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Friday, November 18, 2022 at 13:27

Motivating and energizing in the classroom: keys to the Teaching Innovation Week

Motivating and energizing in the classroom: keys to the Teaching Innovation Week Motivating and energizing in the classroom: keys to the Teaching Innovation Week

The fourth edition of this event has arrived, which, like every year, seeks to highlight the work of teachers as promoters of educational innovation.

Raúl García Hémonnet/Editor

From November 21 to 24, the IV Week of Teaching Innovation of the Rey Juan Carlos University which, in this edition, revolves around motivation and revitalization in the classroom. The 'Week' hosts different events and activities promoted by the already consolidated Center for Teaching Innovation and Digital Education (CIED) and adds some novelties to its programming.

According to César Cáceres, academic director of the CIED, "for the center it is the event of the year, where we try to make visible all the teaching innovation actions that are carried out at the university, the Teaching Innovation Groups, the Educational Innovation Projects, Communications of Good Teaching Practices. We also have the Innovative Teachers awards and it is also useful to make visible the work that teachers do to improve their teaching”

The objective of the organizers is that the theme of the sessions is transversal both to the issues that are going to be addressed and to the way of addressing them. The main novelty in this edition is the celebration of the I Meeting of Teaching Innovation Groups, (November 22), with the aim of making these groups of the Rey Juan Carlos University and their actions visible and promoting conversation and synergies between them, "work sessions have been planned so that they can share their experiences, get to know each other and, create synergies through 'Networking'”, they explain from the CIED.

The activities start on Monday 21 with the IV Meeting of Educational Innovation for Coordinators of Degree that for the first time with degree representatives on behalf of the student body. This meeting hosts the inauguration of this edition of the Teaching Innovation Week and aims to reflect on its central theme through working groups between URJC Degree Coordinators.

On Monday 21 and Tuesday 22 the IV Educational Innovation Workshops, in which different formulas for innovation aimed at improving the motivation and revitalization of students in the classroom will be addressed in a practical way. Specifically, four workshops will be held, some approaching new methodologies and digital tools. There will be activities dedicated to the production of podcasts and the Wooclap and Genially platforms, and one thematically on motivation in the classroom, although all promote different strategies to motivate students and boost the teaching-learning process. "All the workshops are already full, like every year", they comment with satisfaction from the CIED.

IX Conference on Teaching Innovation

The IV Week of Innovation is the framework of the IX Conference on Teaching Innovation (November 23 and 24), dedicated this year to Motivation and revitalization in the university classroom. It will have presentations and round tables as well as communication sessions (the reception of 'abstracts' being open from October 5 to 24) and the presentation of the conclusions of the meetings of Degree Coordinators and of the Teaching Innovation Groups.

The topics of the presentations will be varied, but always framed in the main theme of the 'Week'. The inaugural presentation 'Motivation in the classroom', will be given by Professor Pere Cornellà Canals (University of Girona). In addition, it will reflect on how to motivate the student in face-to-face degrees, the role of education in the classroom and will discuss interaction and dynamization in a face-to-face classroom. A special mention deserves the realization of a round table of students with the title 'What motivates us to learn in the classroom?'

Cesar Cáceres points out that the greater role of the student body responds to the fact that "many times when we talk about teaching innovation, teachers think of students and try to do things to improve their learning, but rarely do we ask their opinion and we must keep them in mind."

Recognition of innovation and teaching excellence

The conference will also be the setting for the delivery of the IX Innovative Teachers Award and the V Recognition for Excellent Teachers of the DOCENTIA Program, in an act with the presence and participation of the Rector of the Rey Juan Carlos University who will close the IX Conference on Teaching Innovation and will close this week of activities.