Advanced e-Learning for Cultural Heritage Restorers Specialisation

The Project was presented in the critical period of the COVID-19 pandemic in which there was a need to intervene massively on the technological skills of workers and learners and on the ability to...

The Project had the following general purpose, fully achieved: 'Develop an innovative system – called the ADELE-RS System – of e-Learning and Smart-Working and related contents capable of providing advanced training and distance internship interventions for the specialization of graduates in the fields of restoration and conservation of cultural heritage, aimed at guaranteeing them: the consolidation of their skills and professional knowledge; the acquisition of advanced techniques for the restoration and cataloguing of specific types of cultural heritage; participation in a large community of practice at European level; professional language learning in the field of Cultural Heritage; an easier approach to the job market.' Therefore, to guarantee the Project Targets the growth of knowledge, skills and abilities in their reference sectors, we have created a System based on innovative technologies for the virtualization of training processes (e-Learning) and for participation in distance internships (e-Internship), as well as for participation in a Community of Practice in the reference sector and encourage, In this way, non-formal and informal learning.

The Project has carried out activities of conception, design and development not only of the ADELE-RS System but also of new professional profiles, new post-graduate training curricula, new contents for the updating of graduates and operators in the field of cultural heritage. In the implementation phase, the Work Plan for the realization of the Project Results, including those related to dissemination and management. has been divided into five Workpackages, which in turn are divided into Tasks referring to one or more Project results: WP1 - IMPLEMENTATION OF THE TECHNOLOGICAL COMPONENT OF THE ADELE-RS SYSTEM This workpackage has been entirely dedicated to the realization of the Project Results that make up the ADELE-RS System, which are as many subsystems: R1 - Services Dashboard R2 - Advanced Communication Environment R3 - Knowledge Management and Collective Intelligence (KMCI) Subsystem R4 - e-Learning Platform R5 - e-Stage Subsystem and Virtual Educational Site For each of these results, (a) a design of the subsystem was carried out, (b) the study of the implementation methods, (c) the development of the subsystem, also from a graphical point of view for those that have a web interface component (e.g., the Dashboard and the Knowledge Management and Collective Intelligence environment), tests. WP2 - IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ORGANIZATIONAL COMPONENT OF THE ADELE-RS SYSTEM In this phase, the management parts of the e-Stage System were implemented, consisting of procedures and support applications both within the System and towards users, to ensure the operation of the various technological components, from their maintenance to the management of ADELE-RS Portal Visitors, Users of the Community of Practice, Students of the ADELE-RS Courses. WP2 has been essentially divided into two Tasks corresponding to the R6 and R7 results: T2. R6 - Development of the Organizational and Management Infrastructure of the ADELE-RS System The organisational and management structure of the ADELE-RS system has been developed into 'Service Centres', each equipped with its own technological procedures for the control and maintenance of the environments, and to support the various users of the System: - Teleservice Center, - KMCI and e-Work Service Center - E-Learning Center T2. R7 - Development of ADELE-RS System Guides and User Manuals This task was dedicated to the development of the User Guides of the various components of the ADELE-RS System and Handouts for the treatment of general and methodological aspects of some components of the ADELE-RS System. The following document products have been implemented (all, except one, in Italian and English): 16. Guide to ADELE-RS System and Services Dashboard 17. ADELE-RS Portal 18. Methodological and Technological Foundations of the ADELE-RS System. The training Strategy of ADELE-RS 19. ADELE-RS e-Learning Management System Guide 20. e-Stage System Guide. Methodological Foundations 21. ADELE-RS e-Stage Management System's User's Guide 22. ADELE-RS e-Stage System – e-Stage Path Planning Sheet 23. Presentation of the Manuals and Guides made by ADELE-RS WP3 - IMPLEMENTATION OF THE TRAINING COMPONENT OF ADELE-RS This workpackage covered the tasks related to the R8 and R9 results: T3. R8 - e-Learning content of the AdeleRS Specialization Modules T3. R9 - e-Internship Materials for AdeleRS Specialization Modules Within these two tasks, the following activities were carried out - an action-research for the identification of innovative specialization needs for operators in the Cultural Heritage Sector - the Design of the Specialization Profiles of ADELE-RS - the General Planning of the Curricula for the post-graduate training of the new Professional Profiles - the didactic design of an experimental refresher course - the development of e-Learning content and the design of Internship/e-Stage activities for this experimental Refresher Course In this phase, the following additional documentary products have been developed (all, except one, in Italian and English): 24. Design New Professional Figures of ADELE-RS. Survey Tools 25. Guide for Building ADELE-RS Professional Profiles (with an in-depth analysis of the concepts of Paradigm, Model, Methodology) 26. Operational Guide to ADELE-RS Focus Group 27. Operational Guide to the Focus Group. Support Materials 28. Professional Profiles and Educational Curricula of ADELE-RS 29. ADELE-RS Didactics Planning. Operational Guide to the e-Learning Modules Planning 30. Guide to the ADELE-RS Training Offer WP4 - ORGANIZATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE EXPERIMENTAL EDITION OF THE SPECIALIZATION COURSE This workpackage was dedicated to all the activities that led to the disbursement, to an audience of about fifty graduates and operators in the cultural heritage sector. From the organizational planning of the Course, to the formation of the course class, from the delivery of the Course in totally e-Learning mode, to the issue of the Certificates of Participation. WP5 - MANAGEMENT AND ENHANCEMENT In this workpackage, all management activities – including Transnational Meetings – and dissemination activities were carried out – including the development of the Project Portal and the implementation of five Multiplier Events

The ADELE-RS Project has achieved important results both in terms of product and process and, by applying advanced paradigms, models and methods of remote training and work, has developed an advanced education and training system based on the technologies of Web 2.0. In addition, the Project designed, based on an articulated research-action in the Partnership countries, two specialized professional figures in the field of cultural heritage, as well as a general updating course – which it delivered in an experimental form – including training contents and materials and internship experience. Finally, from a systemic point of view, the Project has drawn up a 'Partnership Agreement for the Exploitation of the Results of the ADELE-RS Project', which has been signed by all the Partners. In more detail, here is a rough description of the results obtained: --- ADELE-RS SYSTEM AND --- PORTAL The ADELERS SYSTEM has been developed in the forms and ways envisaged by the Forecast Project, with the introduction of some technical changes that we describe below. The ADELE-RS System is composed of a series of SUBSYSTEMS. The first two subsystems are: 1. an 'ADVANCED COMMUNICATION ENVIRONMENT', which has been equipped with chat, videoconference, messaging, mailing services. 2. a ' KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND COLLECTIVE INTELLIGENCE SYSTEM (KMCIS)', consisting of sub-services for the pooling of knowledge within communities of practice equipped with dedicated services and applications. In this Subsystem have been included: a library of digital products ('ADELE-RS eLibers') and a Wiki area ('WikiAdeleRS'). These two subsystems can be used through a DASHBOARD (OF SERVICES) accessible directly from the ADELE-RS PORTAL (www.adele-rs.org). Access to the Dashboard is allowed only to ADELE-RS Users, i.e. those who have requested and received their own Access Credentials. The additional Subsystems integrated into the ADELE-RS System are: 3. an 'E-LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM', a LMS through which ADELE-RS is able to deliver its distance learning offer, in the different modes: Assisted, Blended, Stand-alone, Synchronous, Asynchronous. 4. an 'E-STAGE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM', i.e. an ICT environment that able to manage stage carried out in smart-working, in which e-Learners become e-Stagers and are included in learning paths within organizations that welcome learners for limited periods of time and manage their internship; 5. an articulated DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (DMS) for advanced document management available to the Partnership organizations for the storage and sharing of administrative, managerial, organizational documents, etc. A further Subsystem of the ADELE-RS System is 6. the PORTAL, which has been developed not only for the communication of the Project, its Partnership and the Events that have been carried out during its implementation, but also for the dissemination of the Journal 'Innovation in Cultural Heritage', which we will talk about later; in addition to as a gateway to the Dashboard and, therefore, to the Training and Community Services. --- ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE OF THE ADELE-RS --- SYSTEM The ADELE-RS System has been equipped with an ORGANISATIONAL AND MANAGEMENT INFRASTRUCTURE which is divided into three distinct Management and Control Centres: A) the 'TELESERVICE CENTRE' for: - the monitoring of technologies, the management of Users; - the management of data protection; - the front-office service for users of the System. B) the 'KMCI AND E-WORK SERVICE CENTRE' intended for: - support for the population of repositories and reference databases for KMCI and e-Stages; - the management of the eLibeRS and the WikiAdeleRS; - the provision of services in support of AdeleRSCommunity; - support for the management activities of the e-Stage System and the preliminary phases of inclusion in the repositories of the e-Stage System of: e-Trainers, Tutors and Managers of e-Stage activities; - the control and maintenance of the reference IT environments. C) the 'E-LEARNING CENTRE'. For this organizational component, all the management functions integrated in the e-LMS are used to: - forming classes, - manage e-Learners, teachers, tutors, - manage virtual classrooms, - maintain databases and repositories to support e-Learning teaching activities. D) For the operational use of all the components of the ADELE-RS System and for the realization of some important results related to the Training Offer, which we will discuss later, a large number of Guides, Manuals and Pamphlets have been developed, as envisaged by the Project. --- TRAINING OFFER OF ADELE-RS --- The 'training' part of the Project worked on two Plans: (1) to identify innovative skills for the Cultural Heritage sector capable of facilitating its transition to digital and (2) to create a concrete experience of professional updating for the targets of the Project. For Plan (1) the following has been implemented: (I) An ACTION-RESEARCH to verify with the stakeholders of the Partnership countries belonging to the sectors of interest (cultural heritage, education and professional training, ICT) which professional figures could support the innovation processes in cultural heritage. (II). The design of TWO NEW PROFESSIONAL FIGURES with strong specialization both in the field of innovative design in the sector and in the advanced communication of cultural heritage, called: - 'Expert in Project Management for Cultural Heritage'; - 'Expert in Advanced Communication of Cultural Heritage'. (III). The development of two POST-GRADUATE SPECIALIZATION CURRICULA for the training of new professional figures. These curricula can be used both to create specialized post-graduate master's degrees lasting one year that can also be provided by Higher Education Centers and, merged together, to create a two-year university master's degree for the training of a figure specialized both in the development of complex projects for the conservation and restoration of cultural heritage and in innovative communication of the same. For Plan (2) the following has been implemented: (IV). A SPECIALIZED UPDATING COURSE (delivered in experimental form) entitled 'ADVANCED COMPETENCES IN CULTURAL HERITAGES PROJECTS (C-ACCHP)' which integrated the main components of the two curricula into a 250-hour course to provide a package of basic knowledge and skills on the issues of project management and advanced communication and which made it possible to produce: - e-Learning training modules (assisted) with video lessons, power-point presentations, films, exercises, tests; - In-depth teaching materials; - e-Stage paths. The Experimental Updating Course was delivered to an audience of 48 graduates and operators in the cultural heritage sector in the last months of the project. To support the two Plans for the Training Part of the Project, additional Guides have been developed in addition to those created for the ADELE-RS System. --- The MAGAZINE 'INNOVATION IN CULTURAL HERITAGE --- Over time, the Magazine has collected not only specialized articles on sector issues but also informed on the progress of the Project and on some of the main results gradually achieved. The magazine, in the form of e-Zine, can be accessed through the ADELE-RS Portal. --- PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT --- We also want to highlight, in this paragraph, the result constituted by the PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT FOR THE EXPLOITATION OF THE RESULTS OF THE ADALE-RS PROJECT which has been signed by all the Partners. Generally, the Partnerships manage this issue and, in particular, the ownership of the results, within the framework of the Contract that the Coordinators sign with each Partner after the approval of the Project and the signing of the Grant Agreements with the National Agencies. The ADELE-RS Partnership, on the other hand, has decided and expressed in the Application Form, the desire to sign a specific agreement on the issues of ownership and the maintenance, enrichment and exploitation of the results, in particular: the ADELE-RS System and the Training Offer.