Türkiye’s First University-Based Learning Laboratory Opens at IAU
The opening of the learning laboratory established within Istanbul Aydın University Faculty of Education under the Future Classroom Design Project, which supports the development of innovative learning environments and the use of innovative pedagogies by the Ministry of National Education, was held.
A learning laboratory was established within Istanbul Aydın University Faculty of Education under the Future Classroom Lab – Future Classroom Design Project, which supports the development of innovative learning environments and the use of innovative pedagogies by the Ministry of National Education. In line with this, the “Future Classroom Future Teachers” project, which is funded by the Istanbul Development Agency operating under the coordination of the Ministry of Industry and Technology, is being carried out by Istanbul Aydın University Faculty of Education. Among the project partners is the Istanbul Provincial Directorate of National Education.
The opening of the learning laboratory built within Istanbul Aydın University under the “Future Classroom Future Teachers” project was attended by our Vice Rector Mehmet Hakan Keskin, our Dean of the Faculty of Education, university officials, as well as the Head of Educational Technologies Development and Projects Department Mustafa Hakan Bücük, Istanbul Provincial Deputy Director of National Education Ömer Avcı, Küçükçekmece District National Education Director Murat Gözüdok, Beşiktaş District National Education Director Özcan Türkoğlu, Project and Business Development Coordinator Sümeyye Hatice Eral, FCL Turkey Team Project Staff / Trainer Büşra Söylemez, FCL Turkey Team Project Staff / Trainer Şükran Koç, and school principals.
At the opening of the learning laboratory, Istanbul Aydın University Faculty of Education faculty member Dr. Lecturer Ayşegül Kınık Topalsan provided general information about the project to the participants. Dr. Topalsan, stating that they have established a learning laboratory in the FCL model at the university level for the first time in our country in line with the project, said, “A 14-week university course content has been developed in the learning laboratory established within the university for the training of future teachers. It will be presented to the necessary authorities for implementation across the Council of Higher Education.”
OBJECTIVE TO DEVELOP THE SKILLS OF TEACHERS AND STUDENTS
Making a short speech at the opening of the learning laboratory, the Head of Educational Technologies Development and Projects Department Mustafa Hakan Bücük said, “The project was written in 2021 by Dr. Lecturer Member Ayşegül Kınık Topalsan and supported by the Istanbul Development Agency. The project includes the opening and equipping of four Future Classrooms (FCL) in total: two in primary schools in Küçükçekmece and Üsküdar districts, one in the Science and Art Center in Beşiktaş district, and one within Istanbul Aydın University, and providing teacher and family training.” He added: “In this context, the general purpose of this project, designed to increase the proportion of high-performing students, is to ensure the creation of an innovative learning laboratory that will support changing styles in the learning and teaching process. In these learning laboratories, called Future Classrooms (FCL), different learning areas will be supported, and the key skills of the students and teachers involved in the process will be developed.”
Emphasizing the importance of increasing the awareness of teachers who are curious about future innovative practices and want to create future classrooms in their schools, Istanbul Provincial Deputy Director of National Education Ömer Avcı said, “500 primary school students in 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grades studying in Küçükçekmece and Üsküdar districts, 50 students studying at the Science and Art Center in Beşiktaş district, and 50 teachers under the teacher training program will benefit from the project as beneficiaries.”
TEACHERS AND STUDENTS WILL RECEIVE TRAINING
Avcı stated that teachers who will take part in the project will receive a total of 40 hours of training, eight hours a day for five Saturdays before the project: “After the 40-hour teacher training, a primary school learning scenarios booklet will be created, consisting of all scenarios developed by the 50 trained teachers, scenarios developed by expert academicians in the field within the university, and scenario examples provided by the Ministry of National Education General Directorate of Innovation and Educational Technologies team. A total of 20 hours of lessons will be conducted with student groups determined by the teachers over 10 weeks, and five different learning scenarios in three different disciplines will be covered with the students. Training for the families of the students accepted into the project will be conducted in the form of face-to-face sessions. The Training Program consists of a total of 24 hours, with 6 weeks and 4 hours each week. This program will be given separately in 3 different districts.”
After the opening, İAÜ faculty members and National Education officials performed the opening of the learning laboratory created by the university. Officials received information about the learning laboratory from the staff and examined the instruments and equipment present there.
