Knowledge Alliance Proposal: WP 9 Create and Pilot Curriculum

Dear all - this is the close to final version of work package 9 for our Knowledge Alliance proposal. The work package is focused on creating and piloting a curriculum to address skills gaps giving rise to our proposal in the first place, therefore the lack of understanding related to accelerating the diffusion of innovation from ideation to market saturation in high value manufacturing. The ultimate goal is an Erasmus Mundus Joint Accredited Masters program - the most recent selection of such can be found at https://eeas.europa.eu/headquarters/headquarters-homepage/65938/erasmus-has-selected-44-new-erasmus-mundus-joint-master-degree-programmes_en and that is also where the image comes from.

Description

This implementation work package creates and pilots a career framework as a specialisation of the “Responsible and Flexible Career Development Framework for Researchers” focussed on the acceleration of the diffusion of innovation (eco-systems) from ideation to market saturation in high value manufacturing. The career framework will consist of a modular syllabus aligned with the “Curriculum Guidelines for Key Enabling Technologies (KETs) and Advanced Manufacturing Technologies (AMT)” (http://skills4industry.eu), will be made available based on the principles of Open Education (https://ec.europa.eu/jrc/en/open-education) and also be made available as a joint-accredited set of certificate courses provided by participating institues of higher education as vocational, higher education and continuous training offerings for varying entry level qualifications. The work package will culminate in an application for using the piloted curriculum as the foundation for an Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters Degree program or similar under the then relevant Horizon Europe program. This work package runs throughout the complete project and continuously creates and implements modules of an integrated syllabus based on an evolving curriculum strategy.

Tasks

Task #1: Create Curriculum Strategy

Create a curriculum strategy based on learner needs and best practices identified in the needs analysis as a set of modularized short and long term curriculum goals and intended learning outcomes.

Result #2: Create Collaboration Framework

Create a living (eco-) systems representation and description of the collaboration patterns needed between institutions of higher education, business enterprises, involved roles, individuals and peers, and communities regarding the engagement needed to achieve the defined strategy.

Task #3: Create Learning Content

Develop the learning content of the curriculum related both to the identified technical and soft skill sets of relevance within a single content management system suited for serving the delivery mechanisms following Open Education principles.

Task #4: Determine and Enable Delivery Mechanisms

Determine and enable the technical and soft skill requirements for delivery of the learning content in a wide variety of ways to meet learners´ expectations and learning preferences..

Task #5: Define and Create Learning Environments

Define the tangible and intangible requirements for and implement these in the physical and virtual spaces needed in order to support the delivery of the learning content via the content management system with the delivery mechanisms of relevance.

Task #6: Create and Conduct (Stakeholder) Assessment

Create and conduct a set of assessments to monitor progress towards curriculum learning outcomes and required collaboration behaviours of the living (eco-) system as modelled in the simulation. The assessments will be aligned to the defined intellectual capital reporting approach.

Task #7: Enable Recognition

Enable the formal recognition and accreditation of the syllabi for content delivery from vocational institutes, higher education organizations and continuous training institutes in the regions where the project events (i.e. use case development, verification and implementation) are held.

Task #8: Ensure Quality of Curriculum

Conduct feedback exercises to ensure that the employer and student expectations are met by completing the vocational, higher education and continuous training curricula.

Task #9: Ensure Participation

Ensure sufficient participation in course content delivery offerings at vocational, higher education and continuous training levels by project participants through appropriate marketing efforts.

Task #10: Apply for Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters Degree Program Approval

Apply for approval of the developed and piloted curriculum as a joint-accredited Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters Degree program.

Task #11: Provide Policy Guidance

Provide recommendations for improving policy at EU, national and regional levels in order to enable rapid diffusion of the curriculum to a wider range of countries, regions and institutions, including a wider spread of potential participants at all levels of qualification.

Results (outputs and outcomes)

Result #1: Curriculum Strategy

A curriculum strategy based on learner needs and best practices identified in the needs analysis and shaped as a set of modularized short and long term curriculum goals and intended learning outcomes through offerings of diverse duration and emphasis. Learner needs will include not only perspective of learning outcomes, but also identify different learning styles, learning motivations, continuous learning perspectives, social / emotional aspects, and integration with ways of working. Curriculum goals will include both from short term perspectives focused on adopting new ways of working to achieve increased productivity and efficiency, and long term objectives focused on cultivating and maintaining cultures of learning and sense of meaningful purpose. A holistic combination of metrics will be included based upon principles of intellectual capital reporting to assess and monitor achievement of curriculum goals and intended learning goals from a short and long term perspective. These metrics will also serve to improve the strategy and related activities. Significant input is expected from the workpackage creating the simulation to primarily define required technical skills and from the in-depth needs analysis to ensure that existing best practice and required soft-skills are understood. This output is due in M12. The language of the output is English. The media of the output is a text document.

Result #2: Collaboration Framework

A living (eco-) systems representation and description of the collaboration patterns needed between institutions of higher education, business enterprises, involved roles, individuals and peers, and communities regarding the engagement needed to achieve the defined strategy. The living (eco-) system will be embedded in the simulation and risk and uncertainty framework thus including performance metrics, scenarios and actionable interventions to improve performance on a continuing basis. While the specific (independent) variables will be identified during the course of the work package initial attention will be given to factors such as learners´ intrinsic motivations, emotional aspects of learning, dynamics of knowledge sharing networks and the role of social media within such living (eco-) systems. The output will furthermore highlight gaps to existing best practice models and pilot outputs in the validation and implementation work packages. The output will be defined along the six dimensions of impact, self-efficacy, autonomy, involvement in decision-making, opportunities for professional growth and professional status. The output will also highlight potential game changers in performance for the living (eco-) systems from a technological and collaboration organization perspective. This output is due in M18. The language of the output is English. The media of the output is a text document and a simulation version in a spreadsheet.

Result #3: Learning Content

The learning content of the curriculum related both to the identified technical and soft skill sets of relevance within a single content management system suited for serving the delivery mechanisms following Open Education (OpenEdu) principles. The learning content is accompanied by a detailed syllabus with relevant and learning techniques in order to address learner needs from a short and long term perspective. The syllabus will provide the structure for integrated theory and activities, define roles and expectations in order to ensure clear and measurable learning outcomes. Locations, schedules, learning objectives, required materials, recommended prior certifications, attendance requirements etc. will be defined, including assessment methodologies. The content will be structured to support vocational, higher educational and continuous training contexts. Special emphasis will be placed on providing the content via a diverse spectrum of established (virtual) learning environments and delivery mechanisms. Regional considerations and requriements will be addressed. Novel content forms such as scenario based role playing scripts and (serious) games will also be offered as the basis for experimental innovation. This output is due in M24. The language of the output is English. The media of the output is a file system, text documents, a simulation version in a spreadsheet, presentation documents, video files and media specialized for delivery mechanisms selected.

Result #4: Delivery Mechanisms

The technical and soft skill requirements for delivery of the learning content in a wide variety of ways to meet learners´ expectations and learning preferences, and learning content made available for delivery through these mechanisms. The output will at a minimum include learning content “ready for use” via face-to-face learning, via an open access e-learning platform, via an open access m-learning platform, via open access MOOCs and SPOCs, and via (virtual / immersive) games. Delivery mechanisms will be designed to represent an integrated enhancing system of approaches centred on the simulation. Delivery mechanisms will also align with such mechanisms found embedded in participating organizations. The potential of creating adaptive characteristics through the use of artificial intelligence approaches for learning analytics will be explored in order to avoid a “one size fits all” bias and support learner needs as optimally as possible. This output is due in M24. The language of the output is English. The media of the output is configured delivery mechanisms connected to content materials developed.

Result #5: Learning Environments

The tangible and intangible requirements for and their implementation in the physical and virtual spaces needed in order to support the delivery of the learning content via the content management system with the delivery mechanisms of relevance. This output ensures that the verification and implementation workpackages are fully supported from a learning perspective in order validate the effectiveness of these learning environments for meeting assessment, recognition and quality criteria. This work package will furthermore identify and describe how learners can configure (combinations of) learning environments to suit their learning preferences and meet relevant formal vocational, higher education and continuous training requirements. Learning environments will also reflect design criteria for participants with learning disabilities and / or access restrictions. This output is due in M24. The language of the output is English. The media of the output is a text document.

Result #6: (Stakeholder) Assessment

A set of assessments to monitor progress towards curriculum learning outcomes and required collaboration behaviours of the living (eco-) system as modelled in the simulation. The assessments will be aligned to the defined intellectual capital reporting approach and consist of self-assessments, (360 degree) peer assessments, and institutional assessments, and include adaptive recommendations for relevant improvements. Assessments will furthermore align to the recognition needs of content and relevant vocational, higher education and continuous training expectations. Assessments will also be provided in a wider variety of formats including quizzes, interviews, assignments, presentations, and practical examinations etc. in both manual and automated approaches. Assessments will include not only participants consuming content, but also individuals and organizations tasked with the delivery, maintenance and continuous improvement of this content. This output is due in M24. . The language of the output is English. The media of the output is a text document and a spreadsheet document.

Result #7: Recognition

The formal recognition and accreditation of the syllabi for content delivery from vocational institutes (i.e. chambers of commerce), higher education organizations (i.e. participating universities) and continuous training institutes in the regions where the project events (i.e. use case development, verification and implementation) are held. This formal recognition also includes relevant European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) assignment for higher education offerings and listing of the syllabi in the formal offerings of the relevant (regional) training and education organizations. Preference will be given to syllabi which are joint-recognized across regions. Informal (social) recognition will be achieved through confirmation of the skills development and value of such through participating business enterprises. The result will be coordinated with the EURAXESS network and organizations to increase the transferability of the framework to other national and institutional contexts. This output is due in M24. The language of the output is English. The media of the output is a text document.

Result #8: Quality

Feedback through the assessments that the employer and student expectations are met by completing the vocational, higher education and continuous training curriculi. Employers may come from business enterprises and educational institutes and will describe the degree to which participants completing the training curriculi are enabled to add value to their organizations above and beyond their day to day duties. The result will furthermore contain recommendations for improvement of the training and education offerings while such will be implemented by the end of the project. This output is due in M36. The language of the output is English. The media of the output is a text document and edited media from previous results.

Result #9: Participation

Participation in course content delivery offerings at vocational, higher education and continuous training levels by project participants. Each delivery offering will be completed at least once by a suitably sized audience whereby at least 20 participants per module will be aimed for. Relevant recruitment activities for participation will be conducted as the syllabi for content modules becomes available during the course of the project. This output is due in M36. The language of the output is English. The media of the output is a text document with assessment and quality results including documentation of participants.

Result #10: Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters Degree Program Application

Submission of the developed and piloted curriculum for approval as a joint-accredited Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters Degree program. The application will be endorsed by the consortium of higher education institutions participating in the project. Pending details on how this program will be included in the pending Horizon Europe program, the existing recommendations as part of the Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters Degree 2020 call will be used as guidance. This output is due in M36. The language of the output is English. The media of the output is a text document.

Result #11: Policy Guidance

Recommendations for improving policy at EU, national and regional levels in order to enable rapid diffusion of the curriculum and its continuous improvement to a wider range of countries, regions and institutions, including a wider spread of potential participants at all levels of qualification. This output is due in M36. The language of the output is English. The media of the output is a text document.

If you are interested in learning more please visit us at www.innovation-web.eu, our LinkedIn Group at https://www.linkedin.com/groups/8779542/, our blog at https://www.innovation-web.eu/entov-hvm-blog, our Researchgate project page at https://www.researchgate.net/project/Open-European-Network-for-Enterprise-Innovation-in-High-Value-Manufacturing-ENTOV-HVM and our Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2014779865300180/. You can also follow us via Twitter: @owschwabe (#innovationweb) and the LinkedIn Group page https://www.linkedin.com/company/entov.