Erasmus+ Programme Cooperation partnerships in vocational education and training (KA220-VET)

Educational Platform with open resources for online learning and assessment of Technical Drawing (2021-1-ES01-KA220-VET-000034745)

Background

Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) as well as Learning Management Systems (LMS) help us to create interactive learning environments. However, the LMS tools are not prepared for works entailing graphic resolution contents (Geometric Drawing, technical drawings, Schematic designs, block diagrams, etc.). In addition, the evaluation of this type of task requires a manual check that have to be conducted by the person in charge of the learning process, which slows down the teaching-learning process. The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have further demonstrated the necessity for creating on-line resources that helps to teach these subjects. These common deficiencies observed in the learning and evaluation processes of Technical Drawing and Graphic Representation Systems have been also detected in 6 European technical training institutions. This fact has led them to consider the need of designing new interactive digital tools that may help to develop capacities for the study of this type of content.

Objectives

This project aims at improving the digital competence, by developing an LMS that helps to identify and satisfy the teachers and students training needs in the field of technical graphic subjects, supported by Computer Aided Drawing (CAD) tools integrated into Web. In addition, it aims at boosting the teaching-learning process, as every graphic content can be automatically studied and evaluated within the Platform itself, reducing significantly the teacher's workload and enabling the learning progress in real time. However, a LMS without educational content contributes very little to the learning process. Therefore, this project also seeks to complete it with a wide and varied collection of open educational resources, that will allow any user, who accesses the Portal, to develop capacities in this area.

Implementation

Some activities will be developed in order to improve technical and digital skills in the field of Technical Drawing and Graphic Representation Systems: 1. Analysis of the current status of online learning in technical graphical subjects within European educational institutions. 2. Development of an educational Platform for the learning and self-assessing of contents in the field of Technical Drawing and Graphic Representation Systems. 3. Elaboration of a large and varied collection of open didactic resources for graphic resolution subjects. 4. Organization of training days in the use of the Educational Portal. 5. Conducting tests on the use of the Portal and the resources developed with the students of the partner institutions. 6. Organization of events to disseminate and promote the project and the results. 7. Implementing a quality assurance system for project activities.

Results

Firstly, a detailed study on the learning of Technical Drawing (DT) and Graphic Representation Systems in European education institutions will be obtained. Therefore, a global perspective of the contents taught in the different centers, the use of tools in the study of graphic materials and the demands of the centers to achieve a better digital education in this area will be available to improve digital education. An educational Portal (Open-Source technology) will be also developed with the following characteristics: 1. It includes all the basic tools available in a Computer Aided Design (CAD) application. 2. It includes self-assessment tools to have real time and accurate knowledge in the successes and errors during the realization of the graphic tasks. This will allow the recognition and validation of the knowledge, skills and competences acquired through learning. 3. It facilitates a student-centered learning. It will adapt the contents, structures and learning strategies according to the needs of each student. 4. The Educators can design their own pedagogical materials using the tools integrated in the Portal, without external complements. 5. It monitors in real time the evolution of the learning. 6. It allows free and universal access, regardless of gender, economic situation or accessibility conditions, thus promoting global social inclusion. In addition, this Portal will be fed with a large and varied collection of open educational resources including Geometric Drawing (Polygons, conic and technical curves, tangencies, geometric transformations), Descriptive Geometry (dihedral, axonometric, bounded, conical), standards and formats, views, sections, dimensioning, workshop drawing, assembly drawings, schematic diagram, boiler making, etc. At the end of the project, this extensive list will be expanded with new interactive resources using the tools and services available on the Portal. An intense campaign to promote the results will be carried out in order to disseminate the achievements and facilitate their integration into other institutions with similar needs. This project was born with the intention of making the Portal and the open didactic resources a benchmark in the field of Technical Drawing and Graphic Representation Systems on-line learning.

The project "Educational Platform with open resources for online learning and assessment of Technical Drawing (2021-1-ES01-KA220-VET-000034745)" is co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union. The content of this website is the responsibility of the authors and neither the European Commission nor the Spanish Service for the Internationalisation of Education (SEPIE) are responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.

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