Media competence on the move - the mobile learning app "Ausbilderwissen"

Location and time-flexible training for company training staff

In-company training staff in the skilled trades and especially in small and micro enterprises (SMEs) are extremely busy. In addition to the responsibilities for the trainees, there are other company-related tasks that need to be completed every day. In these circumstances, training courses lasting several days are often not possible.

Location- and time-flexible training courses using smartphones or tablets – mobile learning – are therefore becoming increasingly important. This realization has recently been reinforced by the Corona pandemic.

Another trend can be seen in the design of further training courses. The main focus here is on the length of the content. Instead of long and time-consuming e-learning "click monkeys", the focus is on short and snappy learning snippets that the target group can work through during breaks or on the train on the way home.

In cooperation with the Dresden Chamber of Crafts, the "Ausbilderakademie.digital" project is developing an app that addresses the developments and trends mentioned above: The company's training staff should be made aware of their own media skills and the use of media in the training process. In addition, the app will provide information about news relating to training and the Chamber of Crafts.

Further training in media competence and the use of digital media in training

In-company training staff in KKUs can particularly benefit from the use of digital media in training. Due to the low staffing levels in KKUs, the person responsible for training is usually also a manager. The targeted use of digital media, e.g. for recurring activities, can reduce the workload, which has a positive effect on the working atmosphere. In addition, trainees are motivated by the use of media, as this corresponds to their everyday lives.

Didactic basis: Mobile microlearning

Various models of media competence as well as the needs of the company's training staff form the content basis for the creation of the learning units, so-called learning bites.

The design of these learning bites is based on microlearning: a learning unit is a maximum of 8 minutes long and also has a balanced ratio of text to media for mobile devices. Users will be activated at the beginning of the learning unit through a short interaction. At the end of a learning bite, instead of a knowledge test, an interaction will be offered that aims to directly transfer the knowledge imparted in the learning unit into one's own actions. This will be done, for example, through self-evaluations using checklists or gap-fill texts.

Status of app development

After two rounds of testing in summer 2020 and December, the news section of the app will be available in the app stores in the first quarter of 2021. At the same time, the texts of the learning bites and the interactions are being developed. Initial drafts for the design of the learning environment were tested in summer 2020. Based on the results, a new design proposal has now been developed, which will then be tested at the end of January.

Further information can be found here: http://www.ausbilderakademie-handwerk.de/

If you have any questions about the content of this blog post, please contact the author Franziska Günther at franziska.guenther1[at]tu-dresden.de or +49 (0)351 46339844.