Background: The current COVID-19 pandemic is threatening the lives of many and we are facing a phenomenon across all nations that we have never seen before. The coronavirus has a tremendous influence on mobility programs and the delivery of education as distance learning has taken over and the mobilities are currently limited. In spite of that, a huge potential hasn’t been utilized yet due to the lack of digitalization. The current pandemic situation pushes our society to modernize not just the way we live, but the way we think. The uptake of innovative approaches and digitalization in vocational training can increase the involvement of the next-generation students who are eager to utilize their tech-savviness. We can widen the means of student engagement through utilizing not just physical mobility but virtual mobility too. Project objectives: O1: Developing an integrated vocational education e-learning platform (a mobile and desktop application) to enable the involved partners to digitalize mobility processes more effectively to make it more convenient for all parties involved (especially for students, schools, host institutions) O2: Development of e-learning materials and supporting documents (guidebook for the platform) with a special focus on digital skills to develop the student’s competencies and improve their employability O3: Creating synergies through transnational challenges and catalyze cooperation between the educational institutions, business representatives and other associated partners Profile of participants: StartITup Győr is a bottom-up entrepreneurial initiative providing young people with a chance to start their businesses locally with a global mindset. The Move and Develop Foundation is focused on fostering mobility and education among young people and adults, with a special focus on the labor market. Global Startup Awards is the largest independent startup ecosystem competition around the globe, they have a remarkable background in IT developments. The aim of the Junior Business Club is to bring the economic culture to the youth as well as to all the young people who want to be interested in the business world. The Szolnok Vocational Training Center carries out vocational secondary education as a basic task with 11 member institutions and 23 sites. Muravidéki Teacher’s Association is a unique umbrella organization, which represents a bilingual kindergarten, school, secondary school, and vocational secondary school. Methodology and Activities: We have conducted a secondary and primary research to identify the needs of our target group. Regarding our background research, 90 % of our target groups (teachers and pupils) only use Zoom or Classroom as a digital platform to support education which is ineffective. All of them (100 students and 15 teachers) agreed that blended and virtual mobility carried out on a safe digital platform could build capacity online, and develop those digital skills and pedagogical competencies that are needed to survive this pandemic. Based on the result we wish to develop a modern and integrated vocational education system by providing innovative tools and approaches through it. This platform will serve as a one-stop-shop for the relevant players to coordinate the whole mobility process, increase information flow, promote safety, and lessen the ever-growing administrative work. 1) Developing E-learning training materials in order to improve students' employability: 8 disciplines involved with special focus to digital and language skills, integrated into the platform for physical and virtual mobility 2) Developing an integrated vocational education e-learning platform in order to digitalize mobility processes (Mobile and desktop application, 3 digitalized guidebooks) 3) Creating synergies through cooperation and transnational challenges: co-creation, launching business challenges through the platform 4) Blended mobility of VET learners in order to test the platform with the target groups in real-time, 8 disciplines, 32 students involved, 5 disadvantaged, 8 teachers. 5) Multiplier events to present and disseminate the results The results, impact, and long term benefits: The main result will be an alternative platform to support mobilities and learning, communication, file, and information sharing throughout the mobility to aggregate all necessary information. The hosting companies would communicate and share best practices, e-learning materials through this platform to engage the student even before and after the mobility program takes place. This integrated platform allows us to develop a database from the relevant information and experiences including the profiles of all hosting companies, schools, and students, which will promote carrier guidance and provide a great recruitment service as well to strengthen the employability of the students.
The primary objectives of implementing the DigiVET project are: 1. Develop an Integrated Vocational Education E-learning Platform (Mobile and Desktop Application): o Outcome: Integrated platform facilitating communication, information sharing, and database development. Enhances career guidance and recruitment. 2. Develop E-learning Materials: o Outcome: Creation of materials focusing on digital skills, improving student competencies, and enhancing employability. 3. Create Synergies Through Cooperation and Transnational Challenges: o Outcome: Promotes pedagogical, administrative, and organizational change, overcoming pandemic challenges. Strengthens collaboration for resource allocation and quality improvement. Overall Project Goals: • Swift recovery from COVID-19 educational impacts. • Safer conditions for Vocational Education and Training (VET) programs. • Digital transformation of VET for 21st-century demands. • Innovative learning methods addressing the lack of digital tools. • Comprehensive e-learning platform development for transnational use. • Collaboration to overcome pandemic challenges in education. • Enhanced employability through improved digital skills.
The DigiVET project was initiated in response to the educational disruptions caused by COVID-19. Recognizing the inadequacies of current digital platforms like Zoom or Classroom, our project addresses the immediate need for an integrated vocational education e-learning platform. Through research, we identified a demand for more effective digital tools. The project focuses on developing a modern platform for blended and virtual mobility, ensuring continuity during the pandemic and enhancing digital skills. By creating an alternative platform, the project aims to streamline mobility processes, promote safety, and reduce administrative burdens. This collaborative effort involves diverse partners, fostering innovative approaches to challenges posed by the pandemic. The long-term benefits include a comprehensive database of experiences, profiles, and best practices, enhancing career guidance and strengthening student employability in a digitally transformed vocational education landscape.