Duration
36 months
General approach/description of the project
SME MASTER Plus aims at implementing ECVET using the Master craftsperson qualification as sample qualification. The enhancement of transnational mobility in Master craftsperson training will be realized on the basis of sustainable international partnerships.
Partners and countries involved in the SME MASTER Plus project mostly represent the interests and needs of the skilled craft sector. Some of them are already part of the European platform Euronaver (www.euronaver.net), which aims at enhancing mobility in VET. They consider the establishment of transnational mobility programmes an important part of the vocational education and training of apprentices in skilled craft sectors and Master craftsperson trainees as entrepreneurs of tomorrow.
The decision to include a period of transnational mobility experience in their training will, in a medium term, foster the development of competences for skilled craft companies and SMEs. Therefore, enhancing and consolidating cross-border mobility is the main priority of the SME MASTER Plus project. The partners, which are the competent and/or intermediary bodies in their countries will support national network of skilled craft chambers and training providers to achieve this goal.
The SME MASTER Plus project builds on the experience and outcome of a previous project, the SME MASTER project. The SME MASTER project concerned the qualification of the Master baker. The final outcome of this project was a grid of units of learning outcomes for this qualification. However, the SME MASTER project did not result in the allocation of ECVET points to units, nor in providing a model of partnership agreements (MoU and LA). The SME MASTER Plus project therefore focuses on these aspects while transferring the methodology used for the SME MASTER project to other crafts sectors (floristry, hairdressing and woodworking).
The SME MASTER Plus project is being undertaken in two stages:
The first stage focuses on the implementation of ECVET principles such as formulation of learning outcomes, design of units, templates for the memorandum of understanding (MoU) and the learning agreement (LA) for the master baker qualification. Partners will also reflect upon the requirements for assessment, validation and recognition of units in the context of transnational mobility.
The second stage concerns the methodology-transfer to the three other sectors mentioned above. The different tools (e.g. learning outcomes matrices, Memorandum of Understanding, learning agreement) will be tested through concrete mobility experiences. The feedback of the learners / people involved in these exchanges should help fine-tune and improve the “ECVET toolboxes” in all sectors.
One of the main aims of the project is the implementation of an international network of training providers in master craftsperson training on the basis of mutual trust.
Target group
Training centres and competent institutions dealing with mobility of Master craftsperson trainees and skilled people who wish to acquire this qualification.
Dissemination
The German projects AEROVET, CREDCHEM and SME Master Plus held their final conference on 16 January 2012 in Berlin. A joint publication (together with the VaLOGReg project) has been distributed (currently only available in in German language).
On the project website, a mobility toolbox is available
Transfer And Accumulation
Approach and tools
The SME MASTER Plus partnership has started drawing up a memorandum of Understanding, a Learning Agreement and a Personal Transcript. These templates/tools need to be fine-tuned and tested in “real life mobility”.
It is planned to provide a list of assessment methods but it is not the aim of the project to introduce common assessment methods for the units of LOs that have been drawn up. Each country/each institution has its own assessment method(s) that will also be used in the context of ECVET. Assessment methods used should be made clear in the partnership documents (transparency) but should not be altered just for one mobility participant. So, assessment is an important subject in the project but it is not being discussed with the purpose of harmonisation in mind.
How learning outcomes will be validated and recognised
Learning outcomes will be validated and recognised on the basis of the Memorandum of Understanding. In the Memorandum and also in the Learning Agreement the sending country recognises the assessment methods of the hosting country and agrees to recognise the learning outcomes once the learner returns.
Tools still need to be tested in "real life mobility".
Lessons learnt
An interesting finding is that 30% of young people who go abroad want to learn something new that they could not learn in their home country (e.g. in France, making products that they cannot learn in Germany). This concerns in particular certain professions such as bakers (final products are not the same). This is not an additional unit but this ‘extra’ learning outcome could be put in the Europass.
Units of learning outcomes
Method
SME MASTER (Plus) partly draws upon the VQTS model (www.vocationalqualification.net) and has adapted it for continuing VET. In SME MASTER (the methodology used was published in a manual – see
toolbox) also a learning outcomes matrix was developed, that is further improved in SME MASTER Plus. The matrix for the master bakery qualification is meanwhile structured into 13 units of learning outcomes. Each unit displays a core task / core activity of the profession. The size of a unit depends on the complexity of the core task / core activity. Learning outcomes are allocated to particular units and – when appropriate – are represented in steps of learning outcomes that build on one another. The units and the learning outcomes allocated to each unit are identified based on analysing training regulations and curricula as well as on consultation of professional experts.
This method will also be transferred to the sectors woodworking, hairdressing and floristry.
The project has developed so far:
- learning outcomes matrix for the Master Baker qualification (in EN and DE),
- learning outcomes matrix for Master Joiner (in EN, FR and DE),
- learning outcomes matrix for Master Hairdresser (EN and FR).
All matrixes are still considered to be a draft version. They will be tested during mobility exchanges and on the basis of the results fine-tuned and further developed.
Lessons learnt
The method for identifying units (based on core tasks / core activities) and learning outcomes can be transferred into other sectors.
The matrix approach seems to be very useful for comparing qualifications, identifying communalities and differences.
Areas for further exploration
Matrices need to be tested in “real life exchanges” to gain more experience.
The EQF level has not been defined yet.
ECVET Points
Method to allocate points
The SME MASTER Plus partnership has decided to choose a percentage approach instead of using the 60 points per year as a common convention for the partnership. Using this approach it is feasible for experts to decide the relative weight of units.: The whole master craftsperson qualification represents 100 ECVET points (= 100%). ECVET points are then allocated to units (on the basis of 100 %) and will give the percentage / relative weight of a unit in relation to the whole qualification.
ECVET points will be allocated individually by each project partner.
How ECVET points will be used in the partnership
The use and usefulness of ECVET points is still being discussed.
ECVET points will only serve as a very superficial orientation about the whole qualification (additional information to enhance transparency). They have no meaning in the validation and recognition of learning outcomes: they have no meaning in credit transfer (yet) in the countries because none of the countries participating in SME MASTER Plus operates with points in the national system.
Consolidation of partnerships in formal agreements
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
The SME MASTER Plus partnership has established and discussed a MoU draft template. The MoU should contain objectives and scope of the partnership, agreement on mutual trust, procedures of assessment, validation and recognition of learning outcomes. Not yet clear who has to sign the MoU in the partner countries.
Learning Agreement
A template for learning agreement and for a personal transcript is being developed (probably one document).
Partnership
Project Promoter:
Zentralverband des Deutschen Handwerks (ZDH), Germany
Partners:
Assemblée Permanente des Chambres des Métiers (APCM), France
Institut für Bildungsforschung der Wirtschaft (ibw), Austria
Mesterbrevneminda, Norway
Obrtno- podjetniška zbornica Slovenije, Slovenia
Fédération Nationale de la Coiffure Française, France
Lead organisation contact details
Dr. Christian Sperle: [email protected]
Website
http://www.sme-master.eu/
The website provides an overview of the project, its aims, procedures and results. The main outcomes are described, as well as the project partners. Information about project meetings and ECVET related events is found in the Newsline. Information about the previous project SME MASTER is also available.
Publication on project results and recommendations (in English)
Publication on project results and recommendations (in German)
Consult the SME Master Plus presentation on their approach to testing ECVET as made during the 4th pilot projects seminar in February 2010
Consult the presentation of SME MASTER Plus project approach to defining learning outcomes
Consult th description of the SME MASTER Plus project in the first issue of the ECVET Bulletin, p.10