Project Objective:
The goal of CAnVASS+ “Content Audio Video mAnagement SyStem” is the development of a “cognitive” kit for the lifelong learning for teachers. CAnVASS+ kit is aimed to the modernization of didactics through the improvement of teachers’ digital competences.
Context:
The permanent professional development is a key point of the European Union’s strategy for improving the quality of education.
As underlined by Eurydice in the “Teaching Profession in Europe” (2015), the analysis conducted for the lifelong professional development of teachers shows that teachers perceive themselves prepared for teaching their own disciplines, nevertheless they feel the need to diversify their teaching methods. According to the above-mentioned study, the need to achieve their competences is especially high for those teachers older than 50 years of age, the so-called digital immigrants.
Project Objective:
To deal with these above mentioned necessities, CAnVASS+ provides a toolkit to enhance the cooperative, digital and open didactics. In particular, CAnVASS+ focuses on three innovative products:
1) CAnVASS+ RESEARCH – a scientific research on best practices concerning the implementation of new technologies into traditional teaching methods. In particular, the study identifies and analyses successful experiences related to 4 thematic areas:
a) the digital classes and how to use the technology in order to personalizing learning;
b) the approach of Challenge Based Learning in Upper Secondary Schools and its double impact, both on the curricula and in the students and parents involvement;
c) experiences of personalizing learning through the visual learning;
d) the development of new digital competencies related to the work places and its impact on their curricula.
2) CAnVASS+ OER – an open software, with cloud-based tools and Creative Commons license, required for the creation of digital open educational resources and high quality multimedia educational products. CAnVASS+ software will simplify the production of digital learning resources for teachers, helping to spread the use of visual learning techniques. CAnVASS+ OER aims to provide to those teachers and trainers interested in combining traditional and digital didactics an easy and completely free tool to create their own educational videos and multimedia contents. The software will consist of a video tutorial that explains the main functionality, providing examples on how to use it.
3) CAnVASS + MOOC – an online free course addressed to teachers and trainers about the management of a digital class. CAnVASS+ course intends to transfer to teachers and tutors the various techniques, knowledge and strategies aimed to use technology both as an incentive and as an instrument to facilitate the active learning, based on the resolution of problems, student-centred, and able to stimulate critical thinking. CAnVASS+ MOOC develops a course on the following topics:
a) the management of the digital classes: from ICT to social media;
b) the Challenge Based Learning approach to make the curricula more attractive and interactive for teachers, trainers, students and parents and more performing for the labour market;
c) the personalization of knowledge through the visual learning;
d) the building of new digital competencies related to the workplaces.
