How has digitalization of education been affecting technical and vocational education and training (TVET)? This has been discussed and analyzed during the Webinar, the Worlddidac Association and its affiliate PINO Network co-organized and conducted on January 27th, 2022.
The aim of the webinar was to stimulate conversations and raise awareness about the impact of incorporating digital tools and technologies into VET. Digital tools can support or hinder the acquisition of practical skills that are fundamental to the requirements of modern TVET workplace.
What are the best trainer skills and pedagogical practices for TVET educators to adapt in a school without walls? How can micro-credentials and degree programs succeed side by side? The program was targed at TVET insitutions, teachers, training experts, businesses and authorities, and was open and free for everyone to inspire further developments to enhance learning in a future where schools will potentially have no longer have walls.
On this page, we have compiled the comments, questions and answers for you. In addition, you will find a link to the recording at the bottom of the page.
WD team: More information on Fronius and Worlddidac members Seabery and Lincoln Electric specialised in welding training solutions.
Thursday, 27th January 2022, 15:00 – 16:30 CET
Moderator
Danny Gauch
Director General, Worlddidac Association, Switzerland
Danny Gauch is Director General of Worlddidac Association. His career history spans over more than 25 years, holding various positions in industry and education, ranging from being a Mechatronics Skills Competition Coach, Regional Sales Manager Asia & Pacific, Didactic Sales Manager, Head of Consulting and Strategic Development.
Mr Gauch has qualifications as a Mechatronics Engineer and completed further studies in marketing, sales and administration. He is in his element when collaborating and networking with local and international stakeholders to achieve mutually beneficial goals, creating better experiences, embracing ongoing change and development, and striving for continuous improvement in education.
Keynote 1
Implications from UNESCO point of view
Bohrene Chakroun
Director of Policies and Lifelong Learning Systems Division, UNESCO
Borhene Chakroun is an engineer and has a PhD in Education Sciences from Bourgogne University in France. Borhene worked, during the 1990s, as trainer, chief trainer, project manager. He has also worked as short-term consultant for the EU, World Bank and other international organizations before coming to the European Training Foundation (ETF) in 2001. At the ETF, Borhene worked as Senior Human Capital Development specialist.
He is now Director of Policies and Lifelong Learning Systems Division at UNESCO-HQ. Borhene conducted a range of policy reviews and skills systems diagnosis in different contexts. He has authored and co-authored various articles and books in the field of skills development and lifelong learning. Much of his most recent work focuses on global trends in reforming education and training systems and global agenda for skills development in the context of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. He is also the coordinator of the Global Education Coalition launched by UNESCO to respond to the COVID-19 crisis.
Keynote 2
Post Covid TVET Education & Digitalization in Africa
Albert Nsengiyumva
Executive Secretary, Development of Education in Africa (ADEA)
Mr. Albert Nsengiyumva is presently the Executive Secretary of the Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA). A hands-on result-oriented leader with deep analytical skills and have a good knowledge of education, TVET and ICT policy development and practices in Africa.
He holds more than 20 years of experience acquired in policy development in Infrastructure, education, technical and vocational skills development (TVSD) as well as Information and Communication Technology (ICT). Having been a Rwandan government minister for over 4 years, Mr. Nsengiyumva’s expertise in understanding government functionalities, social capital and networks with regional bodies (i.e. African Union, African Development Bank, etc.).
Panel Discussion
Industry employer point of view
Thorsten Koerner
International Sales Manager, Bosch Rexroth AG
Mechanical Engineer, graduated from the RWTH Aachen, specialized in Production Technologies, 16-year experience working in South America, related to the Automotive Aftermarket at Bosch in Peru, afterwards in charge of Bosch Rexroth, before moving to Colombia for developing the Bosch Rexroth business.
He has remained permanently related to technical education, developing sustainable projects together with the most important vocational schools in Perú and Colombia
Teacher/pedagogy point of view
Dr Julie Furst-Bowe
Teacher and Consultant specialized in accreditation and performance excellence, University of Wisconsin-Stout, USA
Dr. Julie Furst-Bowe is a higher education leader, teacher and consultant specializing in accreditation and performance excellence. With more than 20 years of experience in senior leadership positions at colleges and universities, including Provost and Chancellor.
Dr. Furst-Bowe has worked with institutions around the globe on academic programming, integrated enrollment management, quality improvement, strategic planning and systems thinking.
Dr. Furst-Bowe currently serves as a reviewer for the Higher Learning Commission and an assessor for the Government Excellence Management programs in the UAE. She has been recognized with Fellow status from the American Society for Quality and received her doctorate in education from the University of Minnesota.
Dr. Furst-Bowe has published numerous articles and edited two books on quality improvement in higher education. She continues to teach graduate courses in Career and Technical Education leadership at the University of Wisconsin-Stout, the first and only university to have received the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award.
Teacher Training point of view
Prof Vitaly Kopnov
Project Manager, Russian State Vocational Pedagogical University
Professor Vitaly Kopnov is a researcher and expert in Russian VET and LLL. He works as a Project Manager at the Russian State Vocational Pedagogical University and has much experience in managing educational projects with EU countries as well as with Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Belarus, Armenia and Serbia.
He is Doctor of Engineering, Professor in Quality Management, former national Higher Education Reform Expert (HERE) of Erasmus+ programme (2014-2020), and national coordinator and member of Erasmus+ Projects: RUECVET, WBLinVET, FlexWBL, Pro-VET, MODEST.
Areas of expertise include project management, quality assurance, entrepreneurship, work-based learning, student-centred approach, qualification, transdisciplinary research and learning, VNIFL, and social media. He has designed and delivered many professional development courses for VET/HE teachers and trainers.
Member of IVETA, Skillman and Open Space ETF.
Trainer/skills/pedagogy point of view
Anni Miettunen
Vice Principal, Education Consortium OSAO, Oulu, Finland
Mrs Anni Miettunen is working as a Vice-principal at Educational Consortium OSAO. She believes that professional skills, lifelong and life-wide learning and education are the most important things which are bringing well-being for individuals, companies and other working life and society.
Before this role, she was in the charge of learning and internationalisation in the Finnish National Agency for Education (EDUFI). She has also worked as a teacher in VET and the University of Applied Sciences.
Mrs Miettunen was in business life before she changed branch and profession in the year 2003. She has 16 years of experience especially managing and leading marketing, selling and customer relationships. She holds a master’s degree in Entrepreneurship and Business Competence from Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences. She is also a vocational teacher.
Student point of view
Samuel Sasu Adonteng
Programmes Officer (Tertiary Education), All-Africa Students Union
He leads the union’s working group on Education and Students Rights. Samuel is AASU’s primary contact to the UNESCO COVID-19 Global Education Coalition as well as the focal person for the Union at the UNESCO SDG 4 Youth Network.
Samuel served and is serving, as a student leader at his university, the national, and at the continental level. Samuel is a strong advocate for equal access to opportunities, including employment and education.
Samuel had his first degree (Bachelor of Business Administration) from the University of Professional Studies, Accra. Currently, Samuel pursuing an MBA in Total Quality Management with a specific focus on Quality Assurance in Higher Education from the same university. Samuel is also, currently leading on the Union’s efforts to establish a Quality Assurance Ambassadorial Project with a specific focus on TVET.
Quality point of view
Dr. Ali Rashidi
Director Department for International Cooperation, Folkuniversitetet Uppsala Sweden
Ali Rashidi has been leading and participating for the last 27 years in development projects in vocational education in European Union, Africa and Asia. Since 2009 he has been developing higher vocational education regarding the quality of VET. Together with other European experts, he developed the provider model of EQAVET, which the European Commission approved.
Summary and Closing
Anne Viherkari
Education Designer, University of Oulu, Finland
Anne Viherkari, MA (Education) in Educational Psychology and MA in history, currently works as an Education Designer of international continuing education at the Extension School of the University of Oulu, Finland.
She has worked at the university for 17 years in various posts regarding education and has a long experience in intercultural communication. Anne is also the Project Manager of the ScalED – Scalable Education Solutions for Global Markets -a project which aims to develop products and competence for distance learning, digital content and technical solutions.
Anne also represents the PINO Network which is a collaboration network of educational professionals in Northern Finland and an affiliate member of the Worlddidac Association.
