TRAECE - Training, Networking and Mobility
in Early Childhood Education and Care
Project: 2018-1-DE02-KA202-005019
Project Summary - October 2021
Content
Abstract
A high quality of Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) is crucial for the development of young children because it provides a precondition for future successful learning paths and a basis for a good start into the life of work and lifelong learning. Due to immigration and cross border mobility within Europe, ECEC professionals are increasingly challenged by the education and integration of children with varying cultural backgrounds. A high intercultural sensitivity and own intercultural experience help to face this challenge. The exchange of ECEC students and of ECEC staff combined with adequate mentorship and evaluation adds to qualify the staff therefor. In addition, ECEC professionals become more and more interested in own working mobility because of various reasons. But still cross-border mobility in the ECEC sector is quite difficult. The training for ECEC teachers varies broadly, their job description in different countries, too. Qualifications are far from being mutually recognized.
The objectives of this project have been the improvement of the quality and recognition of learning experience in internships abroad during the training of ECEC professionals and the facilitation of the mutual understanding on the competences needed in ECEC and thus open cross-border labour mobility. We developed and adapted useful tools with a systematic practical dimension.
In a consortium of six partners from five countries (DE, ES, EST, IT, NL) teachers for ECEC in vocational training schools and practitioners from ECEC institutions worked together in order to develop, revise and adapt instruments for the recognition of internships abroad and to facilitate mobility (cross-border, vertical and horizontal).
We developed a Competence Matrix for ECEC on a broad European level as basis for the development of relevant Learning Outcomes and as instrument to match different professional profiles. For better recognition, not only the agreement on Learning Outcomes is important but also their proper assessment and evaluation in order to make them formally recognizable. As the consortium unified very high competence and experience we developed a competence based Matrix on a very high level.
All instruments developed are available on https://www.traece-eu.net/. The additional database and online platform which provides all ECVET documents and helps to facilitate the management of mobility projects is also free accessible. Access is possible via the TRAECE Website.
The very engaged and motivated consortium developed inside the project several additional products.
For a better understanding in the ECEC institutions the Matrix was translated next to the English version, also in Estonian, Dutch, German and Italian.
For the practical work we generated several working versions of the Matrix to facilitate comparing and direct working.
The provided mapping and matching of Matrices in the framework of national occupations facilitates the mutual acceptance.
We provide detailed information about the participating countries` educational and social systems to facilitate the mutual understanding of the different social, societal and educational systems in the field.
The How-to-Use-Tool on the website provides detailed guidelines for using the tools, organizing, preparing and implementing high quality internships in the field of ECEC.
A very important aspect are the Mutual Recognition Documents. We provide a detailed approach for mutual recognizing educations and/or parts of education in ECEC.
We provide a pattern of a 4 Day Virtual Learning/Teaching/Training Activity including agenda, accompanying booklet, working versions for moderators, partners and guests.
Included are introduction, tasks for virtual working groups, content and digital tools. The LTTA is organized in two-hour modules. That facilitates the choosing of appropriate parts for all kinds of training/dissemination activities.
We experienced that the complexity of the database may lead to limitations in using the tool. Therefore we provide, next to existing tutorials additional information, guidelines,
FAQ-List and a video for using the database.
We provide a regularly updated Mobility List with contact data for exchanges in the field of ECEC, based on the tools and ideas of the TRAECE project.
Impacts of the project are expected at local, regional, national and on European level. Target groups are ECEC students, their teachers, ECEC practitioners and stakeholders in this sector.
The participants had the opportunity of a cross country exchange of their standards and ideas on ECEC. To further develop the approach the project consortium set up a TRAECE network with a Board for future cooperation and extension of existing networks.
Altogether, the project added to human resources development, to intercultural learning, to the attractiveness of the institutions for students respectively for good staff and to a better recognition of competences within Europe.
Website: https://www.traece-eu.net/
Contact: Thorsten Noelle
Executive Director
Cologne Government Regional Office / Department 45
The Department for EU Projects in Vocational Education and Training (VET)
Bezirksregierung Köln / Dezernat 45 / EU-Geschäftsstelle
50606 Köln
Dienstgebäude / office building:
Zeughausstr.2 - 10, 50667 Köln
tel: + 49 (0) 221 - 147 - 2388
fax: + 49 (0) 221 - 147 - 2893
mailto: thorsten.noelle@brk.nrw.de
www.brk.nrw.de/europa
In this project we cooperate with the National Agency of the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training.
The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents which reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
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