PROVED (“Productive Learning in Vocational Education”) Erasmus Project

Project Title

PROVED (“Productive Learning in Vocational Education”)

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 2014

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Labour market issues incl. career guidance / youth unemployment; New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; Quality Improvement Institutions and/or methods (incl. school development)

Project Summary

PROVED (“Productive Learning in Vocational Education”) was a two-year project from 1 September 2014 until 31 August 2016 performed in Finland, Germany, Greece and Lithuania.
The main aim of PROVED was to contribute to a higher employment rate of youth and young adults, to reduce the rate of drop-outs of the vocational education system and in that way to fight poverty and social exclusion of young disadvantaged people.
The project aim was the transfer of the principles of a successful educational approach called Productive Learning (in short “PL”) from the field of general education to the field of vocational education. With regard to the needs and demands of the VET systems in the countries involved, each vocational training institution involved developed, tested and implemented its own adapted PL concept. The leading aspects for the concept development were the following principles of Productive Learning: Learning in real life situations, individualisation of the learning process, connecting theory and practice. Due to the specific situations in the participating countries the vocational training institutions involved in PROVED focussed on different aspects of PL.
The consortium of PROVED consisted of eight partner institutions from Finland, Germany, Greece and Lithuania, working in the field of general, vocational or non-formal education, experienced in project and curriculum development, in community education, in teacher training or in teaching. Six partner institutions are members of the International Network of Productive Learning Projects and Schools (INEPS).
The main project activities were the concept development and the implementation of the concepts, the design of a teacher training concept including the development of different materials, the training of the teachers involved and the preparation of the mentors in practice, four transnational meetings, the internal and external evaluation of the project, the documentation and dissemination of all activities and results, the project and quality management including the organization of the cooperation between the partners and with important stakeholders, especially companies in the region. The main intellectual output of PROVED are five adapted PL concepts. Closely connected with this intellectual output are the following products:
– A Teacher Training Concept and Program,
– A Study Letter “Vocational Orientation through Productive Learning & Productive Learning in Vocational Training in different European Countries”,
– A Manual with pedagogical material for the work with principles of PL in the frame of vocational education,
– A Handout for Mentors in Companies cooperating in the frame of PROVED,
65 disadvantaged young people between 16 and 33 “tested” the adapted PL concepts in the 2nd project year. The main important impacts for the youth and young adults are: motivation to continue the learning process, more clarity concerning individual skills and interests, a better idea of the demands of the world of work, developed skills in particular needed in the world of work, better vocational perspectives and more economic independence.
12 teachers participated in a teacher training program, including international and national seminars, school based trainings, self-study units using the developed Study Letter and material concerning the topic “Digital Learning in PL”. The main impacts for the teachers involved is more knowledge about the VET systems in the participating countries and about PL, professional development and improved methodical skills, more job satisfaction, and more international contacts and exchange.
The main characteristic of PL (“Learning in real life situations”) needs a close cooperation with companies and other institutions. Depending on the different concepts the vocational training institutions established between two and 21 sustainable cooperations mainly with companies offering practical places. The main impacts for the local economy and for mentors in practice are better educated young people, the possibility to “test” young people in practice, more knowledge about PL, a better understanding of the needs of disadvantaged young people and improved methodical skills in counseling young people in their learning process.
The main benefit for the institutions which were part of the consortium is an expanded pedagogical expertise in the field of vocational education and a deeper cooperation at regional (in particular with enterprises), national (in particular with the ministries and with networks working in VET) and international level (especially between the participating countries and in the frame of INEPS).
In conclusion, PROVED was a successful project with a high impact on the young disadvantaged people involved, for the cooperating companies, for the partners of the consortium and also for the VET system itself. In this way PROVED also contributes to the development of the European Qualification Framework (EQF).

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 274646 Eur

Project Coordinator

Institut für Produktives Lernen an der Alice Salomon Hochschule Berlin e.V. & Country: DE

Project Partners

• Georg-Schlesinger-Schule
• Svietimo ir mokslo ministerijos Svietimo aprupinimo centras
• “PROTASI” Movement for another lifestyle
• 2 EK PATRAS
• ESPOON SEUDUN KOULUTUSKUNTAYHTYMA OMNIA
• Kedainiu profesinio rengimo centras
• Kedainiu suaugusiuju ir jaunimo mokymo centras