Papers by Catalina Ulrich
Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 2015
The study provides a two-year reflective overview of the professional development process of one ... more The study provides a two-year reflective overview of the professional development process of one early education professional team (RODACIE: Romanian Danish Center for Integrated Education Center in Bucharest). This paper reflects on various materials gathered within a three years action-research project in which the authors are involved. More specifically we discuss results of photo analysis of everyday interactions with children and a self-assessment tool on professional practices of RODACIE staff. Both photos and self-assessment tools give practitioners the opportunity a) to reflect on their professional practices in relation to everyday interactions with children and b) to focus on their own practices in relation to different formal indicators of professional development through their own cognitive and emotional interpretation of practice. Main topics approached through crosscutting analysis of written, spoken and visual materials are the following: health and nutrition, care and development, planning and spontaneous, body and mind, autonomy and discipline, competition and cooperation etc.
Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 2014
This study attempts to explore the process of professional development of RODACIE (Romanian Danis... more This study attempts to explore the process of professional development of RODACIE (Romanian Danish Center for Integrated Education) team. Set up in 2012 as an innovative centre for early education in Bucharest, RODACIE grounds on both Romanian and Danish values and quality education trends. RODACIE also represents a professional development laboratory, nurtured by the involvement of experts and trainers from both countries. The paper discusses material from ongoing action-research project in which the authors are involved. It gives voice to practitioners, inspired and challenged by multiple and sometimes conflicting practices. Practices are shaped by cultural differences and various understanding of development and care, health and nutrition, freedom and guidance, nurture and culture, body and mind, autonomy and discipline, competition and cooperation, etc. From a professional development perspective, the seven members of the staff are in an unique condition. They are simultaneously exposed to RODACIE on-the-job-training and they are enrolled as students in the Early Education Master degree program at the University of Bucharest. The coordinator of the center and seven early education practitioners have different professional backgrounds and age ranging from 28 to 50 years old. Their double exposure represents a complex and challenging opportunity to reflect on from different perspectives. Data collected (since October 2012) by weekly site observations, monthly photo analysis, focus groups and individual interviews, policy documents and critical incidents analysis provide rich insights. At one hand, subjects reflect on their own professional development and critically compare the types of learning experiences (gained by on the job training and by attending the master degree academic program). At another hand, mature reflective practitioners focus on their double affiliation (to RODACIE project learning community and the academic community as master students) and provide rich ideas on how universities can improve their provisions on adult and continuing education.
Innovative Practices for Higher Education Assessment and Measurement
Main goal of the chapter is to focus on project based learning (PjBL) as an effective learning an... more Main goal of the chapter is to focus on project based learning (PjBL) as an effective learning and assessment method effectively used in higher education. Chapter provides an understanding of Romanian higher education contextual challenges, current pedagogy trends and specific examples to support the idea that PjBL leads to the type of authentic learning needed for nowadays students. Theoretical framework and examples are enriched by reflections on undergraduate and master degree students' perceptions on learning process and learning outcomes.
Cuvânt înainte ____________________________________________ Introducere Tinerii ºi implicarea civ... more Cuvânt înainte ____________________________________________ Introducere Tinerii ºi implicarea civicã ºi politicã ____________________________ Cultura civicã la gimnaziu ºi liceu Cercetare calitativã __________________________________________ Aspecte curriculare ale predãrii culturii civice în ºcoalã ______________ Aspecte practice ale predãrii educaþiei civice ______________________ Impactul educaþiei civice la nivelul elevilor ________________________ Educaþia civicã în România Comparaþie cu alte þãri europene _____________________________ 1. Educaþia civicã, Cultura civicã, Educaþie pentru cetãþenie democraticã: analizã conceptualã ____________________ 2. Educaþia civicã/cultura civicã în cadrul sistemului de învãþãmânt din România _________________________________ 3. Filosofia curriculumului pentru educaþia civicã___________________ 4. Elemente de comparaþie cu alte þãri europene ____________________ 5. Contextul politicilor educaþionale: evoluþie în timp ºi potenþiale schimbãri _____________________________________ 6. Elemente de analizã a impactului _____________________________ 7. Remarci concluzive _______________________________________ 8. Recomandãri (cãtre decidenþi în principal) pentru îmbunãtãþirea situaþiei existente _____________________________ 9. Bibliografie _____________________________________________ Anexa ____________________________________________________
The paper critically examines the experience in implementing Let's play as architects in the ... more The paper critically examines the experience in implementing Let's play as architects in the city! project from students and learning facilitators' perspectives. It highlights inspiring ideas generated by the Reggio Tutta project in Italy and examples of modeling innovative practice through research and teaching with emergent technologies. It investigates the perceptions of teachers and architects on the use of mobile technology for project's implementation. The evaluation of pilot phase allows changes aiming at making of the extended phase a platform of quality education. Experiences gained in the frame of the project could provide genuine examples about m-learning, where learning opportunities and experiences are dramatically changing. Therefore we expect to stimulate research efforts that focus on key areas like mobile learning, new literacies (e-texts) and engaging faculty and students in the pursuit of digital perspectives to research and teaching.
Ideea cã scoala trebuie sã formeze cetãteni este una centralã a sistemului de educatie, în teorie... more Ideea cã scoala trebuie sã formeze cetãteni este una centralã a sistemului de educatie, în teorie, în ultimii douãzeci de ani. Unul dintre obiectivele sistemului de invatamant este sã pregãteascã tinerii pentru a fi buni cetãteni si acest obiectiv este reflectat în continutul mai multor discipline predate în gimnaziu si liceu. În practicã, rezultatul este cel putin discutabil. Au scãzut constant, odatã cu cele ale întregului corp social, interesul si implicarea civicã a elevilor si desi programa de educatie civicã a suferit numeroase schimbãri, acest domeniu este în continuare considerat unul marginal, cãruia i se acordã timp si atentie drastic limitate. Studiul îsi propune sã facã o analizã a predãrii educatiei civice în România in anul 2011.
The impact study involved the collecting of qualitative and quantitative data from representative... more The impact study involved the collecting of qualitative and quantitative data from representative target groups. Questionnaires were applied to four types of respondents: 8th form pupils, teaching staff for the 4th and 8th forms, pre-primary school teachers and school managers. They come from schools that have benefited from programmes funded by the grant schemes of the programmes PHARE 2001, PHARE 2003, PHARE 2005. We received answers from 73 schools out of near 400 schools that have benefited from programmes funded by the mentioned grant schemes. Four other schools that have not benefitted from such programmes were also added. We had replies from 68 school managers, 1023 8th form pupils, 186 preprimary school teachers and 1281 teachers from the 4th and 8th forms. nstitutional analyses were carried out in 15 schools; 45 schools were visited by experts on the desegregation component, while in another 30 schools the experiences related to Educational Support and ‘Second Chance’ (SC) ...
... în lume, reflectă regularităţile ce se regăsesc în dezvoltarea fizică şi psiho-socială în tim... more ... în lume, reflectă regularităţile ce se regăsesc în dezvoltarea fizică şi psiho-socială în timpul ... materne şi a culturilor locale - inclusiv a celor cu dominantă religioasă, dimensiunea de gen. ... Implicaţi copiii în activităţi domestice simple, să ducă gunoiul, să strângă frunzele uscate etc. ...
The study has two main components. The first is a compilation and analysis of existing research f... more The study has two main components. The first is a compilation and analysis of existing research findings on young Roma children (birth to 7 years). The second is an analysis of best practices in supporting the early development of young Roma children, i.e. what works, and what is the evidence. A key objective of this study is to provide evidence of why significant resources from EU structural funds should be invested in the early development of young Roma children, and how this investment should be structured most effectively. The findings of the study will also inform and support the work of various stakeholders active in promoting equal access to quality care and education for young Roma children.
Paper grounds on empirical research carried out in three projects: MATRA project Roma educational... more Paper grounds on empirical research carried out in three projects: MATRA project Roma educational inclusion through school improvement, jointly developed by SLO National Institute for Curriculum Development The Netherlands and Step by Step Bulgaria (2007- 2009) and two EU funded projects en Romania: Access to education for disadvantaged groups Phare RO 2003/005-551.01.02 (2005-2007) and Evaluation of the Impact and Dissemination of PHARE Programm 2006/018-147.0101.02 (2008-2009). Using the evaluation research results (collected since 2004 on primary schools), we address following intertwined topics and questions: • How it functions the communication between the macro/mezo/ micro level in abovementioned projects? • What does it feed the gaps between student’s and teacher’s perceptions on identity and diversity? • What makes teachers reluctant to value diversity as a learning resource in schools and classrooms? • How to use students’ drawings and teachers’ narratives in order to overc...
Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 2015
MOOCs (massive open online courses) were reported as the buzzword of 2012. Inspired by FOMO syndr... more MOOCs (massive open online courses) were reported as the buzzword of 2012. Inspired by FOMO syndrome, we investigate perceptions on MOOCs in University of Bucharest, Education Sciences faculty and students` perceptions. It focuses on students` motivation, course structure, types of assignments, sophistication of quantitative records on students` participation and quality of pedagogy. Through focus group interviews, online questionnaires, observation, interviews and content analysis (on forums, blogs, Moodle etc.) we reflect on perceptions and expectations regarding MOOCs. Main question will be how to convert a fashionable trend into a realistic and inspirational transformative area within the higher education pedagogy?
La întregul proces de iniåiere aei de validare a conåinutului documentului au participat numeroae... more La întregul proces de iniåiere aei de validare a conåinutului documentului au participat numeroaei experåi aei reprezentanåi ai instituåiilor guvernamentale, nonguvernamentale, ai instituåiilor de cercetare, ai universitãåilor, precum aei experåi internaåionali.
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Papers by Catalina Ulrich
Colaborând în grupuri, elevii explorează, soluţionează probleme reale, iau decizii, îşi asumă responsabilităţi, folosesc resurse tehnologice şi mijloace de comunicare diverse. Evaluarea produsului, dar şi a procesului, valorificarea experienţelor şi intereselor îmbunătăţesc motivaţia şi autoreglarea învăţării, competenţele socio-emoţionale şi participarea civică. Dincolo de stimularea cognitivă şi socio-interacţională, proiectele susţin perspectiva copiilor şi tinerilor şi bunăstarea lor emoţională.
Volumul prezintă tipuri variate de proiecte, de la cele realizate cu copii mici până la cele folosite în universităţi. Cartea se adresează profesorilor și studenților, dar și altor categorii de specialiști și practicieni din domeniul educației (formatori, animatori, coordonatori de proiecte din ONG-uri, părinți).