Circulo
Developing digital entrepreneurial training for adult educators
PROJECT AREA
Sustainability / Entrepreneurship / Green Skills
COUNTRIES
Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, France, Germany, Ireland, Portugal, Spain
About the project
Vocational education prepares people for the jobs of the future, so it should also prepare them for a greener future. That was the starting point for CIRCULO. With partners from across Europe, we explored how circular economy principles, digital skills and entrepreneurial mindset could become part of everyday vocational learning. The outcome is a set of practical resources and a digital learning platform for VET learners, young people and workers, built to help them take part in the green and digital transition. Built following a micro-learning approach and aligned with the European Green Deal and the European Skills Agenda, it uses the EntreComp and DigCompEdu frameworks as its foundation.
My role
As lead for PR1 (Train-the-Trainer Manual) and PR4 (MOOC platform), I coordinated their development from content and design to translation and localisation, working closely with development teams and keeping partners, outputs and training activities moving together from planning to launch. The Train-the-Trainer Manual focused on two key areas: strengthening VET professionals’ subject knowledge of circular economy principles and entrepreneurship, and developing their pedagogical and didactic skills, including digital teaching, coaching and mentoring.
To provide a shared plan, I developed the Value Proposition and created the Learning Outcomes Matrix, defining the topics, knowledge, skills and attitudes for each module. Local target groups tested the materials, and their feedback informed improvements. Regular partner meetings kept everyone aligned on progress, issues and next steps.
PR4. CIRCULO MOOC platform
For the MOOC platform, I acted as the link between partners and developers, turning shared decisions into visual and functional requirements. Throughout development, I guided technical teams from partner input to a finished design, helping shape the platform’s visual layout and architecture to reflect the structure of the learning content.
To make the digital experience more interactive and engaging, we used the AI-driven authoring tool 360Learning to build courses with learning progression and a badging system to be integrated into the platform. I also coordinated localisation, collecting and tracking content and platform translations from project partners and organising translated materials for the development team to populate the platform.
Transational Training Event in France
Aix-en-Provence, February 2023
The Transnational Training event in France was an opportunity to test the resources in practice and exchange best practices. The three-day event brought VET professionals from across Europe to explore the circular economy through theory, case studies and practical group activities.
I led part of the workshop on circularity and sustainable business models and guided participants as they applied tools such as the Business Model Canvas and SWOT analysis to develop their own ideas for potential circular businesses. It was very interesting and inspiring to see how differently each group approached the challenge and the creative ideas that came out of the session.
Partners and educators at Transnational Training Event in Aix-en-Provence, France – February 2023
Collaborative learning activity using Padlet during the CIRCULO training in France.
Results
The project brought together digital learning, entrepreneurship and circular economy principles in a set of resources designed to be used beyond the project itself. Through the manual, MOOC and international training activities, VET professionals could explore new approaches to teaching, exchange experiences with peers from across Europe and discover ways to bring these ideas into their own learning environments.
Train-the-Trainer programme and Tutor Handbook produced and localised
96 VET teachers and trainers completed the Train-the-Trainer programme
MOOC platform launched in 8 languages
eNetwork created for VET professionals to exchange resources and good practices
200+ VET professionals engaged through the CIRCULO eNetwork
Interactive modules and badging system integrated into the platform
2 international training activities delivered in France and Croatia
100+ stakeholders brought together at the final conference in Spain
CIRCULO Trello board
