What do you think the classroom of the future will look like? How information technologies will create new possibilities for education in schools, universities and afterwards – during the entire life? How can existing innovations modernize today the educational system and increase the efficiency of teaching?

These and many other questions will find their answers during the series of seminars that will be held in Sliven (on April 27^th at NMHS ”Dobri Chintulov”, classroom 16, starting at 13:00), Kurdzhali (on April 27^th at HS „Otets Paisiy”, starting at 12:00) and Haskovo (April 28^th, House of the teacher, starting at 12:00). These seminars are a part of the project „ICT Action plan for support of the lifelong learning” (ICT-4-LLL) with beneficiary the Ministry of education, youth and science and with coordinator the Centre for creative training society. The events will have the support of Regional inspectorates of education in these cities and will bring together representatives of schools, universities, NGOs as well as experts in the field of information and communication technologies.

„The broad introduction of information technologies in education is among the key factors for the increase of competitiveness of Bulgarian schools and universities and in the long run – making the Bulgarian student more competitive citizens of a future society based on knowledge. All around the world innovations are seen as an important factor for reforms in the educational system and it’s commendable that in Bulgaria we’ve already made many of the most important steps in order to guarantee the realization of this change. The present seminars in Sliven, Kurdzhali and Haskovo are about exactly our achievements so far and the prospects for the introduction of information and communication technologies in support of the lifelong learning process “ – explained Alexander Angelov of the Centre for creative training and associate professor Galia Kozhuharova, head of the Department of information and increase of the teachers’ qualification at the Thracian university – Stara Zagora.

The project „ICT Action plan for support of the lifelong learning” aims to create an Action plan for the integrated use of information and communication technologies (ICT) in support of the realization of the National strategy for lifelong learning (NSLLL – 2008-2013). The following six workgroups are working in this direction: 1/ School education (with leading partner – Sofia Municipality); 2/ Higher education (with leading partner – Specialized university of library knowledge and information technologies, SULKIT); 3/ Professional education (with leading partner – National association for small and medium-size business, NASMSB); 4/ Training and qualification of adults (with leading partner – Department of information and increase of the teachers’ qualification at the Thracian university – Stara Zagora); 5/ Informal learning and self-training (with leading partner – Centre for creative training association, ICT) and 6/ ICT for the lifelong learning (with leading partner – Sirma Media).

The most important trends in the field of education, its modernization and the introduction of new technologies in teaching will be presented during the seminars. The guests will be introduced to the organizers’ vision of the classroom of the future, the “ICT for lifelong learning” project itself, the participating partners as well as the reports of the workgroups on the project. The strategies of the three municipalities will be presented in the context of the usage of the new technologies for lifelong learning and there will be a discussion on the implementation of the Strategy for lifelong learning in various areas of interest to each of the participants. The matter of teachers’ qualification will also be part of the discussion. The seminars are held in different towns in order to shed more light on the realization of the national strategies for lifelong learning.