Focus, educational goals
The duration of the master's program "Educational technologies in specialized preparation in Information Technologies" is two semesters. The programme is designed for candidates with a professional qualification "Teacher in Informatics" or "Teacher in Information Technology". Specialists who have the right to teach specialized classess in informatics or information technology, according to the current national legislation, can also take part in it.
The aim of the program is to increase the professional qualification of teachers in specialized preparation (SP) in information technology in high school. It is aimed at providing the necessary academic knowledge and skills related to the content of the modules for specialized education in IT and partly - in informatics, as well as to develop the competencies of specialists to teach this content by applying effective teaching methods appropriate for the age of the students. The parallel development of key transferable competencies aims to assist teachers in specialized IT classess in building effective relationships with students, other pedagogical professionals, the family community and IT professionals.
Training (knowledge and skills)
The education in the master's program is based on a combination of disciplines in different scientific fields, concerning the professional competencies related to the highly specialized training, expected by the teachers in the SP in Information Technologies. Disciplines related to the specialized training in informatics are also partially covered. The knowledge and skills concerning the main areas of information technologies are deepened - Processing of large volumes of data, Databases and information systems, Web programming, Multimedia, Programming and others. At the same time, competencies for solving problem situations, designing training and applying modern educational technologies are being developed.
The curriculum provides an opportunity both to develop competencies for teaching in SP in IT, and to provide basic knowledge and skills needed to develop competencies for teaching in SP in informatics.
Another specializing aspect of the curriculum is the preparation of students to carry out pedagogical research, to analyze the collected data, to make reasoned and scientifically sound conclusions and to integrate them into the design of education.
Professional competence
Masters graduating from the Master's program "Educational technologies in specialized preparation in IT" have theoretical knowledge, practical skills and professional competencies that allow them to work effectively in specialized training in IT in high school at the secondary level. They also have a competency base for teaching informatics in specialized training.
The process of their training, which implements the curriculum, gives students in-depth theoretical knowledge, practical skills and research opportunities in the field of IT education.
Upon graduation, the masters will have professional competencies (knowledge, skills and responsible attitude) through which to:
- Design the teaching / learning process in the SP in IT in accordance with specific objectives of the educational environment and on the basis of the regulatory framework.
- Apply tactics and strategies to solve problem situations.
- Manage cognitive processes with specific teaching methods and tools.
- Organize and conduct pedagogical research, analyze the collected data and draw sound conclusions.
- Develop educational concepts, modify existing and adapt general principles to a specific educational environment.
Professional realization
Masters graduating from the master's program "Educational technologies in specialized preparation in IT" can take any position in the education system and not only in it, such as:
- teacher of information technology and informatics in specialized classes in high school;
- lecturer in information technology and / or informatics in another educational institution;
- training designer and lecturer in the company training units of an IT company;
- researcher in a scientific institution;
- expert in a working group of the Ministry of Education and Science and its subdivisions;
- expert in NIE or RME;
- author of textbooks and teaching aids, editor in a publishing house, etc.;
- consultant to a media, business, governmental or non-governmental organization on issues of education in informatics and IT.