SWOT analysis on policies on formative assessment in CE in Bulgaria

Prepared by: NTCenter team

Designed by: Socialiniu projektu institutas, Lithuania

The context of Bulgaria / Gabrovo and Tryavna

Bulgaria is a country member of the EU. The schools which participated in the project are located in a small town of Gabrovo on the North Central administrative region. The population is predominantly Bulgarian, with some local minorities and almost no immigrants. The school groups are sensitive to otherness originating in social status, special educational needs of pupils, gender. CE is taught as a separate subject only in the last years of the high shool, but CE-related topics are referred to in many subjects such as history, languages, psychology, teacher’s class and so on. The SWOT below reflects on the general view of teachers involved regarding the issues discussed during AliCE trainings. Less applicable they are to the formative assessment per se, since this is still not a well-developed approach in the context of CE locally.

SWOT analysis regarding policies on formative assessment in citizenship education in Bulgaria / towns of Gabrovo and Tryavna / Alice teacher’s schools: Aprilov National highschool – Gabrovo, Pancho Semov professional highschool of tourism - Gabrovo, P.R. Slaveykov highschool - Tryavna.

Strengths

  • Citizenship education and ALiCE provides ways to cope with a negative schoolculture.
  • The themes of ALiCE and the exercises about them.
  • The created network
  • Working with citizenship education
  • Focussing on not measurable data/things.
  • Getting more aligned as teachers and as an organization.
  • Stronger connections between pedagogical supporters and teachers
  • Project work

 

Weaknesses

  • Sometimes a one side show CE themes and topics demand a lot of input, effort whilst there is a low profit.
  • Unclear objectives (strong point that is connected to governmental discussions regarding curricula).
  • How to embody active citizenship as a team? (whole school approach)

 

Opportunities

  • Creating more sense of security through preparation
  • Opportunities to work in depth
  • A more clear image of City Education in the future
  • Exploring portfolios and the possibilities.
  • Give room to gut-feeling
  • A more positive stance towards learners and their parents.
  • Attention for the wellbeing of the teachers.
  • Connection of ALiCE with the general objectives, philosophy and mission of City Education as an organization.

Threats

  • Burden of administrative workload
  • Durability of projects like ALiCE
  • Language barriers
  • Lack of expertise in the rest of the team (of the school)
  • Take the context of the school into account.
  • Tangibility: How to make these valuable ideas concrete and visual?
  • Lack of time
  • Heavy workload of teachers
Posted in Bulgaria, SWOT