INTERNATIONAL PROJECT ‘PROMOTION OF EDUCATION’

The ‘Promoting Education’ project is a joint initiative of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine and The LEGO Foundation (Kingdom of Denmark) launched in 2010.

The project aims to introduce game and activity-based learning methods at all levels of education, from preschool to postgraduate, with an emphasis on the comprehensive development of the child and the formation of key competencies necessary in the 21st century. The project contributes to the development of the quality of preschool education through the comprehensive development of the child, the formation of a teacher-facilitator who provides “learning through play” using the LEGO constructor.

LEGO is a universal tool for creating a favorable developmental space for preschoolers, which is able to enrich the gaming experience of each child, taking into account their individual preferences. LEGO translated from Danish means ‘play well’. LEGO games include constructive and constructional, free, story-role-playing, developmental, mobile, creative games; individual, pair, subgroup, team games; games with peers and adults, which makes an irreplaceable contribution to the development of the personality, because it is based on the principles of “joyful learning”.  The ‘Promoting Education’ project contributes to the creation of a modern, inclusive, and effective educational environment in Ukraine.

MAIN GOALS OF THE PROJECT ‘PROMOTION OF EDUCATION’

1. Implementing learning through play. Applying game and activity approaches in the educational process to develop critical thinking, creativity, communication skills, and emotional intelligence in children.

2. Support for the New Ukrainian School (NUS). Promoting the reform of the National School of Education by providing educational institutions with teaching materials, LEGO play sets, and technical equipment.

3. Professional development of teachers. Development and implementation of advanced training courses for teachers, in particular the program “Activity Approach in Primary School in Today’s Realities.”

4. Social-emotional learning and psychosocial support. Integrate programs aimed at developing emotional intelligence and providing psychosocial support to children and teachers, especially in emergency situations.

5. Inclusive education. Supporting children with special educational needs through the implementation of inclusive methodologies and the provision of specialized educational materials, such as LEGO Braille Bricks for children with visual impairments.

6. Scientific and monitoring research. Conducting research on the effectiveness of implementing game methods in the educational process and their impact on children’s development.

The proposed materials can be useful for teachers to build playful interaction with children both directly in the preschool educational institution and during online communication with children and parents. Play activities with children will contribute to the formation of key competencies, a holistic worldview, and the development of cross-cutting skills in preschoolers.

 Details about the LEGO Foundation:  https://learningthroughplay.com/

Project ‘Promotion of Education’
at the Academician Stepan Demianchuk International University of Economics and Humanities implemented on the basis of the Facylty of Pedagogics

On November 27, 2023, a meeting was held between the heads and teachers of the Academician Stepan Demianchuk International University of Economics and Humanities with representatives of the ‘Promotion Education’ project.
The meeting was attended by the President of the University Anatolii Demianchuk, Vice-Rector for Scientific Work Nataliia Medynska, Vice-Rector for Educational and Methodological Work and Humanitarian Education Olena Yanytska; scientific and pedagogical employees of the departments: General Pedagogy and Preschool Education Valentyna Borova, Liliia Melnychuk; Theory and Methods of Primary Education Nataliia Maksymchuk; Head of The LEGO Foundation Educational Initiatives in Ukraine Oksana Roma, The LEGO Foundation Trainer Larysa Pankulych.

During the meeting, the participation of teachers in the International Project ‘Promotion of Education’ was discussed within the framework of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine and The LEGO Foundation (Kingdom of Denmark), the purpose of which is to promote the development of the quality of education through the comprehensive development of the child. The interaction between an adult and a child is based on the “learning through play” approach. The meeting discussed the strategy of joint activities and outlined areas of cooperation

October 24, 2024. The head of the Department of General Pedagogy and Preschool Education, Liliia Melnychuk, held an open class for 2nd year students of the first (bachelor’s) level of education in the specialty 012 ‘Preschool Education’. The educational discipline ‘Play in a preschool educational institution: a value perspective, a systemic approach’ was introduced into the educational process in the context of the participation of the pedagogical faculty in the project ‘Promotion Education’.

The open class was joined by The LEGO Foundation trainer Iryna Piskova, who, together with the students, took part in the training on the topic “Game in the Context of Today”, during which the students took an educational trip around the world, discovered interesting facts about preschool education in the process of teamwork, and presented their own creative achievements in the form of a project-presentation.

The lesson discussed the content of preschool education in today’s conditions, analyzed the importance of play in regulatory documents and current programs that regulate the educational activities of preschool educational institutions. In the process of teamwork, students implemented ideas for the practical implementation of game activities, presenting game interaction for preschool children.

During the analysis of the practical session, The LEGO Foundation trainer Iryna Piskova provided valuable methodological recommendations for improving the special course ‘Play in a preschool educational institution: a value perspective, a systemic approach’, and also discussed