Progress Public Part This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This report reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
Project information Project acronym: Project title: Project number: Sub-programme or KA: Project website: E-AIDS An e-learning environment for HIV/AIDS education 134676-LLP-1-2007-1-RO-GRUNDTVIG-GMP Grundtvig Multilateral Project www.e-aids.ro Reporting period: From 01.10.2007 To 30.09.2008 Report version: 1 Date of preparation: 30.09.2008 Beneficiary organisation: Organizatia Salvati Copiii Filiala Dolj Project coordinator: Dudau Victor Project coordinator organisation: Organizatia Salvati Copiii Filiala Dolj Project coordinator telephone number: 0040 722 538526 Project coordinator email address: vdudau@yahoo.fr 2 / 16
Executive Summary The project E-AIDS - An e-learning environment for HIV/AIDS education aims to strengthen the education and training on HIV/AIDS prevention through an e-learning integrated environment. The envisaged target audience are: - individuals from partner countries and from the whole Europe who want to improve their knowledge and acquire new information about HIV/AIDS; - adult learners: people who work or are in contact with HIV/AIDS (teachers, medical staff, volunteers, social workers); - professionals: educators, teachers, trainers and staff of adult education institutions. The project has the following objectives: - to create and experiment an interactive e-learning environment and a Virtual Learning Community for HIV/AIDS education for teachers, medical staff, volunteers, social workers and other persons who wish to increase their knowledge about HIV/AIDS subjects; - to develop and adapt a new teaching methodology for HIV/AIDS education based on web-mediated learning; - to create, evaluate and disseminate pedagogical tools and materials, adapted for online courses about HIV/AIDS, by using the web platform created; - to develop and test training modules on HIV/AIDS education for educators, teachers and staff of institutions of adult education, based on the methodology that has been elaborated. The consortium is formed of 6 partners from 5 European countries. Some partners are experienced in adult education and training (Tempo, CZ and Agora, ES) and wish to extend their experience by approaching new subjects. Other institutions, (Save the children, RO) have experience in the HIV/AIDS subject. Some partners have experience in e-learning (Taurus Centre, PL and Euro-Net, IT). Others have expertise in research (University of Rome, IT). The main innovative approaches are linked to the e-learning solution. The project proposes an e-learning platform for HIV/AIDS education, which is an integrated solution structured on three levels: informational level, learning level and training level. The outputs of the project already achieved are: - the web site, as an integrated learning environment, with informative space for visitors, containing basic knowledge about HIV/AIDS and a dictionary; - the learning space - containing learning content and materials for the online courses; - the e-learning platform. The online pilot courses for several groups of persons (teachers, medical staff, volunteers, social workers) will be organised in the second year of the project. A European training course for educators, teachers and staff of institutions of adult education from partners countries and from other European countries will be also organized. After the end of the project, the partner institutions and other institutions of adult education can use this platform to organize learning on HIV/AIDS for adults. The project s website address is www.e-aids.ro 3 / 16
Table of Contents 1. PROJECT OBJECTIVES...5 2. PROJECT APPROACH...6 3. PROJECT OUTCOMES & RESULTS...8 4. PARTNERSHIPS...10 5. PLANS FOR THE FUTURE...11 6. CONTRIBUTION TO EU POLICIES...14 4 / 16
1.Project Objectives The E-AIDS project aims to strengthen the education and training on HIV/AIDS prevention through an e-learning integrated environment by using innovative pedagogical approaches and new online learning and training methodologies. The main objective of the project E-AIDS - An e-learning environment for HIV/AIDS education is to create and experiment an interactive e-learning platform and a virtual learning community for HIV/AIDS education. This environment gives the opportunity of using the web platform for learning, communication, sharing experience and for keeping up-to-date in this field of knowledge to adults from all over Europe, who want to improve their knowledge and acquire new information about HIV/AIDS. This e-learning platform is also an exciting opportunity for multiple audiences to learn about HIV/AIDS from home or from their workplace. The project developed a new teaching methodology for HIV/AIDS education based on web-mediated learning. This methodology, based on ICT-mediated and collaborative learning, offers the users some advantages over the classical face to face solution: challenging discussions with participants from different countries and backgrounds, possibility to exchange ideas about newest achievements, networking, high flexibility and also low cost learning for the participants. The partners worked together to create, evaluate and disseminate pedagogical tools and materials adapted for online courses about HIV/AIDS. E-learning content developed in the Learning Space section of the platform allows standardizing course data. The trainers can quickly and easily create courses. This feature allows diversifying the educational offer on HIV/AIDS related subjects and adapting it to the needs of various target groups: teachers, medical staff, volunteers, social workers and other persons. During the pilot stage, 15-20 persons from each partner country will participate to online courses. The project also intends to develop and test training modules for trainers to manage HIV/AIDS education based on the methodology that has been elaborated. The training course, which will be organized at the end of the project for 25 educators and trainers, helps them to use the e-learning methodology for organizing HIV/AIDS courses for adults across Europe. The project has a clear impact on the target groups and its products bring important benefits to the users: - Individuals from partner countries and from all over Europe can improve their existing knowledge and acquire new information about HIV/AIDS through the website. - People who work, or are in contact with HIV/AIDS (teachers, medical staff, volunteers, social workers) have the possibility to take part in the online courses and enrich their knowledge, develop skills, promote positive and responsible attitudes. At the same time, they have opportunities to increase their methodological skills, ICT skills, foreign language skills and awareness of European citizenship. The training course helps health education providers, staff, planners and managers of adult education institutions to improve their knowledge on HIV/AIDS education and training, with the end result of improving the services provided for their clients. 5 / 16
2.Project Approach The project proposes a new and innovative approach for using the e-learning solution in adult education, based on using the computer in distance learning. The quality of this virtual learning environment methodology is based on innovative methods like participatory learning, critical thinking and problem solving. This solution is an integrated one: web based information, online learning and training are in the same virtual learning environment. The main activities were structured in work packages with time planning, phases, schedules and results. The work plan was agreed on during the kick off meeting in Rome, Italy. The main activities done during the project meetings were: designing the project work plan and the main activities and products (e-learning platform, online courses and training course), regular evaluation of the work done by the partner teams, setting up the procedures for project management, designing the strategies for dissemination, monitoring, evaluation and implementation of the project. Each partner has done research to have an overview in the field of HIV/AIDS education useful for designing the informative space of the website. Then, the web site was created and translated in all partners languages. It offers opportunities to acquire basic knowledge about HIV/AIDS by means of an easy-to-use mini course and a dictionary. Before designing the online courses plan and establishing the list of objectives and topics for the online courses, the partners did research to identify the target groups and their training needs, by applying a survey in all partner countries. During the second meeting, the report of the survey about the training needs was analyzed and the list of objectives and modules was established. Then, in a common way, the partners created the scripts for each topic: learning objectives, presentation of the content, teaching aids, web based learning materials, additional learning resources and evaluation quizzes. The e-learning platform software was also created. During the project implementation, the work in the partner meetings alternated with the work in each partner country. There were two meetings with all the partners (Nov. 2007 in Rome, May 2008 in Barcelona). Between the meetings, two monitoring and evaluation stages for reporting activities were organized (Feb.2008 and July 2008). During these stages, the partners evaluated the created materials, exchanged documents and planned the next steps. The contractual relations between the coordinator and the partners were established at the beginning of the project, during the first meeting. There was also established a regular monitoring system of both work and financial progress. There always was in function an effective information and reporting system. Planning tools, such as structured work plan, work units and Gantt charts were very useful in keeping up to date on the status of the project, work completed, next steps, outcomes and allocation of tasks. The partners communicated with each other by e-mail, discussion list or www.e-aids.ro platform forum. A discussion group (e-aids@yahoogroupes.fr) was created and the partners sent a total of 376 messages on it. The effective communication tools in the project were the minutes of the meetings and the web site platform. 6 / 16
At the very beginning, during the first partner meeting, the evaluation strategy was designed and the evaluation plan was developed. During the first meeting the partners designed the web site plan. The first version of the web site was evaluated during the monitoring and evaluation stage in February 2008 by using the evaluation sheet. Evaluation of the final form of the web site (informative part) was made during the second meeting by all the partners. A continuous evaluation of the web site was done in each partner country and changes were proposed through mails, forum and discussion list. A special tool was posted on the website to collect feedback from the users. The e-learning platform was evaluated in the first instance by the participants in the second project meeting. The evaluation of the second version of the e-learning platform was done by each partner during the evaluation stage in July 2008, using common evaluation tools. Each partner proposed changes. The evaluation of the final version will be done during the project meeting in October 2008. The evaluation of the platform software will continue during the online pilot courses. The materials created were posted on the management section of the web site to be evaluated. During the evaluation stage in July 2008, they were evaluated, using evaluation sheets, and the report of the evaluation will be analyzed by the partners during the third meeting in October 2008. The e-learning methodology and the learning materials will be evaluated in the future during the online pilot courses. Partners will personalize the courses for different target groups of adult learners and will apply the evaluation tools, collect feedback and make change proposals. In the first meeting, the partners agreed on the dissemination plan. The plan contains the dissemination activities at the local, regional, national and European level. At the local level were developed activities such as: press releases about the project, contacts with public authorities and organisms, presentation of the project in public meetings, creation and distribution of flyers, leaflets, brochures and posters, displaying the logo of the project at the partners offices, posting the presentation of the project on the partners own web sites with a link to the project website, promotion of project s results to interested organisms and learners. At the European level were done: a presentation of the project on the www.e-aids.ro web site, posting the outputs on the project web site, using the mail groups of each partner to communicate to other European networks and organisations with which each partner is in connection. 7 / 16
3.Project Outcomes & Results The www.e-aids.ro web site platform The web platform created facilitates the realisation of the main objective of the project, which is to create and experiment an interactive e-learning environment and a virtual learning community for HIV/AIDS education. The web site is available in English and in all partner languages. The informative part of the web site was created to be used by visitors from all the European countries and also from the whole world, during and after the project. It contains basic knowledge about HIV/AIDS and a dictionary (in all partners languages). The web site contains the online course materials created. It will be used during the online pilot courses and, after the project, in online courses organized by the partner s institutions or other adult education institutions. The website is an important means of dissemination of the project and its products. The information about the project was translated in all partners languages and published on the project web site. The website is also a tool for communication between the partners. On the management part of the web site were posted all the documents and tools: management and financial documents and tools, planning documents, created documents, documents to be evaluated or to be translated, as well as evaluation tools. The Online course methodology The e-learning platform, including features that are necessary to organize and conduct the online courses, was created. It is embedded in the web site www.e-aids.ro. In a friendly interface, the trainer can easily compose a course. One can choose topics, objectives, content and auxiliary materials from the platform s database, or propose new ones. The e-learning solution comprises some features that are necessary for a full learning experience based on the following pedagogical and didactical approaches: the personalization of the learning activities by adapting the course to the needs of the target group; virtual learning with assistance in a virtual community space; virtual classroom and virtual desktops for tutors and for learners; interactive learning content; communication between learners or between learners and tutors in the virtual classroom; collaborative and constructivist learning; multilevel knowledge assessment and tracking of learners progress. The learners have the possibility to build workgroups, participate in workshops, critical thinking conferences, problem solving and case studies. Tutorials for the trainers and for the learners were created and translated in all partners languages. 8 / 16
The online course materials The online courses aim to deepen the learner s understanding of the complexities of HIV/AIDS and to equip participants with knowledge and skills in order to improve his HIV/AIDS education. A further important aim is the encouragement of positive attitudes toward people living with HIV/AIDS. The partners prepared a list of modules and, for each module, a set of objectives. For each objective, learning materials were created. The learning materials include additional learning resources (as links to handouts and additional materials) or additional web based learning materials (sheets, video, games). For each learning material, an online evaluation test (quiz) was created for knowledge assessment and tracking of learner s progress. For each module, a worksheet was created, containing some information (a case study and sheets, pictures, posters, etc) with tasks for the learner. The learner downloads the document, fills it and uploads it back on the platform, to be evaluated by the mentor. There were created six modules, from which three are about the basics of HIV/AIDS, while the other three address to specific target groups: teachers, medical staff or social workers. Starting from the basic modules, it is possible to create other training courses adapted to different audiences needs. 9 / 16
4.Partnerships At the beginning, the consortium was formed of seven partners from six European countries, with experience in adult education and also in other aspects of the subject. Then, Auxilium withdrew from the project. The partners experiences complete each other. Some partners are experienced in adult education and training (Tempo) and wish to extend their experiences by approaching new subjects. Other institutions (Save the children, Taurus Centre) have experience in the HIV/AIDS subject and wish to approach new forms of education on this subject. Some partners have experience in e-learning (Taurus Centre, Euro-Net). Other partners have expertise in research (University of Rome) while others are specialised in activity and project evaluation (Auxilium). All the partners have experience in European cooperation and some are part of national (Agora, Auxilium), trans-national or European (Euro-Net, Tempo) and international (Save the Children) networks. The added value of the multi-country partnership is reflected in the cooperation and reunion of these different experiences. The common work in the project added value to the activities of each partner institution, giving them the possibility to improve their efficiency through trans-national activities. Thus, different organisations from Europe put together human and financial resources and complementary expertise to solve a common problem much better than they would have done it alone, locally. The expertise of the partner teams members was used in sharing tasks and responsibility. Responsibility for different aspects of the project work was shared according to the expertise and interests of the project partners. Save the children had the task of coordination, while it also conducted the subcontracting work of creating the e-learning platform. A special role in the partnership was occupied by Taurus and the University of Rome, who lead the research activities. The partners resources and external relations were also considered in planning the dissemination of the project (Euro-net, Agora). The evaluation work was undertaken by Tempo, after the withdrawal of Auxilium. 10 / 16
5.Plans for the Future Online courses. During the third project meeting in October 2008, the partners will establish the online course methodology and practice using the platform, learning how to manage the learning process during the online pilot courses. In the next stage, each partner will translate all the course materials in their own language. They also may create new materials. The course materials will be adapted to the online learning methodology. Until February 2009, each partner will organize online pilot courses in their own language. The target groups for the pilot courses will be established in each partner country (teachers, medical staff, social workers or others). The training content will be adapted to their learning needs. A special dissemination activity will be done to attract potential users of the e-learning platform. Each partner will spread information about the online courses and course materials among the target groups members through: project website, partners own websites, networks, mailing lists and contacts, creating and spreading leaflets, publishing journal articles and papers, organizing or participating in dissemination activities etc., with the aim of subscription to the online courses. A leaflet was prepared, which will be translated into all partners languages, printed and spread out. All the partners will involve learners in testing the web platform and will lead online pilot courses. They will personalize the learning process (choose the content, study materials, evaluation), manage the learning process, communicate with learners (e-mail, discussions, note boards) and monitor the learning progress of the users. The e-learning platform, the e-learning methodology and the learning materials will be evaluated during the online pilot courses. Evaluation tools will be created and applied to evaluate the platform and the course results. Quantitative and qualitative evidence will be collected and change proposals will be made. Partners will apply the evaluation tools, collect feedback and make change proposals. The information collected will be used to improve the quality of the project products and adjust them. Evaluation of the work progress will be done during the third evaluation and monitoring stage (10-20 February 2009). Training modules. During the partner meeting in October 2008 the training needs will be analyzed and the list of modules for the training course will be evaluated. In the next stage, the training modules and materials for educators, teachers, trainers or other staff of the institutions involved in HIV/AIDS education will be created. Training modules will contain: 1. Curriculum planning: defining aims and objectives, making a course plan, choosing content and materials, developing students activities, designing the program s evaluation; 2. E-learning methodology: general e-learning concepts, using web platform, developing ICT skills, creating learning and teaching materials; 11 / 16
3. Online course management: promotion of the course, personalization of the learning activities, management of the learning process, tracking of learners progress, communication with learners. After the training modules and materials will be created, they will be tested in each partner country and delivered on the web site, paper and CD. On the web site, the Training Space for teachers/trainers will contain: database - containing the course curriculum together with training resources and materials already created. The paper course support and the CD will contain training materials which will be used by the participants during the European course. The first version of the CD will be used by the European course participants. The training materials will be used by the participants at the European course and, after the end of the project, by other educators, teachers or trainers in the HIV/AIDS field. European Training Course. Preparatory work for the European training course will begin with the curriculum and methods planning during the partners meeting in October 2008. Until February 2009 the training course modules will be created and piloted in each country and evaluated during the monitoring and evaluation stage in February 2009. The training course has as objectives: - to improve the general ICT skills and the competences of using e-learning tools; - to improve the pedagogical competences of planning the HIV/AIDS curriculum and adapting it to various target groups needs; - to improve the methodological competences for organization and management of didactic activities in the virtual space To allow people from all Europe to participate, the training course will be included in the European Courses Catalogue by the coordinator. The partners will take actions for information and awareness-raising of the target groups, potential users and beneficiaries, stakeholders, social partners, political decision makers and key players in the field of HIV/AIDS education in their own countries. At the European course will participate 15 adult teachers and educators from the partner countries with financial support from the project and other 10-15 adult teachers, educators or staff of the adult education institutions from all European countries with funding from the Grundtvig mobility programme. The training modules and materials will be evaluated during the European Training Course. Special evaluation tools will be created to measure the impact on the participants to the course. Dissemination and valorisation All the partners will be involved in the dissemination activity by providing information about the quality of the results and publishing the results as they become available. Information about the project and its results (training materials, training course curriculum, learning methodology) will be disseminated through the website of the project. 12 / 16
The partners will design the strategy for dissemination, implementation and sustainability of the outcomes of the project after the end of the project. After the end of the project, the platform will be used by the partner institutions and also by other institutions to conduct online courses. An agreement regarding its usage by third parties will be made. The training course modules created and tested during the project in the European Course will be made available to all the participant institutions. They will be open to use by each partner institution as well as by other institutions to organize trainings. At the European level, the course will be reedited. It may be included in the European courses catalogue again. The potential of further developing the e-learning platform will be taken into account: - the possibilities of updating and developing the online courses by using the content management systems; - the adaptation of the platform to be provided in other interested European countries; - transfer to other technical contexts, adapted and integrated to other kind of courses. 13 / 16
6.Contribution to EU policies The project contributes to the realisation of the EU politics in the field of HIV/AIDS and to Lisbon Education & Training Progress Indicators by creating an open learning environment. The online methodology created by the project promotes the use of open learning environments and multimedia in education by the teachers and adult learners as part of a broader change in education, which includes shifts in concepts of learning towards constructivism, the expanding pedagogic applications of information and media technology, and the transformation of digital media into part of everyday life. The project addresses the Lisbon Key Competences by developing digital competences and learning to learn competences. The e-learning platform created by in the project proposes ICT as a tool for teaching and learning. The participants in the online courses have possibility to develop their ICT skills including the use of multimedia technology to retrieve, assess, store, produce, present and exchange information, communicate and participate in networks via the Internet. The online methodology will provide participants with the opportunity to discuss with other interested participants and experts and give them ideas on how to implement Learning to Learn concept in their continuous education and training. The project contributes to the LLP Horizontal policies by combating all forms of discrimination. Among the users of the website can be also lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people who may also experience double discrimination - because of their sexual orientation and because of HIV/AIDS. By getting informed, they can reduce the risk of getting infected with HIV. One of the project s goals is to contribute to combating all forms of discrimination and especially stigma and discrimination associated with HIV and AIDS infections and to encourage positive attitudes toward people living with HIV/AIDS. In the online course created special objectives are to explain the meanings of stigma, prejudice and discrimination, analyze causes of stigma and propose approaches for reducing stigma. 14 / 16
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