Abstract:

The BIBLIO project aims to address the skills gap in the library sector due to digital transformation that is changing the role of libraries and library professionals. The project targets library professionals and unemployed people in the library sector by enabling them to offer innovative services to users. For the enhancement of high librarian skills and the mismatch between formal education, traditional libraries, and audience needs, the BIBLIO project developed a European VET curriculum with two profiles, the Community Engagement and Communication Officer (CECO) and the Digital Transformation Facilitator (DIGY).

A modular VET curriculum addressing EQF Level Five was designed, applying a VET methodology based on learning outcomes and blended learning principles. The curricula are based on a set of digital OERs (Open Educational Resources) supporting the acquisition of 40+ digital and transversal competencies. Based on this framework, a MOOC was developed and implemented in the four consortium countries: Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, and Latvia. The pilot training methodology uses the DigComp framework to map the Learning Outcomes of the new VET curricula to the five different areas of the framework (levels 5 - 8).

The BIBLIO MOOC is the first Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) on digital skills designed with library professionals in mind. Targeting librarians and information science, the course requires registration and can be followed for free. The course is also suitable for anyone interested in understanding the evolution of the information sector and the potential of digitalization in libraries.

The MOOC duration is eight weeks, releasing 3-4 modules per week and including a weekly webinar to complement the content of the OERs and online learning platform. The MOOC addressed 100 library professionals per involved country and 400 library professionals from all over Europe. At the end of each training module in MOOC, learners can self-assess their progress with the help of an assessment test. Participants who complete the MOOC with a 75% success rate of the online assessment will be awarded a certificate of completion.

Having passed 26 self-assessment quizzes, two hundred ninety-five participants filled out the evaluation form that was disseminated at the end of the MOOC phase. According to the evaluation, it is noted that the participants of the program did not face any particular problem while using the platform. This created the right learning environment that would keep them engaged. The platform, both in terms of design and functionality, works perfectly. An added value is that its users did not have to invest time learning to operate it. The users of a learning platform must invest in learning the content and the learning of the platform itself. Moreover, the participants evaluated the content of learning itself. From the results of the questionnaire, it is clear that the participants felt that the content was of quality and that it served the purpose of the program. Finally, the results were highly positive for all the evaluation dimensions examined, and the project's partners hope to continue offering high-quality content and services.

Keywords:

ΜΟΟC, libraries, competence development, DigComp, competence framework, digital skills.