During January 26-30, 2026, the teachers and researchers of the Department of Theory and Methods of Preschool and Special Education of the Vasyl Stefanyk Carpathian National University, Marianna Matishak and Iryna Skomorovska, underwent training at the University of South-Eastern Norway on the content of the project “Rebuilding futures: Empowering educators and students through cross-border collaboration and invention pedagogy (REFINE)” within the framework of the EDUC-WIDE SEED PROJECTS – 2024.

The training program provided for familiarizing the project participants with the university campus, creative workshops and the DigTekLab digital technology laboratory, as well as enriching their experience in interdisciplinary learning in the context of the STEAM approach and invention pedagogy (creativity, cooperation, practical creative activity). Colleagues from the University of South-Eastern Norway Larysa Dahl Kolesnyk, Camilla Groth and Nazanin Garmsiri presented the possibilities of using digital tools to implement invention pedagogy through maker activities in educational settings. Camilla Groth introduced the researchers to the features of the concept of “worldmaking”, the key provisions of invention pedagogy, and presented the methodology for implementing these in the process of professional training of future teachers. During the workshop, Marianna Matishak and Iryna Skomorovska, with the support of Norwegian colleagues, created their own “maker” project (didactic board game “Didital Detox Game”) using digital tools and technologies available in the laboratory. The results of their creative work were presented during a seminar meeting with USN colleagues from the research group of Human rights and Democracy, situated at the city of Drammen.
During this educational visit, teachers and researchers from the Vasyl Stefanyk Carpathian National University got acquainted with the features of organizing a maker space in a Norwegian school, and also visited the Notodden public library, which is an important cultural center, a space for communication and creative development of the city community. The project participants had the opportunity to share reflections, discuss the work plan and subsequent activities that will be implemented at the Vasyl Stefanyk Carpathian National University.