Blended Learning 2.0 in the european driving instructor education

Blended Learning 2.0 in the european driving instructor education:
Prospects for an innovative on-the-job training
Tamara Ranner, M.A. & Dr. Frank Vohle
Universität der Bundeswehr München & Ghostthinker GmbH
Abstract
The presentation is divided into two parts: In the first part, we will present the aims, learning
methods and first results of the EU-project DRIE 2.0 that has ended in April 2011. Central is
the didactic innovation of a web-based video reflection or rather video annotation that helps
future driving instructors to rework their practical or theoretical lessons on their computer and
to collaborate with each other. The combination of practical learning phases and virtual
reflection phases using latest web 2.0 technologies is called Blended Learning. In the second
part, we will outline a transfer into the field of (in-house) on-the-job training of driving
instructors, with advice for quality development.
Initial Situation: The EU-Project “Driver Instructor Education 2.0” (2009-2011)
In recent years, the requirements for professional driving instructors have been increasing
continuously, due among other factors to technological development, heightened traffic
density and a more heterogeneous target group. In their daily routine, driving instructors
have to teach students how to use a vehicle, on the one hand; and, on the other, they must
pass on the knowledge, skills and mental attitudes required for safe, responsible and
environmentally-conscious driving. Driving instructors are therefore confronted with high
pedagogical-didactic demands and need adequate skills, which they have to demonstrate in
complex and often stressful situations (depending on the conditions, traffic density and the
learner's personality).
Besides teaching technical knowledge and improving driving skills, one of the core tasks of
driving instructor education is to support the teaching skills of future driving instructors. At
European Union level, there are virtually no usable standards to foster these competences.
This is primarily due to sizeable differences in the training systems. At present, there is no
formal system of driving instructor education which is based on an exchange of knowledge
and experiences across both national borders and institutions.
Teaching how to teach, not only in training driving instructors but in every field, is primarily a
didactic question. Digital media in particular, such as web and video technologies, have great
potential to promote teaching skills: educational videos as presentation aids (e.g. during
lessons) have been used for decades in driving instructor education. With the modern
Internet and video technologies, work with these materials can cease to be a purely passive
process and can include an active, constructive analysis. Online tools enable students to
work on the videos individually and in groups and open up new educational potential. For
example, driving instructor trainees are encouraged to reflect on their performance as shown
by the video.
The LEONARDO DA VINCI-Project “Driver Instructor Education 2.0“(DRIE) has brought
together this need to develop teaching skills and the potential of digital technologies. The aim
was to make the learning process for driving instructor education more professional, in
several European countries (Germany, Austria, Belgium and Italy).
The didactic core of the project involves active work on educational videos, by means of
commenting. This is practicable as a self-reflection task or in collaboration with other trainees
and trainers. This should not only encourage reflection on the contents, but also activate the
skills of linguistic expression and communication. This will help improve the teaching
competences of the future driving instructors.
Video Recording and Task Assigning:
First of all, the trainers choose specific
driving lessons of the trainees and
record them on video. Using a special
programme, these records will be
uploaded to a closed online platform,
edubreak®CAMPUS, and will be
assigned to the relevant students
together with the observation and
analysis
tasks.
Online
Video
Commenting: As soon as the videos
are uploaded to the online platform,
the driving instructor trainees can log in and read the observation and analysis tasks
assigned to them by their trainers. They then view the video in edubreak®PLAYER and work
on it according to the assigned tasks. The video can be stopped at any point and comments
can be added on the basis of time marks (with millisecond precision), so that they can
describe and explain a situation in detail. Working on the Videos in Collaboration: If
appropriate for the assigned task, videos on which trainees have already worked can
subsequently be passed on to other trainees for their comment and analysis. This facilitates
joint video analysis (e.g. feedback on comments, additional comments). In this case, driving
instructor trainees can learn from the experiences and knowledge of others. At the end the
trainer can give his feedback about the work of each trainee on the online platform.
Exchange between Trainers: The Internet platform also offers trainers the chance to
collaborate with their colleagues. On the one hand, they can see how other colleagues (also
in other countries) use the video reflection for driving instructor education. On the other hand,
they get a chance to exchange useful ideas and experience for task assignment. In this way,
trainers can get familiar with other training systems and learn from them.
Transfer to the on-the-job training of driving instructors
Good teaching skills not only play an important role for driving instructor trainees, but also for
experienced driving instructors. Over the years, driving instructors develop their own routines
and style. By means of video analysis, experienced driving instructors can also learn to
observe and reflect on their own way of teaching and guiding. Furthermore, they can gain an
insight into the way other colleagues solve certain problems that arise in their daily work. On
this basis, they can recognise their own potential for learning and changing. In collaboration
with their professional colleagues and with the manager of the driving school, instructors can
and should (in accordance with the objectives of the project) create and internalise a set of
basic principles for “good training practice” within the framework of their on-the-job training.
This could offer a starting point for a bottom-up quality development of the relevant
establishment or organisation.
Against the backdrop of this general objective, a specific schedule and first results and
experiences will be presented at the conference.
Curriculum vitae
Tamara Ranner, M.A., hat an der Universität Augsburg „Medien und Kommunikation“
(Bachelor und Master) studiert und war dort als studentische Mitarbeiterin an der Professur
für Medienpädagogik, Institut für Medien und Bildungstechnologie tätig. Seit April 2010 ist sie
wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiterin an der Professur für Lehren und Lernen mit Medien (Prof. Dr.
Gabi Reinmann), Fakultät für Pädagogik, Universität der Bundeswehr München. Ihre
Kernaufgabe ist die Koordination und wissenschaftliche Begleitung eines EU-Projekts „Driver
Instructor Education 2.0“ (bis April 2011) und seit Juli 2011 des BMBF-Projektes
„Videoeinsatz in der Fahrlehrerausbildung“. Ihr Dissertationsvorhaben baut auf den
Ergebnissen des EU-Projektes auf und trägt den Arbeitstitel „Potenziale digitaler Medien für
die Fahrlehrerausbildung“.
Dr. Frank Vohle hat Sportwissenschaft (Diplom) und Pädagogik (1. Staatsexamen) an der
Deutschen Sporthochschule Köln und Universität Köln studiert. Promotion zum Dr. phil. an
der Universität Augsburg über „Analogien in der Experten-Laien-Kommunikation“ in
Kooperation mit der Siemens AG, Abt. Wissensmanagement. Seit 2005 ist er Gründer und
geschäftsführender Gesellschafter der Ghostthinker GmbH mit dem Schwerpunkt
didaktisches Design. Unter anderem war er Projektleiter des EU-Projektes „Driver Instructor
Education 2.0“. Parallel zur Geschäftsführung der Ghostthinker GmbH ist er
wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter (50%) an der Universität der Bundeswehr München, Professur
für Lehren und Lernen mit Medien, Postdoc-Studien zum didaktischen Potenzial von
Videoannotierungen für die Aus- und Weiterbildung im Sport.