Presentation on Integrating technology into Swiss Vocational education - Professor Alberto Cattaneo

Last evening, we had the privilege of attending a presentation from Professor Alberto Cattaneo from the Swiss Federation University of Vocational Education and Training on various technology-enhanced learning projects carried out over the last 15 years.

The presentation came through connections made with  Professor Antje Barabasch, who is head of research at SFUVET and is currently on sabbatical in Aotearoa NZ, hosted by the University of Canterbury. 

Professor Cattaneo provided a overview of the Swiss 'dual system' and then detailed some of the projects. More detailed information is available in the recently published book on 'Educational Technologies for Vocational Training: Experience as Digital Clay'. In the decade and a half since the SFUVET began their work, they have progressed from static to moving multimedia (videos) and now work extensively in MR including AR and VR. Of note is their use of multimedia to engage learners and to use the records to nudge learners into reflective practice. Examples shown and discussed across the presentation provide us with affirmation of the work we have undertaken so far and goals to aspire to into the future. 

Use of technology in vocational education and training (VET) - European examples

There are not many easily accessible and contemporary resources or examples of the development and implementation of technology-enhanced learning (TEL) into VET teaching and learning.

Here is a list  authored by Professor Dr. Alberto Catteneo from the Swiss Federation Institute of VET,  Michael Hartel from the German Federal Institute of VET (BIBB) and Dr. Alexander Schmolz from the Austrain Institute of VET (oibf). The list is a support for a recent presentation and came up on my Google Alerts.

The list provides links to a series of projects to support VET teaching and learning with technology. Of note, are the following examples:

- Augmented reality for carpenters brings up the 'statics' project but also links to other examples at the bottom of the page, including literacy support.

- ivideo - a easy to use video editor

- examples of learning videos in the automotive field made by apprentices (German)

- example of games from a non-profit game developer (Austrian)

References listed are also useful.