"The future of work will be a race between education and technology." Mauricio Macri, Former President of Argentina, host of G20, 2018 COVID-19 has had global impact on overall social movements. Education and especially vocational education - its practical part in particular - have been influenced as well. All the classes have moved to the internet and many teachers have found themselves in trouble. According to an OECD report, more than 60% of them have not learned to work in a digital environment. On the other hand, in vocational education, the problem is even more pronounced and relates to skills - the practical part of education. And while online theoretical classes have been implemented at a certain pace, many students have been left without the opportunity to do the practical part in industry, training centres and schools due to COVID-19 and anti-pandemic measures. As a result, in Denmark alone, e.g., close to 20,000 students were prevented from taking practical exams. Both of these problems suggest that quick solutions need to be found to alleviate the problem, primarily through better access to distance learning. The project partners see the solution in Digital Reality tools that allow students to complete a real task with a simulated tool or in a simulated environment mirroring reality, which ultimately solves the burning problem of practical teaching and taking practical exams. In order to do this in the right way, it is necessary to develop a good pedagogy and methodology for the use of DR tools, which currently does not exist, as well as tools that will raise teachers' competences and enable teaching processes to lead safely towards learning outcomes needed for the labour market. For this reason, the objectives of the project can be summarized in the promotion of DR tools as a solution for distance learning with the possibility of application in theoretical and practical teaching, but also in various and even social crisis circumstances. Also, the goal is to develop tools for raising the competencies of teachers to work in the DR environment, promoting learning with technology. The project involves 7 partners from 6 European countries of different profiles and competences in the field of DR. Association for the Promotion of Vocational Education, Secondary Vocational School and University as experienced users of the DR tool, companies that produce simulators based on DR technologies and a virtual reality development agency. Partners will develop 6 outputs during project implementation: 1) Basics of digital reality - A handbook for teachers and trainers on how to use different virtual reality simulators for professional occupation in VET 2) VET library of DR - A database of digital content creators / developers 3) HOW TO ... - Best practice examples from VET digital classrooms across Europe (platform for knowledge exchange) 4) Pedagogical guidelines for learning and teaching using DR technologies 5) Technical manual: Minimum conditions for education, training and testing in educational processes in virtual environment 6) Guideline for Online assessment: Tools and procedures to perform harmonized online assessment of learning gained through virtual environment. As there are currently no solutions in existence such as the ones offered by this project, and they are necessary ASAP, the partners decided to apply a "step by step" methodology in the implementation of the project, i.e. step by step to the solution. All outputs will be developed according to this methodology, both internally and externally. Such an approach will enable that, through selected media, the obtained results are published part by part and that the target groups have some of the results available already in the second step (phase) of project implementation. The project results are intended primarily for secondary vocational teachers, their students, high(er) VET education, adult education institutions with vocational characteristics and public authorities at national and international level. What is important to emphasize is that pedagogical guidelines are generic for DR to ensure transferability. Therefore, their use will not be limited to vocational education. The DRinVET project will have an immediate and long-term impact on target groups and vocational education as a whole - from the local, national to international levels. The project can be considered a basis, because it will deliver those tools that will provide all target groups with easier access to DR technologies and the foundations for further personal development of teachers and students and the development of educational organizations and institutions in which they operate and learn. Teachers, trainers, students and trainees will learn how to learn with technology. This will allow them to dive into DR as experienced users and participate equally in the education and technology race mentioned in the saying at the beginning of this summary.
Implementation of the project aimed to achieve the following goals: 1. Promote the Digital Reality technologies (AR, VR, MR and XR) in education, especially in VET, 2. Promote application of simulators for skills training in VET 3. Promote constructivist and collaborative approach in the teaching process 4. Learn how to learn using technology in teams consisting of teachers and students 5. Enable teachers and students to work / learn in crisis situations (e.g. pandemics)
The project was applied for because there was an evident need for materials and tools that would encourage teachers, trainers and mentors in VET to accept innovative approaches and digital technologies for teaching and learning as well as for continuous professional development suitable for the digital age. The need for this approach arose from the fact, which was made even more obvious during the COVID-19 pandemic, that the majority of teaching staff ( 60% / OECD), especially the middle and older generations, have not learned to work in digital environment. In order to be able to teach the Z and Alpha generations, it is necessary that teachers and trainers first of all understand their students, colleagues and parents in the context of education, learning and teaching as well as in the context of the methods they should use. It's no secret that there is a disparity between the digital literacy of students and teachers. For this reason, it is crucial to train the teachers to work in a digital environment: how, when, what kind and with what purpose to use technology. In order to implement this approach, it is necessary to develop tools that will make these processes simpler, more acceptable and quickly enforceable.