In the process for finding a solution for today’s global agricultural challenges, such as food safety and food security, ICTs play one of the crucial roles. These types of technologies are important tools for connecting and facilitating the cross-sectoral findings and innovations in the industry for agricultural technologies. One of the main foundation for efficient and effective adoption of ICTs is the existence of proper educational and training system for knowledge and skills in the relevant area. According to the Riga Conclusion in 2015, enhanced access to VET and qualifications for all, through more flexible and permeable systems, offering efficient and integrated guidance services and making available validation of non-formal and informal learning is one of the main objectives of the mid-term deliverables for 2015-2020 programme. Based on the above the main project objective is to develop and implement specifically designed curriculum for ICTs knowledge and skills and delivering this curriculum through VET in agriculture for the purpose of achieving more successful adoption of these technologies, and contribute for the development of the agriculture sector and the rural areas. Considering the important role of the young farming population and the advisors in the agricultural extension for the development of the agriculture, we have put special attention on creating a curriculum for the following target groups: high school students, farmers as “users” and advisers and teachers as “mediators” in delivering the knowledge and skills. In looking for similar approach used in the project proposal, the project ITShape (http://www.itstudy.hu/en/it-shape) was identify as most suitable model that can be adopted for the purposes of achieving the objectives of this project proposal. The competence frameworks, list of modules, learning guides and innovative methodology, pedagogical strategy to support effective teaching/e-learning activities developed, implemented and accredited in the ITShape project are base materials used in this project proposal. Within the project, besides the direct beneficiaries (50 students, 30 advisors in NEA and 15 teachers) from the project activities will have a significant impact on the following stakeholders: - Students in VET for agriculture - Advisers of National Extension Agencies - Policy makers in Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Education - VET training centers for ICT education - Other extension service providers in agricultural (Private advisors, NGO providing advisory services, etc.); - Teachers/trainers in VET for ICTs in Agriculture - The entire farming community in all partners’ countries The project team plans to achieve the project objective by completing the following intellectual outputs and performing the following activities: O1 Focused Needs Analysis IO1-A1 Creating questionnaire IO1-A2 Conducting field survey and in-depth-interview IO1-A3 Creating database and analysis of data IO1-A4 Writing a report for farmers and advisors needs for ICTs knowledge and skills O2 E-collaboration platform for ICT for VET in agriculture IO2-A1 Analyses of different existing e-platforms IO2-A2 UX design IO2-A3 Web development IO2-A4 Content creation Methodologies used in delivering this IO are: O3 Curriculum for "Farming 4.0" IO3 - A1 - Definition of the learning objectives and learning outcomes of the Curriculum IO3-A2 - Determine the teaching approach (most appropriate teaching methods) and a IO3-A3 - Allocation of ECVET credit points IO3-A4 - Pilot implementation of the curriculum O4 Guidelines for integration of curriculum O4-A1: Analysis of the current situation in terms of the existing national VET programmes in IO4-A2: Implementation of strategic seminars (multiplayer events) with experts in the field IO4-A3: Development of final Guide with a set of guidelines and recommendations O5 Handbook for improving ICTs knowledge and skills for VET for agriculture IO5-A1 Authoring, review and publish handbook (ENG) IO5-A2 Translate, localize and publish handbook (MK) IO5-A3 Translate, localize and publish handbook for teachers (HU) For achieving the above intellectual outputs the following methodologies will be used: - Analysis of the research needs; - Filed survey and in-depth interview - Extract in excel - Analysis of the databases and writing. - Analysis of different e-platforms - Definition of general design guidelines; Design of wire-frames; Design of mock-ups. - Programming, Testing & debugging In order to achieve boarder impact and better dissemination of all outputs from the project, the project team consider also organizing 3 multiplier events in each partner country: 1. Introduction of ICTs for VET for agricultural education (in all partnering countries) 2. Guidelines and e-collaboration platform (in all partnering countries) 3. Closing event (in all partnering countries)
In order to maximize productivity in agriculture, collecting and analyzing big data in agriculture has become a great need. Today, ICTs play one of the most important roles in this field. Such technologies are important tools for linking and facilitating cross-industry findings and innovations for agricultural technologies. One of the main pillars of efficient and effective adoption of ICTs in agricultural areas is the existence of an appropriate education and training system for the knowledge and skills in the relevant field. According to the Riga Decision taken in 2015, increasing access to VET and qualifications for all through more flexible and permeable systems and providing efficient and integrated guidance services is one of its main objectives. From this point of view, a curriculum specially designed for ICT knowledge and skills, which constitutes our main goal in our "Farming 4.0" project, has been developed and implemented. This current curriculum was presented through VET in agriculture in order to ensure the successful adoption of these technologies and contributes to the development of the agricultural sector, especially in rural areas. During the implementation of the project, especially considering the important role of the young farmer population and agricultural extension consultants in the development of agriculture, we paid special attention to creating a curriculum for the following target groups: farmers as “users” and consultants and students concerned, and teachers as “mediators” in the transfer of knowledge and skills. With the advanced technology smart agriculture (agriculture 4.0) systems applied today; We have included applications such as monitoring farms with the help of cloud-connected and camera drones, controlling elements such as humidity, temperature, pH with digital sensors, preventing the waste of our inputs such as water and electricity, and reducing the pollution in other water bodies, especially groundwater. While seeking a similar approach used in the project proposal, the ITShape (http://www.itstudy.hu/en/it-shape) project was determined as the most appropriate model to be adopted to achieve these goals. project proposal. Competence frameworks, modules list, learning guides and innovative methodology, pedagogical strategy are the key materials we use in this project proposal to support effective teaching/e-learning activities developed, implemented and accredited in the ITShape project. Within the scope of the project, we anticipate that the project activities will have a significant impact on the following stakeholders as well as the direct beneficiaries (50 students, 30 counselors and 15 teachers at NEA). In this context, we determined our groups as follows and carried out the foreseen applications. - VET students for agriculture - Consultants of National Publishing Agencies - Policy makers in the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Education - VET training centers for ICT training - Other extension service providers in agriculture (Private consultants, NGOs providing consultancy services, etc.); - Teachers/trainers in VET for ICT in Agriculture and all farming communities in all project partners' countries. The project team completed the following intellectual outputs and carried out the following activities, and the project goals were achieved. O1 Focused Needs Analysis was carried out. IO1-A1 Questionnaires were created. IO1-A2 Field research and in-depth interviews were conducted. IO1-A3 Database was created and all data obtained were analyzed. IO1-A4 A report has been prepared for the needs of farmers and consultants for ICT knowledge and skills. O2 E-collaboration platform for ICT for VET in agriculture has been created. IO2-A1 By analyzing different existing e-platforms, IO2-A2 UX design IO2-A3 Web development IO2-A4 Content creation has been carried out. As the methodologies used in this IO delivery: O3 Curriculum for "Farming 4.0" has been prepared with up-to-date information. IO3 -A1 - Curriculum learning objectives and learning outcomes are defined. IO3-A2 - Determining the teaching approach (the most appropriate teaching methods) IO3-A3 - ECVET credit points have been allocated and IO3-A4 - The curriculum was piloted. O4 Guidelines have been implemented for the integration of the curriculum. O4-A1: The current situation in terms of current national vocational education programs in Turkey has been analyzed and discussed with stakeholders. IO4-A2: Strategic seminars (multiplayer events) were implemented with experts in their fields. IO4-A3: A final guide has been created, which includes a set of guidelines and recommendations. O5 Handbook to develop ICT knowledge and skills for Vocational Education and Training in Agriculture was created in different languages (TR-EN-MK-HU) The following methodologies were considered and used to achieve the above intellectual outputs. - In-depth analysis of research needs was carried out in each country. - Filed questionnaire and in-depth interviews provided - Extracted in Excel and analyzed and written databases. - Analysis of different e-platforms has been carried out in detail and a decision has been made for our e-platform. - General design guidelines have been defined. - Programming, testing and debugging processes have been meticulously done. The project team also organized 3 multiplier events in each partner country to create a wider impact and better dissemination of all outputs from the project. Apart from this, as foreseen in the project, 1. The introduction of ICTs for VET for agricultural education has taken place in all partner countries. 2. The guidelines and the e-cooperation platform (in all partner countries) have been effectively implemented. 3. The closing event (in all partner countries) was held within the scope of Covid-19 measures.