Specialized and updated training supporting advance technologies for early childhood
2021-1-ES01-KA220-SCH-000032661

The transnational eEarlyCare-T project is moving forward

This project aims to develop training modules and practical virtual laboratories for the training and updating of early care professionals in technologies based on IoT and artificial intelligence techniques.

Following the strategic partnership meeting of the project co-funded by the European Commission "Specialized and updated training on supporting advance technologies for early childhood education and care professionals and graduates" -eEarlyCare-T No. 2021-1-ES01-KA220-SCH-9A787316, the first transnational meeting was held last week with the participation as partners of this project of the University of Burgos (Spain), Roma Tre University (Italy), Faculty of Medicine of the University of Rijeka (Croatia), the SME Gestionet (Spain) and the company Kveloce.

During the online meeting, several issues were addressed and the UBU presented the initial version of the project's Organisational Manual, which includes organisational and financial management aspects, and the company Kveloce presented the initial version of the Ethics and Quality Plan.

The objectives of the project refer to the elaboration of a training programme aimed at the specialisation of professionals related to early care for 0-6 year olds. The training activities will apply innovative teaching methodologies based on the use of avatars, gamification, virtual laboratories and virtual reality. Likewise, the entire training process will be carried out within a virtual learning environment that will apply different resources to facilitate self-assessment and personalised learning. Artificial Intelligence techniques will be used to adapt the materials and learning resources.

The next step will be the elaboration of the first intellectual output which refers to the elaboration of the training modules. These modules will be implemented within a virtual learning platform (VLE) which will be realised by the company Gestionet. Gamification techniques will be included in this learning environment. In addition, machine learning techniques will be applied to analyse the learning patterns of the professionals participating in the training activity. The ultimate goal is to provide a personalised training proposal.

According to the partners involved in this project, the application of the training modules will be carried out in April 2023 in Croatia in the first Learning activities to be held at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Rijeka (Croatia) and in May of the same year the learning results will be presented at the University of Roma Tre (Italy) coinciding with the second transnational meeting.

In addition, in this virtual meeting, the development of the project's website was discussed, developed in coordination with the UBU web team, and the dissemination of the project's results on social networks, which will be managed from the social media management system, hootsuite, was specified. In this first transnational meeting of the eEarlyCare-T project, PhD. Sáiz-Manzanares, coordinator of the project, PhD. Escolar-Llamazares, PhD. Rodríguez-Arribas and Miriam Manrique as advisor of the OTRI participated from the UBU. On behalf of Kveloce, Belén Costa, Lorena Aguilar and Antonio Serrano; for the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Rijeka (Croatia), PhD. Darko Rovis and PhD. Vanja Vasiljev, for Gestionet Juan David Sánchez, and PhD. Vincenzo Piccione as head of Roma Tre

ERASMUS+ eEarlyCare-T project kicks off: digitalisation training for early care professionals

For the first time, the strategic partnership of the project co-funded by the European Commission "Specialized and updated training supporting advance technologies for early childhood" 2021-1-ES01-KA220-SCH-000032661, which is a partnership formed by three European universities (University of Burgos, University of Roma Tre (Italy) and Croatian University of Sveuciliste u Rijeci) and the companies GESTIONET S.L (Spain) and SENIOR EUROPA S.L (Spain), has met for the first time.

The objectives of the project refer to the development of a training programme aimed at the specialisation of professionals related to early care for 0-6 year olds. The training activities will apply innovative teaching methodologies based on the use of avatars, gamification, virtual laboratories and virtual reality. Likewise, the entire training process will be carried out within a virtual learning environment that will apply different resources to facilitate self-assessment and personalised learning.

Artificial Intelligence techniques will be used to adapt the materials and learning resources to the records found in the VLE virtual learning platform. The objective, as explained by Professor María Consuelo Sáiz Manzanares, is to find out the different profiles and learning patterns of the participants and, based on these, to develop personalised pedagogical designs in the VLE. This teaching methodology is called Evidence-based Learning and Advanced Learning Technologies. Similarly, the project contemplates two learning outcomes based on the development of training modules and their integration into the VLE and the development of virtual laboratories, which apply simulation practices through virtual reality techniques.

In addition, two learning activities will be carried out in a two-fold manner. On the one hand, the implementation of two training modules and the development of early care practices in virtual laboratories. This training programme will have an international scope.

This training proposal is framed within the objective of the European Agenda 2030 aimed at training professionals, in this case early care professionals, in digital competences applied to the professional field.

The project -coordinated by the University of Burgos- is funded with €399,937 and involves members of the recognised research groups ADMIRABLE, BEST-AI, DATAHES and GEOTER. In addition, this project is supported by different educational centres CEE: "Fray Pedro Ponce de León" (Burgos), CEIP: "Fernando de Rojas" (Burgos), APACE (Burgos), Asociación Síndrome Down (Burgos), Federación de Autismo Burgos, Asociación Turing (Perú), Scuola dell'infanzia del Comune di Roma Capitale "Salvatore Quasimodo (Roma), Scuola dell'Infanzia del Comune di Roma capitale "Faro dei bimbi" and Scuola dell'Infanzia del Comune di Roma Capitale "Gregna di Sant'Andrea". All of them are relevant in promoting inclusive education, the ultimate goal of the e-EarlyCare-T project.

The next meeting of the strategic partnership will take place in March and the content of the training modules will be discussed.  

• eEarlyCare-T project presents progress and plans future actions
• Transnational eEarlyCare-T project moves forward
• European experts will evaluate the materials developed by the eEarlyCare-T project
• The e-EarlyCare-T project took part in the ERASMUS DAYS 2022 conference
• eEarlyCare-T project held its fifth meeting | Universidad de Burgos (ubu.es)
• The eEarlyCare-T Project held the first "Learning Teaching, Training Activities" in Croatia
• Further progress and internationalisation of the eEarlyCare-T project at the University of Roma Tre in Italy
• DATAHES participated in the XI International Congress of Psychology and Education
• The UBU disseminates the results of research into artificial intelligence applied to the field of psychology
• The SEPIE highlights the accessibility, attractive design and usability of the results of the eEarlyCare-T project
• The eEarlyCare-T project is a finalist in the SALTO AWARDS 2023 in the Digital Transformation category.
• The e-EarlyCare-T project took part in Erasmus Days 2023
• The European eEarlyCare-T project will present its results at an international conference in October