Modern Didactics Centre is non-profit, non-governmental organization for continuing adult education and in-service training. Modern Didactics Centre was established in 1999 as inter-university centre by an initiative of Vilnius Pedagogical University and the Open Society Fund-Lithuania.
Mission, aims and objectives
Our mission – to initiate and implement strategic educational development projects and programs that contribute to the improvement of quality in education, by continuously monitoring, researching, and analysing the overall situation in education, taking into account the needs and opportunities of Lithuanian educational institutions and adult learners.
Aims:
- To foster educators’ desire and ability to continuously improve their professional activities and actively participate in Lithuanian educational change.
- Contribute to the implementation of the provisions of the Lifelong Learning Memorandum by working with various adult groups.
- Contribute to the implementation of sustainable development goals by providing consulting and expert assistance to partner countries, educating and informing the public about development and sustainable development processes.
Objectives:
- To initiate and implement innovative educational projects.
- To provide professional development for teachers and other adult groups.
- To consult teachers, schools, municipalities, state, non-governmental, and business organizations on educational issues in Lithuania and other countries.
- To provide expert services by conducting research, preparing strategic educational documents and models, and participating in expert groups.
- To disseminate best practices by participating in and organizing national and international conferences, seminars, discussions, study visits, and by preparing and publishing methodological teaching materials.
IMPLEMENTED ACTIVITIES
PROJECTS
COMPASS – In support of students‘ competence assessment
No. 2023-1-LT01-KA220-SCH-000156521
Dutarion: 4 September 2023–3 November 2025
Co-funder: EU Erasmus+ program
Coordinator: Modern Didactics Centre (LT)
Partners: Centre for School Improvement (LT), The Romanian Reading and Writing for Critical Thinking Association (RO), INNOLINE Oy (FI)
The project aims to support teachers, school leaders and other pedagogical staff in development and assessment of students’ competences, for the progress and success of all and each single student, and promote an inclusive approach to education. This is to be achieved by developing and testing a universal competency assessment model at classroom/subject and all school levels.
- In 2024, the first intellectual products were prepared – Compendium of scientific literature on competence development and assessment and Brief review of competence development and assessment policies and practices in general education. Cases of Finland, Lithuania and Romania. Work began on developing a model for competence development and assessment.
- On September 5–7, 2024, a 64-hour training course for project mentors began in Cluj-Napoca (Romania). Experienced educators from Lithuania, Finland, and Romania met to share best practices in competence development and assessment and to prepare to involve and assist teachers in their countries in applying the COMPASS Model for developing and assessing general competences. The training will continue remotely until March 2025.
- After preparing the mentor training program and materials, national mentor training began in April 2024, during which the competence assessment Model is being piloted in five Lithuanian schools: Vilnius Antakalnis Progymnasium, Kaunas J. Dobkevičius Progymnasium, Kaunas Panemunė Primary School, Prienai District Stakliškės Gymnasium, and the community school „Tėkmė“.
MIND – Critical theory in adult education practice: Empowerment for critical actions
No. 2023-1-LT01-KA220-ADU-000153426
Duration: 31 December 2023–30 December 2025
Co-funder: EU Erasmus+ program
Coordinator: Lithuanian Association of Adult Education (LT)
Partners: Modern Didactics Centre (LT), Education Development Center (LT), Latvian Adult Education Association (LT), Adult Education Institute DANTE (HR), Public Open School LIBAR (HR), Bucharest University of Economics Studies (RO), Association EGOMUNDI (RO)
The project aims to fill in the gap and to foster critical thinking approach in non-formal adult education by strengthening professional capacities of adult educators and empowering diverse groups of learners to apply and cultivate critical thinking in various spheres of personal, community, professional and social life. This will be done by consolidating scientific knowledge and good practice, through partner organizations active in the fields of adult education, general education and higher education.
- The first meeting of the project partners took place in Vilnius on January 23–24, 2024.
- An analysis of scientific articles on critical thinking education in non-formal adult education was conducted.
- A qualitative study (interviews with education experts) on the importance of critical thinking in adult life and education was conducted.
- Based on the information obtained, a universal MIND Model was developed for teachers, lecturers, and program developers who want to develop and improve the critical thinking skills of learners.
- A critical thinking training program and a set of methodological tools were developed for adult educators working in the field of non-formal education.
- On November 4–6, 2024, an international 35-hour training course on the application of the program was held in Rijeka (Croatia) for adult educators.
- On November 18, 2024, during the adult learning week „Surprise Yourself with Thinking”, the Modern Didactics Centre, together with the Lithuanian Adult Education Association, conducted a online seminar „How Much Critical Thinking Do I Have?” during which they presented the MIND project and the relevance of critical thinking in adult education policy (100 participants).
EcoSocialAgency – Adult educators supporting eco-social agency
No. 2023-2-FI01-KA210-ADU-000179217
Duration: 1 February 2024–31 January 2025
Co-funder: EU Erasmus+ program
Coordinator: KSL Study Centre (FI)
Partners: Modern Didactics Centre (LT), Símenntun Lifelong Learning Center (IS)
The project aims to improve the competence of educators and other adult education staff in eco-social sustainability and education.
- On February 29–March 1, 2024, a partner meeting was held in Helsinki (Finland), during which the conceptual understanding of eco-social sustainability and education, key terms, and project objectives were defined.
- In order to find out how best to integrate the themes of ecological and social sustainability into adult education and to understand the needs and challenges of adult educators and learners, a survey (interviews with adult educators) and focus group discussions with adult learners were conducted in April–May 2024.
- On May 27-28, 2024, a partner meeting was held in Borgarnes (Iceland), during which the partners summarized the results of the study and, based on them, prepared a training program for adult educators on eco-social sustainability.
- On November 21, 2024, a national workshop for adult educators on „Eco-Social Action and Critical Thinking” was organized (12 participants).
- On November 25-26, 2024, the project partners met in Vilnius and summarized the results of the national training sessions: the practical seminars held in the three countries were successfully implemented and broadened the participants’ understanding of eco-social sustainability, while highlighting its complexity. Adult educators gained ideas on how to promote sustainable practices in their professional and personal lives. The workshops also revealed that addressing the complex challenges of sustainability in adult education requires continuous learning, collaboration, and openness to innovation.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Since 2008, the Modern Didactics Centre has been an accredited adult education centre. Accreditation certificate No. IVP-12 (Order No. V-1686 of the Minister of Education and Science of the Republic of Lithuania, November 4, 2020).
In 2024, the Modern Didactics Centre organized training courses on pedagogy, psychology, educational leadership, critical thinking, reading motivation and skills promotion, inclusive education, national security, career education, and digital skills improvement.
13 different professional development programs were implemented. A total of 17 professional development events were held, attended by 1,028 participants.
- A 180-hour pedagogical-psychological knowledge course was implemented for individuals preparing to work and working as vocational teachers, non-formal children’s education teachers, career counselors, and those without pedagogical qualifications.
- In 2024, Modern Didactics Centre participated in the Lithuanian Millennium Schools Program and implemented the following programs: “Spotiself: Career Education Program” (40 academic hours), “Reading and Writing for Critical Thinking” (40 academic hours), “Methods for Promoting Reading Motivation and Skills and their Application in the Education Process (40 academic hours).
- Under the agreement with the National Education Agency, 56 academic hours of training were organized in accordance with the national program “National Security and Defence. Strengthening Civic Attitudes in Education”.
- On November 4–6, 2024, an international 35-hour training course for adult educators entitled “Critical Thinking in Non-Formal Education” was held in Rijeka, Croatia.
- A critical thinking training program and a set of methodological tools were developed for adult educators working in the field of non-formal education.
EXPERTISE, RESEARCH ACTIVITIES
Prototypes for distance, blended, and hybrid learning
Under an agreement with the National Education Agency, as part of the project „Digital Education Transformation (EdTech)”, a group of experts brought together by the Modern Didactics Centre and the Centre for School Improvement prepared and participated in the digitization of prototypes for distance, blended, and hybrid education. A digital tool for planning distance, blended, and hybrid teaching (and learning) activities, Plan@, was developed. It provides a didactic rationale for the prototypes, recommendations and methodological material for teachers, teaching material for students, and examples of educational activities for distance, blended, and hybrid learning.
MIND model
A universal MIND model, „Modeling Critical Thinking Education in Non-Formal Adult Education”, has been developed for teachers, lecturers, and program developers who want to develop and improve the critical thinking skills of learners.
EURYDICE international education information network
Under a contract with the National Education Agency, experts from the Modern Didactics Centre updated the information about the Lithuanian education system published on the website of the European Commission’s Erasmus+ education information network EURYDICE in 2024 and provided data for the EURYDICE publication on academic staff in higher education.
Surveys
- Survey of adult educators and learners, „The Situation and Opportunities for Eco-Social Education”, to find out how eco-social sustainability topics can best be integrated into adult education.
- Analysis of the development and assessment of student competencies in Lithuanian general education schools: how competency-enriched educational content was created, what student competencies are sought to be developed, and what challenges are encountered in the practice of competency development and assessment.
- Analysis of scientific literature on competence development and assessment.
- Analysis of scientific articles on critical thinking development in non-formal adult education at the international and national levels.
- Qualitative research (interviews with education experts) on the importance of critical thinking in adult life and education.
Consultations
Consultations provided on new educational initiatives, project and program development, cooperation between the education and private sector, and other issues.
DISSEMINATION OF GOOD PRACTICES
Good practice seminars
- On October 16, 2024, a seminar organized by the National Education Agency presented the theoretical part and practical examples of prototypes of remote, blended, and hybrid teaching (learning) lessons (activities) prepared by experts from the Modern Didactics Centre and the Centre for School Improvement.
- On November 18, 2024, during the adult learning week „Surprise Yourself with Thinking”, the Modern Didactics Centre, together with the Lithuanian Adult Education Association, conducted a online seminar „How Much Critical Thinking Do I Have?” during which they presented the MIND project and the relevance of critical thinking in adult education policy.
- On November 21, 2024, a seminar on the dissemination of good practices from the project „EcoSocialAgency – Adult Educators’ Support for Eco-Social Action” was organized for adult educators, entitled „Eco-Social Action and Critical Thinking”.
Presentations at international conferences and national events
- February 8, 2024. Presentation by Modern Didactics Centre’s expert Judita Kasperiūnienė about distance, blended, and hybrid teaching (learning) lesson (activity) prototypes at the international conference on educational innovation and digital education transformation „EdTech Week Lithuania 2024″, organized by EdTech Lithuania, the EdTech Center of the National Education Agency, and Kaunas University of Technology.
- June 25, 2024. Presentation by Daiva Penkauskienė and Virgita Valiūnaitė „The Importance and Relevance of Eco-Social Issues in Adult Education” at the 4th annual summit of the European Reform Universities Alliance (ERUA) held at Mykolas Romeris University.
- June 27, 2024. Plenary presentation by Daiva Penkauskienė „Concept and Context of Critical Thinking in Higher Education” at the international conference „Nurturing Critical Minds: Interdisciplinary Perspectives in Education and the Workforce”, organized by Vilnius University and the University of Western Macedonia (Greece).
- August 28, 2024. Presentation by Daiva Penkauskienė and Eglė Pranckūnienė „Representation of Individual and Collective Agency in the Life Narratives of Educational Reformers: the Case of Lithuania” at the European Educational Research Association (EERA) conference „Education in an Age of Uncertainty: Memory and Hope for the Future”, Nicosia (Cyprus).
- September 24, 2024. Presentation by Daiva Penkauskienė and Eglė Pranckūnienė „State, Ideology, and School Policy” at the international scientific-practical conference „Overcoming Authoritarian Patterns in School Education: Pedagogical Attitudes, Communicative Practices, Emotional Regimes”, held in Vilnius, at the European Humanities University.
- October 23, 2024. Presentation by Virgita Valiūnaitė „5 Practical Tips for Implementing Erasmus+ KA220 Cooperation Partnership Projects” at the Education Exchange Support Fund KA220 project event.
PUBLICATIONS
Modern Didactics Centre experts participated in the preparation, translation, and editing of the following publications:
- Girdzijauskienė, R., Nilivaara, P., Penkauskienė, D. (2024). Compendium of scientific literature on competence development and assessment. COMPASS project.
- Pranckūnienė, E., Nilivaara, P., Vacaretu, A., Kovacs, M. (2024). Brief review of competence development and assessment policies and practices in general education. Cases of Finland, Lithuania and Romania. COMPASS project.
- Penkauskienė, D., Katana, P., Marjanušić, A., Verse, I., Kalniņa, S., Mihăilă, R., ir Stăiculescu, C. (2024). Compendium of scientific ideas. Critical thinking in non-formal adult education. MIND project.
- Bėkšta, A., Lukošūnienė, V., Pilate, S., Muraškovska, I., Pascu, G., Dumitru, D., Čop, S., ir Rosandić, I. (2024). Executive report. Critical thinking in non-formal adult education programs and documents. MIND project.
- Bėkšta, A., Lukošūnienė, V., Penkauskienė, D., Valiūnaitė, V., Kalniņa, S., Vērse, I., Pīlāte, S., Muraškovska, I., Dumitru, D., Richiteanu-Nastase, R., Pascu, G., Stancu, E., Katana, P., Marjanušić, A., Martinović, J., ir Rosandić, I. (2024). The MIND Model. Model framework for the development of critical thinking in non-formal adult education. MIND ptoject.
- Plan@. Prototypes for distance, blended, and hybrid learning. (2004). [Digital learning tool]. The National Agency for Education.
COOPERATION
In implementing joint activities in 2024, we cooperated with the „Diemedis“ school, Vilnius University, Mykolas Romeris University, Centre for School Improvement, company „Karjeros kelias”, company „Wedev.lt“, the Lithuanian Adult Education Association, the Lithuanian Scout Association, non-formal education institutions, general education schools, and institutions engaged in the improvement of teacher qualifications.
MEMBERSHIP
The Modern Didactics centre is a collective member of the following organizations:
- Lithuanian Adult Education Association
- Lithuanian Development Education and Awareness Raising Network (LITDEA)
- Lithuanian Association of Education Centers Employees
- Reading and Writing for Critical Thinking International Consortium (RWCT IC)
Daiva Penkauskienė, director of the Modern Didactics Centre, represents the Centre in the following organizations:
- Lithuanian Educational Research Association (LETA)
- Reading and Cultural Literacy Association
- International Literacy Association (ILA)
FINANCING
The Modern Didactics Centre is not funded by the state budget.
In 2024, 78% of its income came from training, consulting, and expert services, and 22% from EU support for project implementation.