eCARE project results: tools for active learning

Project eCARE result is focused on generating learning material and practical training. Therefore the key results of the projects are tools which can be used directly or with minor adjustments to tailor the learning activities to the learners' needs and context.

These tools are namely:

1. a Research Repository and key findings, available here;
2. a Conceptual Approach for the pedagogical provision, available in the handbook;
3. a Training Programme Handbook, available here;
4. Learning Outcomes for Competences Development (detailed in section 1 below);
5. EUROPASS and ECVET-based guidelines (detailed in section 2 and 3 below);
6. Learning Outcomes for Sustainability Development (detailed in section 4 below);
7. learning activities pilot testing reports, available here;
8. Learning Mobilities reports, available here;
9. a toolkit for Multiplier (detailed in section 5 below);
10. guidelines for In-Service Training - IST (detailed in section 6 below).

In addition to eCARE project's tools, a Forum hosted by Google (Google Group) is made available to facilitate the exchange of information between users with specific themes corresponding to eCARE project's Learning Outcomes. You may access to eCARE IT-Up Google Group here.

These Units of Learning Outcomes (modules, ULO) are designed and pilot tested to provide a structured and evidence-based pedagogical provision and didactics for teachers (and practitioners globally) and their pupils.

These ULO are available here.

ULO/Module n.º 1 – Profiling the author of bullying

ULO/Module n.º 2 – Profiling the victim of bullying

ULO/Module n.º 3 – Profiling the author of witnessing violence

ULO/Module n.º 4 – Profiling the victim of witnessing violence

ULO/Module n.º 5 – The conflict

ULO/Module n.º 6 – The relation between bully and victim

ULO/Module n.º 7 – Interventions and Applicable Strategies

eCARE consortium recognizes the importance of practicing ECVET and EUROPASS frameworks approaches in all learning activities, that are related to the specific design of the Units of Learning Outcomes, and that are supported by Learning Mobilities (held in Italy, Bulgaria and Romania), and to other forms of learning activities. Though the purpose off the project eCARE is not to apply directly ECVET and EUROPASS learning processes, thus the project’s learning concept is Non-Formal and Informal Learning (NFIL), eCARE consortium is motivated to consider the referred EU frameworks of competences to provide pre-conditions for the development of further initiatives under a VET setting.

The ECVET policy and framework of competences for recognition, validation, transferability and accumulation is dated from 2009 (1) - although pioneered by a wide community of adult learning practitioners before - and is still not systematically addressed in much of projects and activities at European Union levels, only a few countries have developed a comparative system such as Finland, Iceland, Ireland (all Certificate of Advanced Study, excluding apprenticeship), Romania, Slovenia, Sweden and the UK. (2)

eCARE initiative aim at integrating EU frameworks approaches and methods in the organization of the key learning and training activities embedded in the project’s methodology, providing guidelines and accompanying measures to bring transparency in qualifications and competences, considering their possible recognition, validation, transferability and accumulation. Beside the extensive provision of information delivered and compiled in eCARE IT-Up resources, focus must be provided on the points below, aiming at providing a holistic approach.

When building and establishing international partnerships for the purpose of competences development, with a view to supporting ECVET implementation, it is important to consider national settings related to qualifications governance, recognition and validation. The way that such systems are managed and organised may differ between sending and hosting countries, and this has the potential to impact on ECVET implementation and on the delivery of Learning Mobilities training courses.

(1) Recommendation of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 June 2009 (ref. 2009/C-155/02, of the Official Journal of the European Union). (2) CEDEFOP Report “Monitoring ECVET implementation strategies in Europe in 2013” (working paper n.º 22, 2014).

ECVET-based instruments handbook and guidelines

eCARE IT-Up make available a set of five tools to assist users in implementing ECVET-based approaches:

1. a handbook and guidelines, available here;
2. a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) template, available here;
3. ECVET-based Learning Outcomes description, available here;
4. a Training programme template, available here;
5. EUROPASS Mobility Certificate templates, available in section below.

EUROPASS Mobility Certificates

The project generated three (3) EUROPASS Mobility Certificates templates connected with the learning mobilities (held in Italy, Bulgaria and Romania). Each template is developed according to the specific context of eCARE project Learning Mobility stage:

1. the Learning Mobility n.º 1 (LTTA1/C1) is a short-term joint staff training course – Held in the city of Bari (Italy) and hosted by C.r.i.s.i. LTTA1/C1 is specifically designed to equip school staffs and social workers in contributing to the production of intellectual Output n.º 1 (IO1) and to prepare ground for the pilot test of eCARE training programme preparation encompassing the learner’s preparation, the training course setting, initial training, support for learners, surveying learners’ experiences and needs, amendments to the training concepts (developed according to WP2 ("mapping and surveying"); the EUROPASS Mobility Certificate template is available here.
2. the Learning Mobility n.º 2 (LTTA2/C2) is short-term exchanges of groups of pupils – Held in the city of Veliko Tarnovo (Bulgaria) and hosted by RTSPPPO – Region Veliko Tarnovo (public social operator). LTTA2/C2 is specifically organize towards pupils interest, and aim at creating excellent condition for the interaction of participants between them, within the context of project eCARE with the guidance of educators; the EUROPASS Mobility Certificate template is available here.
3. the Learning Mobility n.º 3 (LTTA3/C3) is a short-term joint staff training course – Held in the city of Oradea (Romania) and hosted by Scoala Gimnaziala Nr.11. LTTA3/C3 is specifically designed to train school staffs and social workers to be Multipliers who will develop two specific activities beyond the project duration: the dissemination of the project results, that are the intellectual Outputs (IO) and related outcomes (survey, Good Practices collection, etc.); and the multiplication of the project activities that are the training course and related guidelines (ECVET, EUROPASS, etc.); the EUROPASS Mobility Certificate template is available here.

The project practices a framework of competence (skill topic area) defined by the ECVET and EUROPASS systems.

The ECVET policy and framework of competences for recognition, validation, transferability and accumulation is dated from 2009 (1) - although pioneered by a wide community of adult learning practitioners before - and is still not systematically addressed in much of projects and activities at European Union levels, only a few countries have developed a comparative system such as Finland, Iceland, Ireland – all Common Award System (CAS) , excluding apprenticeship), Romania, Slovenia, Sweden and the UK. (2) ECVET data is annexed in the project repository that you will find here.

Though the main goal of the project eCARE is not to address directly the ECVET framework, the activities substantially prepare ground and use the outcomes to provide a fruitful exploitation of results for further developments beyond the scope of the project, while applying specific instruments designed by the referred frameworks (ECVET and EUROPASS, globally EQF).

eCARE initiative aim at integrating EU frameworks approaches and methods in the organization of the key learning and training activities embedded in the project’s methodology, providing guidelines and accompanying measures aiming at bringing transparency of qualifications and competences considering their possible recognition, validation, transferability and accumulation. Beside the extensive provision of information delivered and compiled in the project repository, focus must be provided on the pedagogical provision, aiming at providing a holistic “whole school approach”.

(1) Recommendation of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 June 2009 (ref. 2009/C-155/02, of the Official Journal of the European Union).

(2) CEDEFOP Report “Monitoring ECVET implementation strategies in Europe in 2013” (working paper n.º 22, 2014).

These Units of Learning Outcomes (modules, ULO) aim at providing pre-conditions for further development and improvement of the project’s outcomes with the support of Accompanying Measures (AM), and for the Exploitation of Results of the project with the support of Multiplier Activities (MA). These ULO are representative of the Sustainability Plan, considering a holistic approach where validation (dissemination and exploitation), and transferability (sustainability and adaptability) have a paramount importance.

Four clear strategies and related set of activities are formalised in the project’s Sustainability Plan (embedded in the exploitation plan), covering distinct period terms and scope, and already integrated within the implementation of the project activities, insuring sustainability beyond the project’s lifetime. Summarising, these ULO aim at ensuring applicability, transferability and continuity to the project eCARE.

These ULO are available here.

ULO/Module n.º 8 – Accompanying Measures

It is an action or activity that will assist beneficiaries and stakeholders, mainly identified as social workers and youth workers (Civil Society Organisations – CSO), to further improve the project’s outcomes and develop activities that were not developed or implemented during the project duration (31.12.2015 – 30.12.2017), and that would enhance globally or specifically the project’s outcomes.

ULO/Module n.º 9 – Multiplier Activities

It is an action or activity that will assist the target group, who are identified as teachers and their pupils, and the pupil’s parental sphere as well, to further implement the project’s outcomes outside of the organisation, within the organisation’s network..

Multipliers

A “Multiplier” is an individual with no evidently recognized characterization. Their purposes are collectively assumed as:

1. sharing their experiences and good practices of the project methodology, tools and results with potential users;
2. encouraging, empowering and supporting targeted audiences to use the project methodology, tools and results as good practices;
3. cooperating with the project’s consortium to improve the quality and/or quantity of activities carried out beyond the scope and sphere of the project (multiplier effect).

Multipliers are key drivers for the multiplication of eCARE project and may receive a comprehensive training on how to use and promote the results of project eCARE beyond the project duration. A set of resources for multipliers are available:

1. guidelines and toolkit for Multipliers, available here;
2. an attendance list's template for events' reporting, available here;
3. a registration form template for Multipliers, available here.

Multiplication

In the specific context of project eCARE, a Multiplication event is an action or activity that will assist the target group, who are identified as teachers and their pupils (and the pupil’s parental sphere as well), to further implement the project’s outcomes outside of project eCARE consortium of organisations, for example within the organisation’s network.

Here are a few examples:

1. a training course with eCARE Learning Outcomes (modules) to train teachers that are working in an organisation (school, CSO, etc.), that was never involved in the project’s activities during the project duration (31.12.2015 – 30.12.2017);
2. a conference for schools’ principals that were never involved in the project’s activities during the project duration (31.12.2015 – 30.12.2017), to raise awareness on the topic in hand and encourage these principals to engage the school’s teachers in In-Service of external training courses.

To ensure proper in‐service training program planning, implementation, coordination and follow‐up, eCARE’ Consortium decided to develop a comprehensive In‐Service (IST) Training Guideline to assist in‐service training providers (Governmental and Non‐governmental) in providing quality and coordinated training services, as well as providing a more effective contribution to the improvement of school staff capacity. The In‐service Training Guideline also aims to enhance the quality of services provided by qualified trainers at the national level. A set of resources for IST developments are available:

1. guidelines, available here;
2. an attendance list's template for events' reporting, available here;