ICT in VET is seen as means to maximise access to training and making learning modern and attractive to enable and encourage learners to complete as well as to continue their vocational education. Although ICT technologies are accessible and affordable and it is quite common that VET teachers use ICT, integration of ICT in educational practice is still too low. Lack of relevant ICT competences is one of reasons. Possibilities of ICT use in VET are wide and various, providing different opportunities. Variety of ICT solutions for development of training materials and for on-line teaching makes it difficult for VET teachers to learn them and implement in teaching practice. This regards in particular learning to use software dedicated for teaching in an on-line mode (e.g. e-learning). Ability to use these software isn’t possible without hands-on use, which often occurs impossible, because such software must be properly installed (it specialist and infrastructure are necessary) and made accessible for users (login data and authorities etc.). Training on didactic use of ICT, tailored for VET teachers is necessary. E-MOTIVE project will provide VET teachers easy-to-use and access materials and solutions which will enable them to acquire knowledge and skills necessary for carrying out ICT-enhanced VET, in particular for: 1) development and use of different types of ICT-based materials 2) use of software applicable for on-line teaching purposes. Solutions developed in the project will be accessible via Internet, also with use of mobile devices. The project consortium includes: KOMAG (POLAND) - the coordinator, Riga Technical School of Tourism and Creative Industry (LATVIA) and TTS Työtehoseura (FINLAND). All partners have competence and experience which will enable to develop attractive, state-of-the-art solution for VET teachers willing to carry out quality ICT-enhanced teaching. The following intellectual outputs are planned: O1 Analysis of competencies and needs of the VET Teachers and Students, in relation to ICT-enhanced training O2 Concept of the e-MOTIVE platform O3 Development of content and software for ICT enhancement in VET training O4 Prototype of the e-MOTIVE platform O5 Pilot tests and validation Since there will be carried out research for: - identification of needs and expectations of both sides participating in VET: 1) teachers, 2) students - identification of state-of-the art ICT-based solutions and methods usable for teaching, provided solutions will be developed based on most relevant assumptions. With e-MOTIVE solutions VET teachers will learn how to integrate ICT in their teaching, including different models of teaching like classroom teaching, blended learning, e-learning. They will also acquire competences for self-development as educators by ICT-based participating in courses and using materials regarding domain they teach, which will enable to keep provided teaching update. Therefore expected benefits for users of e-MOTIVE solutions are long-term since acquired ICT confidence and skills facilitate continuous professional development, which will contribute to quality and market relevance of VET.
Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) provide great opportunities both for school education and for training and thus contribute to their quality, attractiveness and effectiveness. ICT solutions useful for teaching have become commonly available, and affordable or for free, but their effective use requires relevant teachers’ skills. E-MOTIVE project was initiated by: i) observation that in VET application of ICT was still relatively low and ii) conclusion that one of reasons was lack of materials which are easy-to-use, and enable to obtain necessary knowledge and skills in a short time. The project objective was to solve this problem by development of training materials and solutions which would enable VET teachers to acquire knowledge and skills necessary for: i) use of ICT to create different types of attractive electronic training materials which meet VET students’ needs and expectations, ii) use of existing ICT tools for teaching, in all main forms of teaching that might be carried out in VET, i.e. classroom learning (traditional), on-line learning (via Internet) and blended learning (carried out partly in the classroom and partly via Internet). The project consortium members were: - Instytut Techniki Górniczej KOMAG (PL) - team involved in the project is experienced in use of ICT, also for development of training materials and courses - VET units: + RTRIT - Rīgas Tūrisma un radošās industrijas tehnikums (LV) is a VET school related with tourism and hospitality sector. ICT solutions are integrated in many lessons provided there. + TTS Työtehoseura (FI) is a VET centre related with road transport and logistics sector. ICT solutions are very intensively used by them, including those more advanced like simulators. Both VET units cooperate with other VET units and organizations – at national and European level, with national authorities, and participate in events related with VET. Competences and experiences of all the project partners contributed to the project realization and its results. E-MOTIVE consortium developed e-MOTIVE platform at which free access to the following resources and solutions has been provided: - repository of knowledge pills (short, easy-to-use instructions) that show and guide how to use ICT tools for: i) development of training materials, ii) use of Internet tools for teaching, and provide necessary background knowledge - reports and use cases regarding ICT-enhanced teaching - software sandboxes for several Internet tools; a sandbox is an isolated software environment in which an Internet tool - a piece of software or platform - can be used without affecting other systems or causing serious problems. Although it is a specially prepared installation of a given tool it looks and works the same as a fully operational one. - e-MOTIVE AR tool which enables to develop training materials based on Augmented Reality technology and use it during teaching. To make the e-MOTIVE platform truly useful the following conditions have been met: - knowledge pills and software sandboxes regard ICT tools which are open-source and/or commonly used - use cases are supplementary to knowledge pills - content (topics) of knowledge pills was established based on survey carried out with both parties involved in the teaching process, i.e. VET students and VET teachers. The questionnaire used included questions about respondents’ preferences and expectations regarding application of ICT in teaching/learning; therefore ICT competences acquired by the VET teachers meet their students’ expectations - all main modes of teaching (classroom, e-learning, blended) were covered, therefore training materials and solutions in a comprehensive way prepare VET teaches to integrate ICT in their teaching - the knowledge pills repository is searchable, e.g. via key words, and each knowledge pill can be downloaded for offline use and/or for printing - all resources are accessible any time and place, therefore a teacher can in a flexible way shape their learning path (‘pick and use’ mode) - application of e-MOTIVE AR tool requires only standard hardware and software (computer – for development, mobile device with a camera – for use), and access to the Internet. No special IT skills are necessary. - the platform resources are accessible also via Moodle Mobile app. The prototype e-MOTIVE platform (and all the materials and solutions it provides) available in English positively underwent pilot tests and then was translated into Polish, Latvian and Finnish. ICT competences provided by the e-MOTIVE products not only contribute to VET teachers’ abilities in integration of ICT in teaching, but also to the teachers’ self-development as educators – e.g. via use of electronic training materials, participation in on-line courses.