IO 3: Training Modules for Teachers
Objectives
Based on the competence matrices for students and teachers, five training modules for VET teachers and in-company trainers in the fields of mechatronics and electronics have been developed. They consider the challenges of the working world 4.0 and are closely linked to the training modules for VET students.
Neither most of VET teachers nor trainers especially in SMEs are aware of the changes caused by total digitalization and interconnectedness. Moreover, in many VET colleges - at least in Germany - the ordinary facilities are far from the requirements of a future-oriented working world. Raising awareness of training staff thus is a first important challenge. IT and media competence, application know-how, project and process management and working in an international team are further tasks for the teachers and trainers which can be improved by the other modules.
The competence matrix for teachers which has been developed in IO 1 covers a broad spectrum and will support teachers and trainers to analyze and to improve their own 4.0 competence profile.
Modules
Concrete modules comprise
a) a general module which gives an introduction into actual industrial 4.0 processes on the one hand and possible consequences for a society as a whole on the other hand. At the same time it invites the users to autonomous and self-organized learning – as it is expected from the VET students, too.
b) Four modules which are closely related to the students modules. They focus on how to develop new modules and how to professionally guide the students who are working on the modules. The effective use of blended learning is one of the important topics. Blended learning requires new evaluation and assessment tools and examples from the students' modules can provide a first access which will have to be further developed.
All modules require from the trainees that after passing them they will be able to create new modules for their specific learning groups.
Didactical Perspective
The concrete tasks and the processing are similar to the ones for the development of the students' training modules. But whereas the modules for VET students focus more on concrete, exemplary modules for tasks in a digitized working world, the ones for the teaching and training staff focus more on a meta-level with a didactical perspective. Mentoring VET students for the work with OER, cooperating internationally on e-learning platforms and being able to decide on the right mix for blended learning between e-learning and classroom learning are new tasks, applying suitable assessment methods, too. These are the training objectives of the teachers’ and trainers’ modules.
Approach
- Choice of important competences necessary for the working world 4.0 in the teachers’ competence matrix with special regard to developed modules for students.
- Working out the modules in detail, i.e. concrete assignment of tasks, choice of adequate methods and work organization, preparation of the input material, etc.
- Developing the modules in different working groups which could be done on a virtual platform with members of different schools or even different countries. Depending on the different VET systems in European countries, this can be done in connection with companies.
- The drafts of the modules will be discussed with experts and stakeholders, e.g. members of chambers, trade unions, examination boards, etc.
- Testing the modules with teaching and training staff.
- Evaluating and revising the modules.
- Publishing the modules.