Effective VET teaching meets needs of both students and companies. ICT is necessary for that, because: -classroom, online, blended teaching have to be available -apprentices and employees have to have ICT skills, varying from basic to specialist ones, depending on the job -use of ICT-based training materials and online course is often for teachers the only possibility for self-development as an educator. But in spite of accessibility and affordability of ICT hardware and software applicable for teaching, its use in E&T is relatively low, taking into account variety of ICT and possibilities it gives. Lack of relevant abilities is one of reasons. The objective of the MOTIV-e project is to develop easy to access and use training resources for VET teachers wishing to increase their abilities to integrate ICT in teaching. The project consortium are: -VET institutions: Riga Technical School of Tourism and Creative Industry (LV), Šolski center Velenje (SI), ASUC „Boro Petrushevski“ (MK) -R&D institute KOMAG (PL). Their competences will contribute to high quality and usability of the project results. In the MOTIV-e project complementary to each other results will be developed in 4 languages: English, Latvian, Macedonian, Polish, Slovene: 1.MOTIV-e Platform with training materials providing knowledge and skills necessary for use of ICT for teaching 2.MOTIV-e AR Toolkit and MOTIV-e 360 Panoramas Toolkit that enable to learn how to integrate augmented reality (AR) and interactive 360 panoramas in teaching 3.MOTIV-e Software Sandboxes -a set of ready-to-use installations of ICT tools that can be used for learning how to use these tools and what opportunities they give. Instructions on the MOTIV-e Platform and sample content will be provided for the toolkits and software sandboxes. 4.MOTIV-e Advisor helps teachers to optimise their efforts in self-development in providing ICT-enhanced teaching. This tool, based on prior interaction with a teacher, will advise them which of the available resources they should use, and will give direct link to these resources. All the solutions listed above can be use as separate tools. But to enable a teacher to take advantage of the whole potential they give, relations between them will be established and this way MOTIV-e Training System will be developed. Among varied tools and technologies covered by the MOTIV-e Training System, there is also Virtual Reality. This technology is considered as attractive and usable for training but at the same time - as being beyond capabilities of ‘average VET institution’ or ‘average VET teacher’. To overcome this second belief and prove that in fact it is otherwise, VR Centres will be built at each project partner’s facility, and knowledge how to do it at ‘any VET school/centre’ will be shared. Comprehensive guidance how to build a VR Centre, and how to develop and use VR-based materials will be provided. A VR centre is a place and an environment for development of VR-based training materials and using them in an unlimited way, both via browsing (immerse in the scene and watching what is there) and via interactive activities in the ‘virtual world’. A VR centre is composed of properly combined with each other hardware and software solutions, and supplementary equipment. 5 intellectual outputs will be carried out to develop the project products: O1.Identification of good practices and technological potential of available resources and solutions for ICT-enhanced training O2.Development of resources and software for ICT enhancement in VET O3.Development of the MOTIV-e VR Centre O4.Prototype of the MOTIV-e project results. Integration of the developed components in ready-to-test solutions O5.Pilot tests and validation Content of the online training solutions will be established based on results of 2 researches: i) identification what are VET teachers’ needs, ii) review of available hardware and software resources suitable for VET teaching utilizing Extended Reality solutions. Prototype versions of MOTIV-e software products will be developed in English. During the whole development process, they will be periodically, internally tested by the project partners. Once the products are ready, they will undergo external tests –by VET teachers. Based on their feedback, validated software products will be developed and translated into partners’ national languages. As regards VR Centres, prior research for optimal hardware and software composition will be carried out. Then all the components will be integrated into fully operational object for using VR. The MOTIV-e project results will comprehensively support VET institutions in increasing their abilities in use of ICT: -they will educate teaches how to use ICT in teaching -they will show a variety of ICT solutions, possibilities of their applications and benefits, which will help the management staff to take actions and decisions in favour of ICT-enhanced teaching.
The objective of the project was to provide VET teachers with training resources enabling them to develop their ICT knowledge, skills and confidence that are necessary for: - quality ICT-enhanced teaching in all main modes of teaching: classroom, online, blended - creation of ICT-based materials for practical in-situ training (at in-school training sites, at jobsites/companies) - continuous self-development as educator to provide teaching that meets needs of students, employees (labour market relevance of VET), and apprenticeship providers (companies), and thus increase the teachers’ abilities and willingness to ICT in their teaching in creative and effective way. The intention was to show teachers a variety of possibilities to integrate ICT in teaching. This included also XR, i.e. augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), being commonly considered by VET teachers and VET units as too difficult and/or too expensive. It was expected to convince the teachers and their supervisors that use of this technology is within their capabilities and offers great opportunities for teaching.
Effective VET meets needs of both students and companies. Integration of ICT in teaching is necessary for that, because: • it enables to provide blended and online teaching, thus increases accessibility and attractiveness of VET • it offers wide possibilities to develop and share materials that match varied students’ abilities and preferences, also in classroom teaching • use of ICT during education makes students familiar with ICT hardware and software at least at level sufficient for their further development, which is particular important because apprentices and employees have to have ICT skills, varying from basic to specialist ones, depending on the job • use of ICT-based training materials and online courses is often for teachers the only possibility for self-development as an educator. In spite of accessibility and affordability of ICT hardware and software applicable for teaching, its use in VET is relatively low, taking into account variety of ICT and possibilities it gives. One of reasons is lack of proper training materials that help teachers to improve their abilities to apply ICT in their teaching, and meet their varied needs, abilities and preferences. This need was addressed by the project.