Learning and high performance

1. Smart VET based on High-Performance Training

In an environment where the productive fabric is in permanent transformation, and in an employment and social context of repeated restructuring, the systems of vocational training must adapt so that it becomes a form of Intelligent Vocational Training based on high-performance learning. In this way it will address current needs and emerging and unknown environments.

In the vocational training in the Basque Country, we have gone from training skilled workers capable of performing their tasks properly to producing trained professionals. These professionals, in addition to doing their job well, provide added value through other types of skill. Nevertheless, reviewing and analysing the current situation, in the face of new scenarios, makes us commit to working to produce talented professionals.

In this context, we cannot ignore the digital transformation that is taking place and its influence on the teaching-learning process. The key to this entire transformation is obvious: the human factor. And in this regard, we are focusing our efforts on the humanistic leadership skills that new professionals must have.

Dynamic professional training is therefore necessary to help people prepare for the challenging changes, and this will be achieved by systematically transforming the learning models.

In the Learning and High Performance area, we are developing learning strategies that apply the principles of critical thinking, constructive thinking and creative thinking, thus promoting the development of the new professional profile, the talented professional, emotional intelligence, creative intelligence and executive intelligence.

Finally, to enrich and reinforce this process, we have different programmes underway:
●       Ikasenpresa (development of the entrepreneurial culture)
●       Values 4.0 (vision of social transformation)
●       Steam (development of scientific thought)

* Data refers to the sum of all different levels of the implementation of the model.

2. The network

Research and experience show that if we want a real impact of transformative vocational education and training in the productive and social context, we must design and carry out comprehensive deployment and dissemination strategies. That is to say, extraordinary actions developed by a few vocational education and training agents are not enough, but it must be the whole universe of vocational training that must be progressively transformed and transformative. This is how we understand it through Vocational and Education Training in the Basque Country and, consequently, we have created a network environment that allows us to quickly arrive at the focal points of evolution and transformation. This action network is made up of the following structural elements:

1 - TKNIKA RESEARCHERS

They research and develop collaborative learning models and strategies that promote the development of skills that define the Basque VET learning model. They also design and implement transfer actions to Basque VET centres and other centres and institutions at a national and international level. This is the team of people who act as reference points for the whole model in the network.

2 - aRituak

They support and guide the Basque VET centres in the implementation and development of the learning model. Together with facilitators acting as role models, they are the closest reference points to the training centres, therefore ensuring accessibility and willingness to meet proposals.
These are people who have experience in the implementation of the model and who stand out for their capacity for analysis, contrast, and vision of the application of the different elements that define the model, as well as their ease of communication and closeness in providing Support.

3 - LEARNING COORDINATORS

They lead the process of change brought about by the Basque VET learning model in each of the centres. They are key figures and in addition to their work in the strategic design of change and promoting the action, they are the ones who have a close relationship with the teaching teams at the training centre, as well as with the people who work as aRituak and Tknika facilitators. They are the ones who keep the engine running.

4 - ICT TEACHERS

They are the driving force behind the digitalisation of the learning process. They are part of the digital transformation teams, made up of figures such as the facilitator, the promoter, the coordinator of the digital transformation, the person responsible for infrastructures, and the executive management. In a situation in which we are discovering more and more quickly, the help provided by digital media in the learning process, ICT teachers anticipate, adapt, and improve educational actions through the most suitable technologies.

5 - ENTREPRENEURIAL CULTURAL

They promote and stimulate the entrepreneurial culture among both students and teaching staff in VET in the Basque Country through actions integrated into the learning processes. They are the guarantors and facilitators of entrepreneurial ideas being validated and having continuity.

6 - TEACHERS

If the primary objective of vocational education and training is the comprehensive development of the students’ skills, then it is the teachers who stimulate and guide the learning processes. That is why they are the key element without which the whole action strategy of the model would be fruitless. Through the system, we offer teachers training-action programmes (training through action) and training so that each line of research-action can be developed on the basis of a feeling of security, and the conviction that they have the necessary resources and support for their activity to be satisfying and successful.

Elements that facilitate dissemination

1 - ENOLA: Self-diagnosis of the learning model

eNOLA is a tool at the service of teacher teams to self-diagnose their situation in each cycle of the ETHAZI high performance learning model implementation process, to spot, and then later propose actions for improvement. It also acts to validate implementation of the said model in the training cycle and at the centre.

2 - ETHAZI GUNEA: Web community

The aim of ETHAZI gunea is to make everything related to the Basque VET learning model available to the entire educational community . It is a dynamic space in which the production of content by the teaching staff with the support of ICT teachers and learning coordinators is one of the vital factors. It is a tool that offers support to the Basque VET learning model in the methodological change.
https://ethazi.tknika.eus

3 - SET: Skills evaluation tool

SET is the tool that Tknika is offering to work on the skill evaluation focus, based on progress of the high performance learning cycles, ETHAZI. This tool was developed 8 years ago, but several improvements are constantly being added, based on suggestions sent by users. Originally, teacher teams used SET to evaluate soft skills, but today, it is normally used to evaluate specific skills, as well, and as a support for feedback that teacher teams give students. For any questions about SET, please contact: set@tknika.eus
More information: SET

3. Learning opportunities for teachers to address the implementation of the collaborative learning model based on challenges, ETHAZI

The so-called IKAS AUKERAK, or training available for teachers, must respond to the needs arising from the evolution of the ETHAZI model. This evolution contemplates three areas associated with the unified interpretation of the model, its deployment in the centre and the enrichment of the model with new elements drawn from social and business contexts.

The lines of action in this area provide contributions to build the necessary knowledge for the teaching teams to implement the ETHAZI model in their cycles.

With the training on offer for the 2022/2023 academic year, we continue to meet the needs of teaching teams by providing a more varied and flexible range of IKAS AUKERAK.

1 - VALUES 4.0

We consider it important to keep in mind how the developing of professional skills in the cycles will be carried out. If we want our students to have a solid ethical foundation as individuals and professionals, we must also undertake training on the integration of values in the cycles together with them.

2 - VALUES 4.0 in the Learning Model

The objective of this IKAS AUKERA is to integrate VALUES 4.0 in training cycles that are working with the Basque Country Vocational Training Learning Model. The following skills are developed:

– Integration of values 4.0 into the ETHAZI approach to the cycle

– Involvement with the Values 4.0 project

3 - Developing VALUES 4.0

This programme of talks is aimed at teachers who have received the VALUES 4.0 training and want to “fill their backpack”, share the doubts that arise when incorporating values and learn by sharing experiences. The idea is to stabilise the view of Values 4.0 in the cycle. Interculturality, professional ethics and corporate social responsibility are some of the issues that are addressed.

4 - FIND OUT ABOUT ETHAZI

The objective of the Find Out About ETHAZI group of IKAS AUKERAK is to introduce teachers to the basic concepts and processes contained in the Model. We offer three IKAS AUKERAK designed for the different needs of both teachers and centres and their common element is that they are offered to teachers without experience in the Model.

5 - ETHAZI introduction

The objective of this IKAS AUKERA, to be carried out independently and without a time limit, is that the participating person understands the ETHAZI Learning Model.

6 - ELU in the centre

ELU (ETHAZI Lehen Urratsak) is a resource that is offered to centres for them to integrate into their internal training processes. This IKAS AUKERA, with a large component of autonomous work and with dynamisation in the centre itself, is designed for teachers to take their first steps in the ETHAZI model in the context of their centre.

7 - EOP

EOP (ETHAZI Oinarrizko Prestakuntza) is the most ambitious IKAS AUKERA in this group. In EOP the participant designs a learning scenario based on the Basque Country Vocational Training Learning Model.

8 - CREATIVE THINKING

9 - SORGIM

With the aim of having the skills to put creative thinking into practice and thus be able to offer ideas that add value in the overcoming of challenges, we developed the IKAS AUKERA called SORGIM in order to train flexibility (ability to change lines of thinking), fluency (ability to have many ideas) and originality (ability to produce ideas that are different, add value and are feasible).

10 - LEARNING COORDINATOR

11 - LEARNING COORDINATOR Programme

This is a training programme whose main objective is to equip the participants

(future learning coordinators) with the necessary skills

to lead the change of model in their respective centres. These are the essential skills that are developed:

– The learning coordinator implements the ETHAZI model adapted to their own centre

– The learning coordinator creates their own leadership style according to the Ethazi model to facilitate implementation in the centre

The programme consists of three training blocks:

– Communication and people

– High performance learning model, ETHAZI

– Vision and project

12 - ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Entrepreneurship is one of the pillars of Vocational Training in the Basque Country and it is a skill to be developed by people both for the employment market and for any area of life: a driver of change and of innovation, with clear objectives and motivation for success. Our offer is aimed at different profiles of teachers.

13 - Ikastraining I

Ikastraining I is training aimed at vocational training teachers who have recently joined the Ikasenpresa programme. Ikasenpresa is an innovative educational project designed for the acquisition of skills for entrepreneurs through the Business and Entrepreneurial Initiative module. To achieve this, an active, innovative and practical methodology is used.

14 - Elkar&Ekin

Elkar&Ekin formakuntza is aimed at Basque Country vocational training teachers who want to deal with entrepreneurship from a cycle perspective. The objective of this training is for the teaching staff to work on entrepreneurship from the perspective of the cycle, plan and gain more in-depth knowledge of the entrepreneurial culture, always based on the Basque Country Vocational Training Learning Model.

15 - Elkar&Ekin in more depth

Elkar&Ekin Sakontzen is aimed at all teachers of a cycle. The objective is to raise awareness in order to work on entrepreneurship from a

cycle perspective. It is important to address entrepreneurship from the perspective of the cycle, plan to address it throughout the cycle and work on the entrepreneurial culture in more depth, always based on the Basque Country Vocational Training Learning Model.

The training will consist of offering different training pills depending on the cycle team.

16 - Ikastraining II

Ikastraining II is training aimed at Ikasenpresa vocational training teachers according to the needs that are identified. The objective of this training is for Basque Country vocational training teachers to investigate the entrepreneurial culture in more depth based on the Basque Country Vocational Training Learning Model.

17 - EVALUATION

The objective of the group of IKAS AUKERAK that this line of work offers is that the teaching staff gain more in-depth knowledge of the evaluation approach within the ETHAZI model. In order to do this, we offer tools for design and implementation, through cycle teaching teams and effective evaluation strategies in the cycles. Although they are offered as independent training actions, there is a continuity between all of them that facilitates the achievement of the objective.

18 - Awareness-raising sessions

This IKAS AUKERA offers the keys to becoming familiar with the evaluation approach within the ETHAZI model. These skills are developed:

– The teaching team recognises training assessment as an instrument for the development of learning

– The teaching team for the cycle recognises the different elements involved in the evaluation and the relationships between them: skills, achievements and indicators, evidence, rubrics, feedback, grading, etc.

19 - Definition of skills

The teaching team must define the skills required for the cycle’s professional profile. These skills must be defined in a way that is understandable by the students, since they must serve as a guide in the learning pathway throughout the cycle. These skills are developed:

– Understand the process for defining skills

– Define the skills associated with their training cycle

20 - Rubrics and achievement indicators

Teaching teams must know how to differentiate between the grading process and the rubrics, as well as understand the relationship between the rubric and the achievement indicators. This IKAS AUKERA offers a practical scenario to create rubrics appropriate for the skills developed in the cycle. These are the skills to be developed:

– The teaching team distinguishes between learning-oriented evaluation and grading

– Create the rubric for the skills developed in the course or cycle, with the levels and indicators to achieve them, to use them as a reference for student learning

21 - Fine-tuning the learning pathway

This IKAS AUKERA offers the keys to working on the relationships between skills, rubrics and achievement indicators. This is the skill to be developed:

– The teaching team of each cycle relates the cycle profile (skills map) with the learning results of each module

22 - Reflection and feedback

In the evaluation approach of the ETHAZI Model, reflection and feedback are two important tools. Understanding the relationship between reflection, feedback and commitments helps the teaching team to create an effective evaluation strategy. These are the skills that are developed in this IKAS AUKERA:

– The teaching team includes moments of reflection, feedback and acquisition of commitments for learning in the challenges

– Reflection as a tool to enable students to be responsible and aware of their learning

– The teaching team, together with the students, monitors the evolution of technical and transversal skills

23 - STEAM

We are currently immersed in the fourth industrial revolution, in which we will use advanced technologies. It is important to arouse the curiosity and scientific-technological vocations of our students so that they can face the challenges of the future that society will present them with.

STEAM training allows our students to acquire 21st century skills, abilities and scientific culture that they will need regardless of whether their professional future involves science and technology.

24 - Why and what is a STEAM challenge?

This IKAS AUKERA introduces teachers to the elements of the Basque Country Vocational Training STEAM model. The following skill is developed:

– Using the STEAM approach in the design of challenges

25 - Working with STEAM skills

This IKAS AUKERA provides teachers with initial experiences with various technologies: additive manufacturing, a laser cutter, electronics and Big data. The objective is to put the STEAM vision into practice based on the “maker” concept. This is the skill that is developed:

– Understanding that technology 4.0 can be worked on in a cross-cutting way in the challenges

4. Advising on the diagnosis, design, development, and deployment of learning models

Experience has shown us that strategies for transforming learning models do not obtain adequate results when they are not adapted. We have a model that works and has the adaptability required for current circumstances. Our vision of vocational education and training, and of education in general, dictates that learning models should be shared, and going a step further, should even be brought closer to those who wish to transform their systems. Therefore, it is part of our philosophy to offer personalised services to entities of different kinds within the scope of our expertise, i.e. within the framework of high-performance learning in vocational education and training. We offer this service both nationally and internationally.