PROJECT BACKGROUND Studies on implementation of newly acquired skills show that without support mechanism, learning itself does result in knowledge & new skills being used in the workplace. A research conducted by Project Partners confirms employers and HR departments’ desire for a tool that would support implementation of training effects into the workplace. Respondents of the research agree, that such tool, available online, would help to grow their organizations. Introduction of innovative ICT tools in continuing vocational education and training is strongly supported by European Authorities’ recommendations.PROJECT OBJECTIVES The aim of the Project is to create online service that will support learning results implementation process through pre learning, learning and post learning tasks, can be linked to any e-learning module as well as traditional classroom training as part of blended learning experience.Regarding strategic framework for European cooperation in education & training (‘ET 2020’) project addresses two strategic objectives: Making lifelong learning and mobility a reality & Improving the quality, efficiency of education & training.PARTNERSHIPStrategic Partnership consists of 5 partners from 3 countries (Poland, Greece & Italy): P1. PAIZ Konsulting (PAIZ, PL), Project Leader, has significant experience in coordinating EU-funded training projects, has been a partner in Lifelong Learning & Erasmus+ projects, developing vocational competences, including development with the use of ICT tools.P2. Effebi Association (Effebi, IT) is working in the field of development of HR & organizational models in banking & financial sector, has a consolidated experience in the management of EU projects in the field of quality assurance for VET systems & in projects aimed at using ICT tools for learning purposes.P3. Hellenic Society for the Promotion of Research & Development Methodologies (PROMEA, GR) is an entity with experience in the development of new technologies for pedagogical purposes & in EU co-funded research & cooperation. P4. The Italian Confederation of small and medium private industry (CONFAPI, IT) is one of the main actors in the Italian economic & political environment, implementing initiatives & programs aiming at promoting economic & social development in the country in collaboration with National & European Institutions.P5. The Italian Association for People Management (AIDP, IT), is an association of managers & professionals active in the field of HR; experienced in activities on national & territorial level (conferences, research, surveys, workshops, publications). TARGET GROUPSProject results will be created for & disseminated to target groups both within Partner’s organisations (trainers, trainees) & outside (employees in private & public sector, SME owners, HR departments, employers, employers’ associations, institutional stakeholders such as VET education institutions’ officials).DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITIES & RESULTS The project Partners will implement the project objectives through a well thought out series of activities: - Development of ICT based learning support system methodology, user interface content & technical requirements to develop a specification of pedagogical goals, functions, methods and define technical specifications of the online learning support service.- Development of the software components of the ELSS and service.- Testing of ELSS system - Partners will pilot the tool and then test it with uploaded content with end users/learners. - Content development and upload into ELSS – an e-learning training and support activities designed by Partners and built in the System service. - Evaluation and impact assessment - development of guidelines, standards, criteria, methodology for the evaluation of the service. - Dissemination - an awareness raising campaign to promote the project’s outcomes.Expected results include: - Extended Learning Support System set up at PAIZ service, fully operational & working- ELSS pedagogical methodology- E-learning training uploaded in 4 languages (PL, IT, GR, EN) into ELSSIMPACT ELSS is expected to improve job performance, organisational effectiveness resulting from it, enhance workforce retention and help employees advance their careers. Training and development professionals will benefit from using ELSS methodology to better ensure learning results application in the workplace. In addition, through the authoring capabilities of the system, they can focus on developing their own content, not worrying about software development & maintenance costs and risk of mediocre effectiveness.
Studies on implementation of newly acquired skills show that without support mechanisms, learning itself does not result in knowledge & new skills being used in the workplace. A research conducted by Project Partners confirms employers and HR departments’ desire for a tool that would support implementation of training effects into the workplace. Respondents of the research agreed that such a tool, available online, would help to grow their organizations. Introduction of innovative ICT tools in continuing vocational education and training is strongly supported by European Authorities’ recommendations. The aim of ELSS project was to increase effectiveness of implementation of newly developed skills, gained during trainings, by providing an online service supporting the transfer of learning into the workplace that can be used for any classroom training, e-learning module or other forms of learning. Such a tool is of interest to Partner’s organisations (their trainers, trainees) and their target groups: employees in private & public sector, SME owners, HR departments, employers, employers’ associations but also for institutional stakeholders e.g. VET education institutions officials. 2 outputs were created to reach Project aim. First, the Extended Learning Support System (ELSS),an online service supporting learning implementation. It allows to create pre- and post- learning tasksfor trainees to motivate them to learn, to secure knowledge retention and implementation of learning in practice. Through its functionalities it encourages social learning and enforces involvement of trainees’ supervisors as coaches and mentors.since as research shows they are crucial for on the job implementation of knowledge and skills inside organizations. To create the System, Partners analysed expectations of possible userspertaining to its functionalities, designed and tested the system at all development stages, applying changes when necessary. The final System version is available online free of charge in 4 language versions: English, Greek, Italian and Polish. To evaluate ELSS impact on learning implementation and provide necessary improvements, Partners needed a reference point hence communication skills e-learning course was developed - a standalone solution as well, together with pre- and post-learning tasks in ELSS for this e-learning, both in 4 languages. Together theyform the second output, ELSS with e-learning, which is now ready to be used by trainersand organizationswho want to be sure that the training on communication skills for their trainees/employees produces real, positive changes in their work. Results of ELSS evaluation confirmed that the system encourages trainees to implement learning into the workplace and increases knowledge retention and skills implementation, which was the desired, qualitative impact of the Project. As for quantitative measurement of ELSS impact, it was counted that as a result of the actions leading to the development of outputs as well as dissemination activities more than 12 000 organisations are likely to implement the ELSS methodology. Project results were disseminated to target groups both within Partner’s organisations & outside. Stakeholders expressed their interest in using ELSS, also because they saw this as opportunity to spread learning culture throughout their organisations partly due to involvement of trainees’ supervisors in the process. Producing and disseminating 2 high quality outputs was possible by forming a Strategic Partnership of 5 experienced partners from 3 European countries: PAIZ Konsulting (PAIZ, PL), Project Leader, has significant experience in coordinating EU-funded training projects, has been a partner in Lifelong Learning & Erasmus+ projects developing vocational competences, including development with the use of ICT tools. Effebi Association (Effebi, IT) is working in the field of development of HR & organizational models in banking & financial sector, has a consolidated experience in the management of EU projects in the field of quality assurance for VET systems & in projects aimed at using ICT tools for learning purposes. Hellenic Society for the Promotion of Research & Development Methodologies (PROMEA, GR) is an entity with experience in the development of new technologies for pedagogical purposes & in EU co-funded research & cooperation. The Italian Confederation of small and medium private industry (CONFAPI, IT) is one of the main actors in the Italian economic & political environment, implementing initiatives & programs aiming at promoting economic & social development in the country in collaboration with National & European Institutions. The Italian Association for People Management (AIDP, IT) is an association of managers & professionals active in the field of HR; experienced in activities on national & territorial level (conferences, research, surveys, workshops, publications).