1.    ”Developing  Monitoring Capabilities of State Universities for Receiving Informed Decisions for Children  by the Parliament of Georgia and for  Conducting Research"

 

                                                             Short Description of the Project

From November 15, 2022, with the support of Child’s Rights’ Knowledge Center founded at the Faculty of Education   Sciences in Iakob Gogebashvili Telavi State University and UNICEF the project “Developing Monitoring Capabilities of State Universities for Receiving Informed Decisions for Children by the Parliament of Georgia and for Conducting Research” started which was completed in 2023.  The United Nations Children's Fund took the responsibility  to support the development of the monitoring capabilities of public universities by conducting qualitative or quantitative studies focused on access to inclusive and quality education on the rights of the child. As a result, the universities were able to provide research results and recommendations to the Parliament and Government of Georgia for receiving  informed decisions and actions.

Within the project framework, at the faculty of Education Sciences, Iakob Gogebashvili Telavi State University, the research “Research of Transition of Children with Disabilities at Schools” (on the example of Telavi Municipality Schools) was conducted.   The aim of the project was to investigate the process of transition of children with disabilities from nursery schools to public schools in Telavi Municipality. Academic staff of the Faculty of Education   Sciences conducted surveys with various target groups:

1.       Online survey of school administration

2. Online survey of managers of nursery schools

3.       Interview with the parents of children with disabilities

4.      Interview with class tutor

5.       Interview with teachers

6.       Focus Group with special education teachers.

           In the framework of the research, based on specific cases, a description of the transition process, existing challenges and best practices of a child with disabilities was formed; Recommendations were developed, ways to improve the transition process were outlined.

      The results of the research will be taken into account in the Integrated Teacher Training Program and in the future in the Bachelor's program of Early Preschool Education.  The practical recommendations obtained as a result of the research will be included in the modules and training module –“Transition of children with disabilities at school”  for primary education teachers and special education teachers will be prepared.

 

2.    Influence of teachers’ reflection on the quality of inclusive education

(On the example of Telavi Municipality Nursery Schools)

 

Scientific superviser of the project Associated Professor Tamar Mikeladze.

Funding Organization:  Iakob Gogebashvili Telavi State University

Project duration: 2021-2022

 Directions of academic staff involved in the research: Education Sciences, Psychology, Pedagogy

Based on the research results, a framework/model of the reflection process of teachers and its features was formed, and the influence of reflections of educators on the quality of inclusive education was also described; Recommendations were developed, strategies for the development of pre-school teachers and ways to improve the inclusive education program were developed. An effective reflection tool for pre-service teachers was prepared for nursery schools. The results of the research are reflected in the early inclusive education module in the Bachelor's program in preschool education. The practical information obtained from the research will enrich the undergraduate program and the practical recommendations will be included in the professional training of the nursery school teacher/methodologist.

Research result report was presented at the international scientific conference and published in international scientific peer reviewed journal. Monograph was also published in which conducted research and its results were described.

Monograph:    Influence of teachers’ reflection on high quality early inclusive education