<< Background >>Through the project DATAVISUAL we aim to contribute to addressing some emerging needs, namely:1.NEW DIGITAL VET TRAINING FOR THE “NEW NORMAL”. As we enter the COVID-19 recovery phase (the so-called “new normal”), it will be critical to rethinki how the Vocational and Educational Training should evolve after the cultural and societal changes brought by Covid-19. More specifically, in the VET sector: a) we need to support teachers and trainers in providing digital solutions (e-learning); b) we need to produce online vocational SPECIFIC material; c) we need to overcome the extra-obstacles to internet access by some groups (e.g. immigrants and low-income families); d) we need to assess and certify new competencies digitally (Open Badges) 2.VET INNOVATION THROUGH E-LEARNING SOLUTIONSVET programmes suffered a double disadvantage because of the pandemic. The combination between social distancing requirements and the closure of enterprises have made practical and work-based learning - so crucial for the success of vocational education - difficult to be implemented. In this context, to develop digital solutions (e-learning) that are able to close the gap between VET and the workplace is necessary more than before. Nevertheless, thedigitalisation of VET training courses should not be considered just a solution to overcome the pandemic, but as an opportunity to introduce innovative learning methods in the VET training. 3.FUTURE SKILLS TO HELP EU ECONOMIC AND SOCIETAL RECOVERY One of the effects of digitalisation, through the development of freelance platforms and automated graphic design (e.g. CANVA), has been the increase of the unemployment rate in graphic designers. People who for decades spent their daily time creating visual concepts for companies or communicating ideas that inspire, inform, and captivate consumers, suddenly found themselves out of a job. In this context, Bid Data Visualisation Skills can represent a great opportunity to upskill professionals at work and unemployed graphic designers offering, at the same time, an innovative training opportunity to young people.4. TO DISSEMINATE EU BIG DATA STRATEGY. Data storytelling accomplishes a more general need from the EU Commission related to the dissemination of the EU Big Data Strategy and its distinctive element related to the fact that European values, fundamental rights and human beings should represent the core of the Big Data strategy compare to the other global players (China and US).<< Objectives >>The project addresses two general objectives and a set of correlated specific objectives:Project outcomes will be clearly related to the specific objectives of the project:General Objective: INNOVATE VET TRAINING THROUGH DIGITAL and INCREASE EMPLOYABILITYSpecific objectives:1.1DEVELOP INNOVATIVE DIGITAL SKILLSexpected outcome during the project: creation of Data visualization best case report and training material for webinars/lessons on data visualization and storytellingexpected outcome on project completion: Innovative training (IO2) and research resources (IO1) on big data visualization available to VET institutions and students(from the partnership at first and to be disseminated to larger audiences). 1.2 DEVELOP INNOVATIVE E-LEARNING COURSES FOR VET PROVIDERSexpected outcome during the project: the creation of training material for webinars/lessons on data visualization and storytelling immediately available for online teachingexpected outcome on project completion: Innovative training materials on big data visualization available to VET institutions (from the partnership at first and to be disseminated for bigger impact later) to set up online courses of data visualization.1.3 INNOVATE VET TRAINING THROUGH DIGITALISATION AND FUTURE SKILLSexpected outcome during the project: creation of Data visualization best case report(IO1) and training material for webinars/lessons(IO2) on data visualization and storytelling with Open Badge Certification.expected outcome on project completion: Immediate availability of validated training and research resources for VET organization to build up from, further contributing to innovation in the field of teaching data -visualization. Immediate availability for students of a training course with an innovative certification system. 1.4 UPSKILL PROFESSIONALS AND UNEMPLOYED IN THE GRAPHIC DESIGN SECTORexpected outcome during the project: creation of Data visualization best case report(IO1) and training material for webinars/lessons(IO2) on data visualization and storytelling with Open Badge Certification.expected outcome on project completion: Immediate availability of validated training and research resources for any individual outside the VET formal system of training. The training material(IO2) comes along with a certification system (IO3) able to confirm acquired skills so that all the products of the DATAVISUAL project will have positive outcomes on unemployed who are looking for new skills to enter the job market or professionals (I.E. data analysts looking to improve visualization skills or graphic designers looking to work with datasets) in search for a professional upgrade of their skillset.1.5INCREASE DIGITAL SKILLS CERTIFICATION AT EU LEVEL THROUGH INNOVATIVE METHODS (OPEN BADGE)expected outcome during the project: creation of an Open Badge Certification system to go with the training material.expected outcome on project completion: Immediate recognition of students' training results from the course produced in the DATAVISUAL thanks to the OPEN BADGE system. Immediate availability of the Open Badge System for all the VET partners in the consortium to be transferred to different courses and training activities.<< Implementation >>Project activities related to all the project management and communication:WORK PACKAGE 1 - PROJECT MANAGEMENT (Leader MCAST) M1-M24A.1.1 REPORTING and OPERATIONAL MANAGEMENT Defining Project management handbook.A.1.2 QUALITY ASSURANCE WORK PACKAGE 2 - COMMUNICATION AND DISSEMINATION (Leader I-Strategies) M1-M24A2.1 COMMUNICATION AND DISSEMINATION PLAN A2.2 COMMUNICATION TEMPLATES AND GRAPHICSA2.3 COMMUNICATION AND DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIESA2.4 PROJECT WEBSITEProject activities related to the delivery of planned project results:Work package 3 - Design and creation of the Visual Report on Big Data Information Design (Leader Momentum - i-strategies support) M2-M9Task 3.1 Research and Collection of best cases of information design for big data from their country (at least 4 case partner)Task 3.2 Validation and verification of each example of data visualization case as valuable resources as training models and examples for students/traineesTask 3.3 Validation of each case for compliance with GDPR regulation and other privacy issuesTask 3.4 Organization of the cases according to topic and origin (public/private sector, STEAM research or Humanities, etc.)The consortium will make sure all the gathered and validated items are available to the public through the project outlets (web site, social media, etc.)Work package 4 - Design, creation and delivery of Open Webinars on Big Data Storytelling and Visualization (Leader MCAST/FLC -design and structure- I-strategies - content) M7-M23Task 4.1Content design: syllabus: production of baseline indexes of topics to be covered in the webinars (details in the specific IO section)Task 4.2 Courseware development: Production of pdf, pptx and other media content (details in the specific IO section and decisions during the project by the consortium)Task 4.3 Review of content in the pilot webinar of learning activityTask 4.4 Content publication through the website and all other possible means of disseminationWork package 5 - Design and Setup of the Open Badge Certification System(Leader EFCOCERT)Task 5.1 Definition of the recognition use casesTask 5.2 Setting-up the Open Recognition InfrastructureTask 5.3 Configuration, activation and testing the Open Recognition EcosystemTask 5.4 Final review, Adjustment & improvement of the Open Recognition Ecosystem<< Results >>Project result 1 - Visual Report on Big Data Information DesignThe Visual Report on Big Data Information Design is a written and visual account focused on Information Design best examples for Big Data Storytelling and Visualisation. Nowadays, text still prevails despite the growing popularity of data visualization, it’s clear that old habits die hard. The aim of the Visual Report is to offer a Learning Material work-based on the best practices of Big Data Storytelling. Indeed, besides the prevalence of text, another problem is that many visual displays are still so poorly designed. The Visual Report will collect outstanding examples of Big Data Information Design in order to offer VET Trainees and Trainers a concrete example of a to-do practice. Each project partner will collect at least 4 best examples of Information Design for Big Data. Project result 2 - Open Webinars on Big Data StorytellingTHE OPEN WEBINARS ON BIG DATA STORYTELLING will be the second Open Educational Resource (OED) of the DataStorytelling project that consists of an e-learning course to share knowledge about how to Storytell Big Data. The online webinars will focus, at least, on 5 topics: 1) Data Set preparation; 2) Best practices of Information Design; 3) Best practices of Big Data Storytelling; 4) Tools and Digital Platforms for Big Data Visualisation (Tableau, Infogram, etc.); 5) The EU Strategy on Big Data. The open webinars will be developed by project partners also involving external experts (e.g. Information Designers). At least 10 online webinars (1h per webinar) will be provided in a synchro (recorded) learning mode. The activity will be coordinated by MCAST and Fondazione Clerici with the contribution of all project partners. O2 is a preliminary activity for the further implementation of the project and Big Data Storytelling competence open badge certification (O3).Project result 3 - Open Badge Certification SystemOpen Badges are digital, verified by secure metadata, and a means for individuals to display, and organizations to easily verify certifications, achievements and awards online, including milestones on the way to full certification. Open Badges can be used in email signatures, personal websites, social media sites such as LinkedIn and Twitter, as well as on electronic copies of resumes. The O3 of the project DATAVISUAL will develop an OPEN BADGE CERTIFICATION SYSTEM of Big Data Storytelling competencies based on open badges. This open badges ecosystem bring flexibility, agility and timeliness within the competence certification, leading to an in-depth radical rethinking and putting into questions all paradigms on which competence certification has been based for the last 20 years, e.g.: only an examiner with a superior level of education & competence compared to the candidate is habilitated to assess the demonstrated competence level.