EXPAND+ER WB³ has set itself the goal of setting innovative accents in the landscape of continuing education platforms. The envisaged work plans are assigned to the development fields I to III (in relation to the goals of the INVITE competition) and refer in their core to the jointly used continuing education database Berlin-Brandenburg (WDB search portal).

Development field I is addressed by the networking of the WDB search portal with further education platforms both internal and external to the project. In development field II, in turn, digitally experienceable learning worlds with a high degree of personalizability and an improvement in user-friendliness are created. This is achieved by using elements from the fields of XR technologies, gaming and edutainment. In this context, the technology partners are developing a scalable, privacy-protecting platform for searching and recommending continuing education offerings. At the same time, methods for the measurability of competence gains, their certification, as well as didactically sound, pilot learning process modules are being developed in development field III, which gain in adaptivity and attractiveness through the use of artificial intelligence. See an example here.

"The funding guideline for the innovation competition INVITE (Digital Platform for Continuing Vocational Education and Training) addresses the following needs for action of the National Continuing Education Strategy:

1. Improvement of coherence in the digital continuing education space for a broad target group through the networking of continuing education platforms.
2. Qualitative improvement of existing continuing education platforms (from the user's perspective) through the development and testing of platform-related innovations
3. Increasing participation in continuing education and individual learning success through the development and testing of "Artificial Intelligence (AI)-supported teaching/learning offerings"(INVITE).

"The German government has set itself the goal of funding continuing vocational training and lifelong learning more strongly than in the past. Under the leadership of the BMBF and the Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, the National Continuing Education Strategy (NWS) has thus been created. Its main aim is to find answers to the digital transformation and ensure equal opportunities for all people in the world of work. We are setting the course for the future! [...]
The NWS has the following focal points:

• Creating transparency of continuing education opportunities and offerings.
• Strengthening continuing education guidance for individuals and companies and motivation to participate in continuing education.
• Strengthening the responsibility of the social partners
• Making the acquired competencies of employees visible and recognizing them in vocational education and training
• Further development of further training qualifications and further training offers
• Qualification of personnel in continuing education
• Improvement of continuing education statistics and strategic forecasting of competence requirements".

The goal is for continuing education to become a natural part of a person's employment biography. Continuing education must not be an exception, must not require special motivation, must not be perceived as a burden. If we want Germany to continue its education, we need a culture of continuing education!"(National Continuing Education Strategy)

THE PROJECT AT A GLANCE

EXPAND+ER WB³ is part of the innovation competition INVITE (Digital Platform for Continuing Vocational Education and Training) organized by the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training with a total of 35 projects (including meta projects) and is funded by the National Continuing Education and Training Strategy of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research.

GOALS & DEVELOPMENT FIELDS

The envisaged work plans can be assigned to the development fields I to III (in relation to the goals of the INVITE competition) and refer in their core to the jointly used continuing education database Berlin-Brandenburg (WDB search portal). Development field I is addressed by the connection of the WDB search portal with internal and external continuing education platforms. In development field II digitally experienceable learning worlds with a high degree of personalizability and an improvement in user-friendliness are created. This is achieved by using elements from the fields of XR technologies, gaming and edutainment. In this context, the technology partners are developing a scalable, privacy-protecting platform for searching and recommending continuing education offerings. At the same time, methods for the measurability of competence gains, their certification, as well as didactically sound, learning process modules are being developed in development field III, which gain in adaptivity and attractiveness through the use of artificial intelligence.

LEARNING PROCESS PILOTS - PROTOTYPES OF NEW LEARNING FORMATS

• Implementation and expansion of learning processpilots to open up new targetgroups and perspectivesfor continuing education
• Design & development of modular,digitally enriched continuing educationofferings
• Use of AI elements, XR technologiesas well as gaming and edutainment in appropriately supported teaching/learning offers
• Coordination with needs of companiesand resources of educational service providers
• Integration into new or existing learning formats
• Iterative tests under standardized conditions
• Creation of application documentation for continuation

SCIENTIFIC SUPPORT

• Research of the state of science for the project focal points
• Knowledge transfer to project partners
• Networking with the scientific community and other projects
• Identification of appropriate exchange formats and calls in the scientific community
• Participation in meetings, conferences and workshops - digital & analogue
• Presentation of results in lectures, posters or workshopsessions
• Submission of scientific contributions to professional publications
• Conception and realization of transfer activities

CONTINUING EDUCATION SEARCH PLATFORM - RANGE AND USER EXPERIENCE

• Connecting of different provider databases for continuing education measures to improve coherence in the digital continuing education space for a broad target group
• Identification of requirement criteria for revised appearance and functions
• Qualitative improvement of the existing continuing education platform (from the user's perspective)
• Use of a novel semantic search functionality
• Proposals for improving the user experience for different target groups such as more elaborate personalization (through learning recommendations, individual learning paths and personal dashboards) as well as intuitive usability

INVITE Innovation Competition
National continuing education program
Berlin-Brandenburg continuing education database (WDB search portal)
INVITE meta