Giunti Labs delivers in EU project to help Mediterranean countries develop their e-learning potential

Giunti Labs has developed and implemented a number of e-learning and e-learning related learning materials having been assigned responsibility for ‘component 4’ of the EU’s Mediterranean European Development Action - Education and Training for Employment (MEDA-ETE) Project, which aims to introduce e-learning into North African and Middle East Mediterranean countries.

Over the last six months or so, Giunti Labs, Europe’s leading e-learning and mobile learning content management solutions (LCMS) vendor, has developed and implemented a number of e-learning and e-learning related learning materials having been assigned responsibility for ‘component 4’ of the EU’s Mediterranean European Development Action - Education and Training for Employment (MEDA-ETE) Project, which aims to introduce e-learning into North African and Middle East Mediterranean countries.

The € 5m project is implemented by the European Training Foundation (ETF), an EU agency active in the field of education and training in the EU partner countries. The main direct beneficiaries of the project are the governmental structures and other public and private partners, who are key players in the field of education and training in ten partner countries: (Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, the Palestinian Authority, Syria, Tunisia and Turkey).

Component 4 of the Regional EU project MEDA-ETE aims to achieve a full and thorough knowledge of methodological, pedagogical and technological aspects of e-learning in MEDA countries. Its specific goal is to develop and implement a ‘train the trainers’ programme to increase the usage of e-learning in this field.

Education and Training for Employment (ETE) is a regional project being implemented within the ‘Barcelona process’ - a wide framework of political, economic and social relations between the Member States of the European Union and Partners of the Southern Mediterranean. The ETE project has identified education and training as the main tools to facilitate the economic and social development of the North African and Middle East Mediterranean region.

The project is aimed at helping the MEDA countries to meet the increasing demand for new types of qualifications in the labour market; focusing on further understanding and integrating e-learning methodologies and tools in the education and training systems.

The main project beneficiaries are the teacher training institutions in the MEDA region. The target group comprises trainers, teachers and managers from training organisations taking part in the planning and implementation of the e-learning programmes, with particular focus on the IT and tourism sectors.

According to Fabrizio Cardinali, Giunti Labs’ CEO: “In the last six months, we have produced a ‘train the trainer’ course and made this available via the MEDA-ETE portal; published and introduced the learning materials in eight of the ten target countries – Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Turkey and Syria – and welcomed the first trainees.”

“The learning materials are divided into ten modules, each of which contains learning activities with learning objects, guided lectures, checkpoints with tests, active participation with a discussion forum and chat session. After completing the learning materials, learners are asked to put their learning into practice.

“The learning materials were piloted in two phases,” Cardinali explained.

“The first phase – conducted at the end of last year - was directed at experts, managers and decision makers. Their feedback enabled us to obtain crucial qualitative data and validate the toolset.

“The second phase – early this year – sought information from members of teacher training institutions. In addition, we have explored how it would be possible to integrate – and sustain - the pilot course within an institutional setting in each country.”

Cardinali concluded: “E-learning solutions provide the necessary tools for meeting the rapidly evolving new requirements of the labour market in the MEDA countries. The interactivity offered by new learning technologies facilitates the involvement of the target audience in the learning experience, which is one of the focuses of Component 4 of the MEDA-ETE project.

”Throughout the different phases of this project, we are seeking greater co-operation with, and among, the ten countries. This co-operation is facilitated and supported via learning technologies.”

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Further information from:
Angus Turpin, Giunti Labs, +44 (0) 7733 365063
Minna Leikas, Giunti Labs, +39 3489 399127
Bob Little, Bob Little Press & PR, +44 (0)1727 860405
MEDA-ETE Project Team, Turin, +39.011.6302222