<< Background >>The project eEarlycare-T addresses the specific need for training and updating of professionals who work with children aged 0-6 years. The updating process is focused on the use of digital resources such as the Internet of Things, Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence techniques, which are especially relevant in early care work environments that are based on systematic observation in natural contexts. The use of these resources means that large volumes of data are generated that needs to be treated with the aforementioned techniques.The eEarlycare-T is related with: i) the development of quality education, as stated in Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 of the United Nations Agenda 2030; ii) the EU Quality Framework for ECEC; iii) the promotion of training of education professionals in the use of digital tools and artificial Intelligence, settled down by the European Union; and iv) the objectives, stated by the European Parliament in the Communication of 30/09/2020, referring specifically to the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic and its repercussions on education and training systems in Europe. These consequences are related to the challenge in teacher training, preventing education from becoming a structural barrier to learning and skills development, employment prospects and finally equality and inclusion for the society as a whole.For all the above, the project is directly aligned with some European policies, specifically the framework of the European Education Area by 2025, which is focused, among others, on: early childhood education and care, schools, education, early childhood care, research and non-formal learning. Likewise, it is emphasized that policies must develop a holistic approach. The European Education Area has 6 dimensions or axes, where dimension 4 refers to teachers and trainers, dimension 5 to Higher Education and dimension 2 to inclusion and gender equality. This project specifically addresses the dimension related with teachers and trainers and collaterally the other two previously mentioned.In summary, eEarlycare-T project aims to respond to the need of updating training of professionals in the field of early care, as well as to enable initial training for recent graduates in early care-related degrees, enhancing their employability. This training will be based on the use of innovative teaching methodologies, which are settled down on the use of a self-regulated learning methodology, through different resources such as the use of avatars, gamification techniques and virtual laboratories within virtual reality spaces. In addition, the self-evaluation procedures include the use of different resources as for example the self-evaluation questionnaires with process-oriented feedback and not only to products and rubrics applied all in virtual learning environments (VLE). The use of these tools will enhance the autonomy and personalization of the learning process, especially useful in the current COVID-19 crisis.Finally, it is essential to remark that Machine Learning techniques will be used in the training of professionals and the teaching-learning methodology will apply Artificial Intelligence techniques, which will allow knowing the learning patterns of each learner and, depending on themselves, offer a personalized educational response to the needs of each one of them. These techniques will also be applied in the training content of the program. Therefore, participants will receive training in the use of these techniques to be applied in a simple way, through visualization techniques, in their usual work environments. In conclusion, commitment to digitization is a fundamental leitmotif of the project. These needs and solutions are directly aligned with the current Erasmus + priorities, in particular to school education: Developing high quality early childhood education and care systems.<< Objectives >>The objectives of the eEarlycare-T project are directly framed in the Erasmus + Programme, specifically in the Sector Priority related to School Education: Developing high quality early childhood education and care systems. Therefore, the eEarlycare-T project aims to put into practice the key principles of the EU Quality Framework for ECEC (Proposal for key principles of a Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education and Care. EC, 2014). In addition, it is directly related to the importance of quality training, both initial and continuous, to promote good professional performance, and, specifically, with the importance of promoting up-to-date and high-quality training of professionals who care for children at an early age, since the responsibility of these professionals is to facilitate the integral development of children in its highest possible degree, by promoting a sustainable and inclusive education within the needs of the 21st century society. Therefore, the key objectives of the project are to develop a learning environment based on the application of resources offered by the Internet of Things, aimed at updating and training early care professionals in practice and graduates of degrees and/or master’s degrees related to this field. In particular, it is expected to both train early care professionals in the use of digital resources (Internet of Things and Artificial Intelligence) and introduce these tools in their usual professional practice (evaluation, diagnosis and intervention). These innovations, aforementioned above, will promote a technological transformation both in educational intervention and in therapy in early care settings.GENERAL OBJECTIVE: To reduce the (specialized and updated) knowledge and training gap suffered by ECEC professionals and graduates (through innovative learning methods) in regard to new supporting advanced technologies, paving the way to their practical use and implementation, enabling the current tech transformation towards higher quality and more precise educational and therapeutic intervention actions in the ECEC field.OPERATIONAL OBJECTIVES:-To develop and implement a curriculum for updating ECEC active professionals in which supporting advanced technologies are applied.-To develop and implement a curriculum for ECEC graduates’ specialization in which supporting advanced technologies are applied.-To check the practical application of supporting advanced technologies in natural or simulation contexts (virtual simulation laboratories).<< Implementation >>Firstly, the training modules, based on the methodology indicated above, will be developed. These modules, which are settled down on the use of a self-regulated learning environment, by using avatars, gamification and self-assessment techniques, focused on process-oriented feedback. All of these will be built up in an intelligent virtual classroom, making use of virtual laboratory technologies, implemented for the development of practical activities in which virtual reality techniques will be applied for the development of real-case scenarios about the care of children with different developmental impairments (physical, cognitive and/or sensory). In the same way, the modules will include training content for professionals about the use of Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence and eye tracking techniques, aimed at the analysis and interpretation of the results obtained during the systematic observation of children. Specifically, it will be included training in the use of the eEarlycare-T web App, which includes not only elements of learning analytics but also personalized proposals for therapeutic intervention, both based on the use of Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence techniques. In addition, it is intended to apply this methodology for the training of teachers and early care professionals to other areas of knowledge such as: i) professionals who work with STEM subjects in the Early Childhood, Primary, Secondary Education stages and University; and ii) professionals who work in the field of learning history, geography and other cultural content related to heritage in the same educational stages.<< Results >>The proposal faces two specific challenges that will be materialised:- Provide specialised and updated training contents to ECEC professionals and graduates towards the knowledge embracing and use of supporting advanced technologies. - Optimise the ECEC professionals learning processes through a teaching methodology framed on evidence-based learning with the use of Advanced Learning Technologies. The tangible Project results that will be obtained through the project are:Two Project Results will be developed during the project:R1. Multidisciplinary training modules in early care (0-6 years), that will be integrated in an intelligent Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). R2. Virtual simulation laboratories, as a complementary and innovative resource to carry out the practical part of the training. In addition, two Learning, teaching, training activities and two Multiplier Events will be conducted:C1.Application of the Training Modules. Training course. C2.Practical training in early intervention in virtual simulation laboratories. E1.Sharing and promotion of the eEarlyCare-T Training ModulesE2.Sharing and promotion of the virtual simulation laboratoriesKey Project activities: A1. Project Management: Crucial activities performed by the Project Manager (PM), involves all activities aimed at ensuring an effective and efficient operation of the planned actions. This includes project work stream and consortium coordination, administrative and financial management and quality assurance of project results. The project management activities are further detailed in Project Management and implementation Section. A2. Implementation of activities: The core technical activities leading to the achievement of the aforementioned results are further explained in Section on Implementation and Project results A3. Evaluation: A common evaluation methodology and framework will be set up and implement by all partners in order to improve the results achieved and raise the impact of the project activities and events planned. The evaluation will cover technical, operational and quality issues as well as the impact of the actions together with the effectiveness in terms of usability and accessibility of the Project Results. Further details are provided in Follow Up Sections. A4. Sharing and Promotion activities: The strategy and activities scheduled to raise the wide-spreading of results are further explained in Section on Follow Up.