NEEDS ANALYSIS PR4 focuses on the development of the Back Pack for the setting up of the EU MAKERSPACES as per the recommendation of the 2021-27 Digital Education Action Plan where the developed SMARTaiNNOVATORS will be offered, either in the school, or in associate partners (e.g. training centres) thus utilising the non- school time to provide targeted skills for AI technology, game development and STEAM skills based on synergies with the labour market.

This is an attempt to provide the EU community with a comprehensive and holistic PACK which will incorporate all products and results, offered on and off line, in a systemic way to ensure sustainability and exploitation During this stage all products will the tested and reviewed, whereas students with their teachers will prepare for the blended SMARTaiNNOVATORS COMPETITION and an EXHIBITION launched at the local level with upscaling potential at the EU VET WEEK (NOV 2024) and as part of the BLENDED LEARNING MOBILITY. PR4 includes: 

– Preparing the back pack with regulations and guidelines 

– Setting up the MAKERSPACES, pilot-testing and evaluation 

– National Campaign and Competition 

– SMART INNOVATORS HACKATHON/EXHIBITION TARGET GROUPS The target groups will be the end beneficiaries of the SMARTaiNNOVATORS project who will be involved and participate in the last activities, such as the MAKERSPACES during which they will acquire targeted digital, coding, AI and STEAM skills, as well as transversal skills, problem-solving, creativity initiative, team work, interactive learning etc. in order to develop an IT solution to a give social problem, while participating in a Regional Competition and Exhibition to be organised as part of the EU CODE WEEK (Oct 2023).

They will also be given the opportunity to participate at the European Competition during EU VET WEEK (Nov 2023) with students from the other participating countries. INNOVATION The innovative aspect lies in the methodology of the whole project where the consortium envisions to provide the EU community with a COMPREHENSIVE and READY TO IMPLEMENT BACK PACK accompanied with an EDUCATIONAL TOOL KIT which has high exploitation and sustainability potential, as there is a great need among schools for introducing AI technology.

The PACK will be used by VET schools in order: 

– to promote the modernization and AI-driven digital transformation of VET schools 

– to exploit the use, benefits, impact and risks of AI technology 

– to empower vulnerable students with new skills to meet the needs of the labour market 

– to strengthen VET trainers’ profiles and as a result upgrading the quality of the VET learning provided and minimizing the gap between E&T and the world of work 

– to promote the EU recommendations for acquiring a basic understanding of new and emerging technologies including Artificial Intelligence 

– to empower students as DIGITAL INNOVATORS for SOCIAL CHANGE and SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IMPACT The impact on the target groups and all participants is expected to be massive as it will not only empower their profiles, but it will also upgrade their organization to maintain efficiency and effective learning procedures that respond to the demands of the digitalized economy, the green transition and the social challenges.

The MAKERSPACES will initiate a new type of active, engaging, motivating and inspiring learning methodology based on quality standards, monitoring rubrics, guidelines etc., as well as on the building up of synergies with labour market. The traditional class- room based teaching can be replaced by team-work, problem- solving, hands of activities that can trigger the interest of the students. TRANSFERABILITY The products can be utilized, transferred and exploited further by not only the participating organizations, as part of their practices (e.g. P5 can offer it on an annual basis as a training course or KA1), but also other organizations interested in offering similar programmes (local authorities, emp