Context Research has found that 59% of SMEs do not undertake any formal training activities (European Commission 2003). Training is key to providing SMEs with the skills to remain competitive in todays ever changing business worlds. Many efforts have been made by research projects to encourage SMEs to undertake formal learning. Despite this statistics have remained unchanged. This project aims to accredit informal learning approaches in SMEs by focusing it on learning outcomes through the use of problem based learning based (PBL) in the workplace and informal learning practices. It will accredit this process providing a bridge between workplace learning and academia Objectives The main objectives of the project are`: • Collect best practices in PBL and other forms of learning used by SMEs. • Develop an organizational PBL framework with effective support mechanisms such as mentoring and ICT based social networking • Create a curriculum and training modules to train mentors. • Create a curriculum and training for staff in SMEs in PBL blended with other learning forms . • Accredit the training course and recognition of such forms of learning in three Higher education institutes in Europe • Test training in several SMEs. • Create a learner-mentor network supported by an IT platform. • Develop a transferability model for other companies. Participants Six partners from Germany, Ireland, Lithuania, Portugal and Romania have been chosen to partake in the project, each of these partners have close links with hundreds of SMEs and HEIs and have experience in research projects concerning learning in SMEs Activities The main activities of the project are concerned with: - Gaining an understanding of current learning practices in SMEs - Evaluating past and current research in the area of learning in SMEs and Problem based learning -Examination of past and current research on the use of ICT tools in supporting informal learning and PBL -Development of a handbook on organisational PBL and supports required -Development of an ICT platform to support PBL -Development of two courses on PBL and mentoring for PBL -Creation of a network of SME learners, mentors and HEI experts in PBL Methodology The project will be concerned with producing high quality research that is focused on the practical needs of the SME and SME organizations and the academic needs of the VETs\HEIs. There will be extensive preliminary research conducted into the requirements of these and they will also evaluate every output produced by the project. High quality research will be achieved by providing a work package methodology with detailed quality objectives for every work package. The training outputs will be accredited by academic institutes and the project partners will work with VET\HEIs throughout the project to ensure accreditation. Result -Report on informal learning practices in European SMEs -Handbook on organsiational PBL -Two accredited online courses on organizational PBL and mentoring for organisational PBL -Creation of a learner network with 500 members -Development of an ICT platform to support PBL Impact -250 SMEs undertaking accredited informal learning -150 SMEs undertaking mentoring for PBL -500 members of the learner network Long term benefits - Improve the competitiveness of European SMEs - Increase learning and development undertaken by SMEs -Provide a research platform for further collaboration between HEIs\VETs and SMEs -Allow HEIs\VETs to reach a wider target audience -Provide a methodology for accrediting informal work based learning
Context Research states that 59% of SMEs do not undertake any formal training activities (European Commission 2003). This project found that despite attempts to make learning more flexible SMEs have a preference for informal learning, however they feel it has a number of constraints. In particular due to its unstructured nature informal learning makes it difficult to identify if the employee acquired the skills and often there are a lack of staff to develop external skills. The project explored the use of Problem Based Learning (PBL) in structuring informal training in SMEs and allowing companies to leverage off of external expertise. It produced a collaborative ICT platform and two modules (one accredited) to allow SMEs to use problem based learning in their organisations. Objectives The main objectives of the project achieved were: • Identify the common methods of learning in SMEs, barriers to learning and the problems SMEs face on a daily basis • Develop an organizational PBL framework with effective support mechanisms such as mentoring • Create a curriculum and online learning material to train trainers in companies to facilitate PBL. • Create a curriculum and online learning material for staff in SMEs. • Accredit the training course and recognition of such forms of learning in one Higher Education institute in Europe • Test training in 180 SMEs. • Create a learner-mentor network supported by an IT platform. • Develop a transferability model for other companies. Participants Six partners from Germany, Ireland, Lithuania, Portugal and Romania collaborated on the project, each of these partners has close links with thousands of SMEs and HEIs and have experience in research projects concerning learning in SMEs Activities The main activities of the project are concerned with: - Gaining an understanding of current learning practices in SMEs - Evaluating past and current research in the area of learning in SMEs and Problem based learning -Examination of past and current research on the use of ICT tools in supporting informal learning and PBL -Development of a handbook on how SMEs can use PBL (A tutor handbook has also been developed) -Development of an ICT platform to support PBL -Development of two courses on PBL and mentoring for PBL -Creation of a network of SME learners, mentors and HEI experts in PBL Methodology The project was concerned with producing high quality research that is focused on the practical needs of the SME and SME organizations. There was extensive research conducted into the learning needs of SMEs, problems they face and how to exploit ICT for learning purposes. SMEs collaborated with the consortium by conducting surveys, interviews, evaluating outputs and providing feedback to improve these. High quality research was achieved by providing a workpackage methodology with detailed quality objectives for collaborative workpackages. The training outputs were accredited by academic institutes and the project partners will continue to work with VET\HEIs to accredit further courses. Result -Report on Informal Learning, Problem Based Learning and the use of ICT for Learning in European SMEs -Handbook to inform SMEs of how they can use PBL, a tutor handbook has also been developed -Two online courses on PBL for business professionals and facilitating PBL -Creation of a learner network with 180 members -Development of an ICT platform to support PBL Impact -180 SMEs undertook the modules - There are 192 members of the learner network -Three journal publications, three conference papers and one book chapter have been developed to inform academic audience of how PBL can be adopted for workbased learning and a third will be developed in the coming months - Three newspaper articles have been published during the project and 4 after the project ended -Accredited programme which will aim to recruit 40 students from SMEs per year on an ongoing basis -The consortium have identified two potential projects on Problem based learning to submit in 2018. Long term benefits - Provides a platform for SMEs to share problems (In the pilot several SMEs stated that they would refer to the platform on a regular basis) - Improve the competitiveness of European SMEs (92% of those that took part in the pilot felt the programme benefited them in some way, 46% solved a long standing problem and 46% expected to see a number of benefits in the coming months) - Attracts SMEs into formal education programmes by providing a 'taster' module were they can see the immediate benefit of training - Provide a research platform for further collaboration between HEIs\VETs and SMEs (2 projects are being proposed, a knowledge alliance and strategic partnership, in addition an event was held in Ireland on 'The role education can play in supporting small business') -Allow HEIs to reach a wider audience, attract SME learners -Methodology for accrediting informal learning -Structured method for SMEs to solve problems