Chair of Teaching Methodologies

Head of the Chair

Deputy Head of the Chair

The Faculty of Teacher Education in Zagreb hosts the Chair of Teaching Methodologies, widely recognised as the first chair of its kind among teacher education and training faculties in Croatia. Following its constituent meeting on 18 January 2010, the Faculty Council formally ratified the establishment of the Chair on 19 January 2010 and elected its initial Head.

By member count, the Chair of Teaching Methodologies constitutes the largest chair within the Faculty of Teacher Education at the University of Zagreb. It comprises teaching methodology staff from both the Department of Primary Teacher Education and the Department of Preschool Teacher Education. Organisationally, the Chair’s personnel are integrated into the respective chairs of the parent disciplines that govern the subject-specific teaching methodologies they teach.

The Chair coordinates the methodology teaching staff at the central Zagreb headquarters and at its regional branches in Petrinja and Čakovec.

Work Programme of the Chair

The Chair of Teaching Methodologies integrates all subject-specific methodology teaching staff across all study programmes at the Faculty of Teacher Education in Zagreb, irrespective of their research/artistic-teaching, teaching, or associate ranks. The Chair operates as a unified entity across all constituent branches of the Faculty of Teacher Education (Zagreb, Čakovec, Petrinja). The mandate of the Chair of Teaching Methodologies involves addressing the following dimensions of teaching methodologies:

• Conceptualising teaching methodologies as science- and arts-based disciplines within primary and preschool teacher education study programmes, aligning with contemporary professional requirements in preschool institutions and primary schools, and determining structural relationships with other components of teacher education (namely parent art and science disciplines, and the pedagogical-psychological components).
• Developing teaching methodologies for vocational subjects in secondary schools within the framework of specialised curricula designed to impart pedagogical competencies to subject teachers who are graduates of non-teaching degree programs.
• Compiling and standardising teaching methodology terminology.
• Enhancing the programmatic and staffing capacity of methodology modules within primary and preschool teacher education study programs.
• Establishing the Faculty of Teacher Education as the parent national institution for electing preschool and primary teacher education methodology specialists to research/artistic-teaching and teaching-focused academic ranks.
• Defining criteria for selecting the Faculty’s designated training schools and partner kindergartens, as well as institutional mentors.
• Managing students’ professional-pedagogical and teaching practice in preschool institutions and primary schools, specifically within training institutions (encompassing the organisation and content of practical exercises, mentorships, institutional communication, and mentor and institutional remuneration).
• Standardising documentation for professional-pedagogical and teaching practicums (including lesson plans, placement referrals, and evaluation reports).
• Proposing faculty selection criteria for preschool and primary education teaching methodology specialists.
• Proposing selection criteria for professional associates, practicum supervisors, and mentors within training institutions.
• Promoting and organising postgraduate specialist and doctoral programs in early and preschool teaching methodologies.
• Advancing the professional development and methodological competencies of methodology faculty, preschool educators, and primary school teachers.
• Providing expert opinions to the Faculty governing bodies and external institutions on matters concerning teaching methodologies.
• Hosting interdisciplinary discussions and collaborative initiatives with representatives of the underlying substrate disciplines of teaching methodologies (including parent sciences/arts, philosophy, psychology, sociology, and pedagogy).
• Organising professional and scientific conferences focused on preschool and primary education teaching methodologies.
• Stimulating scientific research and competitive projects within the domain of teaching methodologies.
• Encouraging the production of teaching methodology-related literature and academic publishing.
• Fostering collaborative contributions to relevant journals and related publications.

The Chair of Teaching Methodologies independently processes matters strictly limited to teaching methodology courses, teaching practicums, and associated theoretical and practical issues related to teaching methodologies, while monitoring staffing developments.