Abstract:

This paper is framed in Ed­Way Erasmus+ KA2 project of the European Union (www.ed­way.eu). In this project we propose an educational methods, activities and tools by means of information and communication technologies (ICT) that could be applied by teachers, trainers and professors in their courses. That is while trainers focus on the main course contents, it is possible also to teach soft skills, attitudes and values by the use of an informal approach (planned by trainer but unintentional by the student).

We aim to test the Ed-Way method; the validation the use of Information and communication technologies (ICT) methods and activities applied during teaching-learning as an effective way for an informal learning, promoting also the recognition, especially to the acquisition of personal, social and formal skills and qualifications.

The method proposed are grounded on the force­field theories of humanism (Kurt Lewin) and Gestalt psychology. The competences, skills and values proposed are going to be acquired transversally while learning other subjects; we guide the learners through several states, motivating them by mixing emotions, personal interest and the aim of personal growth to make possible, thanks to the ICT, that everybody could learn the subject from a net­based perspective. Thanks to this approach we make possible that students acquire transversal skills and values and keep learning informally once the course ends.

We finished the analysis phase and the project is on the stage of manual production, a draft of the manual is available to trainers and it has been evaluated in a close laboratory, a group of 16 learners during 3 months, monitoring their feedback, comments, and impressions. This evaluation, even being completely subjective, it allowed us to recognise the feelings, fears, and amazement on some topics. This has been the main source of information, being capable to recognise in the group dynamics the informal-learning Ed-way project was aiming.

We concluded that the inclusion of activities based on reflection, increase of motivation, experience and coaching required extra time and effort by the trainer and students with difficulties during the collaborative, creative and conceptual ICT-based activities. Even so the benefits have been significant on the learning experience; students acquire soft skills and transversal competences while learning the main subject. Thanks to this mix of ICT based activities and emotional activities we make possible that learners acquire competences such as control, autonomy, leadership, self­improvement, team­work, flexibility, initiative, and creativity, among others.

The informal education, the teaching of soft skills and the validation and visibility of the competences acquired is being considered as one of the key aspects for a lifelong learning process. In Ed­Way we potentiate this informal education, making possible its permeability with interdisciplinary formal pathways. In our project, the integration of ICT processes (learning, sharing, collaborating) mixed with personal interests and motivations has been proved to be very powerful to enrich the learning experience and make the topics learnt survive after the course end. We offer a manual and an on­line environment where trainers will be able to practice the methods proposed to later on offer them to their students.

Keywords:

ICT, technology, adult, training, soft skills, motivation, emotion, informal.