ERASMUS+ Programme – METHODS Project number: 561940-EPP-1-2015-1-JO-EPPKA2-CBHE-JP

DISCLAIMER: This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication [communication] reflects the views only

of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

METHODS PROJECT NEWSLETTER MODERNIZATION OF TEACHING METHODOLOGIES IN HIGHER EDUCATION: EU EXPERIENCE FOR

JORDAN AND PALESTINIAN TERRITORY (METHODS) http://methods.ju.edu.jo

ISSUE 3

APRIL, 2017

WELCOME TO THE METHODS PROJECT

Dear reader,

Welcome to the third issue of our Project Newsletter, providing you

with the latest update on METHODS Project progress!

The newsletter contains information of what we have accomplished on

the project, what we are working on now, what we plan to work on

next, and how the project is going in general. We also want to provide

insight into the different aspects of the cooperation between the

different Partner Universities.

We hope you will enjoy reading this issue!

Contact

Information

Prof. Ahmed Al-Salaymeh

(UJ, General Coordinator)

Tel: +962-6-53 55 000 Ext. 22816

Fax: +962-6-53 00 237

Email: methods@ju.edu.jo

Project website:

http://methods.ju.edu.jo

Join the Network

Follow us on:

ERASMUS+ Programme – METHODS Project number: 561940-EPP-1-2015-1-JO-EPPKA2-CBHE-JP

DISCLAIMER: This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication [communication] reflects the views only

of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

Birzeit University, Ramallah-Palestine

Third STEERING

COMMITTEE MEETING

The third steering committee meeting for

METHODS Project held on January 10-13, 2017

in Ramallah-Palestine. It was hosted by Birzeit

University and attended by 20 representatives

from different project partners including

Jordan, Palestine, Denmark, United Kingdom of

Britain, Germany, and Spain.

The Steering Committee discussed the status

and the work plan of the project activities. The

meeting focused on discussing the development

of the teaching material and training plan for the

academic staff which aims to enhance the

competences of teachers in teaching and

learning, and to enhance the competences of

teachers in using Learning Management

Systems like conducting online sessions,

developing learning object, collaboration with

student, etc.

The Steering Committee also reviewed the

equipment list that will be used for establishing

the autonomous ICT center at Jordan and

Palestine, and also for the implementation of

smart classrooms.

In addition, the committee met the President of

Birzeit University, Prof. Abdul Latif Abu Hijleh.

The participants of the meeting also conducted a

tour for many centres and research labs in

Birzeit University.

Third Project Meeting, January 10-13, 2017

Third Project Meeting, January 10-13, 2017

ERASMUS+ Programme – METHODS Project number: 561940-EPP-1-2015-1-JO-EPPKA2-CBHE-JP

DISCLAIMER: This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication [communication] reflects the views only

of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

University of Wolverhampton, Telford Campus

First Training Workshop

in University of

Wolverhampton, UK

During the week of 26-31 March 2017, a train of

trainers workshop was conducted at University of

Wolverhampton in United Kingdom to train the

faculty members and administrative staff from the

project partner universities in Jordan and

Palestine on different modern learning

methodologies.

During the training week, the participants received

a training on Problem Based Learning (PBL),

Competency Based Learning (CBL), E-Learning

Pedagogies, MOOCS, Flipped Learning, Agile

Learning, and the integration between the

Competency Based Learning (CBL) and Problem

Based Learning (PBL).

In addition, the participants underwent a Digital

Habits questionnaire in order to evaluate the

acquired skills before and after the training week.

In the last day of training, the participants was

requested to design and make Mini-prototyping of

their courses with coaching from the trainers.

Training workshop-UOW-UK, March 26-31, 2017

Training workshop-UOW-UK, March 26-31, 2017

ERASMUS+ Programme – METHODS Project number: 561940-EPP-1-2015-1-JO-EPPKA2-CBHE-JP

DISCLAIMER: This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication [communication] reflects the views only

of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

MAJOR ACCOMPLISHED ACTIVITIES

Base line Study Work

Package

In order to explore the market needs

and to effectively determine the

current status of the use of

Information and Communication

Technology (ICT) in the market place,

a special survey was produced to

understand the level of ICT skills our

fresh graduates possess that enables

them to meet the current job market

needs. More specifically, to investigate

the impact of employing a university

graduate with ICT skills on the overall

performance of his/her job and the

operation and success of the

contacted organization.

Equipment Work Package

Based on the results of Baseline study the list of

equipment for all universities was finalized.

A two main centres will be established in both Jordan

(The University of Jordan) and Palestine (Birzeit

University) with finest teaching and learning facilities in

the region. These centres will be a hub for providing the

best practices in utilising ICT in education. Staff member

from different faculties could have learning and coaching,

on best practices in developing learning objects. Moreover

the staff members could learn how to collaborate and

share resources on the educational portal

For other partner universities smart classrooms will be

installed in each partner university in both Jordan and

Palestine. Such smart classrooms will provide facilities for

hands on, learning objects with the latest audio visual

equipment and insure a modern environmental perfectly

suited to a positive learning experience

The procurement process is ongoing in all partner

universities.

Capacity Building and Development Work Package

Within the framework of the capacity building and development work package; which aims mainly toward

developing an innovative Teaching and Learning Centers in both Birzeit University and University of Jordan; an

advanced workshop on the modern learning methods was conducted to train the participants on how to develop

their courses in the framework of METHODS.

The participants are in contact with the trainers after the workshop to answer their inquiries and to provide them

with the needed supervision.

ERASMUS+ Programme – METHODS Project number: 561940-EPP-1-2015-1-JO-EPPKA2-CBHE-JP

DISCLAIMER: This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication [communication] reflects the views only

of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

Meetings and Events

INFO DAY FOR ERASMUS+ PROJECTS AT UJ

December 22, 2016

The Accreditation and Quality Assurance Centre at UJ held to introduce the European funded projects under Erasmus+

Program. The Erasmus+ projects in which UJ is a grant holder or a partner have been publicized to faculty members,

students and the administration staff at UJ and also for external guests. The general coordinator of METHODS project

and the Chairman of Mechanical Engineering department at UJ, Prof. Ahmed Al-Salaymeh delivered a lecture entitled

"How to write and apply for Erasmus+ Project".

The lecture targeted faculty members and graduate students and those interested in acquiring the needed skills that

enable them to translate their ideas into proposals "projects" worthy to compete for. The lecture also dealt with the

financial management of these projects, and the typical distributions for the budget was displayed. In addition; the

METHODS project model and its successful story was introduced to the audience, to encourage them to apply for such

projects. Moreover; Prof. Al-Salaymeh presented the different benefits that might be offered by the Erasmus+ projects

for universities, academic staff and undergraduate or graduate students, such as offering a golden opportunity to build

the capacities of the staff in these institutions and giving them new experiences to modernize the teaching

methodologies by transferring the European experience.

ERASMUS+ Programme – METHODS Project number: 561940-EPP-1-2015-1-JO-EPPKA2-CBHE-JP

DISCLAIMER: This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication [communication] reflects the views only

of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

UPCOMING MEETING

The Fourth Project Meeting will take place at University of Girona, Spain. The meeting will take place on

September7-8, 2017. The meeting will be held to discuss and follow-up on the project deliverables.

The University of Girona is a public university devoted to excellence in teaching and research and to participating in the progress and development of society through the creation, transmission, diffusion and criticism of knowledge related to sciences, technology, humanities, social sciences and arts with modern system for Curriculum development. UdG is one of the primary economic and cultural motors of the region. UdG was established in 1991 and consists of 5 faculties, 2 schools and 6 centers with about 13.000 students. Regarding the area related to the project, the representatives of the "Quality of Teaching and Learning process and Teachers Training: Strategic and Curricular Advising" team is taking part in the project. The main objective of the team is research that provide elements of quality for the analysis and the improvement of the educational practice through the following lines of work: - Analysis and evaluation of the curricular planning based in competences

- Evaluation of the learning based in competences

- Analysis of the practice as a tool of reflection and teacher training

- Indicators of quality of the process of teaching and learning

ERASMUS+ Programme – METHODS Project number: 561940-EPP-1-2015-1-JO-EPPKA2-CBHE-JP

DISCLAIMER: This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication [communication] reflects the views only

of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

Upcoming Workshops

To build the capacities of the faculty members and the administrative staff at the partner universities, many training workshops will be conducted during the project life. The closest workshops to be conducted are: TRAINING WORKSHOP ON

MODERN TEACHING

METHODS IN DEAD SEAS, JORDAN

The university of Jordan in collaboration with other partners will conduct a training workshop in Dead Sea, Jordan for Jordanian and Palestinian partners.

The workshop aims at strengthening the faculty member's capacities on modern learning methods. This workshop will be considered as the second training workshop in METHODS project following the first one that was held on March 27-31, 2017 in United Kingdom, it will be conducted to give the opportunity to other academic staff who weren’t able to attend the first training and to monitor the process of developing the courses according to METHODS framework.

TRAINING WORKSHOP ON MODERN

TEACHING METHODS IN LEIPZIG, GERMANY

Leipzig University of Applied Sciences in Leipzig (HTWK), Germany will organize a training workshop to take place in August 7-11, 2017.

The workshop will be dedicated for discussing the sustainability plan of the project and to train on the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System- ECTS and Creative Commons (CC) License System and also on other topics on modern learning. HTWK Leipzig ranks among Germany’s largest universities of applied sciences. Education and teaching in HTWK is practice-oriented, career-relevant, performed in short and intense study courses leading to accredited bachelor and master degrees. All HTWK faculties are using ICT in education and training, meeting rapidly evolving industry needs, optimizing study and teaching of students for high-level professional practice in fields of engineering, business, social science and cultural studies and information sciences.

ERASMUS+ Programme – METHODS Project number: 561940-EPP-1-2015-1-JO-EPPKA2-CBHE-JP

DISCLAIMER: This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication [communication] reflects the views only

of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

Project Coordinator

The University of Jordan

Partners

Birzeit University

The Hashemite University

An-Najah National University

Palestine Polytechnic

University

University of

Wolverhampton

Leipzig University of Applied

Sciences

University of Deusto

Plovdiv University

Universitat de Girona

World University Service of the

Mediterranean

Jordan University of Science

and Technology

Bethlehem University

Al-Zaytoonah University of

Jordan

Aalborg University

Copenhagen