Improving Digital Learning in VET Erasmus Project

Project Title

Improving Digital Learning in VET

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 : Partnerships for Digital Education Readiness

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2020

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Open and distance learning; Pedagogy and didactics; New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses

Project Summary

The COVID 19 pandemic has added further urgency to the need to develop innovative digital practices in the area of education. This is particularly true for Vocational Education and Training (VET) and even more so regarding initial VET on European Qualification Framework (EQF) level 3 and 4. Due to a certain focus on manual skills, VET has been less “digital” than other areas of education.

As anti-COVID 19 measures and restrictions increased across the globe, VET providers had to come up with quick solutions to maintain teaching and training provision. In many cases, this involved the deployment of digital practices and tools they were not very familiar with – without paying much attention to underlying theoretical approaches.

Nonetheless, the pandemic has not only been perceived as a major challenge but also as opportunity. To some teachers, trainers and VET providers, the COVID19 crisis has acted as a catalyst accelerating the introduction of new digital practices which would have required much more time under normal circumstances. It has unlocked the creative and innovative potential of European VET teachers and trainers.

So far, the COVID 19 experience and its impact on digital VET teaching practices has not been analysed in detail. The present project intends to support the uptake of innovative approaches and digital technologies in VET in a twofold manner. Firstly, it will develop a grid to analyse digital VET practice developed since the outbreak of the pandemic and create a repository of concrete good practice examples from the area of automotive VET. Secondly, the project will build on the insights from this analysis to provide general recommendations on the principles of quality digital VET and develop and test a transnational training course for teachers and trainers.

To do so, the project will expand on national and European projects and initiatives, such as SELFIE and DigCompEdu and build on the shared and complementary expertise of a consortium reflecting the variety of VET across Europe. Even though the main focus will be on pedagogical support to teachers and trainers facing the “Herculean task” of abruptly adopting digital and distance learning, the project will also highlight external factors facilitating the emergence of innovative digital approaches.

The project will support VET professionals in capitalising on their COVID-19 experience in developing further innovative practice. It will foster the innovative use of digital technologies and support VET providers in dealing with the “new normal” by developing suitable solutions to hybrid training. In doing so, the project intends to contribute to making responsive digital VET a crucial means for overcoming the economic and social aftermath of the COVID-19 crisis.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 159491 Eur

Project Coordinator

Association Nationale pour la Formation Automobile & Country: FR

Project Partners

• SOCIETE D’ENSEIGNEMENT PROFESSIONNEL DU RHONE
• Hengitysliitto ry/Ammattiopisto Luovi
• CONSELLERIA DE CULTURA, EDUCACION E UNIVERSIDADE (XUNTA DE GALICIA)
• SCUOLA CENTRALE FORMAZIONE ASSOCIAZIONE SCF