Proyectos

Crafts act as an important buffer in economic downturns and play a central role in providing VET on the job, both highly relevant for the transition from education to employment and to ensure a qualified workforce. In the last two decades, some traditional Crafts have declined due to mass production and rising consumerism. Others have evolved, embracing the digital age, particularly in marketing their products and engaging with new clients, collaborators and audiences.

Furthermore, the traditional distance between craft sectors and ICT technologies is disappearing. The new generation of high tech digital tools and cutting edge machinery, like 3D printers, is transforming and leading the applied arts and craft sectors to a new digital age. To lead this transformation Europe needs to count with skilled handicraft teachers and trainers, equipped with the necessary competencies and resources to integrate these digital tools into innovative ICT based teaching and learning practices. VET teachers and trainers in craft sectors are usually handicraft professionals with expertise in their respective areas, and teaching in VET craft courses is frequently a secondary occupation. In many EU countries, initial teaching education is not compulsory for these VET teachers and trainers or some minimum training is required. They tend to acquire their teaching competencies through their teaching practice or through some continuous VET courses on train the trainers, usually not adapted to the specific needs of teaching crafts. The situation with regard to the training on ICT-based teaching skills is even worst, due to this lack of training opportunities and because many traditional Crafts do not use ICT and, as a result, neither handicraft teachers and trainers use ICT for teaching VET. The consequence is a lack of innovative ICT-based teaching practices in traditional handicraft VET, losing all the potential benefits of using ICT in education.

The aim of this project is to support the professional development of handicraft teachers and trainers in Europe in their transition to the digital age by improving their teaching competencies on innovative VET education through ICT based methods and tools. The project will prepare handicraft teachers and trainers to adapt also their teaching practice to the next generation of high tech digital tools and cutting edge machinery, like 3D printers, vinyl cutters or laser cutting and engraving.

To this purpose, an alliance of Craft sectors organizations and VET experts and providers from 7 countries (Greece, Ireland, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain and United Kingdom) will work together to lead the project and co-create and test the following innovative methods and freely accessible OER:
– A European ECVET Curriculum (IO1) on ICT skills for teaching Crafts.
– Training Modules (IO2) on ICT based teaching methods specifically adapted for Crafts.
– An innovative Mobile Instructional Learning APPs (IO3) designed to train handicraft trainers and teacher to use and design their
own Mobile Learning APPs (IO5) for teaching Crafts.
– A Multilingual e-learning platform (IO4), with innovative e-Learning courses and OER on ICT-based teaching methods for Crafts.
– A Guide for validation, certification & accreditation (IO6) of innovative teaching learning methods through ICT in VET for craft
sectors in Europe.