The Covid -19 pandemic is challenging not only our everyday life and interaction but systemic processes and strategies such as the ones related to the health sector or education. And these challenges have a long term impact and will reflect in a more profound change in the way education and training will look like and the necessary abilities and competencies necessary for education and training providers. Quality Essential Skills for Teachers in Online Learning (QUEST) is a 24 months strategic partnership project developed by an NGO (Romanian Angel Appeal Foundation - www.raa.ro), an instructional design company (Newschool - https://newschool.me) from Norway, an university (Autonomous University of Barcelona - https://www.uab.cat/en) based in Spain, a serious games company (Succubus Interactive - http://www.succubus.fr/#/), from France, and one college (Nicolae Grigorescu National College) from Romania.5 partners from 4 countries propose a project aiming at improving the competencies of mainstream teachers from primary and secondary educational levels in using digital learning in education.The project has the following objectives: O1.: Development in an academic and collaborative way of 5 e-learning modules tackling essential competencies for quality online learning (online presence, interaction & dialogue, gamification, instructional design, feedback & assessment).O2.: Creation of an European network of teachers’ trainers for online learning composed of 18 teachers that participate in an advanced TOT composed of 10 training days, feedback loops with end users (students and teachers at local level) and delivery of thematic webinars.O3.: Increasing the competencies of over 2,450 teachers in order for them to deliver higher quality online classes tackling attractivity, interactivity and academic progress of students.The management framework of the project consists of 7 activities, 4 consortium meetings, monitoring and evaluation actions and a consistent communication and dissemination component. This framework will ensure the selection of 18 teachers which will participate in an intensive TOT consisting of 2 5-days modules: Module 1 - “Building self-confident trainers for online communication” and Module 2 - “Gamification and instructional design for online learning processes”, and will implement 2 feedback loops with students and teachers in order for them to give feedback on the e-learning modules to be developed within the project. The 18 trainees, constituting the QUEST network, will support the project team in co-creation, piloting and implementation of 5 high quality Intellectual Outputs in the form of MOOCs containing essential skills of online teaching, which will be made widely available for teachers in the 4 countries and beyond.By the end of the project, 5 Intellectual Outputs will be finalized (in English and the 4 languages of the project - French, Spanish, Norwegian, Romanian) and will be disseminated in the form of freely accessible e-learning courses:IO1 - E-learning “Building Self-confidence for online communication”IO2 - E-learning “Managing online interactive classrooms”IO3 - E-learning “Gamifying the online classroom”IO4 - E-learning “Instructional design for online learning”IO5 - E-learning “Students’ evaluation & feedback in the online environment”The main quality of the 5 IOs is that they approach top priority subjects for raising quality in the online teaching, and, after the end of the project, will be available as a fundamental skills MOOC, but also as stand-alone modules, so that teachers can pick the most needed, if they do not want to get through all the programme.An e-learning platform will host the 5 e-learning modules, and through the dissemination activities of the project (9 webinars, 4 national multiplier events and a complex Communication and Dissemination plan) the QUEST e-learning will reach minimum 10,000 teachers.The project has been designed as a response to the training and digital learning needs of teachers from the 4 partners countries and reflects the interest and strategic approach towards innovation, high-quality learning content development of the consortium partners and to their strategic partnership objectives within the Erasmus plus program.

The D-TIPS project – Design Thinking In Primary Schools – aims to equip primary school teachers with the appropriate tools and methods to impart the design thinking approach to children in Europe. The development of critical cognitive and non-cognitive abilities, such as critical thinking, reflection, self-regulation, and collaboration, are high on the agenda of all schools. It is though developing these skills in children that schools can contribute to mitigating major challenges in society.A key resource in developing those skills are the teachers; upgrading their educational practices and providing lifelong learning opportunities for them is a European priority. Training in design thinking can increase the resilience of both teachers and children when facing complex issues. Design thinking is not only a way of responding to problems, but a practice of reframing the problems (critical thinking) and a practice of co-creation (collective intelligence and cooperation). It is also a method of continuous improvement, a way of imagining the future and an approach to iteration through trial and error (problema solving). Through utilising design thinking we are able to of visualise concepts (visual learning) and bring them to life through building and making with our hands (learning by doing). Finally, and crucially, design thinking embeds empathy (emotional intelligence) within its processes; a means to manifest caring and understanding with the ones who will benefit from the solution.D-TIPS will focus on designing tools and methods developed specifically for primary school teachers, especially those who have no experience with design thinking. It will provide training for teachers in design thinking practices and a means of connecting them in order continuously hone their newly acquired skills.D-TIPS will develop a series of unique tools ranging from ready-to-use ones (easy to put in place - ‘plug and play’) to more advanced tools (both digital and analogue) that teachers can customize, adapt and change according to their needs, However, being equipped with effective tools does not ensure the proper use and know-how of these tools. Therefore, the D-TIPS toolbox has a strong training component in which the basic knowledge of design thinking principles as well as competency-based teaching will be provided to the teachers. In order to ensure the transferability and accessibility of knowledge created within (and beyond the project), our toolbox is supported by an online environment which will help to facilitate the creation of Design Thinking learning activities. We will also build and develop a transnational community of teachers with similar interests that will enable the sharing of best practices, understanding, and professional experience. The D-TIPS project itself follows a Design Thinking methodology. This means that we will co-create the tools with the teachers we work with, try them out together with other stakeholders and children in pilot schools, and iterate until we reach a series of appropriate, robust, and reality proof tools.The direct participation of 7 different European countries (project partnership: Spain, Belgium, Norway, Netherlands and Lithuania, and associated partners: Romania and France) will ensure the integration of differents aspects from different European educational systems. The D-TIPS methodology is based on a active participation of the “end-users” to the development of the materials, a logic of trying-out at a very early stage of design, a principle of iterative and progressive adjustment and finally a spirit of co-creation in which we do not design “for” but design “for and with” teachers and children. For this reason 4 parallel multiplier events will be organized in Spain, Belgium, Lithuania and Romania with the aim of engaging local teachers. And one Final event will be hosted physically in Spain (but online broadcasted) a knowledge exchange event to internationally spread our final results, lessons learned and discuss with educators, teachers, parents and policy makers about the positive impact of integrating Design Thinking in Primary education.We expect to reach at least 10000 educators (including teachers, managers, trainers and policy makers) during the Project duration. The design of the Toolbox as an online environment is aligned to our sustainability plan to ensure the engagement and use of the tools by stakeholders beyond the duration of the Project. To conclude, the D-TIPS project aims at contributing to the progressive transformation and renewal of education: (1) by empowering teachers with new competences and tools based on the application of Design Thinking in Primary Education - through the use of the D-TIPS Toolbox; (2) and by implementing new ways for children to learn and think: being more prepared to face uncertainties and challenges and helping them discover their role in shaping the future.