Abstract:

This paper aims to present the lesson learned from the creation of interactive multi-lingual web based learning resources in the context of different EU Erasmus+ projects. Although the projects cover different domains (ADR, Green Logistics, Light Commercial Vehicles transportation), their common objective is to develop innovative training methodologies and solutions that motivate and engage learners, and allow flexibility in content fruition.

For all projects the starting point is the analysis of the trainees’ needs in partner countries. On the basis of this analysis, a common training path is defined, organised in modules, learning outcomes, knowledge, skills and competences, following the ECVET framework. Starting from this common competence map, domain experts decide, according to their previous knowledge, which learning outcomes they intend to cover and start to collect contents associated to the selected learning outcomes.

A parallel activity is the analysis and evaluation of suitable e-learning platforms to organize interactive contents. H5P (https://h5p.org/) has been adopted in these projects for its interesting features: it is mobile friendly, it is free, it can be installed on some existing publishing platforms or used directly on the H5P server, it can be used to create, share and reuse rich interactive content including interactive presentations, interactive videos, games, quizzes on the web. It is really suitable to satisfy the interactivity needs we have in these projects and in particular the collaborative authoring of educational resources.

Within our context, the content creation process is complex for a number of reasons: the learning contents have to be created by a team of experts from different countries (distributed nature of the content production), the contents have to be created in different languages (localization issue), the domain experts have to agree which learning outcomes they are responsible for and develop a number of learning contents to cover specific learning outcomes.

For this reason a methodology and some general rules are required to produce, name and share the interactive resources among the authors. For example, to have homogeneity in the content look and feel a template is necessary that every author has to adhere to. In addition, to facilitate multilingual content production, the agreed starting point is to produce each learning resource in English and then translate it in the consortium national languages. Special attention has to be given to localization issues: more than a simple translation process, it is an adaptation process of contents, which involves videos, images and links with equivalent meaning in different culture/country. In addition, specific clues are given for video and image selection.

The procedure for interactive content creation is first defined for the Green Logistics project, and then adapted to the other projects (ADR, LCV transportation). However it can be easily generalised to other similar situations, where there are similar needs of vocational education training.

Keywords:

VET, interactive learning resources, H5P.