In my previous post I reported of a field visit to regional training provider organisations with a prominent delegation from Namibia. I joined the group partly because I needed to arrange meetings with vocational teachers and trainers from both organisations. With the help of these meetings I wanted to revisit the materials from the training activities of the EU-funded Learning Layers project (2012-2016). My aim is to develop with a future-oriented training concept for promoting digital competences of teachers and trainers in vocational education and training (VET). With the trainers in the training centre Bau-ABC I can refer to our shared experience in implementing training schemes during the Learning Layers project and to the introduction of the digital toolset Learning Toolbox (LTB). With teachers of BBS Wildeshausen I was interested of other pedagogic solutions and of the use of Open Educational Resources (OER). These all should be taken on board when preparing the support materials for developing continuing professional development (CPD) to promote digital competences of teachers and trainers in the field of VET.
When listening to the contributions of the teachers and trainers during the field visit I got more and more convinced that such materials should not be shaped as overarching 'encyclopedia' of digital tools, web resources and mobile apps. Also, I understood that the materials should not be written in the style of cookbooks with ready-made recipes. Instead, they should be well-selected and contextualised exemplary stories that inspire the readers to find their own solutions. And these solutions should give a picture, how to use appropriate toolsets and web resources for the respective vocational learning environment. Also, these materials should open the perspective to using digital tools and web resources from the initial steps to first strategic choices and to wider use of tools, resources and complex teaching-learning arrangements.
From this perspective I started to outline an updated and extended training model based on the "Theme Room" metaphor that we used in the Learning Layers project. The 'theme room' can refer to a physical space or to a virtual space that has been made available for a selected theme and for a flexible time frame. Once the participants have completed the learning tasks and checked themselves out, the theme rooms can be furnished with other themes. That was the original idea.
Below, inspired by the impulses from the field visits I would like to outline a rough draft for an updated "Theme Room" structure:
Theme Room 1 – Entrance lobby: Getting used to work with some basic digital tools and apps – with the aim to make use of them in one’s own teaching or training activities.
Theme Room 2 – Starting points for working with integrative digital toolsets: Brief introductions to integrative toolsets that are appropriate in vocational learning contexts – such as the Learning Toolbox or the Kompetenzwerkstatt toolsets.
Theme Room 3 – Using enriching web apps and platforms: Working with apps, tools and platforms that help to make learning tasks more inspiring and challenging – such as the toolsets provided by Go Conqr and H5P platforms.
Theme Room 4 – Working with complex teaching-learning arrangements: Insights into learners' projects that involve construction of new tools/devices or manufacturing of new products that can be used in learning contexts.
Theme room 5 - Using the digital toolset "Learning Toolbox" to support vocational learning processes: Insights into the use of Learning Toolboox as an instrument for delivering training and for promoting self-organised learning.
Theme room 6 - Using the digital toolset "Kompetenzwerkstatt" to support vocational education and training processes: Insights into different Kompetenzwerkstatt tools that raise learners' awareness of their progress in vocational learning.
Theme room 7 - Using Open Educational Resources (OER) to support vocational learning processes: Insights into the work of OER-communities (and support agencies) and into their services.
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Theme Room n – Workshops on the options for digital transformation in one’s own domain: Whilst enhancing one’s own digital competences in the context of vocational learning tasks or project, it is necessary to keep an eye on the big picture of transformations in entire production and services processes & networks.
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I guess this is enough for a rough structure. As I said, this should not be seen as a basis for a 'cookbook' or for a 'product catalogue' but as an introduction to explorative learning in order to find one's own solutions and in order keep oneself on track with new developments. This is the challenge - there is work to be done in the meetings with teachers and trainers.
More blogs to come ...
