DIDO Project

INTRODUCTION

“Developing Innovative Didactics for Workplace Training” (DIDO) is a project financed by the European Commission under the Erasmus+ Programme, Key Action 2 - Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices. DIDO is a Strategic Partnership for vocational education and training. The project is implemented by a consortium of institutions from seven EU countries: Ireland (coordinator), Austria, Slovenia, Cyprus, Romania, Italy and Switzerland. The aim of the DIDO project is to offer a new and innovative contribution to the field of VET pedagogy that is not reflected in current initial teacher training or within the resources available for the continuous professional development of VET staff. It responds to the communication "A new impetus for cooperation in vocational education and training" which states that the continuing development of skills and competencies of teachers and trainers must be reviewed in light of their evolving roles. DIDO will develop and implement an innovative didactic model for a new continuous professional development intervention in workplace learning. It will adopt an ab initio approach to developing this new CPD resource (CPD – Continuous Professional Development) that will help teachers, trainers, mentors and counsellors address the needs of workers, low-skilled workers and workers in vulnerable employments. As targets and expectations for workplace learning are increasingly framed within overall lifelong learning objectives and policies of Member States the didactic model developed by DIDO will be relevant and applicable beyond the initial target group and indeed throughout the economy where up-skilling of the workforce is a prerequisite for competitiveness and inclusion. The quality of current provision where workplace learning is concerned is poor in most situations and the lack of appropriate initial or continuing training for those engaged in VET provision is a major stumbling block to improved learning outcomes.