional standpoint, I was most impressed by the section on gamification and the practical demonstrations of how to structure a lesson so that it is interesting, engaging, and maintains students’ attention. I also found the short and rapid online techniques, which I can use in my lectures and workshops, to be very inspiring,” described Petra Plachtová, head of the MEVPIS Centre, Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, University of South Bohemia, Vodňany.
“Since I am a novice university instructor, it was beneficial for me to meet teachers who have much more experience than I do. Thanks to the BIP, I learned how to create podcasts, better utilize AI, videos, and other modern technologies. I have also already implemented some of the recommended tools into my teaching,” added Hana Donéeová from the Faculty of Theology, University of South Bohemia.
