The advances of technology in the modern world has dramatically changed how we live our day-to-day lives including the learning processes. However, according to the data provided by the Commission, 37% of the EU workforce has low digital skills or none and only 20-25% of them are taught by teachers who are confident using technology in the classroom. Early 2018, the Commission adopted a Digital Education Action Plan which includes 11 initiatives to support technology use and digital competence development in education, one of its key action focuses on supporting the digital readiness of both general and vocational schools by strengthening their digital capacity. This is why the partners created this project that aims at designing and testing an innovative digital methodology for VET that combines Conversational Agent Technology or chatbot with an ad hoc designed modular learning path. Chatbots are computer programs that use artificial intelligence and machine learning to conduct conversation via auditory or textual methods. It is a form of a dialog system of virtual assistant, giving them the ability to, for example, small talking or engaging in casual conversations unrelated to the scopes of their primary expert systems. Its usage has increased enormously in the last 5 years with the internet of things but also with their integration on massive messaging platform (Facebook Messenger, WeChat or Kik). Instead of downloading yet another app, users are comfortable using their messaging apps to complete other tasks, like booking a table or checking the weather. Adapted chatbot systems can offer students a range of advantages and act as a digital form of tutoring based on their ability to respond to their needs in an immediate and natural manner, particularly where interaction occurs within the broader context of an integrated learning environment. Furthermore, chatbots exhibit the capacity to create informal connections with users that they can be leveraged to support ubiquity and self-directed learning as well as personal and professional development. These characteristics are extremely important in the learning process and the benefits of the tutoring of students has been demonstrated on many occasions in the scientific literature for all learners, and especially for the disadvantaged ones. This is why we offer to create together a Tutor Chatbot to support the students in their learning process and the trainers in their training. To do so we intend give the tools to trainers to create their own chatbot in the form of a chatbot creator platform, but also 4 different chatbots, filled with content and connected to the learning outcomes of the VET centres involved in the project, as well as a chatbot design guide and a chatbot creation training module to support trainers and VET organisations in developing their own chatbots.
In 2018, at the start of the project, chatbots are starting to be mentioned in Europe and in the world, especially due to the initiatives of GAFA and Facebook. The choice is made by the Partnership team to realize a complete platform, based on the most advanced artificial intelligence engine (WIT.AI) and to make this technology accessible for teachers who wish to support VET learners: to provide complementary notions to training sessions, to assist learners in difficulty, to keep a link during the moments when the learner is not in the training institute. At the end of the TUTORBOT FOR VET project, this platform was created and 7 chatbots are accessible and used by different types of learners, in 5 languages of the partnership. Registration is free and possible from the project website: https://www.tutorbot.eu. However, the objective of the project goes beyond the delivery of chatbots dedicated to VET created by the partners: it is to empower teachers and propose them to create their own chatbot. - For this purpose, a complete practical guide has been published in 5 languages (French, English, Spanish, Italian and Greek): it describes the interests of chatbots for teaching and VET, information about DYS publics (very present in this training sector), methods and advice to adapt the contents and of course user instructions to start. - A learning module has also been designed: 10 videos show the process of creating a chatbot on TUTORBOT, from the basics of login and the creation of the first chatbot to the opening of the chatbot to learners and the tracking of their progress. Here again, tips based on feedback from project partners help teachers save time and go further. - The feedback from the partners has been synthesized into a collection of video interviews. Named "VET Tutorials", this series is available on the project website and addresses various topics such as the positive impact of chatbots for VET, how to make a chatbot engaging and motivating for students or indications for adapting content. - Last but not least, all users registered on the platform can create their own chatbot in a simple and easy-to-use interface, upload their resources and open access to their learners. If the contents are validated and with the author's agreement, the partners can make the chatbot public so that it can be used in other contexts.