VOOCS for VET teacher professionalization: Lessons learned from the EU Erasmus+ Pro-VET project

Design practices

In each of their institutions, the Russian and Serbian partners formed local VOOC development teams and labs. Despite local dynamics, all institutions followed the same overarching Pro-VET development methodological approach. Russian and Serbian teams were supported by EU-partners. Some national cooperation developed as well during the course of the project.

The first step was to discover and question the target group(s) (VET and HE teachers) and discover their needs in order to decide upon the VOOCs main focus. Foci of the VOOCs were ultimately determinded together with EU partners.

The VOOCs under construction were tested in two iterations: alpha and beta testing. Feedback was gathered from the target groups and used to improve prototype VOOCs. A work package on Quality Assurance provided a framework for evaluation and feedback collection from beneficiaries. A Quality Assurance Manual for in-service training courses was designed. The manual guided the evaluation process of the test-runs and adjusted the process when needed.

Pro-VET enabled each partner country institution to equip and take up a modern, interactive e-learning lab for course design and development, teacher training and as a showcase demonstration environment. In these labs local teams improved their skills regarding building Moodle environments, mastering the construction as well as producing content such as texts, assignments, video’s etc. Pro-VET finally provided several guiding instruments aiming to support other VET teacher trainers to develop similar VOOCs for VET teacher professionalization.

Coaching was organised at regular moments in the development stage. Project partners gathered online to join evaluation meetings to share experiences and to agree on needed adjustments.