eWBL: work-based learning work in an online environment

Our Career Service takes part in the eWBL project - Work-based learning in an online environment, financed by the Erasmus+ Programme in the framework of the action KA220-HED - Cooperation partnerships in higher education. The main aim of the project is to share good practices to set up and manage remote and/or blended internships, to create tools and guidelines to assess their quality, in order to upskill educators in HEIs (lecturers, trainers and administrative staff) on how to design and deliver high-quality eWBL

Contacts

For further information: www.ewbl-project.com

The project consortium members are:

• FH Münster University of Applied Sciences – (Germany), Coordinator
• Momentum Marketing Services Limited – Momentum (Ireland)
• Rijksuniversiteit Groningen – RUG (Netherlands)
• Fondazione Giacomo Brodolini – FGB (Italy)
• Univerza v Ljubljani – UL (Slovenia)
• Ca' Foscari University of Venice – UNIVE (Italy)

The project is divided into 4 work-packages, taking place between 2022 and 2024:

1. WP 1 - Needs and challenges: the aim of WP1 is to explore the challenges met and the alternatives found by WBL providers across Europe in their shift from WBL to eWBL. This has been achieved through interviews with stakeholders of WBL providers across Europe and different disciplines (trainees, academic and company tutors). The interviews followed a specific path and covered how WBL was provided before COVID-19, the challenges encountered in shifting to eWBL and the alternatives or solutions found in response. Each consortium member completed a National Report, whose findings have been summarized in a Synthetic Report to offer an overview across the EU.
2. WP 2 - Frameworks and models: based on the challenges and alternatives identified on WP1, WP2 will produce general frameworks and replicable models on how to provide high-quality eWBL that are useful to a wider audience, considering that there is currently very little understanding and guidance on how to conduct high-quality eWBL both from a pedagogical and technological perspective.
3. WP 3 - Toolkit and OERs (open educational resources): upskilling WBL teachers and trainers requires translating the outputs from the previous WPs into a trainer’s Toolkit and OERs. Trainers often need more concrete instructions, tools and examples to be able to actually design better learning interventions. That’s why a toolkit, complemented by open educational resources, will be extremely important to train the target audience on the development of high-quality eWBL.
4. WP 4 - Capacity building: based on the previous project outputs, WP4 aims to train the project's target audience (HEI lecturers, trainers and administrative staff) on how to provide high-quality eWBL. Firstly, the consortium will deliver a train-the-trainer workshop to prepare so-called master trainers. Then each master trainer will deliver, in their own country, a capacity-building course.