New CPD Programme in Plurilingual Intercultural Creative Keys Launched at HSE University

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HSE's School of Psychology is launching a new CPD programme ‘Plurilingual Intercultural Creative Keys’ (PICK). The programme was specially developed by the HSE Laboratory for Linguistic, Intercultural and Creative Competencies and is based on the innovative PICK training system designed to improve the skills of school teachers and tutors, as well as parents involved in teaching their children at home. The programme will be taught in Russian.

In today's rapidly changing world, we need the ability to act in conditions of uncertainty, complexity and multitasking. The results of empirical research over the past 20 years have shown that multilingual and intercultural practice has a positive effect on the development of specific cognitive functions and personal qualities inducing creativity. Such factors as the activation of creative potential, the study of foreign languages and the development of intercultural competence, in turn, are closely related to the successful formation of human systemic adaptation. The PICK system is aimed at developing these soft competencies.

Anatoly Kharkhurin, the project manager, shares the programme features and its main advantages.

Anatoly Kharkhurin

— How and when did you first get the idea of creating the PICK training system?

— The idea came into my mind long time ago, in the mid-2010s, when I was working at the American University of Sharjah (UAE). At that time, I was looking for practical applications for the results of my research on the connection between multilingualism and creativity. I reasoned as follows: if these two competencies are interrelated, then there should be a methodology for connecting two learning systems (creative and bilingual) in one educational process.

Until now, there have been no programmes that simultaneously develop language skills, cross-cultural competencies and creativity. We didn’t know how to build these flexible skills in the classroom without interrupting the main curriculum, or how to track the result of developing these soft competencies. What we saw in schools were burnt out teachers and students who had lost all interest in learning: we could only dream of flexibility, creative thoughts, and adaptability; the key elements of a successful and happy life in a modern school. We believe that we have now solved this problem. Our PICK system easily adapts to any curriculum and subject: we modify the learning process without changing the existing curriculum, using a holistic approach that takes into account not only the educational aspects related to the training programme, but also the psychology of personality and the socio-cultural environment of the student.

— What are the main advantages of the PICK system? How does it differ from existing educational systems?

— We combine games, dialogue, creative and metaphorical techniques to create successful interaction between the teacher and the student. We also support teachers not only in the learning process, but also at all stages of the programme’s implementation.

As a result, we get a happy, inspired teacher who helps the student achieve success and maintain academic motivation

Moreover, the ultimate goal of the PICK learning system is the satisfaction of all participants in the educational process. For teachers, this means improving the efficiency and quality of the educational process at school. Parents get the help of an educational institution in educating their children to solve basic life problems. For students it leads to interesting and productive classes.

— What is the CPD programme in Plurilingual Intercultural Creative Keys about? How will the training be organized?

— The programme consists of three independent training modules. The goal of each module is to develop one of the PICK competencies. The first module, ‘Creativity gives birth to the creator’, is aimed at developing the creativity of schoolchildren and students in educational activities. The second module, ‘The world is open to everyone’, involves teaching the participants of CPD the technologies for the development of intercultural competence among students in the educational process.

The third module, ‘New Language — New Life’, is intended for people who teach foreign languages, and is aimed at stimulating the study of a new language based on multilingual communication. Thus, the participants of the CPD programme can study one, two or all three modules. It is worth noting that after students have enrolled on the course, the content and examples of techniques are supplemented with topics relevant to the professional activities of the selected participants.

Training is conducted completely online, which expands the opportunities for people from the regions to get involved.

— Who will be interested in this programme?

— First of all, it will be useful to people engaged in educational activities: teachers in schools and universities, tutors, and parents who homeschool. But it can also potentially be of interest to those who are engaged in the management in professional teams, where it is important to stimulate not only so-called hard skills, but also to support the soft skills of employees.

The formation of the systemic adaptation of schoolchildren when working with our system is carried out through the training of parents and teachers in order to quickly and efficiently implement PICK technologies and eliminate additional mediation.

The CPD programme in Plurilingual Intercultural Creative Keys starts on March 2nd, 2023. It will be run online. For more information about the PICK system, see the programme page.

— Tell us about your previous experience of conducting such training.

— Our CPD pogramme is being implemented through HSE University for the first time. Prior to that, training sessions based on the PICK system were conducted exclusively in companies for employees. Throughout the existence of the PICK system, we have collaborated with various schools and trained many teachers who now successfully apply our technologies during the educational process in schools.

Apply for the programme