Methodology for Online Training in Innovative Virtual Environment.

The main context of the project is the creation of innovative conditions for improving the quality of teaching in an online environment. This can be achieved through a purposeful study of the natu...

The main context of the project is the creation of innovative conditions for improving the quality of teaching in an online environment. This can be achieved through a purposeful study of the nature of online learning methods and subsequent development of a unified approach to be used in conducting training in a digital environment and the accompanying practical exercises and assessment of acquired knowledge. The creation, description and implementation in practice of a unified methodology for organizing and conducting online trainings and motivational videos is inherently an innovative training product that is lacking in the partner countries -Iceland, Bulgaria, Spain, Greece and CyprusIn the last 24 months, education in its entire organizational and teaching nature has undergone a serious metamorphosis worldwide. The COVID-19 pandemic required a sharp change in the educational process, as it had to move from one reality to another - digital. This reality, imposed by factors external to the educational process, found teachers unprepared, which in turn led to a significant reduction in the quality of educational services. Here is the place to emphasize that the unpreparedness of the diverse organizations offering educational services is not expressed in a technological aspect, but in the lack of quality and mostly proven methods for conducting online training. From the feasibility study and the data obtained from it, it is clear that over 75% of teachers say they need help in the process of conducting online training. Specifically, this need for assistance is expressed in clearly defined and practically applicable common methods for conducting online training.The need for an extreme transition to learning in a digital environment has forced educational organizations to create their own methods and approaches for conducting online learning. Methods and approaches that are often incompatible and inapplicable to each other. In this way, a huge difference is formed between the different educational organizations in the methods and approaches used for organizing and conducting online trainings. All this damaged the educational process in the digital environment and made it of extremely low quality. With regard to the other main party in the educational process - the learners, the diverse methods and approaches for conducting online trainings applied to them created in them uncertainty and impossibility for correct perception of the educational material. From the feasibility study and the data obtained from it, it is clear that over 70% of users of online educational services indicate as a major problem the different approaches to pedagogical communication that teachers use. This creates in the students themselves a psychological barrier for proper perception and poor sensitivity to the educational process. Online learning lacks the direct pedagogical process, which includes direct observation between teacher and student, a sense of teamwork and social belonging. In view of the described realities, there is a clear need to create a unified methodology for organizing and conducting learning processes in a digital environment. The development of this educational product will be a direct response to the following specific needs: Need for structuring the competencies in conducting online trainings; To have a clear and logically consistent approach, which is generally applicable when conducting trainings in a digital environment; The teaching methods used should be in accordance with the peculiarities of the digital environment and the same should not be mixed with inapplicable techniques from the conventional educational environment; The approach in online learning to include mechanisms for identifying the specific needs of learners.

In order to reach the project objectives and deliver the planned results the project workflow consists of two sets of activities by the partnership: Horizontal activities (managerial, administrative, dissemination to secure smooth partnership collaboration, quality of outputs and results, and outreach of results and outcomes) - Internal Communication Strategy based on ICT tools, - Face-to-face Transnational Project Meetings, followed by minutes in order to monitor the progress towards the objectives of the project within set time limits and take corrective measures, as and when appropriate. - Drafting, presenting and adopting a Project Management Plan, including a work plan with specific activities and deadlines. - Drafting the Consortium Agreement; this will be signed by all involved partners and will rule on procedures, obligations of each partner and relationships among the consortium members. - Coordinating the overall financial and administrative activities, while taking under consideration the overall adherence to the financial budgets. - Processing all administrative and technical or financial information into periodic and final reports in compliance to the European Commission criteria. - Quality Management and Evaluation activities throughout all phases of the project (preparation, implementation, follow-up, dissemination, completion) - Development of Quality Management and Evaluation tools for the assessment of both project and consortium related activities and procedures, as well as quality and impact of outputs and results. - Communication and Dissemination activities i.e. • Target groups identification and segmentation alongside analysis of their information needs • Identification and setting-up of multiple channels of communication and dissemination • Targeted communication through selected channels according to target group, as needed • Liaison activities towards potential synergies with relevant actors and stakeholders • Planning, design, evaluation and refinement of publicity activities Implementation activities (securing the delivery of project outcomes for the target groups and their direct involvement in the development and finalisation phases of deliverables and outcomes) Project Results activities as demonstarted in the section Project Results: Activities towards delivering the Methodology for teaching and training in online environment (PR1) - Overall methodology and tools for the analysis - Quantitative and qualitative primary research accounting for targeted primary data by involving teachers. Pilot-testing methodology and pilot testing sessions - Pilot-testing report (optimisation of training provison upon feedback) Activities towards filming Training Video Tutorials motivation for teachers (PR2) - Preparation of training materials in connection with the presentation of the methodological framework - Preparation of training materials in connection with the presentation of the manual for work. Activities' toward organization and conduction of Multiplier events: - One international Webinar - 5 Local Webinars

The following direct and indirect results will be achieved within the project: Direct results: - Established framework of the methods used so far in practice for conducting trainings in a digital environment - Based on detailed research by all project partners will be accumulated the necessary information. It will be studied in detail and an analysis will be compiled, containing information about the most used methods for organizing and conducting online trainings; - Prioritization of the problems before the affected parties in the educational process - It is important to identify the identified problems by their priority, as this will influence the choice of mechanisms and measures to be included in the general methodology for online learning; - Developed specific models of the structure of a common methodology for organizing and managing online learning - Based on the study, analyzed information and prioritizing the identified specific problems, specific models of the common methodology for online learning will be developed. The project partners will choose which models and parts of them to be included in the development of the common methodology for online learning; - Developed and adopted the common methodology for online learning - The general methodology for online learning will be developed based on the selected models. After its final completion, the methodology will be verified by all project partners. Indirect results: - Built transnational capacity in the field of organizing and conducting online training; - Created model for formation of innovative policies in the field of online learning; - Reduced deficit of information about the development of educational processes in the digital environment; At the end of the project the following main results will be available: - Created and put into practice an innovative training product representing a common model for conducting online training and motivational videos; - Improved capabilities of the target groups for organizing and conducting online trainings, modeled according to the needs of the learners; - Increased quality of the educational process conducted in a digital environment; - Strengthening the demand for individual and group distance learning conducted in a digital environment; - Improved policies in the field of education and in particular training in the digital environment; - Increasing the opportunities in online education to cover users with lower education; - motivational videos to reduce the effect of anxiety in teachers, created in connection with the transition to online learning.