Introducing Artificial Intelligence to Vocational Schools in Europe Erasmus Project

Project Title

Introducing Artificial Intelligence to Vocational Schools in Europe

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for vocational education and training

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2020

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; ICT – new technologies – digital competences

Project Summary

CONTEXT AND BACKGROUND
Europe’s average digital gap with the world’s leaders USA and China is now being compounded by an emerging gap in Artificial Intelligence (AI). An analysis performed in 2019 by LinkedIn revealed that the skills needed to develop or implement AI systems remain scarce and limited to a well-educated segment of the labour force. The skills that students gain at vocational education and training (VET) level do not suffice to qualify for a job that requires knowledge in programming AI. Important factors hindering the initiation of AI-related teaching at vocational schools are lack of relevant competence among ICT teachers and lack of coherent training methodology.

PARTNERSHIP
The partnership comprises 6 organisations from 4 countries, representing vocational education and training institutions, an educational start-up, and learning innovation experts from non-formal education sector. A transnational approach is essential for the success of the project in terms that it facilitates the exchange of best practices and the innovation delivered by smartest professionals.

OBJECTIVES
In this project, innovative, interactive and multidisciplinary methods are sought in order to strengthen the key competences/transversal skills in the actual competences of learners. The goal of the project is to develop Artificial Intelligence skills of ICT teachers and pupils in VET sector by offering learning/teaching/training material to respond to the demand of AI talent in the European labour market. The objectives of the project are to:
1. Develop lesson materials for an innovative study unit “Introduction to Artificial Intelligence” – a comprehensive course for pupils who have basic programming skills, in order to equip them with knowledge of machine learning processes.
2. Integrate the study unit into each partner country’s formal education system, thus enabling the sustainability of the project’s results and ensuring the incorporation of AI qualifications into national and European VET systems.
3. Provide competence development for ICT teachers, as key actors in the acquisition and transference of new digital skills.
4. Disseminate the project’s intellectual output across VET and other educational sectors.

ACTIVITIES & METHODOLOGY
– Development of lesson materials in collaboration with partner schools, in order to create the most relevant product corresponding to the profile of VET learners.
– Piloting lesson materials with target group pupils, analysing skill development, and updating the product based on the survey results and the feedback received.
– Teacher training to empower them to pilot the product with their pupils and act as trainers for other teachers.
– Evaluation of pupils’ knowledge and further skill development at Scrum-based transnational learning activity.
– Preparation of the study unit description according to the accreditation requirements in partner organizations/countries and processing the accreditation.
– Multiplier events in each partner country and a range of other disseminational activities, including training sessions and workshops.

RESULTS
The activities will lead to the following results:
– A formally acknowledged study unit „Introduction to Artificial Intelligence”.
– Comprehensive lesson materials on different AI technologies developed for 60 contact (classroom) hours for the above-mentioned study unit.
– A survey performed before and after the testing of the lesson materials, demonstrating skill development of the target learner group.
– At least 10 teachers obtain necessary skills required for implementing “Introduction to Artificial Intelligence” unit at their school and transferring knowledge to other ICT teachers.
– At least 100 pupils develop skills in machine learning processes in the context of game design, autonomous driving, and computer vision.
– At least 120 learners, educators, policy makers, IT sector representatives and other stakeholders from outside of the partner organizations become well familiar with the product during multiplier events.

IMPACT AND SUSTAINABILITY
Integration of the unit into the formal curriculum will allow partner schools to offer innovative lesson content to all students involved in ICT studies. The unit will bring added value for each partner of the network by increasing the labor market relevance of the education. Students will be prepared for Industry 4.0, especially where they will be involved in more automated process at the place of work. We anticipate that most of them will employ their skills in the labour market, or seek further knowledge development in higher education.
At national and European levels, the project will increase the transparency of vocational qualifications as partners prepare for ECVET implementation by building up this unit of learning outcomes together and developing opportunities for validation and recognition of it as part of qualifications in each partner country.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 197712 Eur

Project Coordinator

VsI Robotikos mokykla & Country: LT

Project Partners

• IT4Kids e.V.
• Kauno informaciniu technologiju mokykla
• Turun kaupunki – Åbo stad
• Seinäjoen koulutuskuntayhtymä
• MALTA COLLEGE OF ARTS SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY