The Digital Teacher Training Programme

Dear teacher, head teacher, school board,

We hope that you will be receptive to our student teachers studying on the Digital Teacher Training Programme.

This is an innovative teacher training programme, where skill, educational science and technology combine to develop teachers able to develop our primary and lower secondary schools based on the latest theories and technology.

The Digital Teacher Training Programme is a very ordinary teacher training programme delivered in a very different way. The high skills level of the students will be ensured via project-based pedagogy, E-portfolio and continuous Skype for Business meetings with the programme tutors. All our students will be given one-on-one feedback from their tutors!

The best place to learn is of course on the job, and school-based development takes place in the schools. That’s why all our students work in schools for all their study subjects and modules.

We hope that your school will be receptive to our exceptional student teachers. We are convinced that students and schools will benefit from such internships. Examples of student surveys from schools can be seen via our DIGI blog.

A typical programme for a student is as follows:

Two months’ intensive theoretical studies, including dialogue with their tutors via E-portfolio (OneNote) and Skype for Business calls
One month, during which students work with their UC tutor to define a survey question. Students plan a teaching internship designed to answer their survey question.
Students typically spend two or three days observing the class they are to teach. Observation is important for three reasons:
- The students can learn from experienced teachers at your school
- The pupils and student get to know each other
- The students can identify pupils with special needs, see whether the class has a working structure to be followed, and whether there are other issues that are key to successful teaching
Students will then teach a given number of lessons able to provide answers to their survey question
Students will analyse their teaching in a ‘profession essay’. Naturally, the school is welcome to read their essays. The school, students and UC jointly decide whether an essay is to be published (anonymised) as an inspiration to other students and schools.

Participation is free, as the students gain feedback from the programme’s advisors, saving the school having to expend its resources on doing the same. Class teachers are expected to be present when students are teaching.

The student surveys outlined above have nothing to do with their internships, as they are part of individual subjects. We provide more details on internship under the ‘Internship at Danish and international schools’ section.

Please address any questions you may have on the programme, its structure, student teaching or anything else to Study Coordinator Svend Brandt at skbr@ucsyd.dk

Internship at Danish and international schools

Dear teacher, head teacher, school board,

We hope that you will be receptive to our student teachers studying on the Digital Teacher Training Programme.

In common with all teacher training programmes in Denmark, the Digital Teacher Training Programme is based on the following skills areas:

Didactics
Relationships
Class leadership

These key areas are intended to ensure that students acquire knowledge and skills that will enable them to act, analyse and review what they and other students learn from their internship.

The three key skills areas are explored during three internship periods of six weeks each on the Digital Teacher Training Programme. Each period is based on progression, to give students continuous insight into teaching, practical and pedagogic issues, and analytical complexity.

To enhance progression during the three internship periods, they are designated Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3. Mandatory knowledge and skills targets are linked to each level.

During internships on the Digital Teacher Training Programme,large parts of the internship will be initiated by the students. If the school and student seeking internship agree on collaboration, the student will contact the Internship Office for the programme in Haderslev, which will take care of the formal arrangements.

When students are on an internship, the school will appoint an Internship Advisor who will discuss, observe and review with the student to be able to develop and enhance the internship. A UC advisor will also be allocated, able to support the student in analytical work and the review process during internships.

Students will have the opportunity to teach the speciality subject during internships they are currently studying under the Digital Teacher Training Programme.

Towards the end of an internship, the host school will review the student’s module.

UC SYD will pay the host school for provision of a given internship according to the Finance Ministry’s pay scale.

Internship at international schools

Internship at Levels 1 and 2 the Digital Teacher Training Programme can be taken abroad. In such instances, the student will contact a given school and inform the Internship Office when there is mutual interest in collaboration.

Internship at international schools is subject to the same terms, conditions and skills areas as schools in Denmark.

International schools will be paid for each internship, but will not take part in the subsequent internship test.

For more details on internships for the Digital Teacher Training Programme, please contact Internship Coordinator Rasmus Iversen, raiv@ucsyd.dk.

Dear internship coordinator and internship advisor,

We are delighted that you are interested in providing an internship place for one of our students.

To follow are the specific details for the internship:

The period is 30 days, with the first week as an introduction week to give the student the chance to observe teaching provided, and to adapt his/her own teaching accordingly.
Before the internship starts, the school and student will hold an advance meeting at which the timetable, subject and other practical matters can be dealt with.
The student will teach his/her ‘focus subject’, i.e. the subject currently being studied under the teacher training programme.
The student will attend the host school for 30 hours per week.
The student shall teach a minimum of 15 lessons each week.
The student must be provided with regular guidance by the school’s appointed Internship Advisor
Halfway through the internship, the student will plan a three-way meeting attended by the UC and Internship Advisors and the student. The meeting will be conducted via Skype for Business.

Internship content

Students on the Digital Teacher Training Programme shall undertake three internships of six weeks each. The internships are designated: Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3.
Each level represents predetermined knowledge and skills targets within the following skills areas: Didactics, Relationships and Class Leadership. More details on the knowledge and skills

Approval and payment

The school and its Internship Advisor will approve the module being studied by the student during internship
The school’s Internship Advisor can take part in the internship test. Skype for Business is used to taking part in the test.
The school will be paid by UC SYD for providing the internship period according to the Finance Ministry’s scale.

For more details on internships for the Digital Teacher Training Programme, please contact Internship Coordinator Rasmus Iversen, raiv@ucsyd.dk.