DIGISCHOOL

“Mastering Digital Teaching Tools in Vocational Education and Training”

This project under the EU’s Erasmus+ programme focuses on addressing the problem of insufficient digital competencies among vocational teachers and trainers. The project results should help to bridge the digital divide, not only between different segments of society (especially in vocational education), but also between different generations of teachers and between different European countries and the level of digitalisation of their school systems.

In the Czech Republic, similar to other post-communist countries, the level of digital skills and ICT use among middle school teachers is incredibly low. Recent studies show a rather paradoxical situation. Despite the fact that schools are sufficiently equipped with digital technologies, there is a lack of competent teachers who are able to use them effectively. Moreover, during the pedagogical practice of teachers, there is no systematic training in the use of new technologies. Lack of experience and fear of the rapid development of these technologies put teachers under stress and demotivate them in using the new technologies. Such a situation is not uncommon in other European countries either. By carrying out the project on an international level, we want to promote the exchange of knowledge, practices and experiences between European teachers as well as between European educational organisations. In order to use the potential of transnational cooperation, we plan to prepare an international training of teachers/trainers/lecturers for vocational education.

In order to identify the needs of the target groups, we conducted an initial survey in all partner countries, in which a total of 106 people participated, showing the undeniable need and interest of VET teachers, trainers, educators and lecturers for the use of innovative digital technologies in school education. With regard to the identified needs of VET teachers, it is important to point out that the situation is currently exacerbated by the global pandemic of Covid-19, which has shown that education systems in European countries are extremely unprepared to implement digital technologies and move school teaching to the online space.

The project focuses on the development of DIGI HUB – a learning platform for VET teachers that collects coherent educational materials on different aspects of the use of digital and online tools in VET in order to increase their digital competencies and enhance their knowledge on the daily use of digital and online tools in their teaching.

The platform will include various outputs developed during the project consortium, such as DIGI Needs – Summary report on the current state of digital competencies of VET teachers, instructors and staff in the partner countries. Subsequently, the consortium plans to collect DIGI Cases – case studies on the practical innovative use of digital tools in VET schools in Europe. Then the DIGI Toolbox will be produced, a guide that presents a complex set of innovative digital tools that can be used in VET, why they are beneficial, how they can be used and when they can be used, with a focus on tools that promote entrepreneurship among VET students. Finally, a series of DIGI Tube micro-learning videos will be developed to facilitate the use of digital technologies. DIGI Hub is expected to improve the digital skills of VET teachers and other target groups.

In addition, the DIGISCHOOL project will include 3 international training activities “Become a DIGI Teacher”, where 48 VET teachers from the partner countries will be able to acquire new skills and knowledge about many different types of digital tools that are suitable and effective for school teaching. Each 3-day training activity will be different in context and linked to the project outcomes developed. In addition, dissemination conferences are planned in all partner countries to present the project results and reach the professional audience.

Our project partners:

Asociace Malých A Středních Podnikû A ŽivnostníkûCzech Republic
Institut INPROCzech Republic
ilmiolavoroItaly
CEDIT- CENTRO DIFFUSIONE
IMPRENDITORIALE DELLA TOSCANA
Italy
HETELSpain

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This website reflects the views only of the project partners, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.