
Non-Formal Education Teaching Methods and Strategies
Overview
Think beyond the brick-and-mortar walls of the traditional classroom when it comes to learning and preventing early school leaving.
At European level there is a growing trend towards valuing non-formal and informal learning as well as a strong focus on embedding non-formal working methods in traditional education pathways.
Target Audience
This course is addressed to teachers, trainers, educational counsellors, career counsellors, school psychologists, headmasters, school management and administrative staff working in primary schools, secondary schools, vocational schools, training centres, adult education schools, higher education, kindergarten and NGOs.
Please mind that the course may include teachers from different school levels.
Languages
The course is held in English.
For groups with at least 8 participants, we can organize an ad-hoc session in a different language. Please write an email to
info@erasmuslearningacademy.eu
to get more information about it.
| Location | Starting Date | Ending Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bologna | 25/10/2026 | 31/10/2026 | Open for Enrollment |
| Athens | 01/11/2026 | 07/11/2026 | Open for Enrollment |
| Zagreb | 01/11/2026 | 07/11/2026 | Open for Enrollment |
| Tenerife | 29/11/2026 | 05/12/2026 | Open for Enrollment |
| Bologna | 31/01/2027 | 06/02/2027 | Open for Enrollment |
| Tenerife | 07/03/2027 | 13/03/2027 | Open for Enrollment |
| Palermo | 25/04/2027 | 01/05/2027 | Open for Enrollment |
| Tenerife | 09/05/2027 | 15/05/2027 | Open for Enrollment |
| Athens | 09/05/2027 | 15/05/2027 | Open for Enrollment |
| Zagreb | 09/05/2027 | 15/05/2027 | Open for Enrollment |
| Bologna | 18/07/2027 | 24/07/2027 | Open for Enrollment |
| Tenerife | 26/09/2027 | 02/10/2027 | Open for Enrollment |
| Palermo | 24/10/2027 | 30/10/2027 | Open for Enrollment |
| Bologna | 12/12/2027 | 18/12/2027 | Open for Enrollment |
| Palermo | 12/12/2027 | 18/12/2027 | Open for Enrollment |
Skills
What will you learn?
In this course you will discover innovative strategies and the differences between each type of learning and the emerging trends for how to motivate challenging students, but above all you will practice and master concrete non-formal activities, working methods and tools that you’ll be able to use the day after the course in your classroom.
Learning Outcomes
This structured course aims to guide participants through the possibilities offered by the emerging trend of integrating non-formal working methods in formal education pathways.
The general aim of this course is to foster excellence in education by equipping teachers and school managers with the needed knowledge and competences to effectively apply non-formal working methods in school settings.
Understanding Formal, Non-Formal, and Informal Learning
Gain a deeper understanding of the distinctions between formal, non-formal, and informal learning, along with key principles of non-formal education.
Integrating Non-Formal Methods in Formal Education
Explore the trend of incorporating non-formal approaches into formal education and practice transferable activities and tools.
Networking and Sharing Best Practices
Exchange experiences, best practices, and collaborate with education professionals across Europe through team-building and cooperative activities.
Daily Program
Please find below the standard indicative daily programme that may be personalized based on groups’ needs and professional profiles. Our standard program comprises 7 days of course: Sunday morning activities will start at around 10:00 and will conclude by 11:00 the next Saturday.
Please note that we always do our best to accommodate the specific needs of our participants in a flexible way, including but not limited to budget restrictions and travel arrangement. Participants generally choose to arrive 1 day before the start of the course and/or leave one day after the end of it as it generally makes their travel arrangements smoother and more convenient. Upon specific request we may organize longer or shorter versions of this course.
| Sunday | – Participants arrival – Course introduction – Schools/institutions’ presentation & best practices sharing – Walking tour in the venue’s city | ||
| Monday | – Needs and expectations evaluation – Ice-breaking activities – Team building exercies – Comparing formal and non-formal learning – Practicing, designing and delivering non-formal activities and tools | ||
| Tuesday | – Basic concepts and principles about non-formal education – Learning and practicing speaking and role-play games – Practicing, designing and delivering non-formal activities and tools – Cultural activities in the venue’s city | ||
| Wednesday | – How to foster students’ motivation, participation and creativity through non-formal, informal and experiential learning activities – Practicing, designing and delivering non-formal activities and tools – Optional cultural visit outside the venue’s city | ||
| Thursday | – The extra benefit of using non-formal methods in a multicultural environment – Non-Formal methods to strengthen teamwork and effective cooperation – Practicing, designing and delivering non-formal activities and tools – Practical group work and exercise | ||
| Friday | – Best practices and guidelines for assessing and validating non-formal and informal learning – Practicing, designing and delivering non-formal activities and tools – Farewell dinner | ||
| Saturday | – Space for discussion of future cooperation and planning follow up activities – Course roundup and final evaluation – Validation of learning outcomes and certification ceremony – Additional training session tailored to specific needs – Participants departure |
Other relevant facts
Methodology
All our courses have a standard duration of 7 days, totaling 35 hours of training. This includes both formal teaching sessions and practical activities, as well as moments for discussion, cultural experiences, and networking, ensuring a comprehensive learning experience in line with Erasmus+ quality standards.
We tailor the working methods based upon participants’ needs, attitudes and professional profiles in order to ensure high productivity, effectiveness and transferability into practice.
The standard methodology is highly practical and participative with hands-on approach that comprises real-job examples, case studies examination and simulations. We embrace collaboratively working methods that foster mutual learning and cooperation among participants. Our focus is on learning in an interactive and international environment knowledge applicable to the real contexts and/or in the classroom. The pedagogical methods that we use are based upon experiential training, group and peer activities, learning-by-doing and best practices’ exchange. They include visits with local schools and institutions allowing the participants to better understand the local education system as well as exchange ideas and contacts.
Morning Wrap-up and brief daily evaluations are foreseen to ensure quality of education and to adapt the learning programme to participants’ needs better tailoring the education.
We organize optional social, networking and cultural activities in order to give participants the opportunity to know Italy as well as to exchange best-practice and establish professional cooperation and links.
The training and staff team is multinational thus giving a full European dimension to the course.
Costs and Erasmus+ Funding
Teachers, trainers, headmasters and any other staff of education organizations are eligible to receive an Erasmus+ grant covering all the costs to attend our training courses including travel, board and lodging, cultural activities and all fees. Our training courses are tailored to be fully funded by Erasmus+ and we offer different options to ensure the best comfort and quality at a price that is within the Erasmus+ grant.
We offer our courses in an all-inclusive format: training and accommodation in the same venue, networking meals during the courses as well as cultural visits are provided by us and are fully covered by the Erasmus+ funding. In this way participants just need to organise their international flights and can rely on us for all the other practical arrangements.
If you prefer you can take care of some of the practical arrangements (e.g. meals, accommodation…) by yourself but we strongly recommend entrusting us with the accommodation booking in order to ensure optimal logistic organization, networking with fellow
participants, safety and time-efficiency.
Read more about how we take care of your subsistence and practical arrangements.
The most common option that we offer to schools and organizations costs EUR 1,415 in Bologna, EUR 1,235 in Palermo and Zagreb, EUR 1,265 in Tenerife, 1215 EUR in Athens and EUR 1,335 in Porto. This price includes the course fee, certification and support fee, accommodation in single room, breakfast, 2 coffee breaks per day, 3 networking meals (shared lunch/dinner opportunities with other participants), a walking tour in the venue’s city and a sum-up dissemination video.
Please note: in Bologna the price includes full board (all meals), whereas in the other locations only the 3 networking meals are included alongside breakfast.
Prices shown may vary for specific courses that include extra services or visits to schools and associations. More detailed pricing information for each course is available upon request or at the time of enrolment.
For schools sending 2 or more participants we can offer accommodation in double rooms and we can provide as well accommodation for people or relatives accompanying the participants.
When attending our courses, we recommend you to request 9 days of individual support for your subsistence costs, 7 days for the course plus 2 additional days for the travel. In this way you can have more flexibility in planning your stay and you can enjoy all the cultural activities planned from the first to the last day of course. You can read here more about the Erasmus+ funding. Shall you have need any help with filling the budget during the application stage or have any problem with your grant please let us know and we will see how to support you.
Certification and Validation of learning outcomes
At the end of the course, each participant will be awarded a certificate of attendance, together – if requested – with the Europass Mobility Certificate.
The certificate are in line with the Erasmus Quality Standards and include a short description of the course and its learning outcomes, dates, venues, the name of the course provider and the course instructor(s).
We support the participants in every step of certification and validation of learning outcomes with specific focus on European instruments and Erasmus plus requirements such as staff mobility/learning agreement, quality commitment and Europass mobility certificate.
We experienced that schools and education organizations may require additional documents to certify the competences learned or the presence in the training course. Upon request we can provide additional certification and reporting documents as well as we provide photos of the training course and a sum-up video that can be used for visibility and dissemination purposes.
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