European network in D-flexible teaching

The COVID-19 crisis imposed social isolation and forced the university education system to adapt to digital and/or blended models. This situation weakened inter-university networks, so the project worked to re-establish connections between European universities, with teachers as the key element in creating a network for the transfer of good digital and flexible teaching practices. The lack of digital training among teaching staff highlighted the difficulties in responding effectively to the crisis, which justified focusing efforts on their training. It was considered that the links between teachers acted as weak ties, fundamental for the acquisition of diverse information, the management of groups and the dissemination of knowledge. The project generated a database of teachers with common interests and used the EPALE platform and built the international network for the transfer of knowledge (ReCoIn-TaD) (https://www.enidteach.eu/recoin-tad/), as collaborative spaces for sharing progress. In addition, it promoted training in flexible and innovative pedagogies through microlearning and NOOC, consolidating a network capable of facing different educational scenarios.

The main objective of the project was the digital training of teachers in digital pedagogies and the involvement of this community in the construction of a distributed but cohesive network of cooperation for the exchange of good practices and digital transformation. Specific objectives: 1: To reinforce the design and dissemination of flexible teaching practices that take advantage of the resilience of university institutions in different pedagogical scenarios. 2: Offer online training to teachers on flexible digital teaching practices (connected, collaborative, research-based, active and inverted) and the creation of accessible and inclusive content. 3: Strengthen a model of European inter-university cooperation through the creation of a cohesive and distributed university network, in which teachers would position themselves as intermediate connection nodes. Objective 4: To generate added value for the Erasmus+ programme by offering an online training programme in innovative digital methodologies, multilingual (Spanish, French, English, Italian and Portuguese) and based on microlearning techniques (NOOCs).

The project developed six main activities: • Activity 1: Pedagogical design and preparation of the training programme. Led by Savoir*Devenir (France), with the participation of the entire consortium in the definition of methodologies, contents, objectives and technological resources. As a result, the digital skills training plan (R1) was drawn up, which served as the basis for the subsequent development of the NOOCs (R2) and the good practice guide (R3). Finally, as part of R1, it is important to highlight that a complementary document to this guide was produced. The UNED developed Digital and Flexible Methodologies: Pedagogical Framework, a framework document that presents and justifies the project's theoretical foundations. Both guides are available in all the languages of the project: https://www.enidteach.eu/the-project/result-1/ (Evidence: R1 Programm, https://www.enidteach.eu/the-project/result-1/; Evidence Result 2. https://www.enidteach.eu/the-project/result-2/; Evidence Result 3, https://www.enidteach.eu/the-project/result-3/#result_R3) • Activity 2: Development of content, digitisation, integration and production of OER. Led by MAG Uninettuno. o MAG coordinated this phase, in which the open educational resources (OER) were developed, with the collaboration of the other partners following its technical instructions. o The OERs were designed as interactive and accessible resources (virtual and augmented reality and/or simulations), with open access and in several languages (Spanish, French, English, Italian and Portuguese). The initial Project proposal considered the creation of five interactive OERs and five descriptive OERs for each NOOC, representing a total of 50 resources. However, a total of 77 OERs have ultimately been published (Evidence: https://www.enidteach.eu/oers/) o Each NOOC had several OERs: five interactive and five descriptive. o MAG S.R.L was responsible for the development and updating of the consortium's website. • Activity 3: Content development, digitisation and integration of NOOCs. Led by UNED. o The contents of the NOOCs were digitised and integrated into the OPENMOOC platform (managed by ECO Digital Learning), in line with the training programme. o The technical development of the NOOCs was carried out by the startup ECO Digital Learning. o Each NOOC was designed in a different language, with responsibility assigned to different partners:  Spanish (UNED).  French (Savoir*Devenir).  English (Burgas Free University).  Italian (Università degli Studi di Catania).  Portuguese (UAb). o In addition, each partner assumed responsibility for a specific NOOC:  NOOC 1: Savoir*Devenir.  NOOC 2: Università degli Studi di Catania.  NOOC 3: UAb.  NOOC 4: Burgas Free University.  NOOC 5: UNED. • Activity 4: Implementation of the microlearning programme. Led by UNED, with the aim of fulfilling objectives 1 and 2 of the project. o Each partner was responsible for a different NOOC. o The training programme was delivered online through the OPENMOOC platform (managed by ECO Digital Learning).  Participation of 138 universities (exceeding the 120 established in the proposal) in the training, thereby surpassing in all cases the 20-university-per-partner-country target set out in the proposal.  Over 500 teachers (526) from the European Union completed the training process (exceeding the 500 set as a goal) by passing one or more NOOCs, passing the exam, and/or participating in supplementary workshops; of these, 414 were university teachers. • Activity 5: Evaluation of the microlearning programme. Led by UAb (Portugal), which designed and developed the course validation plan, integrating all the partners in this process. o More than 80% of teachers gave a positive assessment of the programme and its resources. • Activity 6: Creation of an inter-university cooperation network. Led by UNED, with the aim of generating flexible and innovative practices. This activity was transversal to the whole project and was linked to management activities. o The network currently has a total of 578 members, of which 345 are university professors from the European Union (EU), excluding those affiliated with the institutions participating in the project. o Network map, https://www.enidteach.eu/recointad-map/

R1. Training programme in digital skills in Flexible and Innovative Methodologies: A microlearning programme in digital training on flexible and innovative pedagogies was developed, consisting of five multilingual NOOCs (Nano Open Online Courses) (English, French, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish). For each NOOC, the complete online program on digital teaching practices was presented and published (on the project website). This was a microlearning program focused on training in digital competencies for flexible and innovative teaching practices, consisting of five multilingual (Spanish, French, English, Italian, and Portuguese) NOOCs, all accessible. The program was developed from micro-lessons or “nuggets” of learning, following a blended approach. In addition, the original proposal was expanded to include fundamental elements useful for any institution wishing to implement this type of training process. Finally, as part of R1, it is important to highlight that a complementary document to this guide was produced. The UNED developed Digital and Flexible Methodologies: Pedagogical Framework, a framework document that presents and justifies the project’s theoretical foundations. It details the specific theoretical framework for each course and methodology, providing a solid basis for their design and development. The two guides mentioned above can be downloaded in multiple languages: https://www.enidteach.eu/the-project/result-1/ • Training program: Project objective. • Pedagogical Framework: “Digital and Flexible Methodologies: Pedagogical Framework,” supplementary to R1’s project objective. R2. NOOCs (NANO Open, Massive and Online Courses) in flexible methodologies: 1. Connected and critical; 2. Collaborative and research; 3. Active and gamified; 4. Inverted or Flipped; 5. Design of flexible learning digital programs Each NOOC had a duration of 25 hours (equivalent to one week). Participants who completed the course and successfully passed peer assessments received a certificate issued by the ECO Digital Learning spin-off. In addition, those who met the established requirements and requested it were awarded 1 ECTS credit granted by UNED. The program was designed to be implemented at any European university for three main reasons: 1. It was offered in five languages, eliminating language barriers. 2. It currently provides open and free access through the NOOCs available on the independent digital learning platform OPENMOOC ECO (E-learning Communication Open-Data), a European project funded by the CIF (Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme), which offers free access to a catalog of Massive Open Online Courses in five languages. 3. These are accessible and inclusive training programs, adapted for people with visual and hearing disabilities. All videos were subtitled, and the content was provided in various formats to facilitate access. In summary, the courses were offered more times than originally planned: the five courses ran a total of 21 times, compared to the 15 initially proposed. Regarding course duration, the May 2024 courses were extended by one month, while the September 2024 edition was lengthened by three months (instead of the one month originally proposed). The courses can be accessed (latest iteration open and available without tutoring): https://www.enidteach.eu/courses/ In addition, workshops in Spanish were offered at the end of the project on digital and flexible methodologies. One workshop for each of the methodologies and courses in the project. They can be consulted at: https://canal.uned.es/series/6233b710b60923394e3c5129 The impact of the NOOCs (R2) was assessed using the following indicators: • Design and publication of 5 NOOCs. • Translation of 5 NOOCs into 5 languages. • Participation of 138 universities (exceeding the 120 established in the proposal) in the training, thereby surpassing in all cases the 20-university-per-partner-country target set out in the proposal. • Over 500 teachers (526) from the European Union completed the training process (exceeding the 500 set as a goal) by passing one or more NOOCs, passing the exam, and/or participating in supplementary workshops; of these, 414 were university teachers. • 827 took part in the courses, of which 578 were university teachers from the EU. Of these, 526 teachers completed a course, of which 414 were university teachers from the EU. • If we consider the data by partner, all partners (except France, with 3 university teachers, and Italy, with 15) reached the minimum of 50 teachers per country, with Spain and Portugal surpassing that threshold. • More than 80% of teachers gave a positive assessment of the program and its resources. • A total of 3044 participants (from all profiles and institutions) took part in our courses. OPEN ACCESSIBLE AND INTERACTIVE RESOURCES (OERS) The learning resources developed (Open Accessible and Interactive Resources, OERs) have been made available to the public through the NOOCs and the Project's website. The initial Project proposal considered the creation of five interactive OERs and five descriptive OERs for each NOOC, representing a total of 50 resources. However, a total of 77 OERs have ultimately been published, distributed as follows: • NOOC 1: 16 • NOOC 2: 19 • NOOC 3: 11 • NOOC 4: 12 • NOOC 5: 18 The ENID-TEACH Project’s OER gallery includes a wide variety of interactive and innovative teaching tools, classified into categories such as interactive images, presentations, videos, quizzes, games, and collaborative boards. A total of 31 interactive OERs have been produced, each available in five languages (English, Spanish, French, Italian, and Portuguese). These resources constitute a significant collection of examples for teaching staff and other education professionals, with the purpose of serving as inspiration for the creation of new materials. The course contents were designed based on accessibility criteria, including both accessible PDF documents and audiovisual materials. The learning resources developed (Open Accessible and Interactive Resources, OERs) have been made available to the public through the NOOCs and the Project's website. The initial Project proposal considered the creation of five interactive OERs and five descriptive OERs for each NOOC, representing a total of 50 resources. However, a total of 77 OERs have ultimately been published. Access, download, and use of the OERS: https://www.enidteach.eu/oers/ R3. Guide to good practice in flexible digital pedagogies: Based on the results obtained, a guide to good practice in flexible digital pedagogies was produced. A guide was developed to address contemporary needs and realities, aiming to implement and adapt the university education system to digital environments, without forgoing the benefits of in-person learning. The guide included a detailed description of several teaching methodologies: connected and critical, collaborative and research-oriented, active, gamified, and inverted. It also explored new ways, methods, and possibilities for creating digital content. The guide is available on the project website with open and free access, in the various languages of the project: https://www.enidteach.eu/the-project/result-3/#result_R3 R4. European network in flexible digital teaching: The main objective of the project was the development of a distributed international cooperation network, in which teachers were configured as nodes that enabled inter- and intra-university connections and the dissemination of good digital and innovative teaching practices. An international distributed network has been developed, based in universities and made up of faculty who participated in the training program and committed to sharing experiences in flexible digital teaching practices. However, its scope is not limited exclusively to the project's training program, as participation in the network has extended beyond this initiative. The activity of creating an inter-university cooperation network to generate flexible and innovative practices has been carried out throughout the entire project and has been led by UNED. This activity has had a transversal nature and has been closely linked to the project's management actions, directly contributing to the achievement of the third objective of the program. As a result, the “International cooperation network for knowledge transfer of and digital learning facing postCOVID crisis” (ReCoIn-TaD) has been established. The network currently has a total of 578 members, of which 345 are university professors from the European Union (EU), excluding those affiliated with the institutions participating in the project. Network map, https://www.enidteach.eu/recointad-map/ Network registration form: ‘Registration form’, https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScxwaWvWm9vKDArLzLMV6Wri-YO35Z3akbF5GOJJOeiXsNIkA/viewform?vc=0&c=0&w=1&flr=0 In summary, the network is made up of: • 345 university professors from the EU are part of the network, of whom 313 belong to EU universities that are not project partners. • 142 EU universities were involved in the project, reduced to 137 if excluding institutions that are part of the consortium. • In total, 189 universities participated in the initiative, including both EU and non-EU institutions. • The total number of network members amounts to 578, of whom 389 are from the EU and do not belong to partner institutions. • According to the proposal, a minimum of 50 members per partner was expected. This goal has been achieved in all cases except for the languages English (Burgas Free University), Portuguese (Universidade Aberta Portugal), and Italian (University of Catania). However, Portugal and Bulgaria (English) have reached 99%, and Italy achieved 50%. EPALE, as a space dedicated to the promotion of adult learning and training in Europe, has been considered a key environment for achieving the objectives of ENID-Teach. In this regard, its use focused primarily on the dissemination, promotion, and consolidation of the ENID-Teach network, aiming to establish connections with other organisations and professionals sharing similar interests. A total of 77 publications have been produced on EPALE in English, Portuguese, Bulgarian, Spanish, and French, with Portuguese and Spanish being the predominant languages. Access to the ENID-Teach EPALE participation: https://epale.ec.europa.eu/pt/site/search?search_api_fulltext=enid-teach&sort_by=search_api_relevance&pg=1 R5. Effectiveness research of microlearning based on NOOC which allows to advance a new way of learning through microlessons and in open environments. This research evaluates the impact of microlearning through NOOCs (Nano Open Online Courses) in higher education, analysing their effectiveness as a pedagogical model in digital environments. Over three years, data were collected at different stages of implementation, with a detailed study conducted during the final six months of the project. The analysis examines course participation and completion rates, the development of teachers' digital and pedagogical competences, and the efficiency of open educational resources (OER). A mixed-methods approach was applied, combining qualitative and quantitative analyses through interviews, focus groups, and satisfaction questionnaires, using tools such as SPSS and Atlas Ti. The specific sample for interviews and discussion groups included 72 European university teachers, with interviews conducted in Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, and English, and 438 participants completing evaluation questionnaires. This study is pioneering in evaluating the effectiveness of NOOCs over a period of three years and in five languages. Its findings provide guidelines for higher education institutions, educational projects focused on digital transformation, and teachers interested in applying microlearning methodologies. The results of the ENID-Teach project confirm the high valuation of NOOCs by university faculty, highlighting their structure, content, and applicability to teaching. The findings reflect high participant satisfaction, reaching 80% positive feedback. This indicator confirms the relevance and usefulness of the program in the educational field, as well as its contribution to the development of innovative teaching strategies. To ensure the dissemination of results and their impact on the educational community, the findings of this research have been published in an open-access book. This resource contributes to increasing the visibility of the project and strengthening its long-term sustainability, consolidating the knowledge generated and promoting the exchange of good practices in the field of flexible digital education. This research has been published in: Santoveña-Casal, S. (Coord.). Effectiveness of microlearning in the digital training of European university faculty. Octaedro. ISBN: 978-84-1079-051-3 Collection: Horizontes Universidad (1-09683)