<< Objectives >>The main objectives of the project is to contribute to climate change education; to strengthen teacher education and to foster creation and dissemination of knowledge through online education to create better practices in order to adapt the effects of climate change at European and global level.<< Implementation >>There will be a flexible training programme that is offered online for secondary school teachers participants from partner institutions. After the completion of this program, teachers are invited to include the online course and interactive heatwave game in their classrooms. The aim is to teach the new curriculum for an audience of most of the secondary school students from partner institutions. All training programmes continue to be accessible at least 2 years after the project.<< Results >>The main result of the project is the interdisciplinary collaboration of partners for increasing knowledge on climate change in Europe; an innovative heatwave awareness course; an online platform that utilizes interactive materials and educational games; and a training programme for teachers. It is expected that most of the teachers and students from participant schools will interact with the platform by the end of the project, with observable improvements on their sustainability competencies.

<< Objectives >>The Good Start project aims to promote synergies, cooperation and cross-fertilization between higher education, customized training on digital hygiene practices for young entrepreneurs as startuppers. The results of the project will be planned strategically for the main target groups, and provide a customized training opportunity for the current startuppers and future startuppers. The digital network will attract more people from different sectors in partner countries.<< Implementation >>Project Management Activities (Implementation, Quality Assurance, Risk Management, Budget Control, Reporting, Impact Assessment) Activities connected with the Development of a Digital Hygiene Behaviour Index Activities of Producing of Handbooks for STARTUPS and VETs Dissemination and Exploitation Activities (including sustainability issues)<< Results >>Digital Hygiene Behaviour Index for startups and small businesses Handbook for STARTUPS in order to reduce the digital hygiene skill gaps Handbook for VETs in order to develop a new curriculum on the basis of startups' digital hygiene needsProject Management Results Dissemination and Exploitation Results

<< Background >>In the context of the current pandemic situation of COVID-19 all educational establishments (general, VET and continuing) have implemented an online teaching set-up. However,neither the schools nor the teachers have been fully prepared for carrying out high-quality and efficient online teaching processes.The MAIN TARGET GROUP of the DigiTise! Digital Toolkit for 50+ teachers projects addresses is VET teachers/trainers and teachers of general subjects working in VET and continuing education that belong to the 50+ age group and have recently had to change to online teaching. The main problem and and need that we have identified in the current circumstances of COVID-19 is the difficulty of many older (50+) educators and teachers to teach online and to deliver interesting and challenging lessons. In many cases this is due to very low level of digital literacy and lack training to improve their digital skills. During training events mobilities will be organised involving the teachers of the partner institutions with the capacity of multiplying and transfer the knowledge to other members of the target group and to create the intellectual outputs based on the knowledge learnt. The dissemination and exploitation activities will reach even more people throughout the lifetime and even after the end of the project.<< Objectives >>The partnership wishes to pursue 3 OBJECTIVES in order to meet the mentioned needs: 1). to transfer the know-how on 15 different types of digital tools within the partnership;2). to create and disseminate a Handbook containing the general description of core digital tools, at least 45 digital practice exercises for enhancing the quality of online teaching; 3). to create and disseminate 10 MOOC courses for the target group for developing 50+ teachers' basic and intermediate digital competencies and raise their digital competence level.<< Implementation >>The ACTIVITIES of the project will last for 2 years during which the 6 partner institutions will implement 5 work packages:1. Project management and quality assurance;2. Implementing teacher training sessions;3. Designing and developing the Handbook;4. Designing and developing the MOOC Courses;5. Dissemination and exploitation.<< Results >>Besides the direct results foreseen within each work package, the main RESULTS that the project develops are as follows: the Handbook and a series of 10 MOOC courses. The Handbook will contain 3 main chapters: a general outline of the digital toolkit for education, practical exercises, tasks, projects, quizzes, assignments using the digital toolkit as well as a guide on how the digital toolkit can be integrated into online courses. The MOOC courses will include a series of 10 short asynchronous courses with the aim of offering a graded approach to digital literacy development. The courses will include the following main sections:I. BASIC LEVEL COURSES: 2 short courses dealing with the development of the fundamental elements of digital literacyII. ELEMENTARY LEVEL COURSES: 4 short courses dealing with the development of elementary level elements of digital literacyIII. INTERMEDIATE LEVEL COURSES: 4 short courses dealing with the development of Intermediate level elements of digital literacyThe project will have an IMPACT on the main target group as well as other institutions and stakeholders from the VET and continuing education sector. The most important long termbenefits of the project include:- increased quality of education in the online space, by applying appealing and attractive online teaching tools- increased impact on learners and improved educational results by ensuring, that teachers are have gained higher level of digital competence and are more equipped with a digital toolkit for education;- more strategic, standardised and integrated use of digital tools in online education;- increased motivation for online learning, as learners will be able to attend more attractive, efficient and innovative online classes;- 50+ teacher will continue to be valuable members of didactic teams in the online space, not having to afraid for their job security

BLOCKS project created a networked platform of collaboration on curriculum development for universities and companies to develop non-traditional, blended-learning courses, tailored for an Industry 4.0 world, and focused on providing teachers, students and entrepreneurs with knowledge and skills on the blockchain technology. The approach was non-technologically intensive, as the purpose is to provide a business-oriented type of knowledge, applicable for all types of students and entrepreneurs. The project identified critical skills and knowledge packs needed in a blockchain-powered economy and implement them in the curriculum of universities, in a gamified, user-design oriented manner, tailored for various types of users. The specific objectives of the project were: 1. Identification of skills shortages and knowledge gaps in blockchain in target groups 2. Creation of an online multi-disciplinary transnational teachers training center on the blockchain a. Design and development of a curriculum on blockchain for teachers and trainers b. Design and creation of digital, online delivered, gamified, study materials on blockchain for teachers and trainers 3. Design and development of blended learning curricula on blockchain for students, entrepreneurs, other types of users 4. Design and creation of digital, online delivered, gamified, study materials on blockchain for students, entrepreneurs, other types of users 5. Design and development of a BLOCKS game – a preparatory online learning tool designed to provide users with learning opportunities in preparation for the usage of a platform such as Microsoft Azure–Blockchain as a service. BLOCKS was implemented by a consortium of 7 universities, large enterprises and SMEs from Romania, Estonia, Greece, Latvia and Italy. It instructed in block-chain related issues at least 400 trained professionals: students in the partner universities, teachers, trainers, entrepreneurs, professionals in other actors of the ecosystem (financial, regulatory, etc.), targeted directly through intensive study programmes or multiplier events. The project has at least 1000 global users of the Game, OER and e-learning platform. The main project results and activities are: 1. IO1 is an in-depth study on the current status of skills and knowledge shortages and gaps in blockchain in the various types of actors of the ecosystem. 2. Creation of an online multi-disciplinary transnational teachers training center on the blockchain a. IO2 = the curriculum for short, medium and long-term courses on blockchain meant to bridge the gaps identified in IO1 in teachers and trainers. b. IO3 = the study materials for the courses designed in IO2. The study materials are meant to be delivered in an innovative manner, mostly online, with a blended learning component, strongly gamified and facilitating the simulation and testing of future activities. 3. Design and development of blended learning curricula on blockchain for students, entrepreneurs, other types of users. IO4 = the curriculum for short, medium and long-term courses on blockchain meant to bridge the gaps identified in IO1 in all actors of the ecosystem. The focus shall be on skills for entrepreneurs interested in supply chain and logistics for products, to energy markets. A special section shall be dedicated to public administration and governance using blockchain. Also, separate focus on social impact using blockchain. 4. IO5 = the study materials for the courses designed in IO4. The study materials are meant to be delivered in an innovative manner, mostly online, with a blended learning component, strongly gamified and facilitating the simulation and testing of future activities. 5. Design and development of a BLOCKS game, a simulated preparatory online learning tool designed to provide users with learning opportunities in preparation for the usage of a platform such as Microsoft Azure – Blockchain as a service. All IOs were integrated into an SR7=IO7- an e-learning platform, decentralized, gamified, readily accessible, available at https://platform.blocks.ase.ro/The project introduced 2 intensive study programmes (online) for students/ stakeholders, lasting for 5 days each, with 55 participants (students) from partner educational institutions and at least 15 trainers for them and 1 face-to-face intensive study programme for teachers/trainers, lasting for 5 days, with at least 25 participants (teachers/trainers) and at least 15 trainers for them. Lastly, there was a joint staff training session, lasting for 3 days, with at least 20 participants.For Multiplier events, BLOCKS proposed 15 online seminars/webinars delivered for multiple types of stakeholders in all countries covered by the project on the key topics and 7 information sessions designed to disseminate the project results to press and other external stakeholders. Other dissemination was done via articles and conferences.

In the context of rapid socio-economic change, exponential advances in technology, and the burgeoning ICT sector of the emerging fourth industrial revolution, business leaders identify a growing need for managers and employees who possess soft skill capacities, such as critical thinking, people management, etc. Yet, most ICT small to medium enterprises (SMEs) and micro-firms cannot afford soft skills training programs especially in these difficult times. The proposed project aims to address the soft skills gap and increase the competitiveness of ICT SMEs and micro-firms. In doing so, this project offers an ICT sector soft skills framework and an innovative, engaging ICT soft skills curriculum with teaching and learning resources that are all freely-available via a device-agnostic e-learning platform. The project partnership includes seven teams of locally, nationally, and internationally-recognized experts representing universities, SMEs, e-training organizations, non-profit foundations, and VET providers from 6 countries: Malta, Spain, Italy, Greece, Cyprus, and Slovenia. Product testers include about 65 employees, managers, and trainees from ICT sector SMEs and micro-firms, VET organizations, and other training providers recruited through the partnership network. Multiplier events include another 150 to 240 participants from ICT sector SMEs, micro-firms, and associations, VET training programs, and policymakers, Commission, European Council, and other relevant EU representatives. Project activities are divided into six phases. In Phase 1, project management and coordination plans are developed, agreed upon, and set into motion during the initial kick-off partners’ meeting. Once initiated, these plans guide the timing, collaboration, outcomes, and evaluation of all project activities and outputs. During Phase 2, review of relevant literature and a needs analysis of soft skills for the ICT sector yields a soft skills framework. This framework guides the design and development of an Industry 4.0 soft skills curriculum that employs open, innovative pedagogies, resources, and tools in Phase 3. This curriculum directs development of an ICT sector teacher and trainer digital soft skills resource guide, as well as digital soft skills scenarios and interactive resources for learners that are based on real-life workplace situations. This phase concludes with the assembly of a methodological handbook for teachers and learners, containing guidelines and tips for integrative implementation of the curriculum, resources, and tools. Phase 4 involves pilot testing all of these products with ICT sector employees, trainees, managers, and educators. Observations and feedback are then used to revise and fine-tune the products and delivery process. In Phase 5, the partners engage in the promotion, dissemination, and exploitation of these products with the support of their expansive local, national, and EU-wide education, company, business association, government, and media networks. Phase 6 extends across the life of the project; it involves quality control, monitoring, and evaluation of all activities, timelines, expenditures, and outputs. Four face-to-face transnational project meetings (TPMs), as well as one training and six multiplier events are held during the course of the project. The TPMs are organizational and informational partnership meetings. The training event teaches partner members how to use the training resources. Held during the final months of the project, the six multiplier events introduce the findings and outputs of the project, disseminate information about the project products to potential stakeholders and media, and identify potential partners and collaborators who are interested in using and sharing these products. The results of this project will have a significant impact on ICT sector SMEs and micro-firms. The needs analysis findings and resultant soft skills framework will provide critical information to education, business, industry, and government sectors. Products generated from this project will address the current soft skills gap identified in the needs analysis process. Moreover, this project offers a freely-available, easily accessible, timely, innovative curriculum, relevant and engaging learning experiences, and appropriate training guides in a number of languages for ICT sector SMEs and micro-firms that might not otherwise have access to such training resources. Finally, due to the strong local, national, and EU network of collective partnership connections with target users, such as ICT sector managers, employees, and trainees, as well as VET trainers and students, this project will have a wide impact across Europe. To enhance sustainability beyond promotion and networking measures, project products will include open educational resources (OER). All products will also be freely-available via a device-agnostic e-learning platform for at least two years after the project.