Making Future Education Accessible

The pace of societal change is still accelerating, and Europe is facing the urgent need to transform its education systems to meet the demands of the digital age. The report ‘The State of Technolo...

The MAFEA project website aimed to provide teachers and students in education with access to pedagogical opportunities, examples and good practices of the application of new technologies. Modernising teaching and training methods will raise the quality of education, ensuring a good interaction between VET and the labour market, and support digital and inclusive education. Teachers and students within partner schools have to adopt and benefit from the latest available technologies (VR, AR, XR, AI, IoT, robotics). The incorporation of new technologies and relevant teaching methods will provide significant opportunities for enhanced education. Schools can modernise their teaching and enhance the effectiveness and appeal of learning by applying modern technologies in the classroom and in e-learning. The role of the teacher is evolving and will continue to do so. It is moving away from the traditional 'sage on the stage' model towards a more consultative and expert-led approach. MaFEA has encouraged teachers to utilise 'Future' technologies by providing training, sharing experiences (good practices) and facilitating transnational project-level peer learning using these newest technologies in lessons.

The project's aims and objectives were implemented in three phases (project results-PR) as planned. These phases were: 1. Analysis of the market for new educational technologies for our sectors 2. Guiding successful adoption of new technologies 3. Developing educational learning paths for new technologies to be used in classrooms or e-learning trajectories The project comprised five transnational project meetings (TPM), four learning, teaching, and training activities (LTT) for teachers, testing new technologies in partner schools, national meetings for creating new content, national piloting of new content, and four multiplier events (ME). Meetings, both in person, blended, and online, constituted the primary work activities for analysing available technologies and user feedback, collecting guidelines and other instructions, and creating new teaching content. The four LTTs played a pivotal role in training and motivating teachers to utilise new technology, as well as in sharing feedback and experiences among users (pupils, students and teachers). Piloting was conducted at the national level, in schools and by teachers and students. The selected new technology tools were made available to each partner institution, thus ensuring that each partner had the opportunity to research and evaluate each tool. The first phase of this project involved researching and analysing available technologies with the objective of determining which new technologies could function as suitable and useful educational tools for future-proof VET education. The selection of suitable hardware was established in consensus during the second TPM meeting. The second phase commenced with the purchase of the hardware and accompanying software by the lead partner. One of the five selected tools was delivered to a partner school, after which the development of guidelines, instructions and step-by-step plans for the use of the technologies was initiated. At the first LTT1, each partner demonstrated and presented their tools to the other European participants of LTT meetings. The third and final phase commenced at the end of LTT1, where tools were exchanged and developed material was uploaded to the PR2 repository on the website. Subsequently, students and teachers commenced testing the guidelines and instructions exchanged at LTT1. Following the test period, teachers began creating specific learning paths, teaching material for their educational field, and utilising this in classroom situations and, if possible, in an e-learning context. At the conclusion of LTT2, 3 and 4, learning paths were tested and evaluated. There was an exchange of new technology tools between partners, with participants taking home a new technology tool. During the TPMs, we conducted ongoing quality assessments specific to the mobilities and in general for the entire project. Based on these assessments, we implemented adjustments as needed. For instance, we purchased a limited number of future tools in consensus and then, after evaluation, investigated additional 'future' tools than previously planned. We also designed lesson plans for them. Gradually, it also became clear that in addition to the hardware, the software is at least as important. Once more, we made an investment in the purchase of additional applications. - CONCRETE PROJECT ACTIVITIES * 5 Transnational Project Meetings TPM * 4 Learning, Teaching and Training sessions LTT * 4 Multiplier Events ME * Piloting implementations in five countries * creation and testing of 185 lesson plans or in each partner language 37 lesson plans * creation and testing of 225 tutorials or in each language 45 tutorials * creation of 1 advise about starting with Future technologies * creation of 1 inspiration list to choose pedagogical apps for a specific subject * Analyses of project reports on quality and evaluation (interim and final)

*The dissemination of the teaching material and other project outcomes on the MAFEA website will equip European VET organisations with the tools they need to thrive in the digital age. *Schools will be able to offer students tailored, engaging, digitally-based learning programmes using new technologies to optimally prepare students for the labour market. This will empower teachers to search for and implement useful information on approaches, content and ready-to-use applications for new technologies. * Partner schools have installed a team of intermediaries who teach staff and students to use 'future' tools. In fact, a lot of the staff in partner schools is already trained during the MaFEA project. CONCRETE OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: we delivered much more than we promised in the application. - There are three Project Results (PR): * PR1: Analysis of the market for new educational technologies (10 Specs on www.MaFEA.eu) * PR2: Guiding successful adoption of new technology tools (45 Tutorials on www.MaFEA.eu in 5 languages) * PR3: Educational learning paths or lesson plans for new technology tools (37 Lesson Plans on www.MaFEA.eu in 5 languages) - Short-term outcomes are *MaFEA has created 45 tutorials in five languages (225 in total). *MaFEA has created 37 teaching materials in five languages (185 in total). *MaFEA wrote an 'Advise for schools' to start using “future” technologies in education. *MaFEA has created an extensive inspiration list for teachers and pedagogues to start teaching with XR. Long-term outcomes (O) are: • (O1) Future education tools are accessible by a combined open repository and website • (O2) Creating a new professional network of VET teachers, policy makers, etc. • (O3) Activating and motivating teachers and students in VET education by using attractive and innovative teaching material • (O4) Creating a skilled workforce prepared for the demands of the digitalised labour market