virtual vocational education and...
TRANSCRIPT
Virtual Vocational Education and Training
WP4: (R4.5) VIRTUS – a Trainee Handbook
Authors:
BEST Institut für berufsbezogene Weiterbildung und
Personaltraining GmbH,
RWTH AACHEN UNIVERSITY
2
Ref. N. 562222-EPP-1-2015-1-EL-EPPKA3-PI-FORWARD
Project information
Project acronym: VIRTUS
Project title: Virtual Vocational Education and Training
Agreement number: 2015 - 2572 / 001 - 001
Project Reference Number: 562222-EPP-1-2015-1-EL-EPPKA3-PI-FORWARD
Sub-programme or KA: Key Action 3: Support for policy reform - Initiatives for
policy innovation
Project website: www.virtus-project.eu
Authoring partner: BEST Institut für berufsbezogene Weiterbildung und
Personaltraining GmbH
RWTH AACHEN UNIVERSITY
Report version: 3.0
Date of preparation: July 2017
Document history:
Date Version Author(s) Description
1.0 BEST Institut für berufsbezogene Weiterbildung und Personaltraining GmbH
2.0 RWTH AACHEN UNIVERSITY
3.0 BEST Institut für berufsbezogene Weiterbildung und Personaltraining GmbH
Dissemination level: Restricted to other programme participants (including Commission services and
project reviewers)
3
Ref. N. 562222-EPP-1-2015-1-EL-EPPKA3-PI-FORWARD
©VIRTUS – Virtual Vocational Education and Training 2016
With the support of the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union.
Disclaimer: The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute endorsement of the
contents which reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which
may be made of the information contained therein.
Table of Contents Executive Summary .......................................................................................................................................... 4
Objectives ...................................................................................................................................................... 4
Scope ............................................................................................................................................................. 4
Target Audience ............................................................................................................................................. 4
Acronyms & Abbreviations ............................................................................................................................ 4
Project Description ........................................................................................................................................... 5
About the VIRTUS modular courses ................................................................................................................. 7
Tourism and Hospitality Services .................................................................................................................. 8
Social entrepreneurship .............................................................................................................................. 15
About the VIRTUS Virtual Centre ................................................................................................................... 21
4
Ref. N. 562222-EPP-1-2015-1-EL-EPPKA3-PI-FORWARD
Executive Summary
Objectives ➢ to guide the trainees through the virtual environment and the options the latter offers
➢ to inform trainees about the modular courses by presenting the different modules and a
description of the units of each module
Scope ➢ Provision of a detailed description of the Virtual VET Centre
➢ Instructions about the settings and use of the Virtual VET Centre
➢ Outline of the two (2) modular courses regarding their level, duration, structure and contents
➢ Intro to the units of the modules
Target Audience ➢ Learners from Italy, Austria, Greece and Spain to attend the VIRTUS courses offered by the Virtual
VET Centre
➢ Sector-specific representatives (Tourism, Social Entrepreneurship and beyond)
➢ SMEs and their representatives in the tourism and hospitality industry and/ or social enterprises
➢ EACEA and their evaluators
Acronyms & Abbreviations Acronyms & Abbreviations
ECQA European Certification & Qualification Association
ECVET European Credit System for Vocational Education and Training
EQF European Qualifications Framework
PU Public
5
Ref. N. 562222-EPP-1-2015-1-EL-EPPKA3-PI-FORWARD
Project Description
The main aim of the “Virtual Vocational Education and Training – VIRTUS” project is the
development of an innovative, fully functional virtual vocational education and training centre,
providing appropriately designed modular certified courses in 1) Tourism and Hospitality Services
and 2) Social Entrepreneurship, corresponding to regional growth potential and skills needs and
targeting at increasing the participation rate of adult learners in continuing vocational education
and training (CVET).
The “main priority” that the project VIRTUS addresses is “ Opening up (virtual or physical)
infrastructures of education and training institutions to adult learning and provision of modular
certified learning opportunities” (Priority 4 of Strand 1 – Education and Training field).
Each of the two courses have been developed according to ECVET standards. They are designed for
min. 24 hours of total learning time each.
For testing the material, pilot testing sessions of two hours a day and a total of eight hours are
implemented in July/August 2017 by the partner countries Italy, Austria, Greece and Spain. The
material on “Social Entrepreneurship” is tested as version for asynchronous e-learning and the
material on “Tourism and Hospitality” is offered for synchronous and asynchronous e-learning in
the virtual VET Centre. Courses consist of video lectures, slide presentations, self-assessment
quizzes and a final assessment exam in a simulated VET Centre environment.
Access to the Virtual VET Centre is being provided through the VIRTUS website (http://virtus-vet.eu).
Also, the VIRTUS Virtual Community being developed via this Virtual VET Centre shall bring together
6
Ref. N. 562222-EPP-1-2015-1-EL-EPPKA3-PI-FORWARD
adult learners, VET professionals, tourism professionals and social entrepreneurs, NGOs and
communities, policy-makers and the general public.
The VIRTUS virtual environment is available in English, Italian, Greek, Spanish and German. (Video
lectures are in English and subtitled in the other four languages of the consortium, i.e. into Spanish,
Italian, Greek and German.)
The strategic aim of the VIRTUS project is to mainstream virtual vocational education and training,
providing certified modular learning outcomes to Adult Learners, in Europe and beyond.
7
Ref. N. 562222-EPP-1-2015-1-EL-EPPKA3-PI-FORWARD
About the VIRTUS modular courses
In the frame of the VIRTUS project, the following two modular courses have been developed:
1. Tourism and Hospitality Services (provided for synchronous and asynchronous learning)
2. Social Entrepreneurship (provided for asynchronous learning)
These courses are designed as modular courses for self-guided learning on the VIRTUS Virtual
Centre. They are available in English, German, Greek, Italian, and Spanish.
The courses are designed for EQF1 level three with a focus on outcome orientation. They follow the
framework of ECVET2 in order to ensure transnational transferability of the curricula.
In detail, each course comprises five modules. Including assessment, the overall duration of each
course is min. 24 hours, which approximately corresponds each to 1 ECVET credit.
All modules deal with relevant thematic areas that were confirmed by a variety of research and
focus group participants related to the aforementioned topics. The 5th module in each course,
however, focuses on country specific contents to address national needs of the sectors in the
partner countries (i.e. Austria, Italy, Greece and Spain) and is hence only available in the national
language of the respective country.
Contents, materials, suggested learning duration and objectives can be found on the following
pages.
1 https://ec.europa.eu/ploteus/en/content/descriptors-page 2 http://ec.europa.eu/education/policy/vocational-policy/ecvet_en
8
Ref. N. 562222-EPP-1-2015-1-EL-EPPKA3-PI-FORWARD
Tourism and Hospitality Services
9
Ref. N. 562222-EPP-1-2015-1-EL-EPPKA3-PI-FORWARD
VIRTUS course: Tourism and Hospitality Services
Number of
modules 5
EQF Level Level 3
Overall duration 25.5 hrs
Modules Duration
(hrs) Title Objective
Module 1 4.5 Introduction to main functions of
tourism enterprises
to present the main categories and functions of small and medium-
sized enterprises in the tourism sector.
Module 2 5.5 Digital marketing to introduce learners to the methods and tools of digital marketing
for small and medium-sized enterprises in the Tourism sector.
Module 3 4.5 Basic principles of Quality in
client/hospitality services
to introduce learners to the provision of quality client services for
tourism enterprises.
Module 4 4.5 Amenity Recuperation to provide learners with the methods and techniques of successfully
dealing with guest complaints/feedback.
Module 5 4 Country specific topic individual contents based on country specific needs
Assessment 2.5
ECVET credit 1
10
Ref. N. 562222-EPP-1-2015-1-EL-EPPKA3-PI-
FORWARD
VIRTUS: Tourism and Hospitality Services
EQF Level Level 3
Module 1: Main functions of tourism enterprises 2: Digital Marketing Techniques for tourism enterprises
Overall
duration 4.5 hrs 5.5 hrs
Units Duration
(hrs) Title Activity description/material
Duration
(hrs) Title Activity description/material
Unit 1 1 Introduction to the
hospitality industry
▪ Learn theory
▪ Video, links
▪ pps 0.5
Amenities
Characteristics of
Hospitality and
Tourism Marketing
▪ Learn theory
▪ Pps
▪ Video
Unit 2 1
Introduction to the
tourism industry’s
main sectors
▪ Learn theory & reflect upon own
organisation
▪ Text, links
▪ forum for discussion
1
Electronic Marketing:
World Wide Web
Marketing, Database
Marketing and Direct
Marketing
▪ Learn and elaborate
▪ ppt, links
▪ forum for discussion
Unit 3 1 Recreation (including:
entertainment)
▪ Learn theory & do reflection
▪ Pps
▪ forum for discussion
1
SMM & SMO Activity
Arrangements
▪ Learn and elaborate
▪ forum for discussion
Unit 4 1 Food service Sector
▪ Learn theory & discuss
▪ Pps
▪ self-assessment quiz
1.5 The World Wide Web
and the Tourist
▪ reflection and work in collaboration or
discuss with peers on own project
▪ forum for discussion
Unit 5 x x x 1
Google AdWords and
Other Tools very
efficient in Tourism
▪ Learn theory
▪ pps, links
▪ self-assessment quiz
Assessment 0.5 0.5
11
Ref. N. 562222-EPP-1-2015-1-EL-EPPKA3-PI-
FORWARD
Learning outcomes
Knowledge
Learners shall: ▪ Define the different types of tourists ▪ Describe correctly the term of tourism ▪ Label the different types of tourists ▪ Tell the different types of tourist services ▪ Recognise the different services that comprise a whole and full package holiday ▪ Define the different types of travel agencies ▪ Describe correctly the differences between the different types of tourism
agencies, ▪ Label the different departments in an incoming travel agency, ▪ Specify the work of a travel / wholesaler retailer travel agency ▪ Numerate the steps needed to design a complete tour or trip schedule Learners shall be able to: ▪ Tell the different main types of animation in a hotel ▪ Memorize the different types of hotels that include animation as a service to their
guests ▪ Distinguish the different restaurant types ▪ Numerate the different procedures needed to cost a menu ▪ Distinguish the rules of menu creating ▪ Relate with the needs of a restaurant’s customers and therefore produce the
adequate type of menu
Learners shall: ▪ Understand the different sorts of service marketing ▪ Understand the different aspects of service quality, ▪ Learn how customer relationship management works. Learner’s will understand how the following topics have changed in the internet age (post 2000): ▪ Demography ▪ Echo boomers (baby boomlet generation) ▪ Economic environment ▪ Environmental management perspective
Skills
Learners shall: ▪ Recognise and distinguish the different types of tourists ▪ Highlight the different tourists’ needs that are covered from a specific business in
the tourism industry, such as a hotel or a tourist agency ▪ Define the different characteristics of the tourist services ▪ Recognise and distinguish the different types of tourism agencies ▪ Highlight the different tourists’ needs that are covered from a specific business in
the travel industry, such as a specific alternative-tourism oriented tourism bureau or a tour operator
▪ Define the different characteristics of the transport provided from transportation companies
▪ Obtain knowledge over the “servuction model” ▪ Understand what causes service failure and how important that can be ▪ Be accustomed to the service culture Learners shall: ▪ Be able to think the best marketing policy in macro environment and
microenvironment, ▪ Focus on the different aspects of “marketing environments” that can form the
marketing policy.
12
Ref. N. 562222-EPP-1-2015-1-EL-EPPKA3-PI-
FORWARD
▪ Recognise the different types of water sports and the categories they fall in ▪ Know the exact names that water-sports have ▪ Know the different names of hotel types that provide animation as a tourism
service ▪ Understand the different desires that customers have depending on the type of
restaurant they visit ▪ Record the clients’ preferences to produce a menu that is totally tuned on their
needs ▪ Create a menu that is totally in accordance with the type and style of restaurant,
as well as the target group that the restaurant
Competences
▪ Find the different services for a tourist, based on his/her needs ▪ Organise a complete tour package, based on whether the participants are tourists
or excursionist and subsequently based on their needs ▪ Find the adequate travelling services for a tourist, based on his/her needs ▪ Organise a complete tour package, based on the type of travelling service needed
in each case and which is therefore the right type of tourist agency ▪ Organise the different type of hotel animation based on the type of guests ▪ Modify the intensity of the sports provided, based on the guest’s needs ▪ Apply a certain tailor made animation policy based on the hotel type ▪ Apply the obtained knowledge in creating the most suitable menu for each
restaurant ▪ Discover which is the best menu for each occasion based on each restaurant’s
resources ▪ Modify the already existing menu depending on the current situations (e.g. the
change of seasons, festivities or special occasions) in a way that suits both the restaurant and the clients
Learners shall be able to: ▪ Increase employee retention and loyalty ▪ Increase customer retention and loyalty ▪ Achieve service excellence in your industry ▪ Effectively drive organization’s culture, philosophy, vision, and mission Learners shall: ▪ Apply the obtained knowledge as Financial intermediaries, ▪ Implement the learned marketing tools as Marketing intermediaries.
13
Ref. N. 562222-EPP-1-2015-1-EL-EPPKA3-PI-
FORWARD
VIRTUS : Tourism and Hospitality Services
EQF Level Level 3
Module 3: Basic principles of Quality Client/Hospitality services 4: Client Complaint/Feedback Management
Overall
duration 4.5 hrs 4.5 hrs
Units Duration
(hrs) Title Activity description/material
Duration
(hrs) Title Activity description/material
Unit 1 0.5 Purchaser devotion
through value
▪ Learn theory
▪ tell experience in forum
▪ Video lecture
▪ Slide presentation
1.5
The Prominence of
amenity Recuperation
▪ Learn theory
▪ Video lecture
▪ tell experience in forum
▪ slide presentation
Unit 2 2 SERVQUAL AND
amenity value Models
▪ Learn and elaborate
▪ Slide presentation
▪ forum for discussion
1.5
Management of
Grievance and
amenity event
▪ Learn and elaborate
▪ Slide presentation
▪ forum for discussion
Unit 3 1.5
Tools to Analyze and
Address, amenity
value delinquents
▪ Learn theory
▪ reflection and work in collaboration
▪ self-assessment quiz
1
The Prominence of
proper Criticism
Gathering
▪ Learn theory
▪ reflection and work in collaboration
▪ self-assessment quiz
Assessment 0.5 0.5
Learning outcomes
Knowledge
Learners shall: ▪ Learn what a product is ▪ Learn what product levels are ▪ Learn what brand is ▪ Learn what concept and product development is ▪ Learn which are the Product features ▪ Be informed about what Revenue management is ▪ Understand the meaning of Societal (ethical) quality
Learners shall : ▪ Learn What a Complaint is? ▪ Identify A Complaint As A Gift ▪ Learn the Steps For Handling Customer Complaints ▪ Understand the Service Recovery Process ▪ Know how to Handle Difficult Customers Participants shall : ▪ Learn that feedback is so important
14
Ref. N. 562222-EPP-1-2015-1-EL-EPPKA3-PI-
FORWARD
▪ Learn basic features of technical quality Participants shall be able to understand the following terms: ▪ Cost-plus pricing ▪ Cross-selling ▪ Discriminatory pricing ▪ Fixed costs ▪ Going-rate pricing
▪ Understand why the whole management should be involved in this ▪ Learn the best ways to collect feedback ▪ Learn that feedback is so important ▪ Understand why the whole management should be involved in this ▪ Learn the best ways to collect feedback
Skills
Participants shall be able to: ▪ Identify in which product’s life cycle a product is ▪ Explain the Products Deletion Process ▪ Understand the consumption phase that a product is in Learners will: ▪ Provide customer related products ▪ Deliver Customer-delivered value ▪ Be able to expect service ▪ Know what to do in order to provide products and services freed from
deficiencies and of functional quality ▪ Understand the need to set a certain price to all products and services ▪ Understand the need to have the greatest selling results ▪ Obtain information about yield management
Learners shall : ▪ Recognise a genuine complaint from a non-genuine one ▪ Be able to identify the source of a complaint ▪ Be able to search for possible complaints and bring them to the surface Participants will: ▪ Understand why feedback is the way to understand what customer really want, ▪ Become accustomed in keeping clients engaged, ▪ Be able to tune services with the clients’ needs. ▪ Identify the weak areas of a business compliant management policy ▪ Manage to ask the right questions in each occasion ▪ Understand how to state a question regarding on the client
Competences
Participants shall be able to: ▪ augment a product (in the marketing sense) ▪ rejuvenate a product and rise its sales ▪ take the right and appropriate decisions about brands ▪ Generate correct ideas and concepts that derive from correct information and
reflect the company’s vision Learners shall : ▪ Apply the theories of standard operation procedures ▪ Be able to provide services which will have expected quality and time of delivery ▪ Learners will: ▪ Apply the upselling policies to the provided products ▪ Price all services based on their total value
Learners shall : ▪ Act in a professional and not personal way when facing complaints ▪ Apply the professional manner of problem-solving when it comes to difficult clients ▪ Apply certain strategies in handling difficult clients ▪ Construct feedback questions and state them to the clients ▪ Interpret the answers collected and tune the public relations strategy based on the
clients’ needs ▪ Inform all parties about the customers’ needs that are not fulfilled Participants shall : ▪ Advice others in making sites specialized in feedback ▪ Evaluate the nature and the quality of the feedback received ▪ Construct solid relationships with their clients based on the material collected from
the feedback
15
Ref. N. 562222-EPP-1-2015-1-EL-EPPKA3-PI-FORWARD
Social entrepreneurship
16
Ref. N. 562222-EPP-1-2015-1-EL-EPPKA3-PI-FORWARD
VIRTUS course: Social Entrepreneurship
Number of
modules 5
EQF Level Level 3
Overall duration 25,5 hrs
Modules Duration (hrs) Title Objective
Module 1 4,5
Introduction to Social
Entrepreneurship
to introduce adult learners to the core concepts of social
entrepreneurship.
to answer primary questions such as what is included in the notion of
Social Economy, what is a social enterprise, what are the latter’s aims,
what is social capital and how it is measured
Module 2 4,5
Producing Social Value: Identifying
a Social Business Opportunity
to equip learners with the methodologies and tools required in order to
recognize the potential for the development of a successful, socially-
oriented entrepreneurial activity.
Module 3 5,5
Social Entrepreneurship and
Innovation
to highlight the interconnection between social entrepreneurship and
innovation through reference to relevant case studies and best practices
recorded in EU-member states.
Module 4 4,5 Social development
to inform learners about different ways of developing a social enterprise
Module 5 4 Country specific topic
individual contents based on country specific needs
Assessment 2,5
ECVET credit 1
17
Ref. N. 562222-EPP-1-2015-1-EL-EPPKA3-PI-
FORWARD
VIRTUS : Social Entrepreneurship
EQF Level Level 3
Module 1: Introduction to Social Entrepreneurship 2: Producing social value: identifying a social business opportunity
Overall
duration 4, 5 hrs 4, 5 hrs
Units Duration
(hrs) Title Activity description/material
Duration
(hrs) Title Activity description/material
Unit 1 1,5 Introduction ▪ Learn theory
▪ pps.,links, video 0,5
Introduction to social
value proposition
▪ Learn theory
▪ ppt, links
Unit 2 1
Measure social impact ▪ Learn theory
▪ pps. links 1,5
Research, identify and
analyze the market/your
brand
▪ Learn from examples
▪ ppt, links, pdf templates
Unit 3 2
Ethics in social business ▪ Learn theory & reflect on good/ not good
examples
▪ pps., links
2,5
How to create
idea/social value
proposition
▪ Learn and reflect on own situation
▪ ppt, pdf template, links
Assessment
Learning outcomes
Knowledge
Learners shall be able to ▪ recognise factors and parts of a social business ▪ relate economic ideas with long term social benefits ▪ explain the discrepancy of ethical dilemmas in social enterprises
Learners shall be able to ▪ recognise the social value proposition. Why What, how, what’s ▪ understand the social value proposition ▪ recognise relevant marketing models with examples ▪ have a detailed knowledge of the market an competitors ▪ understand the concept of branding, its significance to the social innovation
18
Ref. N. 562222-EPP-1-2015-1-EL-EPPKA3-PI-
FORWARD
▪ explore whether the Social Innovation is a product/service or both ▪ identify the customer benefits and what customers/users of the social innovation can expect
Skills
Learners shall be able to ▪ select known concepts of social entrepreneurship ▪ identify factors of social impact measurement considering both, economic and social short
and long term benefits ▪ interpret forms of leadership behaviour in cases of ethical dilemmas
Learners shall be able to ▪ provide a short explanation of the problem/needs of the social innovation and the
challenges/barriers identified ▪ emphasise/highlight the social innovations benefits ▪ use different models and tools (PESTEL/SWOT/ PLUS additional P’s analysis) to the Social
Innovation project ▪ examine the market and demonstrates how it will differentiate the Social Innovation against
the competitors ▪ guide the social innovator in presenting the brand with reference to theoretical framework
models; customer participation, satisfaction and emotional intelligence ▪ determinate whether the social innovation is service or product and how it could be applied ▪ demonstrate/illustrate by examples the social value proposition
Competences
Learners shall be able to ▪ recall aspects of social enterprises expressing complexity according to different
perspectives related to the topic ▪ summarise different concepts in form of an independently written exercise ▪ independently evaluate situations in view of economic, social and ethical benefit
Learners shall be able to ▪ express how social innovation solves a problem and provides a solution. To have a clear idea
of the first vision ▪ apply various marketing models to the Social Innovation ▪ illustrate how the social innovation differentiates itself against competitors ▪ monitor the market and competitors ▪ lead the brand strategy and future direction ▪ establish the product/service offering into business context with a clear direction of the
societal and financial gain ▪ identify and demonstrate the customer/user benefits of the social innovation ▪ apply the social value proposition to the context of the proposal/project
19
Ref. N. 562222-EPP-1-2015-1-EL-EPPKA3-PI-
FORWARD
VIRTUS : Social Entrepreneurship
EQF Level Level 3
Module 3: Social Entrepreneurship and innovation 4: Social development
Overall
duration 4, 5 hrs. 4, 5 hrs.
Units Duration
(hrs) Title Activity description/material
Duration
(hrs) Title Activity description/material
Unit 1 1,5 Innovation in social
enterprises
▪ Learn in slide show, pdf & audio
▪ pps., links, 2 articles 2
Unique sales position
(USP) and pricing
▪ Learn and elaborate
▪ video, mp3, pps, links
Unit 2 1,5
Creativity ▪ Learn in slide show, pdf, try some techniques
and tell experience in forum
▪ pps., links 1
Voluntary work as
support in social-
oriented activities of
social enterprises
▪ Learn and (discuss - or) reflect upon
scenarios, blog
▪ text, links
Unit 3 1,5
Case studies ▪ Learn from case study - try to consider/ plan
to implement into local situation
▪ pps., links
1,5
Linking to and
networking with public
bodies
▪ Learn more on techniques
▪ pps., links
Assessment
Learning outcomes
Knowledge
Learners shall be able to ▪ describe the basic characteristics of innovation ▪ explain how innovation provides a competitive advantage to businesses ▪ describe what a social enterprise and a social innovation are ▪ name creativity. Learners will describe creativity's stages ▪ describe the factors that influence creativity ▪ describe good practises in social entrepreneurship. Learners will know the main fields of
Learners shall be able to paraphrase the process of price calculation ▪ recall the frame to be set in order to create an attractive frame for volunteers ▪ distinguish the aims of different initiatives in view of promoting social enterprises
20
Ref. N. 562222-EPP-1-2015-1-EL-EPPKA3-PI-
FORWARD
social entrepreneurship in Europe
Skills
Learners shall be able to ▪ distinguish innovative product or services. Learners will define the benefits of innovation ▪ formulate the differences between social enterprise and social innovation ▪ identify innovations in entrepreneurship ▪ analyse the nature of creativity ▪ determine the conditions for the effective implementation of creativity's techniques ▪ identify the comparative advances from good practises in social entrepreneurship ▪ analyse the main procedures of a social enterprise via case study ▪ classify the key challenges face a social enterprise ▪ compare different concepts of SE giving an exemplary presentation
Learners shall be able to ▪ give examples for price calculation in areas of social entrepreneurship ▪ identify areas and tasks for voluntary work ▪ transfer aims of different initiatives to techniques to approach them as a social enterprise
Competences
Learners shall be able to ▪ summarise the key differences between social enterprise and social innovation ▪ select innovative business ideas by independently conducted research on social innovation ▪ apply creativity's techniques ▪ evaluate which creativity's technique is more appropriate in different circumstances ▪ think more creative ▪ decide which technique should use ▪ demonstrate innovative and effective ideas for social problems and use appropriate
research
Learners shall be able to ▪ independently calculate the price for a product/service of a social enterprise ▪ develop a commitment offer for volunteers ▪ independently develop a plan to approach networking initiatives
21
Ref. N. 562222-EPP-1-2015-1-EL-EPPKA3-PI-FORWARD
About the VIRTUS Virtual Centre
The VIRTUS Virtual VET Centre (V3C) platform presents a comprehensive collection of requirements and a
first design for the V3C platform. Requirements base on end-user needs assessment, state-of-the-art of
virtual organizations in VET, and European certification practice. For a first design, the specification identifies
22
Ref. N. 562222-EPP-1-2015-1-EL-EPPKA3-PI-FORWARD
most important agent roles and use cases and introduces V3C as an integration of light-weight learning
management systems (LMS) and personal learning environments (PLE).
Following, the setting and features of the VIRTUS Virtual Centre will be described step by step in order to
provide clear instruction for the use of the platform.
FIGURE 1 LANDING PAGE OF THE V3C
Figure 1 shows the landing page of the VIRTUS Virtual Vocational Training Center (V3C). It is reachable via
http://virtus-vet.eu/. Here, the user finds first information about the center and s-/he can switch the
language to display the whole website according to his/her mother tongue. Additionally, the landing page
23
Ref. N. 562222-EPP-1-2015-1-EL-EPPKA3-PI-FORWARD
features further links to the center’s source code (“Fork me on GitHub”) and help pages explaining the
features of the platform in more detail.
To sign-in, the user has to click the sign in button in the upper left (marked with a red 1. in Figure 2.). This
redirects the user to an OpenId Connect login page (upper right of Figure 2), which also features the
possibility to create a new account (marked with a red 2.). This again leads the user to a registration form
(marked with a red 3.) that can be used to create an account.
After the user has logged in, s-/he can click on the “Courses” button, which will lead him/her to the subject
selection page that lets the user choose between the two course domains of “Social Entrepreneurship” and
“Tourism & Hospitality” (depicted in Figure 3).
FIGURE 2 LOGIN PROCEDURE OF THE V3C
24
Ref. N. 562222-EPP-1-2015-1-EL-EPPKA3-PI-FORWARD
FIGURE 3 SUBJECT SELECTION
25
Ref. N. 562222-EPP-1-2015-1-EL-EPPKA3-PI-FORWARD
FIGURE 4 COURSE SELECTION PAGE
Figure 4 shows a view of the V3C after the user has decided to view “Social Entrepreneurship” courses. Per
default, it features only these courses in the domain that are available in the user’s mother tongue (set in the
upper right). This can be changed by selecting a specific (possible different) language on the left side next to
26
Ref. N. 562222-EPP-1-2015-1-EL-EPPKA3-PI-FORWARD
the search field, or selecting “All Courses” here. It is also possible to filter the courses by inserting specific
search terms into the mentioned search field. The “Course List” features information about the course name,
its creator/maintainer, basic information (“Description” button), the course’s starting date and the (multiple)
languages it is available in. If the currently logged in user has editing privileges (i.e. has the “Teacher” role
that can be set in the admin interface of the platform), this view also shows buttons to translate, edit or
delete the course. Users with the teacher role can also chose to create a new course here.
FIGURE 5 COURSE UNIT SELECTION
27
Ref. N. 562222-EPP-1-2015-1-EL-EPPKA3-PI-FORWARD
By clicking on the “Enter Course” button, the user directly gets redirected to the learning room’s main page.
S-/he can also choose to first click on the course’s name to get redirected to the “Course Unit” view (Figure
5). Each course consists of multiple of these units. Here, the user can see his/her current progress in the
course unit and decide to take a specific course unit according to his/her liking or needs.
If the user has the “Teacher” role and decides to edit a course, s-/he gets redirect to a view depicted in Figure
6. Here, basic information of the course, such as the name, its domain and its basic description can be edited.
Additionally, this view provides a list of corresponding course units to be edited/deleted or “designed” (see
description of Figure 8 and 9). Also, the creation of new course units is possible from this view.
Figure 7 shows the creation of a new course unit. Here, the teacher only specifies the basic unit’s information,
the name, the ECVET points, its starting date and a description. The actual learning unit design is done in the
“Course Unit Design View” shown in Figure 8.
28
Ref. N. 562222-EPP-1-2015-1-EL-EPPKA3-PI-FORWARD
FIGURE 6 COURSE EDITING
29
Ref. N. 562222-EPP-1-2015-1-EL-EPPKA3-PI-FORWARD
FIGURE 7 COURSE UNIT CREATION
30
Ref. N. 562222-EPP-1-2015-1-EL-EPPKA3-PI-FORWARD
FIGURE 8 COURSE UNIT DESIGN
Figure 8 shows the design of a course unit. The teacher drags and drops widgets from the “Toolbox” on the
left into the “ROLE Space” on the right. Theses widgets are freely placeable and its size can be altered
according to the teacher’s needs. By clicking on the “Add Content” button, the widget can be configured.
This is shown exemplarily for the “Quiz” widget in Figure 9. Currently, there exist five different widgets,
namely the “Slides Widget” for presenting slide shows to the user, a “Video Widget” to show video material
31
Ref. N. 562222-EPP-1-2015-1-EL-EPPKA3-PI-FORWARD
to the learner, an “Image Widget” that displays various image formats and a “Video Conferencing Widget”
to allow for direct interaction with and between the learners during a learning session.
Finally, there exists a “Quiz Widget” which can be used for assessment of the learner’s progress. Figure 9
shows the configuration of such a widget and the resulting widget space. The teacher can specify questions
and (multiple) true and false answers to each of these questions. In the resulting space, the learner then can
answer these questions (once, since this date is stored for later evaluation) and directly gets feedback on
his/her learning success.
The screenshot in Figure 9 additionally shows some other configured widgets of a learning unit to give a
better impression on how the translation from “Unit Design” to “Widget Space” looks like.
32
Ref. N. 562222-EPP-1-2015-1-EL-EPPKA3-PI-FORWARD
33
Ref. N. 562222-EPP-1-2015-1-EL-EPPKA3-PI-FORWARD
FIGURE 9 COURSE UNIT DESIGN (ABOVE) AND RESULTING SPACE (BELOW)
Final remark: If you have any technical questions or need support, please contact us via the Virtual Virtus
Center (http://virtus-vet.eu).