General

For several years now, the Belgian VET school GO! Technisch Atheneum Zavelenberg (Brussels), is implementing a new didactic concept. Within this new didactic concept, the emphasis is on self regulated learning. Independence and responsibility for one’s own learning process are the key words here. Modern digital didactic resources must be available to safeguard this responsibility of the pupils. To steer self-regulated learning in the right direction, we need a computer-driven learning process, in which the computer provides the didactic material to the student in a well-considered sequence. This process can be realised using digital learning paths, running on a digital platform. Although such systems already exist, it was the intention of GO! Technisch Atheneum Zavelenberg to develop new, more user-friendly and up-to-date systems, including new didactic materials in different technical fields. Anyway GO! Technisch Atheneum Zavelenberg has the intention to expand their digital path.

Since GO! Technisch Atheneum Zavelenberg did not immediately find inspiration in its immediate environment to expand its digital path, it went abroad to look over the wall. On the one hand we noticed that there are the same needs over there, but on the other hand we also noticed that there are NGOs in the Balkans that play a leading role in the field of digital education.

NGO “Institutal pentru Educatie” from Romania (Bucharest) takes care of the development of the new digital platform (“Ariadna.education”) and the structure of the associated digital learning paths. President of this NGO is Dr. Olimpius Istrate, accompagnied by an outstanding developer Doru Stefanescu. They have over 15 years of experience in e-learning, computer assisted instruction and developing of digital platforms respectively.

In addition to the Belgian VET school, VET schools from Croatia, Serbia and Spain are collaborating on the development of didactic materials in the fields of mechanics, construction, robotics and automation, marine techniques and central heating. Thanks to their extensive experience in projects related to youth from the Greek partner, we will also be able to take into account target groups with fewer opportunities when developing the digital teaching material.

To realise this ambition, GO! Technisch Atheneum Zavelenberg applied for funding under the Erasmus + KA2 partnerships for cooperation program. This partnership enables participating organisations to gain experience in international cooperation and to strengthen their capacities, but also to produce high-quality innovative deliverables.

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Objectives

To design and build an online platform for VET, with various learning resources, on which teachers could easily set up adapted digital learning paths for their students. The Digital Learning Paths Project aims to provide a solution to the shortage of good and up-to-date learning materials for vocational education in the different countries.

To identify the contribution of the digital learning paths to the integration of all students (like lateral entrance students or like students with language deficiency), in order to improve the inclusion of disadvantaged learners, the attractiveness and significance of learning for them.

To encourage VET teachers and VET schools to use (and also develop it themselves) better training methods so that they can meet the increasing need for quality in technical training. As the partners extend from the South to the North of Europe, we aim to achieve this on a European scale.

To promote innovative teaching methods in order to increase the influx into technical education, given the dire shortage of technicians on the labor market.

To increase the cooperation of project partners (VET institutions) with the different stakeholders active in the vocational education and with the industry.

To support the development of skills of project partners in project management (especially for project partners with little experience in project management), in educational management: project-based learning and learning paths design (for institutional development as well as for students development).

Based on the project outcomes, to demonstrate to VET teachers, students and different stakeholders (companies, NGOs, research institutes, other VET
schools) the need for new teaching methods and the benefits of these new methods.

To exchange know-how between the different partners and build a strong partnership.

Project results

The official start of the project was in November 2021. The Kick Off of the project was in January 2022. The activities will continue until May 2024. Upon completion of the project, the following tangible results will be available:

  1. Digital OER-platform: Ariadna.education
  2. Didactic materials and learning paths in the field of mechanics
  3. Didactic materials and learning paths in the field of automation and robotics
  4. Didactic materials and learning paths in the field of construction
  5. Didactic materials and learning paths in the field of marine technics
  6. Didactic materials and learning paths in the field of central heating

Target groups

General target groups
• VET students in general
• VET schools in general
• Pedagogical specialists
• Companies in the technical sector

Specific target groups
• Students with fewer opportunities (from disadvantaged families, with language deficiency, with disabilities) (involved
in all tests, for all countries except for Spain)
• Lateral entrants (if applicable)
• Students who want to delve in specific subject matters

Involved partners

Six countries will participate in the Digital Learning Paths project.
The project partners of these countries have assembled a possible way to support an important step towards increasing the relevance of learning, inclusion, equitable access to high quality training and resources. Building a collaborative platform with digital resources, on which any teacher could build their own adapted learning path, is the mean that could be properly achieved through transnational collaboration between institutions with different experiences and expertise, various specializations and different approaches to vocational training.

Headcoordinator:
GO! Technisch Atheneum Zavelenberg- Belgium/Brussels

P1: Strojarska I Prometna Skola Varazdin – Croatia/Varazdin
P2: Tehnicka skola Vlasotince – Serbia/Vlasotince
P3: Industrijsko-obrtnicka skola Sibenik – Croatia/Sibenik

P4: Prva tehnicka skola Krusevac – Serbia/Krusevac
P5: CIFP Blas De Lezo LHII – Spain/Pasai San Pedro
P6: Institutul pentru Educatie – Romania/Bucharest
P7: Institoyto Koinonikis Kainotomias Kai Synoxis (Fifty-Fifty) Greece/Thessaloniki

GO! Technisch Atheneum Zavelenberg- Belgium/Brussels
Industrijsko-obrtnicka skola Sibenik - Croatia/Sibenik
Strojarska I Prometna Skola Varazdin - Croatia/Varazdin
CIFP Blas De Lezo LHII - Spain/Pasai San Pedro
Prva tehnicka skola Krusevac - Serbia/Krusevac
Tehnicka skola Vlasotince - Serbia/Vlasotince
Institutul pentru Educatie - Romania/Bucharest
Institoyto Koinonikis Kainotomias Kai Synoxis (Fifty-Fifty) - Greece/Thessaloniki

User guide for the Ariadna platform

We created a short guide on how to use the Ariadna platform.
Download User Guide