Smart Tools for Inclusive Teaching in VET

Due to the shift from in-person to distance learning during COVID-19, the project emerged to support VET staff who often faced challenges alone in managing accessibility in educational activities ...

The STIT project aimed to enhance the professional development of VET staff, improving accessibility and inclusion in digital and distance learning in the VET sector. Its goal was to engage students with disabilities and/or Special Educational Needs by applying innovative teaching methods suitable for both distance and in-person learning. The project also focused on increasing digital readiness, resilience, and capacity among educational staff, promoting the dissemination of good practices and the creation of effective training processes. This approach was inspired by Pierre Levy’s concept of 'collective intelligence,' emphasizing that 'nobody knows everything, everyone knows something.' This philosophy guided the development of a people-oriented teaching methodology that allowed all participants to utilize their skills in an engaging and participatory educational experience.

As stated in the project proposal, the STIT activities were developed following 5 Work Packages. WP1) Project Management was useful to ensure the good cooperation between partners, the effective monitoring of the STIT activities and the efficient PRs development throughout the project lifespan; WP2) LTTA design, logistical organisation, implementation and reporting to improve the expertise, skills and competences of staff working in the educational field and/or for project partners; WP3) PR1 - 'Accessibility Training Course for VET Staff' design, development, internal and external piloting and finalisation to improve educational staff's competencies and skills on the main project topics: inclusion, diversity and accessible learning environments for all students; WP4) PR2 - 'STIT Toolkit' design, development, internal and external piloting and successful completion to provide a cutting-edge platform for teachers, educators, tutors and mentors. The latter delved more into going beyond their academic preparation to improve their skills in working with students with disabilities/SEN both in distance and in-person activities. At the same time, they learned how to apply the Flipped Classroom Approach, an alternative and highly participatory pedagogical method, to actively promote youth involvement and engagement at school. The innovative platform was refined with VET staff from Italy, Spain and Romania during specific Focus Groups to be later apply with their learners; WP5) Communication and dissemination to proper inform and connect with direct and indirect beneficiaries such as relevant stakeholders, public/private educational institutions, teaching staff, VET students and European citizens reached by diverse means of communication (i.e. Facebook, YouTube, STIT website, partners' websites, PRs online platforms, EPALE, eTwinning, press releases, newsletters, blog entries, articles on local newspapers, TV interviews etc.). Moreover, the consortium implemented Focus Groups with VET staff and students for the PRs piloting, meetings with relevant stakeholders, meetings for the International/European Day of Persons with Disabilities, webinars, and virtual and in-person Multiplier Events to disseminate the free-of-charge PRs and the achievement of the STIT milestones.

In the STIT project lifespan, the consortium achieved the following outputs and results: - PR1 'Accessibility Training Course for VET Staff' design, development, internal and external piloting and finalisation to improve educational staff's competencies and skills on the main project topics: inclusion, diversity and accessible learning environments for all students. The Moodle platform was presented and tested with VET staff from Italy, Spain and Romania during specific Focus Groups to be later apply with their students; - PR2 'STIT Toolkit' design, development, internal and external piloting and successful completion to provide a cutting-edge platform for teachers, educators, tutors and mentors. The latter delved more into going beyond their academic preparation to improve their skills in working with students with disabilities/SEN both in distance and in-person activities. At the same time, they learned how to apply the Flipped Classroom Approach, an alternative and highly participatory pedagogical method, to actively promote youth involvement and engagement at school. - 9 Focus Groups were organised in Italy, Spain and Romania: 6 Focus Groups addressed to students with disabilities and/or SEN, 2 in each partner country, and 3 Focus Groups with VET staff, 1 in each partner country 54 people with Special Educational Needs/Educational Difficulties and Disabilities involved in the 6 Focus Groups with students, specifically, 36 beneficiaries with Special Educational Needs/Educational Difficulties and 18 with Disabilities. The Focus Groups guaranteed that the project implementation and results were addressing the STIT aims and objectives - 3 Focus Groups’ Reports collecting the experiences with direct beneficiaries in Italy, Spain and Romania: 2 reports about students with SEN/disabilities and 1 comparative report based on the activities implemented with VET Staff - 1 Bibliography to be shared with VET Staff and people interested in the STIT project topics - 1 LTTA organised in La Zubia, Granada - Spain to further discuss how to implement inclusive education for fostering more accessible learning and teaching environments for all students. Participants received Europass Mobility Certificates after the successful completion of the mobility - 4 Transnational Project Meetings: 2 held online and 2 in-person meetings in Italy and Romania - 15 Meetings with relevant stakeholders (3 per partner country) to disseminate project information and results - 5 Meetings for the International/European Day of Persons with Disabilities: 1 online meeting by AFORISMA in collaboration with QZR, 1 by Flipnet, 1 by BEXLEY, 1 by AFORISMA and 1 participation of AFORISMA on behalf of the entire consortium to the 2-day conference organised by the European Disability Forum (EDF) - 4 Multiplier Events organised in partner countries: 2 in Italy, 1 in Spain and 1 in Romania - 1 Quality Handbook - 1 Project Management Handbook - 1 Internal Cooperation Agreement signed with each partner organisation - 1 Dissemination Strategic Plan - 1 Logo and corporate visual identity - 1 Official project website and a total amount of 5 STIT pages on partners’ websites (1 per partner) - 1 STIT Facebook page - 2 Publications on the SALTO TOOLBOX: 1 for the “Accessibility Training Course for VET Staff” and 1 for the “STIT Toolkit” - 20 Blogs published on the EPALE Platform based on the 5 multilingual (EN/IT/ES/RO) interviews regarding partners’ contribution and significant details about the STIT project. - 1 YouTube channel including PR1 videos and additional videos related to the STIT main activities held in its lifespan. - 1 eTwinning group created for the STIT project. - 12 Newsletters distributed to the audience with more than 25 additional newsletters and/or blogs appearing on partners’ websites. - 8 Multilingual Press releases published and 8 articles published in local newspapers both in Italy (7 in Pisa and Lucca) and 1 in Romania. - 1 Interview to AFORISMA and QZR’s representatives recorded during the Multiplier Event in Pisa and distributed to the local TV channel 50 Canale.