NGO Friends of Education was founded on the initiative of Marina Vasileva Connell in May 2014. She registered the association together with Nikola Mijanovic, Bojan Vasilev and Vladimir Mijanovic. A few months later, she presented the vision and mission of the association to 10 prominent Macedonian teachers and invited all of them to become active members of the association in further activities. She is a Senior Education Consultant internationally, a world champion in education game design, a former part-time university professor & an international master teacher trainer whose passion is advocating the 4th Educational Revolution across the full breadth of learning experiences for future generations. Given her background and experience, she was keen to continue her work in Scotland and internationally. She was part of a major project in the University of Edinburgh that developed curriculum materials in STEM for all Scottish schools. Currently she is undertaking a large-scale evaluation of a major European STEM project, Scientix. To date she have developed an online Academy called Easy4Teachers, as part of Friends of Education and I Am learner, which offers face to face and online workshops for bridging the gap between education and technology, using robots in the classroom etc. Read more: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/marinaconnell
Bojan Vasilev: President of Friends of Education Bojan Vasilev serves as the President of Friends of Education, an organization dedicated to enhancing education through innovation and global collaboration. Under his leadership, Friends of Education has launched several impactful initiatives, including projects focused on STEM education, technology integration, and environmental awareness. Bojan has been instrumental in organizing international pedagogical forums, where educators from around the world share best practices and innovative ideas. His vision has led to the development of high-quality educational materials and programs that leverage technology to create dynamic learning environments. Bojan Vasilev's commitment to educational excellence has earned Friends of Education recognition and accolades in the global educational community. His strategic approach and dedication to fostering international collaboration have positioned the organization as a leader in modern educational practices. As Friends of Education continues to push the boundaries of what is possible in education, Bojan remains focused on transforming educational experiences through innovation and technology.
Darko Taleski is art teacher from Prilep, Macedonia and followed specialized seminars and projects on the practical usage of Computer technology in the educational process and for the modernization of education. He is working since 5 years on the stop-motion animation as an educational tool and used this approach to teach primary and secondary students 12 different subjects among them mathematics, languages, biology, physics and art. He won in 2012 the Educators´ choice award at the Microsoft Partners in Learning European Forum in Lisbon; 2nd price at the 2013 Educational Global Forum in Prague with the project “Fun, education, stop motion animation” and 1st prize in the category Collaboration in 2014 at Microsoft Educational Global Forum in Barcelona with the project “This is my voice”. Both projects involved student and teachers from many schools from Macedonia. He is very interested on digital art development and using new technologies for encouraging creativity. He completed several Adobe courses about creativity and technology. He is official adobe teacher trainer. Darko Taleski http://www.wix.com/darkopp/darko
Elena Apostoloska graduated on the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Mathematics and Physics studies. Her interests are dedicated to the method of learning by projects, so she finished he master studies in 2011 on the Pedagogy Institute, on the study program Management in the Education. Since 2001 she has been working as a Maths teacher in the Primary school “Zivko Brajkovski” in Butel, Skopje. She has participated in many projects as: Step by step, the Project for Modernization of Education, E-School Project, in PEP project, external testing and using objective mathematical tasks for tests, in the components for improving the assessment, improving Mathematic teaching and Improving the Natural Sciences, Using ICT in the Mathematic classes as a lecturer. As an enthusiastic teacher who supports sharing good teaching practices has recorded a lot of video tutorials. She has participated on the program for developing family values and skills, prevention from drugs abuse, AIDS and youth crime deeds. She has participated in the project for interethnic integration in the educational process. She was trained to use an interactive board and she uses it actively on her classes. Her name is mentioned a co-author of Handbooks for Mathematics Teachers and Collection with Mathematical tasks, and associate in the magazine Numerus with attachments from Vedic Mathematics. She has participated on domestic and international scientific meetings and conferences.
Zorica Trajanoska is a graduate professor of English language and literature at the University of St. Cyril and Methodius - Skopje, Macedonia. She works as an English teacher at the Primary School "Strašo Pindžur" - village of Malo Konjari, Prilep. From 2004 to 2007 she worked as an educator at the NGO "Romano pro Angle". She participated in Intercultural Distance Learning "Empower" organized by the Pestalozzi Children's Foundation from Switzerland. She worked as a supervisor and translator in intercultural exchange with children and youth at the Pestalozzi Children's Foundation - Switzerland. She participated as a collaborator in the project Fun Education, Stop Motion Animation - a project for the application of stop motion animation in the curricula in primary education (First prize at the Microsoft European Forum of Innovative Teachers 2012 and second prize at the Microsoft World Forum of Innovative Teachers 2012) petroskazorica@yahoo.com
Marina Dzeparoska Tanasoska is a graduate professor of Informatics at the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics at the University of Sts. Cyril and Methodius-Skopje, Macedonia. She is attending master's studies at the Faculty of Human Resources Management "University of Tourism and Management" Skopje, Republic of Macedonia. She works as an Informatics teacher at the Primary School "Grigor Prlicev"-Ohrid. She worked as a coordinator of the children's and youth program and an educator in Informatics at the Youth Educational Center - "BAVILON"-Ohrid organized by UNICEF and the Agency for Youth and Sports Skopje, and then worked as an IT Manager and educator in Informatics at the Center for Development of Information Technology organized by the UNDP Country Office - UN regional office in Skopje and the Local Self-Government Ohrid. As a teacher trainer, she participated in the projects: “Innovative Use of Information Technology in Teaching”, “Application of Educational Software Tool Kid in Teaching” and “Application of Standards for Formative Assessment” organized by E-School of USAID and MES. She is the author of: educational multimedia CDs as teaching aids in teaching biology and geography “Hello Europe” and “Anatomical Atlas” (first prize at the regional and second prize at the state competition in informatics 2014), a blog for collaboration and integrated teaching “Let’s Learn Together” (participation in the third Microsoft Forum of Innovative Teachers), an educational picture book for classroom teaching “Ecological Coloring Book”, published by REC, educational manuals for classroom teaching “My Alphabet” and “Creative Alphabet”. marinaohrid@yahoo.com
Vladimir Trajkovik received his PhD Degree at the Ss. Cyril and Methodius University – Skopje, Macedonia in 2003. Currently he is a Professor at the Faculty of Computer Science and Engineering at the same university. His research interests include: information systems analyses and design, distributed computer systems, distance educational systems, multi-agent systems, ICT-based collaboration systems and mobile services. He has over 100 publications in various international conferences and international journals.
Vera Stojanovska received her PhD Degree at the Ss. Cyril and Methodius University – Skopje, Macedonia. Currently she is a Professor at the Faculty at the Ss. Cyril and Methodius University – Skopje, Department of Pedagogy at the same university. Her research interests include: the fields of didactics, pedagogy and computer pedagogy. Since 2012 she has been a full-time professor at the Faculty of Philosophy in Skopje in the fields of Didactics (General didactics, Education Technology, ICT in education, School Docimology), Pedagogy (School pedagogy, Pedagogy – General Course) and Methodology (Methodology of pedagogical work). She has participated in many domestic and international scientific gatherings, symposiums and conferences.