LOWE aims to increase quality of VET offer by improving quality assurance system (QA) in validation and recognition of learning outcomes (Los) in WBL. Project partners already have considerable QA experience in procedures of validation and recognition of learning. But they have poor and incomplete knowledge and methodological capabilities in implementing validation and recognition WBL learning in line with QA. European strategies highlight growing need to provide high-quality WBL courses both in processes and in validation and recognition of Los based on common fundamentals and processes of QA. Despite the approach based on Los is at the base of EQF, NQFs, ECVET and Europass, the change of perspective is not completed yet on evaluation and recognition of Los. Starting from that consideration, project partners carried out an analysis involving companies that are cooperating in WBL courses. This analysis focused on two phases of QA cycle: EVALUATION and REVIEW. They pinpointed the following needs: - Limited capability to identify Los in WBL based on evident and shared criteria with workplace tutors according appropriate processes and methods for QA. - Limited capacity to implement high-quality processes for circular, learner-centred and outputs oriented monitoring of work-based Los. - Problems in defining processes and tools in line with QA to gathering and analyzing data related to Los, both during implementation of WBL courses and at the end. - Problems in developing methodologies of evaluation based on Los in WBL able to ensure clear criteria and clear description of expectation from both teacher tutors and workplace tutors. - Use of not aligned EQAVET tools for validation and recognition of Los in WBL. Main target group are teacher tutors and workplace tutors. Main beneficiaries are IVET students. General objective of the project is to increase QA system in phases of evaluation and review of QA cycle by facing specifically dimensions related to validation and recognition processes of Los in WBL. Specific objectives are: 1 improved monitoring system of LOs in WBL according QA logic; 2 increased quality of evaluation process of LOs in WBL (transparency, reliability and validity) 3 increased quality for validation and recognition of LOs in WBL 4 supported developing in educators of a culture of QA improvement in recognition and validation of LOs in WBL 5 stronger partnership among VET providers and companies. These objectives will be pursuited by developing innovative solutions, also able to integrate new EQAVET+ descriptors. They will run on three EQAVET “building block” in WBL, key-elements for QA: improve – train – assess. An innovative Quality Assurance+WBL model (IO1) and a Toolkit (IO2) with practical tools of QA+ WBL system. They will be tested on a pilot group of VET providers; their effectiveness and impacts on systems quality management of VET providers will be evaluated. Main methods used in the project will be PDCA, peer learning, action-research, dialogue and shared implementation as base of change management process. The continuous improvement of QA system will impact successfully on VET providers performance and students’ LOs. Project will generate positive impacts on trainers/educators/teacher tutors and workplace tutors by improving their competences on evaluation of LOs, on use of tools for QA (EQAVET) and for recognition of credits (ECVET). Positive impacts will be generated even on staff responsible of quality of VET providers: they will increase their knowledge about improvement of quality WBL system. Students will improve their LOs.
The General objective of the L.O.W.E. project was the improvement of the quality assurance system, in the evaluation and review phases of the QA cycle, specifically facing the dimensions related to the validation and recognition processes of learning outcomes (LOs) in WBL. This objective was achieved through the development of innovative solutions (IO1 and IO2), also able to integrate the new EQAVET + descriptors, and acting on three EQAVET "building blocks" in WBL, as key elements of quality assurance: - improve - train - assess. The project has produced two IOs: the guidelines for the implementation of the QA + WBL model in the recognition and validation processes of the learning outcomes in WBL and the Toolkit, ie a methodological guide that provides practical tools and operative indications to support school tutors, tutors company, but also of all the teachers of the class board normally not involved in the WBL paths. The developed Toolkit is composed of useful tools tested by schools in the piloting phase of the project which have been developed taking into consideration the four phases of the EQAVET cycle: planning, implementation, evaluation, and review. The partners involved in the project were the Regional School Office for Abruzzo (Italy), as an applicant, ilmiolavoro srl (Italy), responsible for IO2, the IIS Da Vinci De Giorgio (Italy), project manager, Ekami's (Finland), responsible for IO1, Folkuniversitetet (Sweden), scientific partner, Werkstatt (Germany), responsible for the organization of Learning Activity, Dimitra(Greece) responsible for dissemination. Co-defined learning outcomes have also been established, to integrate the educational dimension and the experiential dimension and to finalize a project in line with the quality assurance criteria defined in the model. The toolkit was equipped with 21 grids, 9 checklists and 4 guides available to teachers also in digital and hypertext form. The tools were tested by partners during the 2018/2019 school year. Testing involved over 750 students. All the tools are easily downloadable from the project site. The teachers were informed about the use of the toolkit in the various countries; thanks to specific training they improved their skills especially in planning and evaluating the Learning Outcomes in WBL paths. The partners sent back detailed reports on the carried out testing highlighting which tools they found useful, which ones should have been modified or integrated. The toolkit was adjusted according to the results of partners' reports and the comparative study, conducted by the scientific partner Folkuniversitetet. The results achieved are in line with the initial expectations and in particular, (taking into account the testing), the objective of improving learning outcomes in WBL, in a logic of quality assurance, has been completely fulfilled. All of WBL's paths, out of the total ones included in the piloting phase, have been modified in progress, according to the quantitative and qualitative data acquired in Los monitoring. The project results are evident also in the improved level of involvement of company tutors in the definition of the assessment with school tutors and students demonstrated by the development of co-defined grids and reflection diaries. The objective of the full involvement of the various actors was achieved in all partner countries. In our opinion, the Project Quality is also proved by the increase of some indicators such as ease of use, adaptability, validity of the instruments tested during the piloting phase with particular attention to validation and recognition of LOs. Quality was monitored and evaluated through some questionnaires administrated to the teachers of the testing schools who expressed more than positive opinions. Dissemination, based on the general plan, concerned: the reports (interim and final) sent by each partner; the development of the logo created by students from the Abruzzo region; the development of the project website; links to the project on partner sites; a project facebook page. The impacts observed on school teachers were WBL tutors increased skills; the impacts on the company tutors were: the strengthening of their role in the QA processes of the WBL paths; LOs assessment and monitoring improved skills; increased confidence in schools, with respect to the reliability and validity of the evaluation of LOs that students acquire in WBL; improved ability to collaborate with VET providers. The gratifying results achieved and the validity of the L.O.W.E. toolkit have, in Italy, aroused the interest of the Ministry of Education which expressed the will to propose the same model for the evaluation of the WBL paths of the national school system.