The project "HDR Photography and Blended Learning" is delivering an example of best practice in the field of transnational Blended Learning with the inclusion of realtime online seminars as a special form of E-Learning in combination with a Training activity. Realtime online seminars are called also webinars. Although the webinars could be used in all education sectors for seminars, lectures, communication of groups, they are still not very common in Europe. There is a lack of online-trainers, who are able to conduct webinars and there are no guidelines for the pedagogy of webinars, increasing the attractiveness and efficiency of such learning activities. Additionally many learners, including disadvantaged persons, cannot estimate how useful and efficient webinars are and how easy it is to participate without the need of high digital skills. Webinars are per se cross sectoral. The seven project partners from Bulgaria (New Bulgarian University, Sofia), Germany (VINC Learning UG, Rastatt), Greece (Hellenic Regional Development Centre, Patreos), Hungary (Pannon University, Vezprem), Italy (Associazione Acquamarina) and Portugal (Technical School of Image and Communication) are active in high education, further education and adult education, being national and transnational networkers between education sectors and companies, focussed also on rural development, reflect the huge range of potential users for webinars. Thus the project contributes to the internationalisation of education in all sectors, the growing use of digital learning and better access to education for all. How the cooperation through transnational Blended Learning could function is practically shown in the 2-years-project: 14 common transnational webinars are conducted in the implementation phase of the project. All project partners participate in the webinars - sometimes as participants and sometimes as online-trainers. The topic of learning and cooperation is "HDR-Photography". This highly efficient technique is a rather new technique in photography. Already penetrating the imaging world, it is still discussed very controverse, the technique is not mature and the people are still not aware about the huge potential this technique provides. Although HDR (High Dynamic Range) was already developed in the nineties in computer animation and film, a broader usage in photography starts in the last four years. With a trainer, the basic technique can be learned quite easy. The technique is one of the most interesting innovations of the digital photography. With HDR-photography, the digital photos can show nearly all contrasts. That was never possible with analogue photography. The image branch is well aware about this point. A common digital camera and computer software for the processing of HDR photos are necessary to make HDR-photos. If professionals, students or amateurs, they all can profit from this creative and highly potential technique very much. It's huge range of application possibilities (photographers, artists, graphic design, documentation, press and media) makes it an ideal topic for transnational Blended Learning. The material results of the project are an essay about online pedagogy of transnational webinars and blended learning . Complementary information will be provided by a film that shows the conduction of a pedagogical well structured webinar . The film is available on Youtube. An E-Book about the state of the art in HDR-Photography with practical informations for applicants and for newcomers, experiences and new ways of usage is worked out. All outputs are available as OER, the essay is translated in 8 different languages and will be published online and in printed journals. The online-trainer and learners as well as the users of HDR-photography increased measurable in all partner countries. Both, the skills about realtime online-trainings as well as the skills in HDR-photography will have a snowball effect in the partner countries. Especially teachers, stakeholders and persons from disadvantaged groups (rural areas, physically disabled persons) will be invited to participante in the transnational webinars from their home computer or office in order to see how it functions. Part of the dissemination activities will be the exhibition of HDR-Photos in Italy, Germany and x. The big national and international networks of the project partners as well as the project homepage and publication of information in social media provide a good possibility for the dissemination of the project activities and results.
Transnational cooperation of different education providers is becoming increasingly important in particular as regards the European Educational fields. Against this background the development and practice of innovative and efficient pedagogical approaches and ways of communication is required. Although, webinars could be used in all education sectors for seminars, lectures, discussion groups, they are still not very common in Europe. There is a lack of online-trainers, who are able to conduct webinars and of guidelines for the pedagogy of webinars, increasing the attractiveness and efficiency of such learning activities. Additionally, many learners, including disadvantaged persons, cannot estimate how useful and efficient webinars are and how easy it is to participate without the need of extensive digital skills. The project "HDR Photography and Blended Learning" (www.vir2cope.eu) delivered an example in the field of transnational Blended Learning with the inclusion of real-time online seminars (webinars) as a special form of E-Learning. The six project partners represented the huge range of potential users for webinars. Coming from Czech Republic (ALVIT, Ostrava), Germany (VINC Learning UG, Rastatt), Hungary (University of Pannonia, Veszprem), Italy (Acquamarina Associazione Culturale, Trieste ), Portugal (Technical School of Image and Communication, Lisbon) and United Kingdom (CRYSTAL Ltd., Birmingham) they are active in higher education, further education and adult education, being national and transnational networkers of different education sectors and companies. Thus, the project contributed to the internationalisation of education in all sectors, the growing use of digital learning and better access to education for all. HDRI (High Dynamic Range Imaging) photography was the common learning topic of the partners. It was chosen because it affects the interest of a huge target group throughout society: everywhere the communication with images has become an important factor, in private life and also for professionals working in media, art, documentation, business or marketing. Although the HDR-technique became already standard in the film industry, it is still far away from that in photography. But it has a huge potential: The whole range of light can be captured in one image (avoiding over- and underexposed areas in a picture) and a huge amount of tonal values is available to process high quality images. It is quite easy even for amateurs to make HDR-photos. After having met for a common training and exchange, the project partners worked on different topics about HDR photography and tested new application fields. Against the backdrop to conduct webinars with a good pedagogical approach, 17 international webinars were carried out where each partner presented his work. Guests, also from disadvantaged groups, participated in the webinars in order to learn how efficient webinars are and how easy it is to participate. They also learned about HDRI photography. All participants were invited to evaluate the webinars via an online-questionnaire. Based on this interesting empirical study the partners worked out an essay about the pedagogy of webinars. Translated in six different languages it is available as an Open Educational Resource. The English version was published in a peer-reviewed journal. Additionally, to this essay a film was made summarizing clearly the best pedagogical approach to conduct webinars. This film is available as OER on YouTube. The partners produced the E-Book "HDR-Photography: A practical guide". Available in English (256 pages) and German (343 pages) language the comprehensive E-Book provides interesting know-how for amateurs and professionals. It generated strong interest (more than 15 000 downloads at the end of September 2016 and an invitation to present the E-Book on the world leading fair for imagery PHOTOKINA in Cologne Sept. 2016). The E-Book became an important element for the dissemination and impact of the whole VIR2COPE project. Additionally the project partners conducted HDR photography exhibitions in their home countries. The main important exhibitions in Trieste and Lisbon included small public conferences. In order to enhance the sustainability of the events virtual galleries and printed catalogues with information about HDR photography and the VIR2COPE project were produced. In particular, the Blended Learning approach turned out as very efficient for transnational cooperation. Blended Learning in combination with webinars could have a longer-term benefit for all kind of education providers, institutions and companies. Using webinars contributes to the inclusion of all learners, enhances access to learning for disadvantaged groups, and reduces costs (no travelling) and time.