CONTEXT As a result of the situation derived from Covid19, the consortium fundamentally detected three needs that arose and that was the basis of the creation of this project, the absence of knowledge in educators in AI, gamification and data analysis to promote and engage educators in a safety, motivational and structured manner. The aim with the innovative methodology of the DFT figure is to provide educators with the values, attitudes, skills and knowledge to use the digital tools of today and tomorrow to participate in shaping and creating the future. The EU’s digital strategy will empower people with a new generation of technologies through education, and they are essential because of the ways and means by which information and communication technologies affect youth capacity and self-development. AIM The overall aim of the project is to design and test the new DFT in VET educators, making better use of digital technology for teaching and learning, developing digital competencies and skills and improving education through better uses of AI, gamification and data analysis. OBJECTIVE Improve the pedagogical and digital skills of 80 educators by using the DFT innovative methodology developed especially for fostering innovative learning opportunities and provide learning materials for professional development for VET teachers and trainers Development of a Digital Community in the use of technology for digital training in VET in Europe, under the guidance of 90 educators with increased pedagogical skills by using this model. Increasing awareness of young people and 150 youth workers from partner countries about the use of innovative methodologies. NEEDS VET educators interested in improving their digital skills in the 3 fields. They need to add to their toolbox of non-formal education methods using digital resources in EN and own languages (TR, RO, ES). The few existing resources are mainly in English, rarely accompanied by lesson plans to support their implementation. Youth (18-29) need new ways of learning. We will provide the new knowledge, skills and attitudes, which in turn can contribute to their employability and improve their social inclusion prospects. Youth organizations, institutes, VET centres, NGO´s, foundations and other non-profit organizations collaborating with youth, private companies. They need to harness the potential that digitalization represents to prepare youth for a society immersed in technology. CONSORTIUM A multi-disciplinary, complementary partnership consisting of 3 different partners: NGO from Romania, NPO from Turkey and SME from Spain, to consider all the educational aspects; also, the associated partners will contribute to reaching the target groups and supporting the dissemination and sustainability of the projects. METHODOLOGY/ACTIVITIES We are using the EC OpenPM methodology and PMI PMBOK for managing the project. The project objectives will be achieved by completing 2 intellectual outputs: 1) IO1 - IO1: Designing the Digital Facilitator Trainer (DFT) role: Secondary (desk) and primary (questionnaire and interview) involving educators, as youth advisory board. Using: ASSURE model - Analyse TG needs, State Objective of IO, Select methods, Utilize media and materials, Require TG’s participation, Evaluate the final version before transferring to TGs. ADDIE Model and Bloom taxonomy 2) IO2 - IO2: Open Digital Community-Educational Materials for digital fields. Based on IO1, we will design a Model Course and educational materials on 3 strands: BEING ONLINE (Access and Inclusion, Learning and Creativity, Media and Information Literacy), WELLBEING ONLINE (Ethics and Empathy, Health and Wellbeing, e-Presence and Communications) and RIGHTS ONLINE (Active Participation, Rights and Responsibilities, Privacy and Security, Consumer Awareness). We will use Moodle platform to host online course; will design recognition badges and an evaluation and recognition system. 4 TPM, 3 ME, 3 LTTA, 9 dissemination and exploitation and 4 PM activities will support the main activities. RESULTS AND OUTCOMES 6 educators from the Youth Advisory Board with developed management and analytical skills 90 educators and youth leaders with improved teaching skills using the online course Strengthened relationships between institutions, organizations, youth workers, policymakers, partners and associated partners Improved capabilities of partners IMPACT The online course will reach out to educators at the local, regional, national level and will equip them with the competencies for implementing and assessing the DFT role. The project will improve the recognition and will support the validation of competences acquired through non-formal learning. L-T BENEFITS Access of educators to quality non-formal education and recognition Educators empowered to acquire more digital competencies Educators, trainers, teachers, youth workers equipped with a range of tools to address the needs of young people after Pandemic
By implementing this project we wanted to achive the following objectives.Those objectives were: -To improve the pedagogical and digital skills of 80 educators by using the DFT innovative methodology developed especially for fostering innovative learning opportunities and provide learning materials for professional development for VET teachers and trainers. - To develope a Digital Community in the use of technology for digital training in VET in Europe, under the guidance of 90 educators with increased pedagogical skills by using this model. - To increase the awareness of young people and 150 youth workers from partner countries about the use of innovative methodologies.
The overall aim of the project was the design and creation of the new figure of Digital Facilitator Trainer for VET educators. To achieve this, partners used digital technologies and open pedagogies to support the competence development of educators. Digital tools are essential for youth education in the digital era. These tools are essential also for educators.The educators give them support in expressing through digital media, communicating in the digital world, interpreting information, and making informed decisions. However, the entities were not yet fully prepared to support their target groups, especially those with fewer opportunities, to engage with education for employment. Therefore, we proposed an innovative learning methodology for teaching and learning digital in 3 digital fields: Artificial Intelligence (AI), gamification and analytics. OPEN EDUCATION AND INNOVATIVE PRACTICES IN A DIGITAL ERA To promote a new model of educators, we chose innovative pedagogies and methods for teaching, learning and assessment that support trainers and learners to use digital technologies in creative, collaborative and efficient ways. We designed the competence map and testing the DFT role, supporting with educational resources which are free online course and repository. Our online digital repository design offered to educators a toolbox of non-formal education methods and AI, gamification and analytics educational resources. Instructional design was used for creating learning experiences and materials such that to result in the acquisition and application of knowledge and skills. #1 pillar: VET: SUPPORTING THE UPTAKE OF INNOVATIVE APPROACHES AND DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING. The specific aim after Pandemic was to promote networking of institutions across the EU, sharing their resources and expertise, and collaboration with technology through a new model of digital training. With this purpose, providers and experts in educational technologies and relevant pedagogical practice developed tailor-made solutions adapted to local challenges and realities. With this, our innovative approach with the DFT role was to test and implement innovative practices in the field of education, training and youth. The Digital Education Action Plan (2021-2027) and the European Digital Competence Framework included AI and data-related skills and supported the development of AI learning resources for schools, VET organisations, and other training providers. A 2018 OECD study found less than 40% of educators felt ready to use digital technologies in teaching, with wide differences across the EU. Also, 2020 public consultation results respondents said that online learning resources and content need to be more relevant, interactive and easy to use. We believed that the benefits of the online world after pandemic should be expanded beyond the consumption of digital skills. Our aim was to boost educators and trainers in digital competences in these 3 indispensable fields to engage and support the training with young people, adapting their know-how to new online learning. The Digital Education Action plan built on the 2018-2020 plan which had the following priority areas: making better use of digital technology for teaching and learning, developing digital competencies and skills and improving education through better data analysis and foresight. DigiFacT settled new guidelines to train and support educators to engage positively in the youth. Special focus was on the needs of young people in relation to the labour market. #2 pillar: HORIZONTAL: SUPPORTING EDUCATORS, YOUTH WORKERS, EDUCATIONAL LEADERS AND SUPPORT STAFF DigiFacT helped educators to develop their digital competences and at the same time to implement them under the European framework. This project was targeting the needed digital skills each educator/trainer should have in this era and encouraged them to continue keeping motivating and increasing more the interest in youth. For that, partners paid special emphasis on gamification, to keep learners motivated and prevent them from abandoning the courses, adapting the training to the youth styles and perception. Artificial Intelligence also played an important role, Facial recognition was used during Pandemic to monitor test and examinations. Calculating motivation or boredom became important for educators and easy to analyse. Finally, the data analyse improved and permitted educators to design new paths and upgraded during the training. For instance, information about habits and timetables in training, gave trainers and teachers patterns to implement individual corrective measures during the training.