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Social Innovation Training for Virtual Work Based Learning

2017-1-UK01-KA202-0366402017Strategic Partnerships for vocational education and trainingfinalized
Countries: UK|PT|ES|CY|HU|IE · Grant: €268,544.5
Social dialogueResearch and innovationICT - new technologies - digital competences

Project summary

Innovation is a key source of competitiveness and sustainable economic growth, which has earned major political attention and corporate interest in the partner countries. In one hand there are increasing number of support programs/financial aids to promote innovation, on the other hand social innovation is still in its infancy, nevertheless there is much need for such initiatives in the fast changing social and economic environment of the digital era. There is much need for such initiatives in the fast changing social and economic environment of the digital era. With Coop-in project our partnership aims to raise awareness about the advantages of implementing social innovation at work by developing a complex Social Innovation Training kit for the most important potential actors of the field, primarily focusing on corporate VET trainers and mentors. Social innovation is often seen as a privilege of charity based organisations, and not as a skill/knowledge/know-how that has its well deserved place in a company's knowledge portfolio. However, social innovation can make an important impact on the world of work, reduce costs or lead to higher revenue (e.g. by creating a work conditions where employees are more satisfied and produce better; where diversity can bring an added value and new ideas, products, processes). As a topic it is still in its infancy in the partner countries and in Europe. There is a need for VET teacher/trainers and business coaches and advisors to better understand how to facilitate and support enterprises to exploit social innovation. Coop-in will encourage individuals, groups and organisations that would otherwise not participate in social innovation. In this sense, Coop-in partnership addresses all those actors whose cooperation would accelerate social innovation in the societies. The project partnership believes that collaboration is a key, not only for the successful realization of the present project but also for the systematic promotion and sustainable management of social innovation. The target audience of Coop-in project therefore is fairly wide. The project builds on the latest educational trends, applying gamification and micro learning approaches; enhances commitment, learning motivation by game elements; and micro-learning and scenario-based learning approach to ensure learning efficacy. Coop-in Social Innovation Training kit includes a game based learning platform enhancing practical approach on social innovation and collaboration, b-learning course book, self-assessment tool for social innovation scrutiny, an offline toolkit comprising co-working exercises and group dynamics with major attention on the recent CEN/TS 16555-5 innovation management standard. Based on our background research in the partner countries, currently there is no such a multi-lingual open learning portal in Europe that enables a complex methodological, theoretical and practical training on social innovation like the one described in Coop-in project. Furthermore, the application of the European Innovation Management Standard on Collaboration Management in VET is a novelty as well. The standard ensures a systematic approach for VET training and enables the development of strategic business partnership between corporate sector, VET providers and educational institutions.

Final report summary

Innovation is a key source of competitiveness and sustainable economic growth, which has earned major political attention and corporate interest in the partner countries. In one hand there are increasing number of support programs/financial aids to promote innovation, on the other hand social innovation is still in its infancy, nevertheless there is much need for such initiatives in the fast changing social and economic environment of the digital era. There is much need for such initiatives in the fast changing social and economic environment of the digital era. With Coop-in project our partnership aims to raise awareness about the advantages of implementing social innovation at work by developing a complex Social Innovation Training kit for the most important potential actors of the field, primarily focusing on corporate VET trainers and mentors. Social innovation is often seen as a privilege of charity based organisations, and not as a skill/knowledge/know-how that has its well deserved place in a company's knowledge portfolio. However, social innovation can make an important impact on the world of work, reduce costs or lead to higher revenue (e.g. by creating a work conditions where employees are more satisfied and produce better; where diversity can bring an added value and new ideas, products, processes). As a topic it is still in its infancy in the partner countries and in Europe. There is a need for VET teacher/trainers and business coaches and advisors to better understand how to facilitate and support enterprises to exploit social innovation. Coop-in will encourage individuals, groups and organisations that would otherwise not participate in social innovation. In this sense, Coop-in partnership addresses all those actors whose cooperation would accelerate social innovation in the societies. The project partnership believes that collaboration is a key, not only for the successful realization of the present project but also for the systematic promotion and sustainable management of social innovation. The target audience of Coop-in project therefore is fairly wide. The project builds on the latest educational trends, applying gamification and micro learning approaches; enhances commitment, learning motivation by game elements; and micro-learning and scenario-based learning approach to ensure learning efficacy. Coop-in Social Innovation Training kit includes a game based learning platform enhancing practical approach on social innovation and collaboration, b-learning course book, self-assessment tool for social innovation scrutiny, an offline toolkit comprising co-working exercises and group dynamics with major attention on the recent CEN/TS 16555-5 innovation management standard. Based on our background research in the partner countries, currently there is no such a multi-lingual open learning portal in Europe that enables a complex methodological, theoretical and practical training on social innovation like the one described in Coop-in project. Furthermore, the application of the European Innovation Management Standard on Collaboration Management in VET is a novelty as well. The standard ensures a systematic approach for VET training and enables the development of strategic business partnership between corporate sector, VET providers and educational institutions.

Project partners (7)