<< Background >>Hiking, especially in the environments of natural beauty, is a valuable form of free time activity, raising curiosity of the world, offering opportunities for new encounters and contributing to a healthy lifestyle. It is a form of ecotourism that should be promoted among young people who tend to submerge in the virtual reality of digital games and social media interactions at the expense of physical activity in the open air. Schools usually organise class trips to distant locations of cultural or historical significance. However, the value of local and regional trips should not be disregarded. They are much easier to organise at a lower cost so more such trips are possible. They let students explore their own ‘small homelands’ often unknown in their riches. If combined with walking in the countryside, they give students an enjoyment of physical exercise in the company of school friends. If skillfully combined with an exploratory learning programme, they strengthen positive attitudes to education projects bridging school knowledge with the real environment in which the students live.There is a growing conviction among educators, researchers and policy makers that school education should move towards a more integral programme of teaching, connecting themes from across the curriculum to offer interesting and motivating learning experiences for students. Active exploration of nature facilitated by digital media (digital maps, photography, filmmaking) is a particular case of such an approach, linking school subjects of Geography, Biology, Physical Education and IT into integral learning experiences, attractive for young people and enjoyable at the same time.<< Objectives >>OBJECTIVEOur goal is to increase the number of school students taking part in hiking trips that combine physical outdoor activity with an interdisciplinary learning programme. In order to attain this objective we will take the following steps:- Identify hiking trails leading through natural and cultural heritage sites in the partner schools’ regions- Outline an exploratory learning programme for each hike- Involve pilot classes in each school and conduct preparatory lessons- Organise the trips during which students record the trails and gather resources for their annotation and illustration- Create, publish and promote the trail maps online to attract new groups of young people to these ‘hikeways’ - Share experiences from the trips through students online communication with peers from the other partner countries- Provide learning mobility opportunities to the best motivated participants involving explorations of trails abroad - Build a wider school/youth network around shared interests in hiking on the foundation laid during these first encounters- Distil the best trails and learning scenarios and present them in a publication that can encourage similar initiatives by other schools<< Implementation >>NOVEMBER 2021 - JANUARY 2022Identification of hiking trails leading through natural and cultural heritage sites in the partner schools’ regions; choosing the trails which are walkable in a given time, have some interesting features and their difficulty level is appropriate for groups of young people, including those with lower physical fitness; 1st meeting (Wadowice) to discuss progress of work and all the essential project management issues. FEBRUARY - JUNE 20221st round of school hiking trips (2 - 3 in each country); in each team one mountain guide leading on this and a group of teachers with specific competences for the particular aspects of the programme; designing and implementing outdoor learning experiences for the students in relation to the school curriculum of Geography, Biology, English, Art and IT; preparatory and follow-up activities in the classroom and online; 1st staff learning mobility (Ljubljana) focused on digital mapping; beginning of work on the main project output, the HikeWays Guide; creation of tools to propagate it widely (website, social media).JULY - AUGUST 2022Consolidating findings to date; finalising 1st set of trail guides covering the trips organised to date; 2nd and 3rd staff learning mobilities - on video storytelling in Cluj and on aerial photography in Wadowice; participating teachers introduce these aspects to the programme of trips in the following semesters. SEPTEMBER 2022 - JANUARY 2023Next round of learning activities following the same approach as in the previous semester; new exploratory programmes for different trails and for new classes (2 - 3 trips in each country); collecting more content for the Guide; online interactions of both the participating students and teachers from the partners’ countries facilitated by the project website and social media channels.FEBRUARY - JUNE 20232nd project meeting (Ljubljana); next round of learning activities with the same approach as in the previous semesters but on different trails and for new classes (2 - 3 trips in each country); collecting more content for the Guide; preparation of the programme of student learning mobilities in the summer; summative evaluation of the students’ satisfaction and learning outcomes to have well validated results to share with other educators. JULY - AUGUST 2023International learning mobilities for students from the partner schools in each country; completion and translation of the Guide and launching its promotion campaign.SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 20233rd project meeting (Cluj); mobilising the partner teams and networks to widely propagate the project results and share them with teachers and youth workers from other schools and educational establishments<< Results >>DIGITAL MAPSOnline maps with recommended trails in the mountainous regions where the partners’ organisations are located; detailed routes, descriptions of interesting places of natural and cultural significance on the way, practical info on what to do/see in the locality and photos giving insights into these places; all the maps accessible via the project website and social media. PHOTO GALLERIESPhotographs taken by the participants during the mountain hikes; photos of places and objects of natural and cultural significance as well as visual documentation of youth interactions on the way; both ground photography and aerial landscape photography; the best photos edited for publishing in online galleries (Instagram).MOUNTAIN FILMSDepicting the beauty of the mountain ranges and the places visited on the trails; also grasping the atmosphere of youth interactions, especially during explorations of interesting sites; footage from the hikes providing material for digital stories of the trips with visual content and narration in English. PROJECT WEBSITEA WordPress website with essential info on the project and posts from hiking trips contributed by the participants; all the major results presented on the website (digital maps with guided trails, photos, films).FACEBOOK GROUPFacilitating direct communication among members with feeds from across the network; linked to the project website.PUBLICATION “HikeWays: Mountain Trails for School Hiking Trips”Presenting the best trails and exploratory learning scenarios developed in the course of project activities - the main Project Result widely shared with educators and youth workers across Europe.OUTCOMES- For young participants: increased knowledge and skills in the areas of the interdisciplinary learning programme, a wider network of contacts and friends crossing national borders; increased knowledge of their own and the partners’ countries; healthier lifestyles; more positive attitudes to school education offering interesting and engaging experiences as well as European projects.- For school teachers and youth workers: more willingness to plan outdoor activities for young people with ambitious educational aims related both to the school curriculum and the students’ interests, curiosity and vitality; new opportunities for networked learning in a European dimension thus raising appreciation of EU projects.- For partner organisations: new cross-curricular learning programmes in the partner schools, reinforced capacity for European cooperation of all the participating organisations bridging school education, youth work and tourism; integration/adaptation of new pedagogical methods from other contexts.

Technical and technological development in modern industry imposes the need to review education of mechatronics and the skills required in their professional work.The objective of the partnership was to look at the process of vocational education in the mechatronics industry from the perspective of industrial change and the employers’ expectations of their employees. We have adopted the task to modify the education program in the profession of mechatronics by adding context that had not been previously included in the curriculum. Our objective was to select the curriculum content and teaching tools that would make learning a profession more interesting and enjoyable.Through our efforts we have aimed to develop new methods and tools in the field of vocational education, which will enable teachers of the profession and students to actively cooperate with each other.Participants of the project:1. Polish educational institutions providing vocational training, among others in the profession of mechatronics technician.2. Polish company engaged in supporting vocational education and training activities.3. The Spanish research and technology centre, whose field of activity is conducting research and supporting the development of industry, and in particular the implementation of technological innovations.4. Italian training and mentoring centre combining vocational training with higher education, its aim is to develop entrepreneurship, competitiveness and innovation of enterprises.Within the framework of the project we realized 6 intellectual outputs:1. Designing a model for teaching mechatronics (with on-line access);2. Developing assumptions about the use of the scientific model in teaching mechatronics;3. Designing the usefulness of the models in enterprises;4. Software and set of assumptions of using the model in vocational training;5. Preparing interactive module and technical documentation;6. Innovative program of using interactive educational module in mechatronics.The methods adopted for the project and during the cooperation:- task-based work – taking on the task of developing and preparing an interactive learning module for mechatronics engineering;- conceptual work - adoption of conceptual assumptions and functionalities of the educational module, which is supported by training;- designing work - selection of mechanical solutions, electronic controls and necessary software, which is supported by training;- development of solutions - verification of accepted assumptions and planned functionality;- design and testing phase - preparation and conduct of prototype tests;- phase of implementation - application of the adopted solutions in the practice of vocational training.The first phase showed how to use the module in interaction-based learning processes, primarily in terms of decision-making autonomy and the ability to assess student performance. In phase two, the task, the concept of functionality and possibilities of using the method were all defined. The project was then developed in a practical form, taking into account the constructs of the future work of the students. A set of assumptions and a description of the software structure takes into account information about the expected and possible behaviour of all elements of the module and their relationships in the learning process. Designing the model plays the most important role in achieving the project goal.The concept of the training program is based on an interactive educational module that includes the educational content of the educational platform and a toolbox containing the elements needed to assemble the physical model and its programming. The strategy of acquiring knowledge and skills in this solution promotes active learning through practical problem solving rather than the classical memorising of knowledge.Thanks to these solutions it will be possible to improve the implementation of the didactic process at school, improve the quality of education, stimulate students' motivation to learn. The adopted solutions also created opportunities for students to self-study based on the prepared educational model.This activity will obviously help the human capital that goes to companies that use mechatronic systems in their production processes.The anticipated long-term benefits of our project is the opportunity to further collaborate and exchange experiences, knowledge and good practices by further maintaining the EDUTRONIX web platform. It is also an opportunity to learn practical solutions in education, raise professional qualifications, establish contacts and develop or transfer innovations.

We are witnessing a particularly changing work environment in which technological advances are offering a change in the industrial paradigm. Industry 4.0 with the incorporation of the Internet of Things, electronic components, Big Data, robotics and the advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AI) are changing the workplace. In addition, new professionals are required to be able to work in multidisciplinary teams, to be especially creative and innovative, and to have the skills developed to lifelong learning, since changes will be constant and adapting to them will be essential. This project brings together four vocational training centres coordinated by IES PABLO DE OLAVIDE from Spain, SOLSKI CENTER NOVO MESTO from Slovenia, CENTRUM KSZTALCENIA ZAWODOWEGO W WYSOKIEM MAZOWIECKIEM from Poland, CEPROF - CENTROS ESCOLARES DE ENSINO PROFISSIONAL LDA from Portugal, together with the technology centre: ASSOCIATION OF RESEARCH OF THE RELATED AND RELATED TOY INDUSTRY from Spain, form a balanced consortium with connections and synergies to incorporate AI in the fields of home automation, industrial maintenance and automotive.Within the multiple branches of AI, bots are possibly the most developed in their successful application. A bot is a program that mimics human behaviour by performing automated tasks. Conversational bots or chatbots have had a great development in recent years thanks to the incorporation of AI, allowing natural language and machine learning to advance considerably.The consortium has designed the development of three intellectual outputs for direct application of AI in VET centres in those sectors shared by the project partners: home automation, industrial maintenance, and automotive. For each sector, 6 demonstrators will be modelled that will be based on the cycles of each of the participating schools. Altogether 18 demonstrators. Different chatbots will be used in each intellectual output in order to adapt to the needs of each sector and to have a broader knowledge of the possibilities.In the field of home automation, a voice chatbot will be used. In the case of industrial maintenance, connectivity with mobile devices prevails. In the automotive field, a chatbot will be used to operate on social networks. In this way, the demonstrators will be enriched and our students will be able to advance in the knowledge of various tools, also adapting them to the sectors and studies they are studying.On the other hand, five mobilities have been planned, four for students and one for teachers at the beginning of the project, to be able to train in AI tools that will allow the project to be implemented in the three sectors mentioned. For their part, students will be able to test the AI development activities that will be generated on their mobilities.Five transnational meetings will be organised to complete the project cycle for two years.

"The main goal of this project was to create strategic partnership that will increase the quality and usefulness of the training offer in the profession of automotive technician by developing a new and innovative approach to teaching in this profession and supporting the dissemination of the best European practices in this field. It allowed to adjust vocational education and training in the automotive industry to the labour market, development of high-quality education with a strong element of learning based on cooperation with entrepreneurs, while affecting all target groups, i.e. professional teachers in vocational education , improving the skills of training participants - students using the AlterDrive platform and benefits for economic participants - companies receiving a better employee completing vocational education at school, as well as the development of Partners in the field of education and international cooperation. In the project, we focused in outputs on the needs specified in the analysis of the needs of target groups of students, teachers of the profession and entrepreneurs on the labour market, as well as the needs and suggestions of Partners, i.e. we verified and modelled programs, examined the needs of employers, developed methodology and materials, and tested and implemented the AlterDrive platform. Outputs were directly related to professional competences and skills, so that innovation in technology could play an active role in education, and through technology create knowledge and solve conceptual problems in keeping up with technological development. Thanks to international cooperation and partnership consisting of schools, a research center and companies, it was possible to carry out tasks and responsibilities for the joint implementation of the project tailored to their capabilities and best reflecting their nature and development needs within the partner organizations themselves:1. CKZ + all other partners began project activities by verifying the model of teaching about propulsion systems at the level of vocational education both from the side of schools and from the perspective of companies;2. then exclusively ARP + CKZ created a model program to teaching elements related to alternative sources of motor vehicle propulsion and prepared its theoretical scope consistent with the profile of vocational education and the necessary qualifications and minimum curriculum;3. PP together with their Czech counterpart (ERA) and Spanish partner (AIJU) carried out research and verified the needs of employers in terms of staff and their professional skills necessary on the labour market in this industry; PP and AIJU sent 5 employees for training during this time;4. CKZ + all other partners have developed a methodology and sets of practical exercises to create materials course in the automotive industry regarding alternative sources of automotive drives; CKZ and ARP have sent 5 employees for training on the AlterDrive platform, VR applications and alternative vehicle drives;5. ERA + all other partners were responsible for the final version of the materials developed for conducting practical courses in the automotive industry regarding alternative drive sources and in particular by cooperating with schools for conducting the pilot course cycle with students and entrepreneurs; At that time, CKZ and ARP carried out combined mobility for 16 of their students and 2 teachers on the AlterDrive platform, VR applications and alternative motor vehicle drives;6. AIJU in cooperation with all partners was responsible for creating the final shape and functionality of the ""AlterDrive"" platform for learning about alternative propulsion systems in the profession of automotive technician.The platform will be able to be used in classes in the profession of automotive vehicle technician practically throughout Europe (all tools will be available through the website (www.alterdrive.eu), which was popularized at 2 final conferences in Poland and the Czech Republic. It will be able to expand the knowledge on the construction, operation, development perspectives of LPG and CNG power systems, hybrid drives and battery-powered and fuel cell electric drives. The platform includes information on results, meetings of Partners, information about Partners and the project, as well as course materials and tools for checking acquired knowledge such as: kahoot, educaplay, hotpotatoes or classic quizzes. The website also has information about the AlterDrive application made in VR technology and available for free to each user (the condition is to have equipment to support applications in virtual reality technology). The course materials are in three languages: Polish, Czech and English, which makes the AlterDrive platform universal."

<< Objectives >>OBJ1. Roll-out the reskilling agenda of the Automotive Skills Alliance in partnership countries.OBJ2. Develop a novel curriculum for dual vocational training on EV service, repair & maintenanceOBJ3. Introduce flexible training delivery methods to support self-paced skills acquisition and inclusivenessOBJ4. Foster the capitalisation of EVTECH results in VET practice through the recognition and integration of relevant occupational requirements into competence frameworks & certification schemes<< Implementation >>-Consultation with experts on curriculum structure & content-Joint design of a VET curriculum along with OERs on EV service, repair & maintenance-Pilot delivery and evaluation of curriculum’s learning effectiveness-Sectoral recognition of new occupational requirements-Delivery of a Blueprint for the establishment of an EU-wide vocational qualification for EV technicians-Groundwork for the introduction of “EV technicians” as a new specialty in partner countries’ qualification schemes<< Results >>-A 2-semester curriculum with WBL components on EV service, repair & maintenance in 6 EU languages -A self-guided online course to promote flexibility in learning -Updated occupational profiles on ESCO-Specifications for an EU-wide VET qualification for EV technicians-Skills Certificate Supplement -5 on-site training seminars & 1 pilot session of the online course-800 car technicians trained & upskilled-5 national information days