Due to COVID 19, home confinement and social distancing have forced the European VET providers to review current working practices and focus on remote delivery. Senior leaders and teachers have faced problems adapting to more blended or online only curriculum delivery models. This has also highlighted differences between students with varying social profiles, with students from disadvantaged backgrounds being more proportionally impacted. The current VET tools, including SELFIE, do not accommodate application in Work-based learning (WBL) context. Part of this project will involve bringing VET institutions and companies closer by discussing how they can embed digital technology in the education and training provided with a key focus on WBL. To solve the problems listed above, the project proposes to: 1. Specific Objective 1: • Problem: Identify the needs of learners from disadvantaged backgrounds in VET, regarding remote learning. • Solution: Support teachers to provide to those students with the necessary tools and skills to undertake a remote learning. 2. Specific Objective 2: • Problem: Assessment of level of digital transformation of a representative set of VET schools in partner countries. • Solution: Update and apply the SELFIE tool, with recommendations from WBL. 3. Specific Objective 3: • Problem: Low digitalization of schools: • Solution: Training teachers about tools that support the digitalization of schools in the field of VET, including tools for creating online resources and performing Blended Learning. 4. Specific Objective 4: • Problem: Lack of digital transformation leadership within organisations to allow for new / remote curriculum delivery methods • Solution: Work with VET leaders and teachers in order to allow them to reinvent teaching. 5. Specific Objective 5: • Problem: No clear indication for VET authorities about how to deal with certification and recognition in blended and online learning and Micro-credentials. • Solution: Develop guidelines and update teaching and learning strategies at national/regional level. Work with VET providers to inform them of accreditation / evaluation methods, e.g. micro-credentials. To achieve these specific objectives the Consortium will develop the following intellectual outputs and disseminate through each of the 6 partners multiplier events and relevant VET authorities and stakeholders: • IO1 – 360 Degree review of Digital Transformation VET curriculum for Work-Based Learning • IO2 – Practical toolkit for digital and inclusive education • IO3 – Digital Badge: Quality Assurance Framework for the recognition of online training / industrial skills.
The DITRAVET project had 5 specific objectives. Firstly to identify the needs of learners from disadvantaged backgrounds regarding their remote learning and the tools and skills required to support the teachers. Secondly to assess the level of digital transformation of a representative set of VET schools across the EU and apply the updated SELFIE tool and consider recommendations from reviewing Work Based Learning (WBL) approaches . Thirdly to address the training needs of staff in schools with low levels of capability in terms of digitalisation and to upskill staff without the technical skills or awareness/ confidence to develop and deliver digital lessons. Fourthly we wished to address the lack of digital transformation leadership through active targeting of VET leaders and teachers in order to assist them to refresh teaching approaches and to change, innovate and reinvent. Lastly, DITRAVET aimed to develop guidelines and inform the review and updating of teaching and learning strategies at national level to support policy makers and funders in the understanding of the characteristics and requirements of online and blended learning in the VET context and its accreditation through use of micro-credentials.
Due to COVID 19, home confinement and social distancing have forced the European VET providers to work remotely and to realize the urgency of digital readiness within their organizations. As we move out of the crisis towards a new normal, these influences will prompt VET providers to re-evaluate their traditional offline teaching methods. The forced experience has exposed gaps in digitalization (especially in online and blended learning) the different VET providers and countries. Moreover, the pandemic has revealed the differences within the same classroom in digital reading and navigation skills called “second digital divide” between different social profiles (especially students from disadvantaged backgrounds). Senior leaders and teachers have faced problems adapting the school and teaching methods to the new digital situation and preparedness for learners as well as the issue with active participation and engagement that has a direct impact on retention and progression. The needs identified to be addressed through the project included supporting improved participation rates, enhancing current approaches to blended learning provision and the need for ongoing digitalisation and digital transformation within VET schools.