In the document published by the EC in 2012, “Rethinking Education”, the necessity to integrate technology in training centers was already highlighted, insisting on the need of providing trainers with proper training in this regard. Moreover, the Common Framework for Digital Competences for Trainers 2012, published by the Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport reinforced this argument stating that trainers need to improve their digital competences to normalize the use of technological resources in class. The MOBILE-TECH project wants to contribute to make this a reality. The use of mobile devices for learning is not something new and although there are some experiences of its successful implementation, we have detected some barriers for its implementation in VET: - Most of VET trainers are not aware about the potential of mobile devices as a tool for learning. - Mobile devices, and specifically smartphones, have a bad reputation "majority of people on Earth believe mobile phones, beyond not being conducive to learning are in fact antithetical to it" (UNESCO Mobile Learning Week Report, 12-16 December 2011, p.11). - Most of VET trainers do not have the necessary competences/knowledge to use mobile devices for learning (ICT skills, knowledge of the different apps which can be used for learning, how to create/modify their own apps, how and with which purpose to use mobile devices). The aim of MOBILE-TECH project is to encourage VET trainers´ training about mobile learning in an Open Collaborative Learning Platform. Besides MOBILE-TECH persuades other objectives: -To develop an Open Educational Resource (OER) where generate practical and collaborative m-learning -To involve VET Centers directors -To rise student´s interest on m-learning To achieve these objectives, we will carry out several activities which can be gathered in three stages: 1) Trainers´ guide for mobile resources to be used in the classroom. The guide will include National and European good practices about m-learning and different mobile resources which can be used in a VET class and which resources can be used to create own apps. This guide will be presented in different public events which will take place in the partners´ countries. 2) Development of Trainers´ course: How to develop new training resources and teach mobile learning (m-learning), to provide the VET trainer with training materials to develop the necessary competences and knowledge to implement mobile learning in a VET class. The course will deal with different topics. Specifically, the course will be focus on how to develop own contents and how and for what to use different mobile applications. The course will be tasted in the consortium countries: Spain, Finland, Greece, United Kingdom and Germany. Teachers/trainers and trainees will take part in the pilot testing sessions. Besides, the course will be also presented to direct and indirect target groups in public events. 3) Open Collaborative Learning Platform for trainers´ learning resources. All the project materials will be hosted in this platform. Not only the guide and the course but also different pedagogical materials related to m-learning in the classrooms. The Learning Platform will be tested by teachers/trainers of the VET centers and it will present in the last conference of the project in Spain (project´s promoter country). To ensure the smooth development of the MOBILE-TECH project different key transversal actions will be implemented: A1- e-mail distribution list A2- Moodle platform for an effective management of the project. A3- A group in Google hangouts will also be created A4- Quality Management Plan A5- Dissemination Plan A6- IPRA Four financial reports (A7), (A8), (A9) and (A10) and four evaluation reports (A11), (A12), (A13) and (A14). A15- Web 2.0. campaign. A16- Publications in press. A17-Elaboration of a video presentation of the project Two dissemination reports (A18) and (A19) The consortium will meet in four International Meetings as follows: M1-Kiel (DE), M2-Glasgow (GB), M3-Helsingfors (FI), M4-Durango (ES) With MOBILE-TECH project we want to contribute to the adaptation and empowerment of the VET trainers to the demands and needs of their students by providing them with the necessary competences to address mobile learning.
In the document published by the EC in 2012, “Rethinking Education”, the necessity to integrate technology in training centers was already highlighted, insisting on the need of providing trainers with proper training in this regard. Moreover, the Common Framework for Digital Competences for Trainers 2012, published by the Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport reinforced this argument stating that trainers need to improve their digital competences to normalize the use of technological resources in class. The MOBILE-TECH project wants to contribute to make this a reality. The use of mobile devices for learning is not something new and although there are some experiences of its successful implementation, we have detected some barriers for its implementation in VET: - Most of VET trainers are not aware about the potential of mobile devices as a tool for learning. - Mobile devices, and specifically smartphones, have a bad reputation "majority of people on Earth believe mobile phones, beyond not being conducive to learning are in fact antithetical to it" (UNESCO Mobile Learning Week Report, 12-16 December 2011, p.11). - Most of VET trainers do not have the necessary competences/knowledge to use mobile devices for learning (ICT skills, knowledge of the different apps which can be used for learning, how to create/modify their own apps, how and with which purpose to use mobile devices). The aim of MOBILE-TECH project is to encourage VET trainers´ training about mobile learning through the creation of an Open Collaborative Learning Platform. To achieve these objectives, we will carry out several activities which can be gathered in three products: 1) “Trainers´ guide for mobile resources to be used in the classroom”. The guide a) describes what mobile learning is and which devices, tools, media, apps could be used in education; b) it offers an illustration of the abundant pedagogical benefits and advantages of m-learning and describes good practices collected in the 5 project Countries (Germany, Spain, Great Britain, Greece and Finland); c) it demonstrates how to plan your mobile learning approach. The guide is available in the 5 project’s languages (English, German, Finnish, Greek and Spanish). 2) Development of Trainers´ course “How to develop new training resources and teach mobile learning (m-learning)”, addressed to teachers from VET centres and from other educational fields. The course is divided into 6 modules: 1 - Introduction and presentation of the course for trainers; 2 - M-Learning: definitions, models and pedagogical benefits; 3 - How and in which cases use solutions, tools and applications for mobile devices; 4 - M-learning in practice (how to develop own contents and how and for what to use different mobile devices); 5 - How to take the most of the use of social networks; 6 - Planning m-learning. 3) Open Collaborative Learning Platform for trainers. All the project materials will be hosted in this platform. Not only the guide and the course but also different pedagogical materials related to m-learning in the classrooms. The Learning Platform also includes a specific area to share knowledges and information about mobile devices, tools, apps, etc. (M-TECHwiki) and to discuss doubts and questions concerning m-learning (Forum M-TECH). The Training course and the Learning Platform have been tested in partners’ countries. Totally 100 trainers and 150 students participated in testing sessions. Moreover, the platform and the training materials (the guide and the course) were presented in the multiplier events celebrated in all project countries. To ensure the smooth development of the MOBILE-TECH project different key transversal actions were implemented: A1 - Creation of an e-mail distribution list for partner’s communication A2 - Use of Asana platform for an effective management of the project A3 - Creation of a Skype group for online meetings - Quality Management Plan, monitoring and preparation of 4 reports (A11, A12, A13 and A14) - Dissemination Plan, implementation y preparation of an intermediate and a final report (A18 and A19) A6 - IPRA - Four financial reports (A7), (A8), (A9) and (A10) A15 - Web 2.0. campaign A16 - Publications in press A17 - Elaboration of a video presentation of the project. The consortium met in four International Meetings to plan and evaluate project progress: M1-Kiel (Germany), M2-Glasgow (Great Britain), M3-Helsingfors (Finland), M4-Durango (Spain).