UOC leads development of European guide to digitalize dual vocational training using virtual reality

A European guide for designing digital learning activities has been developed, under the leadership of the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC), to contribute to the digitalization of vocational training. It forms part of the Digital WBL European research project, funded by the Erasmus+ programme, for the digital transformation of work-based learning (WBL). The initiative has been developed over three years by an international consortium of eight expert centres in the field from five different countries. The aim was to explore new online learning methodologies using virtual reality.

Four members of the Education and ICT (Edul@b) research group participated on behalf of the UOC: Montse Guitert, Albert Sangrà and Teresa Romeu, who are all members of the Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, and the researcher Pablo Baztán. In addition to the UOC, the other participants in the project were Germany's Baden-Württemberg Cooperative State University (DHBW); the Hungarian Association of Craft Cooperatives (IPOSZ), and Lithuania's Panevėžys University of Applied Sciences (PANKO), and the Italian business organizations Sistemi Formativi Confindustria (SFC), which coordinates the Digital WBL consortium, and Scuola per la gestione d'impresa (CIS), the German Hanse-Parliament network of small and medium-sized businesses, and the Italian company Dinamo3D.

Romeu said that the guidelines "provide a range of ways to be used, whether in practice or to spark inspiration" with "examples of good practices in various contexts." She described them as "a useful, quick and clear tool for evaluations, as it includes general criteria as well as focusing on aspects that were found to be fundamental for high-quality digital training during the project". The guide's usefulness was confirmed while the project was being carried out by teaching staff taking part in pilot tests.

A competency framework for vocational training instructors

Edul@b participated by developing the competency framework for vocational training instructors. Romeu explained that the framework organizes the most important aspects for digital WBL into ten competencies – some of which are more practical or specific, while others are more interdisciplinary or general. "It's important to stress that vocational training involves learning that's academic, professional and, above all, personal, which means the framework covers competencies such as cooperation and the digital WBL mindset."

The project has gone beyond standard online learning, incorporating virtual reality. Romeu said that "our experience in a wide range of different projects shows us that strategies, methodologies and educational tools improve when they are diverse and complement each other". She pointed out that the introduction of virtual reality "is an added motivation for students", which provides a whole area of knowledge to work on. "It is particularly useful in many training cycles related especially to computer science and the visual arts, but it is also useful for working with simulators in training cycles related to health, as well as architecture and design."

The challenges of an international project

Experts from Germany, Italy and Lithuania have been involved in producing the guidelines. Professor Guitert stressed that one of the major challenges was "to get all the partners to contribute their local experiences of digital WBL while maintaining the wealth of the local context within shared conceptual and practical frameworks". The partners' proactive participation is what has made international projects like this one possible, taking into account that "cultural differences and differences in ways of working are always an interesting challenge, and simultaneously generate learning for everyone," said Guitert coordinator of the Edul@b research group, which is affiliated to the Futures of Education in the Digital Age Research Centre (UOC-FuturEd).

Dual vocational training in Spain and the rest of Europe

According to the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (CEDEFOP), the leading international vocational training body, WBL can be defined as "all forms of learning that take place in a real work environment, providing individuals with the skills needed to obtain and keep jobs, and progress in their professional development." Switzerland is where WBL is most extensive, with 90.6% of vocational training students in 2022 in dual format (spending time at college and at work). In Spain, there were 53,385 dual vocational training students in 2024. Guitert explained that Spain introduced a law last year to make vocational training dual, adding that "determining the real roll-out of this course type and particularly its quality is now the focus, and by quality we mean training that responds to the particular needs in each case".

This project is aligned with the UOC's research missions Education of the future and Ethical and human-centred technology and contributes to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 4, Quality Education, and 8, Decent Work and Economic Growth.

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