Intellectual Output 4
Digital Teaching Platform and Digital Learning Resource
Implementation period: 1.11.2020-31.10.2022
Lead partner : P05. ATU (GMIT)
Participating Organisations:
Applicant UTH; P01 CIHEAM-IAMM ;P02. UH ; P03. UNWE; P04. USAMV Cluj; P06. UO
A whole of digital tools present the RUR’UP ouptups:
– CPDlearning Platform: This is an online learning platform containing a range of digital resources that enhanced the online delivery of RUR’UP e-learning modules was created by the Teaching and Learning Department in Atlantic Technological University, Ireland. This online learning platform called CPDlearnonline is managed by the ATU Teaching & Learning Centre (Galway-Mayo) and is hosted by Higher Education Authority Network, Ireland. The RUR’UP digital learning platform (CPDlearnonline) incorporates the virtual Bank of Case Studies on innovative rural development in peripheral regions, including those of high nature value farming (IO3). The learning resources within the CPDlearnonline platform were categorized by Case Study location within each module. CPDlearnonline also stores and presents the database of digital resources to complement the delivery of the e-learning course (IO2). The main target groups of the RUR’UP course were universities and higher education institutes delivering programmes in applied sciences (in particular, programmes related to agriculture sustainable development and environment), together with professionals (farmers, advisors, trainers, NGOs) working in this field and seeking continued professional development to improve their competencies.
– RUR’UP EPALE group: The Electronic Platform for Adult Learning in Europe (EPALE) platform was used to make the deliverables from IO2 (the database of digital resources
to complement the delivery of the e-learning course) and IO3 (The virtual Bank of Case Studies on innovative rural development in peripheral regions, including those of high nature value farming) openly available to adult learners across Europe. This Open Access website was chosen to make RUR’UP educational material available to the public because EPALE is a European, multilingual, open membership community created for adult learning professionals, including adult educators, trainers, guidance and support staff, researchers and academics, and policymakers. EPALE is funded by the Erasmus+ programme. This open access resource has made the online learning and training process of adults living in the EU peripheral rural areas (implementation stage of the project) available. IO4 has utilized the EPALE electronic platform for adult learners to disseminate the range of digital content developed as part of the RUR’UP project. This public platform allows the RUR’UP course materials freely available through an open access repository on ‘EPALE’ for teachers,
educators, trainers, and researchers; students; professionals and advisors, decision-makers etc
– RUR’UP YouTube Channel: Another public and open access resource produced from the RUR’UP project under IO4 was a YouTube channel. The channel is public and currently has 1046 number of total views across 18 videos. The YouTube videos are integrated throughout the digital learning platform CPDlearnonline (IO4). By hosting the videos through
YouTube, subtitles can be autogenerated across all the videos. This was an important feature in the RUR’UP project videos as different accents from the narrators/presenters in the videos may be difficult for learners to understand if English is not their first language or if they had hearing disabilities. Hosting the RUR’UP video resources through YouTube also allowed project partners and RUR’UP learners to share the open access videos on other platforms, including Email, LinkedIn, Microsoft Office suite e.g. PowerPoint presentations, Word Documents etc.
The RUR’UP YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4ITugauQegk8ujuzkZg0Yg/featured ) was crucial for providing video guides on registering for the digital learning platform (CPDlearnonine) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzPjmKbuMHA&t=175s ) and how to use the CPDlearnonline platform via a ‘User Guide’ video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALCZGsxj1KY&t=2s). The User Guide video demonstrated how to use the multiple features on the RUR’UP online learning platform (CPDlearnonline) such as navigating the Overview Slides, downloading PowerPoint presentations and their transcripts, selecting Case Studies and using Discussion Boards to interact with other RUR’UP learners across Europe. Video guides were also uploaded to YouTube to demonstrate to both project partners and RUR’UP learners how assessment and submission of the final portfolio was to be carried out via ‘RUR’UP Grading Portfolios’video.
– RUR’UP Digital Badges: Digital Badges x3 and Digital Badge Protocol: Digital badges were designed for the RUR’UP course and integrated into the online learning platform, PDlearnonline. Digital badges are a validated representation of skills or achievements of learners that can be displayed on a range of online platforms and online CVs e.g. LinkedIn. The RUR’UP digital platform (CPDlearnonline) user was guided through how digital badges can be used to communicate learner’s achievements and strengths following completion of e-learning learning activity. A digital badge protocol for creating, issuing and validating proposed badges in RUR’UP based on established standards was created. Guidance on metadata requirements (badge description, issuer, date of issue, badge award criteria, etc.) attached to RUR’UP digital badge images were also created by Atlantic Technological University.
A public blog on the digital badges used in the RUR’UP project and feedback from students on using digital badges within the online learning platform of the course (IO4) was made open access on EPALE. This blog can be viewed here: RUR’UP Use of Digital Badges in Education for Sustainable Development| EPALE (europa.eu) https://epale.ec.europa.eu/en/erasmus/rurup-innovative-education-sustainable-development-peripheral-rural-areas/rurup-use-digital
The digital badge protocol for the RUR’UP project, including the integration of badges on the online course and summer school (IO5) was made open access on EPALE and can be found here: RUR’UP Digital Badge Protocol | EPALE (europa.eu)