Future Skills for Future Teachers

Guiding Learners at the Workplace

The report presents a competence framework for teachers and trainers in VET (vocational education and training) and other applied and practice-related educational contexts such as dual study programmes and learning on the job. It has been created within the DEAL with Digital Work-Based Learning initiative, an Erasmus+ project.

The digitalization of work and learning environments is transforming all domains of learning and work contexts. Their learning environments need to prepare learners to thrive in digital and hybrid environments and to become autonomous learners ready to take advantage of the potential of digital tools and environments. The Digital Work-Based Learning approach presented includes a vision where teachers and trainers not only replace their current teaching strategies but rethink and reevaluate them under the light of new potentials and developments - and thus develop a future vision of learning together with learners. Thus, with this competence framework, we identify the competencies needed to provide learners with good, rich Digital Work-Based Learning experiences.

The main target group are VET teachers and trainers as well as in-company trainers. However, another important target group which has an important role in guiding and supporting learners can be identified: the learners themselves that can support other learners in peer-learning processes.

The competence framework presented in this report has been designed in a multistep research process, including the analysis of resources and frameworks such as DigCompOrg and DigCompEdu. A bottom-up approach has been taken, i.e. starting from the specific needs and challenges of the teachers in order to organise, develop and manage virtual work-based learning spaces. It has been developed in a multi-step, qualitative approach, integrating diverse perspectives. For developing the framework, the Digital WBL Ambassador Programme was set up, serving as a training and research programme. It builds on three guiding principles relevant in the DEAL with Digital WBL initiative: Digital Transformation, new concepts of teaching and learning, and workplace learning.