ALO! Adult Learners online!

18th January 2016

Tag list

Location / Country / Region

Belgium/Flanders

Short description

Research project to improve the quality of online and blended learning (OBL) in formal adult education (AE) and continuing vocational education training (VET)

Actors Involved

  • 4 Flemish universities (KULeuven, KULeuven Campus Brussels, RU Ghent, VU Brussels
  • Centres of Adult education/centres of basiseducation
  • Flemish Support Center for Adult education (VOCVO)
  • Toll-net
  • Public employment service (VDAB and FOREM)
  • Departement of Education
  • Inspectorate of Education
  • Umbrella organisations education
  • Syntra
  • BE-ODL

The ALO! research is funded by the Flemish government.

Target audiences

All adult education providers with online and blended learning deliveries.

Time frame

Ongoing (November 2014 till November 2018)

Relevant links, websites, etc.

http://www.iwt-alo.be/


BACKGROUND

Links with the European framework

  • stimulating open and flexible learning
  • enhancing the quality of provisions

Links with national / regional priorities

The ALO! project is funded by IWT, which is the government agency for Innovation by Science and Technology. The ALO! research project is an SBO-programme and SBO research programs are directed towards the deployment of strategic research investments.

Political and economic dimensions

Competences that have been acquired in non-formal and informal learning environments, have to be visible so that they can be used in the labour market.


1. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The goal of the ALO!- project is to improve the quality of online and blended learning (OBL) in formal adult education (AE) and continuing vocational education and training (CVET). Online and blended learning is increasingly applied in adult education to enhance the accessibility and the flexibility of their education programs. However, the dropout, quality, performance, learning design, and competences of both learners and teachers are key issues that determine the success of online and blended learning. Available international literature provides insufficient evidence-based knowledge to support and improve the quality of online and blended learning in the adult education and vocational training sector. Based on a broad and in-depth consultation with the social stakeholders, the needs, questions and challenges of the stakeholders are analysed and synthesised. Specifically, the following four valorisation objectives are central to this project:

  • Quality assurance & monitoring: developing and implementing a quality assurance system to improve the teaching and learning strategies and to ensure a consistent high quality of online and blended education for adult learners; measuring the key predictors and barriers that affect the success of online and blended learning in adult education.
  • Learning design & learner support: providing a model and specific guidelines for learning (re)design and support for adult learners in online and blended learning environments at both course level and program level.
  • Teacher professional development: providing training models for professional development of teachers and staff of the adult education centres and other AE and CVET providers.
  • Policy support: providing recommendations for evidence-based policies for quality assurance, learning design and teacher professional development in adult education and vocational training in Flanders.

In short, the objectives of the project are to provide a quality assurance framework and monitoring instruments and procedures for online and blended learning in formal adult education and to provide learner and teacher support as well as policy recommendations to improve the quality of online and blended learning in adult education and vocational training.

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