Widening Access to Virtual Educational Scenarios Erasmus Project

Project Title

Widening Access to Virtual Educational Scenarios

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 : Knowledge Alliances for higher education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2015

Project Topics

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

Project Summary

Each area of professional competency faces its own challenges in providing relevant training before workplace practice. In public service and industry, too much is expected of students learning from their apprenticeship phase, compromising reliability or safety. Trainees lack opportunities to practise applying “inert” knowledge to a real task context, while in a risk-free environment.In response, traditional subject-based teaching is slowly being replaced by training through scenarios, such as Problem-Based Learning (PBL), which is more closely aligned with the needs of practice. But the missing factor is the ability for the learner to directly engage with the scenario; to take decisions and experience the consequences of those decisions; to learn safely through error.Interactive virtual scenarios (VS) or simulations (Scenario-Based Learning; SBL) are recognised by many teaching and learning communities as effective tools for developing reasoning, and for safe training in workplace competency. However, the approach is challenging for educators to understand, and does not fit easily into conventional platforms either pedagogically or technically.This project takes SBL ‘out-of-the-box’, combining skill sets of both academic and enterprise partners to make SBL more accessible for a wide range of professions. Developments will include the ability to embed SBL activities directly into learning platforms and Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), adding renewed pedagogic value and ease-of-use to learners through improved integration, progress monitoring, and the delivery of feedback. By embedding SBL, MOOCS will enable development of real world skills, competency and experience rather than knowledge. The provision of training materials in multiple languages, including the ‘Using Virtual Scenarios to Create Effective Learning’ MOOC, will make VS more accessible for educators. The resources and tools developed within the project will allow educators to build more engaging, realistic and accessible teaching and training material for their learners to practice in a safe environment. The project will sustain and disseminate these activities through an extended partnership, the ‘WAVES’ network.

Project Website

http://wavesnetwork.eu/

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 996906 Eur

Project Coordinator

ST GEORGE’S HOSPITAL MEDICAL SCHOOL & Country: UK

Project Partners

• KAROLINSKA INSTITUTET
• BAYER PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY
• INSTRUCT GEMEINNUTZIGE GMBH
• ARISTOTELIO PANEPISTIMIO THESSALONIKIS
• MASARYKOVA UNIVERZITA