<< Background >>Our experiences from previous projects have proved to us that transnational collaboration is valuable. “Differences are a good base for innovation” is a saying we have based some of our EU-funded projects on. Once again, we want to join forces with like-minded and ambitious actors in Europe, trying to make a difference within the field of Vocational Education and Training. Our focus this time is on horticulture and cultural heritage, and how we can support lifelong learning by creating flexible learning pathways for vocational skills within garden conservation. Two of the major crises that characterise the third decade of the 21st Century - Covid and Climate Change underpin the need for this Erasmus + project. With green spaces playing a major role in our health and well-being during the covid crisis, it is ever more important that we have the skills to protect them from climate change, as well as the knowledge of sustainable techniques to reduce carbon emissions whilst doing so.Heritage gardens encapsulate a significant amount of the natural and cultural capital that sustains us during a time of crisis: tranquility, beauty, productivity and biodiversity. Safeguarding these values require knowledge and skill that is in increasingly short supply.<< Objectives >>CSGC aims to address this problem by finding best practice in the various fields of Garden Conservation and sharing it via the diverse bodies of Vocational Education and Training as well as professional horticultural associations. Whilst some nations have retained expertise in certain specialisms, others have not and are searching for guidance, whilst yet more have been researching the increasing relevance of historic techniques to our current challenges. This knowledge deserves wider dissemination if we are to build the necessary expertise throughout the European Union and beyond.<< Implementation >>We aim to use the latest developments in mixed reality and virtual learning to allow a wide range of participants to share in this expertise. An all-day winter webinar will introduce each topic, followed by a range of videos/simulations/animations to explore the practical skills required. A smaller number of participants will then visit the chosen craft skills centre attending workshops, using sustainable transport options, to practice those skills in the field and bring them back to disseminate to colleagues and fellow students. The digital approach will be followed throughout the project and beyond.<< Results >>The easily accessible curricula and videos will be the tangible results and outcomes, developed by combining traditional craft skills and digital tools. Adding some innovation into Vocational Education and Training, we are aiming for increasing the relevance for the current and future students and lifelong learners. This Erasmus+ project also focus on improving the competence of educators, both in the horticultural and digital field. At the end of this three-year project we aim to see a growth and spread of such expertise throughout Europe, so that more local craft skills centres emerge, avoiding the need for expensive travel. The information gathered during the webinars and workshops will also be freely available on the Internet. The training resources (curricula, videos, animations and simulations) will be accessible to all, thus positioning the craft in a much broader sphere for diverse audiences. Ultimately we hope to see further growth in the restoration of historic green spaces that can then form the focus for community participation, particularly amongst disadvantaged people who stand to gain so much from this important resurgence of green skills.

"<< Background >>MODERN VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING DEMANDS AN ADAPTED DIDACTICAL approach with digital teaching and learning aids. Digital skills can be professional skills or transversal skills which define how we live and work. THE COVID PANDEMIC HAS ENHANCED the trend of digitalisation of labour markets partly as an integrated element in work processes but similarly also as new ways of cooperation have emerged. Virtual meetings are the “new normal” and with AR/VR implementations cooperation at distance will be facilitated and learner mobility can be organised in blended environments. The ARtemis project recognises the resulting higher demand for digital and related skills, expressed in the revised 2020 EU skills agenda, the Pact of Skills and the Digital Education Action Plan (2021-2027) which focus on targeted policies that can facilitate the upskilling and reskilling of EU citizens. It supports vocational training staff in dealing with modern, digital tools where there is currently little or no experience with respect to new technologies as AR, VR, 360 ° videos and 3D (bio-) printing. A RECENT CEDEFOP (2021) NEEDS ANALYSIS states that “In modern societies, digital skills function as an enabler of active citizenship and a driver of green and digital transitions. Apart from particular sectors and occupations (e.g. ICT technicians and ICT professionals) which develop and provide digital goods and services, these skills are increasingly becoming a transversal requirement in most occupations and sectors.” A SET OF DIGITAL DIVIDES in Europe are identified in the study: Countries and regions - only three in 10 EU citizens had above basic digital skills in 2019, with significant regional differences. Generations - A generation divide also exists between different age groups. Urbanisation - This third digital divide is determined by the degree of urbanisation, with rural – but often also suburban – areas lagging significantly behind metropolitan areas. IN THIS PROJECT A FOURTH DIVIDE IS ADDED to those identified by Cedefop, the occupational, and where floristry and landscaping represent vocations where new technologies are seldom used, and where mixed realities are of growing importance as professional tools. From an IVET and from an CVET perspective this divide is a relevant area of pedagogical intervention to digitally professionalized teaching personnel. THE REGIONAL DIVIDE is also addressed with DK, NL and NO representing countries where more than 40% having moderate or advanced digital skills, whereas Germany and Cyprus are in the ranges of 30-40% and 20-30%, respectively. With the European umbrella organisations ELCA and Florint a diversity of countries is represented and with several regions involved, including those with a lower uptake of digital skills. VET TEACHERS AND TRAINERS DEMAND ready-made teaching and learning materials for the use of modern technologies, such as AR, VR, 360° videos and 3D (bio-)printing. The results of the online survey showed, that 92% of the teaching personnel is interested in using ARtemis technologies in Work-Based Learning. Almost 2/3 of the teaching personnel request a structured approach, like the qualification in a didactic innovation training hub. 75% request ready-made teaching and learning materials.<< Objectives >>THE MAINSTREAMING OF MODERN DIGITAL MEDIA such as AR, VR, 360° video and 3D (bio-) printing in companies requires a purposeful application in teaching and learning. Current experiences are rare or limited to lighthouse initiatives or selected projects. This results in a lack of tailor-made teaching and learning materials. Trainers and VET teachers are not able to respond to requirements of companies and the labour market to provide professional competence, making their provisions less relevant to competence needs in the labour market. This will reduce the demand for offers to be delivered by training organisations - accelerating the already troubled match between available provisions and rapidly developing workplaces. BRIDGING THAT GAP, teaching personnel needs room for manoeuvre to adapt to relevant work and learning processes in their organisation as well as tailor-made training offers to integrate the new technologies in schools or a WBL training environment. This responds to training regulation reforms in partner countries and links digitalisation activities to green occupations. ARTEMIS DEVELOPS, TESTS, EVALUATES AND transfers selected teaching and learning scenarios s, which are enriched by a combination of technologies. The implementation focus is on floristry, landscaping, and biology. THE INTEGRATION AND SUSTAINING of the ARtemis technologies is a combination of technology, pedagogy, and organisation. The planned didactic innovation training hubs will be anchored in relevant organisations from DE, DK, NL and NO. Training hubs will allow teaching personnel to create and implement modern media in a structured and didactic sound way. The needs are analysed by using the SELFIE tool to develop relevant current and future training offers. The use of modern media with implementation of AR or VR visualisations will foster digital skills among teaching personnel and learners and aim to transform existing teaching and learning forms. This results in a higher motivation among learners and the transition of the trainer’s role from an instructor to a moderator. AN EXPERIMENTAL INCLUSION OF PARTICIPANTS with special needs in this context will be targeted by supporting dyslectic participants with mixed reality experiences as a compensatory measure where visual input can serve as a partial substitute to textual presentations.THE NEED TO USE OF AR, VR, 360° VIDEO AND 3D (BIO-) PRINTING is reflected by the results of an upfront online survey. 91% of teachers/trainers have a high interest on the technology use and the qualification in the didactic innovation training hubs.<< Implementation >>(1): GENERAL PROJECT MANAGEMENT: A core activity in project management is communication between the partners and with the Norwegian NA and other external stakeholders. The project management also needs to deal with problems that may result from unexpected events that may hinder the progress of the project. The creation of a plan for the project implementation will be part of the quality measures for the project implementation. At least monthly online meetings with the core team will also be part of these activities. (2): AN ONLINE COLLABORATION PLATFORM (Microsoft SharePoint/Teams (tbd)) is set up by the coordinator and maintained for the duration of the project. It offers opportunities for communication, file storage and work tracking. Online communication channels have already been defined. (3): SHARING AND PROMOTION OF THE PROJECT RESULTS The sharing and promotion activities will be developed at the beginning of the project (under the direction of FLORINT) with the corresponding visual elements (under the direction of the SBG). The website http://Skillstools.eu/artemis will be created, on which external stakeholders are informed about the project and its development. In addition, a social media presence (e.g. Twitter) will be set up to enable a more interactive type of communication with external stakeholders (under the direction of SBG). A YouTube channel offers decision-makers and vocational training staff insights into the use of modern (3D printing / bioprinting) and immersive (AR, VR, 360 ° video)media in Vocational Education. (4): PROJECT EVALUATION The project management, the development of the WPs and the sharing and promotion plan measures are continuously evaluated. This is covered in the sections on monitoring and evaluation (5): FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT AND CONTROL The flow of expenses is considered in a continuous process. The project coordinator will review the planned and spent funding on a quarterly basis in order to ensure that the project funds are used appropriately. Particular attention is paid to the working days for the WPs. For this controlling, the timesheets regularly filled out by the project partners are used. (6) PROJECT REPORTS The interim and final reports are prepared by the NTI-MMM in order to document the progress of the project. In addition, five transnational partner meetings (TPM), two Learning and teaching activities (LTTA) and three sharing and promotion activities (Multiplier events) will be carried out.<< Results >>Artemis will develop, test and evaluate a qualification concept for VET personnel (""Digitalisation expert in VET"", WP1) to acquire the necessary professional, personnel and digital skills for the use of immersive technologies (AR, VR, 360 ° videos) and 3D (bio-) printing in WBL. This pedagogical guidance will be the foundation for the AR, VR; 360° and 3D (bio-) printing enriched teaching and learning scenarios in floristry, landscaping, and biology (lab) (WP 2). The foundation and operation of three different didactic innovation training hubs will enable teaching personnel to obtain as well as to provide relevant training with modern media, such as immersive media. The three hubs for didactic innovations will function as “lighttowers” for attracting interest from the relevant industry as well as to enable participants to create and test further or own AR, VR, 360° and 3D(bio-) printing enriched teaching and learning material."