The Ministry of Agriculture and Water, through the Instituto Murciano Research and Agricultural Development and Food (IMID), coordinates a European project, called Sunrise, to promote innovation in vocational training in agriculture.
This project is funded by the Lifelong Learning Programme of the Directorate General of Education and Culture of the European Commission (Leonardo da Vinci), which began in November 2007 and will run until October 2009.
According to the general director of Operations and Training Modernization of Agricultural, Ángel García Lidón, agricultural training "must be constantly renewed and adapted to new conditions and challenges."
In this regard he noted that "experiments have already established in European institutions can be adapted to local needs."
Through the Sunrise project is to transfer three innovations from providing institutions based in the Netherlands and Finland to recipients located in Spain (Centro Integrated Agricultural Training and Experience Torre Pacheco), Bulgaria (Land Source of Income and two centers agricultural vocational training), Latvia (LV European, which brings together the food vocational training centers), Finland (SYI) and Holland (Wellantcollege).
Educational innovations
According to the official regional, authentic learning methodology, also called situated cognition and situated learning, "allows students to explore, discuss and build concepts and relationships in contexts related to problems and projects in real life, relevant to the student" .
Are promoted, therefore, actual work projects, in contact with companies.
Another notable innovation is the accreditation of previously acquired skills.
These competitions Lidón Garcia said, "including skills and attitudes gained through non-formal processes and work experience, in many cases, it is valued by the education system."
Such training, he added, it is evaluated and appreciated in other countries, resulting in "motivation for both youth and adults participating in formal education systems, formal recognition of their skills and educational programs more realistic and personalized."
Finally, modern trends are aimed at strengthening links between education and business.
In this sense, García Lidón said "most European education systems include student internships in companies in which the tutors or trainers in the workplace provide support and track student progress."
In many countries, he added, "these guardians must acquire prior training on educational and social skills, improving skills to optimize the student learning time in the company."
These innovations, said the CEO, will be implanted in the recipient institutions through the establishment of "mixed teams" (co-recipient partner provider), with the philosophy of "learning by doing" and see "the necessary adaptations to the circumstances of receiving partner. "
The project includes a recovery plan, "so that the results are implemented in partner institutions and disseminated at European level," concluded Lidón.
It also includes a quality management plan "that allows a continuous evaluation and correct and improve the project in its development."
The image is the Center Building Integrated Agricultural Training and Experience Torre Pacheco, where they transferred the innovations of this European project providing institutions headquartered in the Netherlands and Finland.
Source: CARM