Erasmus Plan
TARGET 2
Long-term learning mobility programs should be implemented, particularly in sectors integrated with increasing digitalization, artificial intelligence, and automation, to highlight the value attributed to Vocational and Technical Education.
Explanation :
There is a negative perception of Vocational and Technical Education in society, and consequently, higher education is not valued as highly. However, the need for Vocational and Technical Education is increasing every day due to the impact of rapidly developing fields such as digitalization, information technologies, artificial intelligence, and automation on the workforce. The need for qualified labor in these fields requires that educational processes be more integrated with current job market requirements. Through collaborations for promoting Vocational and Technical Education, long-term learning mobility programs abroad will be implemented in fields such as integrated industrial automation, machinery and furniture technologies, transportation, information technology, and electrical-electronics, incorporating artificial intelligence, automation, and information technologies. This will increase students' competitiveness in the job market, facilitate their access to qualified labor in the sector, and raise the value attributed to vocational education.
Timing :
The project objectives are expected to be achieved within 5 years.
Measuring progress:
The monitoring and analysis of mobility activities (assessment of learning outcomes through pre-tests and post-tests measuring professional development; examination of the content of daily activities recorded in internship logbooks), the number of promotional and dissemination activities related to mobility activities, and the evaluation of whether the objectives have been achieved will be based on an analysis of the satisfaction rates of businesses regarding professional development, both for students participating in mobility activities and those who did not.
TARGET 3
To contribute to the effective implementation of new generation curricula in Vocational and Technical Education and to improve teacher skills, teacher-trainer assignment activities will be organized.
Explanation :
Problems identified in Vocational and Technical Education include: insufficient alignment of curriculum with sector demands and evolving technology; inadequate equipment in institutions, leading to inability to conduct practical courses in accordance with the curriculum; and lack of adaptation and motivation among teachers. Teachers return with new ideas and strategies from participating in Erasmus+ activities in diverse educational settings, resulting in increased professional development, overall morale, and job satisfaction. It is believed that the creation of a collaborative community that values continuous improvement will contribute to the establishment of a Vocational and Technical Education System that prepares students for life according to their interests and abilities. The goal is to enable the effective implementation of curricula through the new teaching skills acquired by teachers through their assignments abroad in their respective fields.
Timing :
The project objectives are expected to be achieved within 5 years.
Measuring progress :
To assess teachers' knowledge, skills, and expectations before and after their teacher assignment, pre-tests and post-tests should be administered. Teachers should create project journals to track their learning and professional reflections during their teacher assignment, and these journals should be analyzed after the activity to assess their effectiveness in implementing new generation curricula. Focus group discussions should be held to address the gains and benefits acquired through teacher assignments in terms of effective curriculum implementation.
TARGET 4
The relationship between education, employment, and production will be examined on-site through internship activities organized in the fields of Defense Industry and Aviation Services in Vocational and Technical Education.
Explanation :
In parallel with the developments in the Defense Industry, Aviation Services, and Advanced Technology sectors in our country, the need for Vocational and Technical Education is increasing. To train our students for the Defense Industry and Aviation Services, and similar fields that utilize advanced technology, produce high added value, employ qualified workforce, and have a knowledge-intensive production structure, and to increase their capacity in R&D, innovation, and entrepreneurship, there is a need for internship activities abroad. The aim is to increase the number of applications for inventions, patents, and utility models in Vocational and Technical Education Institutions with the capacity gained from these activities.
Timing :
The project objectives are expected to be achieved within 5 years.
Measuring progress :
The number of students participating in internships abroad in the fields of Defense Industry, Aviation, and Advanced Technology; the review of reports prepared by accompanying teachers regarding the education-production-employment relationship after the internships; a comparison of the number of applications for inventions, patents, and utility models before and after these activities on a school basis; and the monitoring and evaluation of the mobilities (signature circulars, project diaries, evaluation surveys, satisfaction surveys, pre-tests and post-tests measuring professional and linguistic development).
TARGET 5
Classroom materials and practices used in different countries will be examined through on-the-job learning activities, and learning scenarios aligned with sustainable development goals will be developed.
Explanation :
As stated in our 2019-2023 Strategic Plan, one of our findings regarding Vocational and Technical Education Institutions in our province is that they lack sufficient equipment, and consequently, some practical courses cannot be conducted in accordance with the curriculum. The inability to conduct some practical courses in line with the curriculum due to a lack of materials in these institutions creates a need to compare practices in our country with those abroad. In this context, the participation of teachers in work-based on-the-job learning mobility programs abroad related to their fields aims to both address the equipment deficiencies of the institutions and, within the scope of international staff mobility activities, to synthesize the materials and practices used in different countries with those in our country, thereby developing learning scenarios compatible with sustainable development goals.
Timing :
It is expected that the project objectives will be achieved within 5 years through the activities to be carried out within the scope of international mobility programs.
Measuring progress :
Monitoring and evaluation of mobility activities (Signature circulars, reports comparing practices in our country with those abroad after the mobility period, and evaluation questionnaires will be used.) Materials used and practices implemented will be synthesized with materials/practices in our country, and at least 3 learning scenarios aligned with sustainable development goals will be prepared by each participating teacher, and at least one of these scenarios will be implemented in the classroom by the participating teacher.
TARGET 7
Through internationalization efforts, the vocational skills and competencies of vocational high school students from disadvantaged districts of Istanbul will be enhanced.
Explanation :
According to the Istanbul Development Agency's 2024-2028 Istanbul Regional Plan, the youth unemployment rate in Istanbul for those aged 15-24 is 21.2%. Another significant problem area is young people who are neither in education nor employment (NEET). According to Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) statistics, the total number of NEETs in Turkey is 3,331,000, representing 24.7%. These results highlight the importance of providing young people with not only education but also high-quality training to increase their employability, especially in this era of rapid digital transformation. Starting with our districts with the lowest socioeconomic development rankings, vocational high school students will be provided with opportunities to participate in overseas internships (short and long-term learning), student group mobility programs, and vocational skills competitions to enhance their professional skills and qualifications. Since these districts are economically concentrated in manufacturing and service sectors, students from vocational fields related to these sectors will participate in these activities.
Timing :
The project objectives are expected to be achieved within 5 years.
Measuring progress :
Identifying the qualities that will increase the employability levels of students. The number of international studies conducted. Monitoring and analyzing mobilities (Assessment through signature circulars, professional development of learning outcomes, pre-tests and post-tests measuring 21st-century skills and identified professional qualifications. Examination of the content of daily activities written in internship logbooks). The number of joint activities conducted with vocational schools abroad.