Interface - Using agile, interactive learning environments to promote work-based learning in cVET
Overview
The ERASMUS+ project Interface - in Action - Using agile, interactive learning environments to promote work-based learning in cVET is concerned with the development, testing and evaluation of WBT and online solutions, such as digital breakouts and web quests in the field of work-based learning in continuing education.
It has a duration of 24 months and the project language is English.
Continuing Vocational Education and Training (CVET), especially its work-based forms, is important in the current economic and social context in Europe. Trends towards an ageing society, longer working lives, greater generational diversity and increasing globalized competition require that employees at all levels regularly update and expand their skills through CVET. Work-based learning (WBL) is an effective means of supporting CVET. Workplace CVET has the potential to promote inclusion and social cohesion, combat unemployment and underemployment, and support corporate and national policies and strategies for innovation, competitiveness and growth. Interactive infographics are a new type of learning environment that is attractive and engaging for learners and can be used in formal and non-formal settings.
In recent years, VET tutors have experimented with new ways of introducing the World Wide Web as a resource-pedagogical tool. These experiences, based on the different pedagogical perspectives, have resulted in teaching methodologies for which digital breakouts and WebQuests are core examples. These methodologies have gained traction due to their flexibility in establishing different pedagogical strategies and their adaptability to the different subjects, as well as the way they maximize the use of the digital tools and environments available today. They are approaches of constructivist theories that focus on the development of transversal competences. The authenticity of the developed activities is also an important factor to be considered in this methodology. This intends that the insights are meaningful for the trainees, which is an essential part of WBL.
Partners:
- University of Paderborn, Chair of Business Education II, Germany
- (coordinator, university partner)
- Auxilium pro Regionibus Europae in Rebus Culturalibus, Austria
- (testing partner, didactics partner)
- Latvijas Universitate, Latvia
- (university partner)
- Acumen Training Sp. z o.o., Poland
- (testing partner, training partner)
- CARDET - Centre for advancement of research and development in educational technology LTD, Cyprus
- (research institute and development partner)
- EEO Group SA, Greece
- (testing partner)
- Mindshift Talent Advisory lda, Portugal
- (testing partner)
- Spectrum Research Centre - CLG, Ireland
- (concept, research and testing partner)
Objective
INTERFACE is concerned with the development, testing and evaluation of WBT solutions and online solutions such as digital breakouts and web quests in the area of work-based learning in continuing education. The INTERFACE project aims to develop the skills of VET teachers and in-company trainers to support the development of key competencies in lean workers, low-skilled workers and WBL apprentices. The aim is to improve didactics, education and learning in vocational education and training using work-based learning settings. The objectives of the project are to promote the acquisition of key transversal skills through the use of alternative pedagogical resources in WBL environments, to support the acquisition of important transversal skills through CVET in WBL settings, to support educators in developing their own interactive infographics with challenging learning resources to include digital breakouts and WebQuests in an interdisciplinary way and to promote a cross-curricular approach to subjects and, consequently, collaboration between educators.
Work-based learning (WBL) is an effective way of supporting CVET. Workplace CVET has the potential to promote inclusion and social cohesion, to combat unemployment and underemployment, and to support company and country policies and strategies for innovation, competitiveness and growth. Interactive infographics are a new type of learning environment that is attractive and engaging for learners and can be used in formal and non-formal settings. The project promotes transversal skills and designs interactive infographics. These will be integrated, implemented and evaluated in a toolkit for the validation of competences, an INTERFACE compendium for interactive infographics, an INTERFACE-MOOC and a training course to promote WBL.
