APPLICATION OF THE VIRTUAL REALITY TO A PROJECT BASED LEARNING METHODOLOGY: PROJECTX Erasmus Project

Project Title

APPLICATION OF THE VIRTUAL REALITY TO A PROJECT BASED LEARNING METHODOLOGY: PROJECTX

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; Open and distance learning

Project Summary

During the last years, the project based learning methodology has been extensively applied in many VET Colleges. Some examples can be found in Spain, as the ETHAZI methodology created by the TKNIKA innovation center of Basque Country or the ProjectX methodology created by the Xabec Vocational Training Center in Valencia, which has been recognized by the European Commision with the educative innovation award in the edition of the “Skills Week” celebrated in 2018.
The ProjectX methodology consists of transferring a work process that is carried out in the professional context to the educational context. Each work process has been called “ProjectX”, because it is the combination of the words Project and work eXperiencie (ProjectX). The ProjectX’s are defined on the basis of learning outcomes (LO’S), so the tasks carried out in a project are associated with a set of learning outcomes, that are the minimum unit that can be recognized in the European Credit System for VET. Consequently, a set of ProjectX can be always recognized and accredited from the minimum unit until a complete professional qualification. This aspect is very interesting for the learning management: a ProjectX can be easily used for the mobility of students because the assessment and recognition of learning outcomes are defined, and also a set of ProjectX’s can be used for the implementation of a professional qualification based on a set of learning outcomes. Xabec was the leader of the project One2One (http://projectxone2one.eu/) in which the methodology was created and also was the leader of the TOPMOST (http://www.topmost.es/) project in which a database of Common Learning Outcomes was created to enable the recognition of learning outcomes during the mobility of VET students. Nowadays, the ProjectX methodology is used in the mobility of students of the INNMAIN network and in the regular lessons of Xabec.
The experience has been very positive, but the implementation of the e-learning in the VET national systems requires an upgrade of the ProjectX methodology and the creation of new teaching resources. This is the motivation of this project: the digital transformation of the ProjectX created in One2One to Virtual Reality modules, that are called VR ProjectX, and the integration in an e-learning platform. The VR ProjectX can be implemented during the mobility of students and/or in VET blended learning.
The participants of the project have been selected on the basis of the experience in the application of the ProjectX methodology, in the creation of Virtual Reality modules and in e-learning platforms. Xabec and Valdorio participated in the One2One project and both have applied the methodology to the mobility of students, DYPSELA is a start-up specialized in Virtual Reality, and TAW and UPV are institutions with a wide experience in e-learning and in 3D design, because they are partners of the international FABLAB network. Finally, IBW is a swiss Vocational Training Center that is interested in creating new ProjectX’s and new Common Learning Outcomes.
The activities have been scheduled in a Gantt Diagram in four steps. During the first step, Xabec, GUIA, IBW and Valdorio are in charge of developing a handbook with the instructions to design a VR ProjectX and a booklet of four VR ProjectX. The second step is focused on designing the VR ProjectX. The partners experienced in 3D design –UPV, TAW and VALDORIO- are in charge of carrying out the 3D and 2D models of the VR ProjectX, DYPSELA take the responsibility of selecting the devices and the interface to the virtual reality, and Valdorio, GUIA, IBW and Xabec are responsible of making the script. Third step consists of programming the virtual reality module. The responsible of this step are the technicians of DYPSELA under the supervision of the other partners. Finally, during the fourth step, UPV-TAW will implement the VR Projects in the e-learning platform for the learning management according to the ECVET system and on the basis of common learning outcomes. A meeting have been programmed at the end of each step, in order to validate the tasks done during the previous step and to coordinate the tasks of the next step. Moreover, some tests have been scheduled to get feedback from VET students and adult education. Finally, some multiplier events have been organized for the dissemination of the VR ProjectX to advertise the product to the target groups: student of secondary school that are interested in apply for a VET qualification, VET students that are interested in apply for mobility, and workers interested in getting an accreditation by e-learning.
VR ProjectX is the new step of the previous projects TOPMOST and One2One to update the ProjectX methodology to the digital era by the application of virtual reality. The new tool will be available to the INNMAIN partnership for the mobility of students and teachers, and can be enriched in the future with new VR ProjectX’s in the e-learning platform.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 198180 Eur

Project Coordinator

CENTRO DE FORMACION PROFESIONAL XABEC & Country: ES

Project Partners

• IIS MICHELE GIUA – CAGLIARI
• FORPRO – Formação Profissional, CRL
• TAW – Talent Academy Working
• dypsela
• UNIVERSITAT POLITECNICA DE VALENCIA