User-friendly Practical Distance Active Training Experience

In line with the European Framework on Digital Competences of Educational Organisations, the project partners were aware that digital technologies represent a key potential to respond to the educa...

The strategy of the project was to implement and strengthen the VET digital ecosystem through the following steps: a) the transnational collection, development, implementation and validation of innovative methodologies, tools and practices for digital didactics applied to the learning of vocational skills and practical-manual contents. b) the strengthening/upgrading of digital skills (pedagogical and technological) of tutors and trainers. The general objective was to raise the quality of vocational training offered by VET organizations - with a view to increasing the learning opportunities, inclusion, and educational success of learners as well as their employability - by strengthening the capacity of trainers and tutors to implement blended and distance forms of didactics and apply new technologies to training activities with a high content of practical and manual skills (a feature element of vocational training). The main target group reached was that of trainers and tutors.

UPDATE provided for the implementation of 3 results: R1 - RESEARCH: collection of good methodological and didactic practices applied to distance learning in VET; comparative analysis of innovative technological solutions and digital tools for practical and manual teaching in the VET field. R2 - BLENDED TRAINER TRAINING COURSE: design and development of a mixed training course for trainers aimed at developing and strengthening their digital skills. The activities carried out were the course design; the development of learning objects; the implementation of the LMS platform; the analysis of professional profiles preparatory to VR development; the development of virtual learning environments; Transnational LTTA on virtual reality applied to practical and manual activities; the realization of 4 editions of the mixed course; validation of the course. R3 - PLAN FOR THE INTEGRATION OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES INTO EDUCATION: Trainers and tutors who participated in the training were called upon to apply what they had learned and to experiment with technological and methodological solutions in vocational training courses. As a result of this experimentation and on the basis of the feedback collected and lessons learned, a plan was prepared containing methodological, feasibility and sustainability indications, as well as the strategy to integrate what has been experienced in organizational practice. The planned activities were the experimentation with the students, the evaluation and validation of the experimentation and the elaboration of the plan. The project involved a total of 80 VET professionals (trainers and tutors) in Denmark, Estonia, Greece and Italy. Among these, 5 participants selected by Enaip and 5 selected by VIKK (partners who were direct ground for educational experimentation) took part in the LTTA in Denmark. In addition, within the target group, 40 participants selected by Enaip and VIKK were involved in the testing of technological and methodological solutions applied to practical-manual teaching content. In addition to the output of the results, 8 multiplier events were organised with the aim of promoting a comparison between organisations in the field of VET, sharing successful practices and strengthening the innovation drive of the system as a whole. The plan was to hold 3 transnational meetings. To maximise the impact of the project, dissemination, promotion and sharing of tangible results and lessons learned throughout the project were organised. The monitoring and evaluation plan has allowed the development of an analysis and control system at the service of project management in order to promote learning processes from experience. The project was managed through a participatory approach that involved the active involvement of all partners from the analysis phase to the strategic decision-making phase up to the specific implementation phase. Project management was aimed at building real collaboration and co-responsibility on common problems and sharing the results of the project action. Responsibility for producing each result was entrusted to a leading partner who coordinated the contributions of the other partners. Enaip Piemonte was responsible for the overall management and coordination of the project and coordinated the production of R1; HOU was responsible for the production of R2 and the monitoring and evaluation of the project; VIRSABI was responsible for the production of R3 with the role of methodological-technological supervisor; and VIKK was responsible for the dissemination, promotion and sharing of results.

The project invisaged the production of 3 tangible results: research (R1), mixed training course for trainers (R2) and the plan to integrate technology into teaching (R3). In addition to the production of tangible results, there have also been intangible results concerning both inter-organisational learning and the improvement of the attractiveness of the VET system. Through the project, each partner, with a view to continuous improvement, has integrated current teaching practices and redefined its training model, while innovating processes and work contents. Finally, the project partners contributed to the modernisation of the VET system and to the improvement of the quality of the training offer as a whole. Each partner has been an expression of stakeholder networks on a local, regional, national and international scale, whose involvement has enabled them to promote at several levels a continuous dialogue on digital pedagogy and teaching issues in VET consistent with the objectives and expected impact of the Erasmus+ programme.