Blogpost from video interview with Drs. Borislava Ivanova and Margarita Kaleynska at the University of Veliko Tarnovo in Bulgaria

by | Jul 22, 2024

Practical Insights into Use of Team Regulation and Scaffolding Patterns the FLeD Project

Dr Borislava Ivanova and Dr. Margarita Kaleynska are two colleagues from the University of Veliko Tarnovo in Bulgaria, who selected two patterns from our FLeD project and incorporated them into their flipped classroom design. In this interview we invited them to reflect on their experiences with the implementation to demonstrate the influence of our resources in real classroom contexts. 

As they highlighted, in higher education, innovative approaches are essential to keep students engaged and motivated. The FLeD project is one such initiative that helped them transform their classroom experience. We had the opportunity to learn about their experiences and insights into how they incorporated the resources from our FLeD project into their teaching practices.

Borislava Ivanova, known to her students as Bobby, holds a Ph.D. from the Department of Education at the University of Veliko Tarnovo. She discovered the FLeD project through colleagues at Sofia University, also partners of the FLeD project and was eager to participate.

Margarita Kaleynska, also a Senior Assistant Professor in the Department of Education, specializes in innovations in education. Her research interests aligned perfectly with the goals of the FLeD project. Margarita was introduced to the project by Prof. Mihova and Prof. Peycheva-Forsyth from Sofia University, who introduced  them to the FLeD project community. 

Selecting and Using the patterns from the FLeD

Margarita explained that they chose the “team regulation” pattern from among the FLeD project resources to address the challenges of forming and motivating student teams, particularly for first-year students. They integrated gamification elements to create a gamified flipped classroom for their Early Education Pedagogy course, testing it across three sessions.

Borislava found the resources user-friendly and designed to enhance student engagement. They adopted a blended learning model, combining traditional classroom sessions with online components, which proved to be highly effective.

Boosting Student Engagement and Participation 

The impact of the selected pattern on student engagement was significant. Borislava observed a significant increase in student participation, with more enthusiasm for online discussions and assignment completion. Corroborating this observation, Margarita conducted a survey to gather student feedback. The results were overwhelmingly positive, with students finding the gamified course relatively more attractive and enjoyable in the flipped classroom. She noticed that all students participated in at least one session, and many attended more, which demonstrated their increased interest and engagement.

Scaffolding Learning Experiences

Both Borislava and Margarita emphasized the role of scaffolding in the learning process. Borislava noted that the FLeD project resources allowed for gradual development of skills, providing a structured yet flexible approach to learning. This scaffolding was particularly beneficial for students who needed more support in understanding complex concepts. Similarly, Margarita added that the scaffolded tasks enabled students to build on their knowledge gradually and led to a deeper understanding of the subject matter. This approach not only improved student learning but also boosted their confidence as they could track their progress over time. 

Overcoming Challenges

Implementing new educational technologies comes with its own set of challenges. Borislava highlighted the technical needs and the importance of providing support. They conducted introductory sessions to help students familiarize themselves with the platform, although some faced difficulties accessing the resources. On the other hand, Margarita noted that the mobile compatibility of the platform was an issue. It wasn’t as user-friendly on phones and somewhat challenging on tablets, which limited flexibility during class sessions.

Professional Development

Participating in the FLeD project had a profound impact on both teacher educators. Borislava learned the value of diverse and interactive learning materials in boosting student engagement and understanding. She emphasized the importance of ongoing support and training for successfully integrating new technologies. Similarly, Margarita found the team regulation strategies and gamification elements particularly valuable. These resources enhanced their planning process.

In summary, the team regulation and scaffolding patterns from our FLeD project have demonstrated its potential to develop the pre-class planning and in-class teaching experience in a flipped classroom. Through the experiences of Borislava and Margarita, it is clear that such innovative approaches can increase student engagement and participation. Once technical challenges and continuously developing their teaching skills have been overcome, teacher educators can create a more dynamic and interactive learning environment. The insights from Borislava and Margarita highlight the transformative power of the FLeD project in higher education.