EURACADEMY OBSERVATORY: A European Observatory of the use of ICT-supported Life Long Learning by SMEs, Micro-Enterprises and the Self-employed in Rural Areas

Projektleitung: Sami Kurki, Universität Helsinki

Förderung: Leonardo - Pilot project

Kooperation:

Zeitraum: 10/05 bis 09/07

Einordung:
Institut: Professur Agrarökonomie

Projektbeschreibung:
Background. Current European policies for establishing a highly competitive knowledge-based economy by 2010 (Lisbon treaty) have set a target for 2010 of at least 12,5% average level of participation in lifelong learning among the citizens of the EU-25. To reach the 2010 targets, according to the EU Joint Employment Report 2003/2004, significant policy reforms may be required up to 2006, to ensure access to lifelong learning opportunities for all. ICT can play a significant role in this reform, given the advent of the Information Society, thus redressing through e-learning the “skills divide” between different EU countries and between rural and urban areas that reflects to a certain extent the “digital divide”.
The Observatory proposal addresses those “stakeholders” that are directly involved in the economy of rural areas, with a focus on employees of private enterprises of small or “micro” size, including the self employed persons. It also addresses training providers that are involved in lifelong learning with ICT support; the policy makers in the field of lifelong education and training, especially continuing education; and the social partners that represent workers and enterprises, which may act as mediators in spreading the benefits of lifelong learning to those who have limited access to continuing education and training because of access or attitudes.
The present proposal aims to build systematic documentation on the use of ICT-supported learning, including blended learning, by employees of SMEs and micro-enterprises in rural Europe, in the context of lifelong learning, leading to formal qualifications or even to non-validated skills acquisition or personal development. Such documentation will be collected through surveys in the seven participating countries and will be repeated at regular intervals to update and enrich information. The results of the Observatory will be published electronically with a printed summary and will be available to training organisations, social partners and policy makers, to inform policy and practice.
The research methodology consists of the following sequence of tasks:
1. Documentation of policy and practice for continuing education and training in the context of lifelong learning, for working people, using ICT. Each national team will produce a record of the opportunities available to employees in SME and micro-enterprises (including self-employed persons) which involve the use of ICT-support in the framework of e-learning or blended learning. The two European NGOs will collect Europe-wide information.
2. Available opportunities will be compared across the participating countries.
3. An evaluation of the above opportunities will be conducted at transnational level, vis-à-vis more traditional forms of continuing VET for working people, on the job or off the job. Access and relevance to the learners’ needs and lifestyle will be some of the criteria for evaluation.
4. A survey of training organisations delivering continuing VET with ICT support will be conducted in each country. In depth interviews will be conducted and a case study will be built for each organisation.
5. Best practice will be identified in the above case studies, described, codified and placed in a web data bank.
6. An electronic survey of lifelong learning recipients, using ICT as a learning medium, identified among the ex-students of the interviewed training providers.
7. An electronic survey of a control group in each country, comprising people who have not received lifelong learning supported by ICT.
8. Analysis and reporting of the surveys in each country.
9. Producing a Transnational Synthesis Report at European level and an executive summary.
The dissemination/valorisation of the results will be carried out by a dedicated website for the Observatory, linked to the Euracademy site, which will publish electronically the survey reports and the data banks produced by the project; publication in print of publicity material and the executive summary of the transnational synthesis report; the organisation of a transnational conference in Brussels to discuss and disseminate the results to training providers, policy makers and the social partners; and set up of an advisory panel of representatives of social partners and organise a workshop for feedback on methodology and results form the panel.
Timetable. The project will have a 24-month duration.
The partnership consists of 7 organisations with academic research experience and 2 European-wide NGOs representing the training providers and the recipients of lifelong learning; and 7 “observer partners” representing SMEs and other rural stakeholders that may benefit from the project.

Bearbeiter: Lutz Laschewski

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