HELP Learning programme – The HELP Project

What have we produced for you?

This output is the core of the project - HELP learning content (media-based) for formal, non-formal and informal study for healthcare students and professionals. The content has been prepared for different formats allowing highest possible flexibility of learning access:

printed versions with media support for “traditional” classroom environment, supported by the teacher;
content stored and available on the HELP learning platform for collective and individual learning in and outside formal settings;
content available for individual informal study on mobile devices.

We brought together an international interdisciplinary staff to create the programme. The international team was composed of language teachers, linguists, pedagogues, medical doctors and software engineers from seven countries. They were aware of the gaps in the provision of high standard foreign language and intercultural training in Higher Education that prepare students for professional life. Similar didactical design was used for the modules of the learning programme. Authors brought in a real treasure, a European Perspective of various didactical approaches – different national “handwritings”. Thanks to funding from the EU we could create a product of successful European cooperation and with a European perspective. The learning material is licensed under Creative Commons licences (open licenses), Apps included, to make HELP results a free, flexible, modular and high quality learning tool to support further development of Higher Education and VET.

HELP Healthcare English Language Programme is an innovative learning programme for English language learners at Higher Education and for healthcare professionals at CEFR level B1 and B2. HELP consists of 14 medical and 6 intercultural modules that can be used by both training staff and students for free for non-commercial purposes.

HELP provides a high standard foreign language and intercultural training in Higher Education that prepares students for their career that more and more takes place at a European workplace.

There is a whole staircase that we climbed in order to reach our final products. If you are interested in details:

O3-A1 Establishing thematic sections for HELP learning material

Thematic sections for HELP learning material will be established on the basis of data collected and stored during O1 and O2. Every partner will be held responsible for producing individual sections of the HELP learning content.

O3-A2 Audio-video materials for HELP

Having the learning content defined all partners will establish themes for the video clips which will be planned in details and recorded. Staff members responsible for content development will decide on scripts for audio materials which will also be produced both by the native speakers (P2) and Eastern users of English (P3, P5, P6, P7). Final products will be based on real-life situations and emphasize communicative approach for the foreign language study.

O3-A3 Glossary of healthcare terminology for HELP

After project start and getting license from ICNP partners decided that instead of a Glossary the Czech partner would organize recording of a key word section in each module, based on ICNP vocabulary and the Spanish partner would record a language corner section from each module that contains ICNP and other vocabulary presented in module related expressions. All the words will be presented with IPA transcription.

Partners think to reach this way a higher learning impact for HE students as Glossaries easily can be found now in the web.

O3-A4 Production of HELP learning materials

Partners develop the learning modules based on the input from O1 (needs assessment) and O2 Design/Didactical input. Developed modules have to pass a multi-step quality control. Based on a detailed quality assessment sheet, cross-checkers evaluate the content and provide feedback to authors for updating. This will be in general a repeated process. After final approval by cross-checkers, the module goes to final QM control where again feedback loops lead to further adaptation until final approval. Part of the modules will then already internally tested and presented to stake holders before official testing that will start in September.

The platform for informal learning and for mobile devices to support training material will be developed in O4.

State of the art of learning material development will be verified in the 22nd month of the project during 4th partner meeting in Germany (06.2016).

From September we will start the phase of testing of all the learning and teaching content to eliminate possible errors before the final printing phase.

Partners will develop 20 completely new learning modules (medial and intercultural content) supported by latest potentials from new media.

O3-A5 Digital and Printed Versions of HELP learning materials

This stage will involve fine tuning of the prepared teaching materials for healthcare students and professionals and detailed preparation of final digital and printed versions (proofreading, pedagogical innovations, style and writing guide in order to have coherence). Partners will verify content in cooperation with medical faculties and professional healthcare staff.

Finally, both digital and printed version of the Healthcare English Language Programme will be produced.

O3-A6 Interim Assessment

This stage will guarantee high quality of the materials, from every perspective (content vs. learner-centred approach). All the partners will have to demonstrate their advancement with the content writing which is done according to the previously established criteria – state of the art of learning material development presented during 4th partner meeting in Germany (06.2016).

This interim assessment of developed results will help control the active phase of writing.

Performance O3:

O3 HELP LEARNING MATERIAL DEVELOPMENT work package leader: P5 Klaipeda UniversityDepartment of Nursing, Faculty of Health (LT)
Who?	What?	When?	comments
P5 P6	Circulate draft concept for defining responsibilities to all partners for material development	02.05.15	To prepare discussion and decisions 2nd partner meeting in Lithuania Every partner will be held responsible for producing individual sections of the HELP learning content
P5 P6	Defining responsibilities to all partners for material development (05.2015);	15.05.15	2nd partner meeting in Lithuania -
All module developers	Material developers have reported to WPL on interim results	01.09.15
All	Skype meetings on interim results	monthly	P5 to set up doodles and to guide
P5	O3 detailed implementation plan	10.09.15	P5/P4 to monitor and send reminders if necessary.
P5	In order to keep information structured and available, continuously Updated folder available of questions and answers / decisions	Sept 15	presented in Admin if of general interest.
All module developers	Material developers have one module prepared along with scripts	30.09.15
P1	Video script template presented and agreed	31.12.15
P3	Presentation of the pronunciation part of already finishes modules in Bilbao for discussion and decision	13.01.16	Decision to use of text-to-speech if possible
All module developers	2^nd module draft development	31.01.16
All module developers	3^rd module draft development	15.05.16
P1, P2 P3	audio materials recording	Ongoing until August 16
P5, P4	state of the art of learning material development	06.2016	4th partner meeting in Germany All partners will have to demonstrate their advancement
P5	Version of HELP learning material ready for testing	31.08.16
P1, P3 all	Fine tuning, preparation of final digital and printed versions (see also O6)	02.17- 30.6.17	Healthcare English Language Programme, including media-based training approaches (audio-video materials);

Lead Partner: Lead partner: P5 Klaipeda University Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health (LT)

Collaborative Partners:

P1 Tecnalia Research & Innovation (ES) for cross-check activities

P2 Fast Track into Information Technology Ltd. (FIT) (IE)

P3 Faculty of Health Sciences, Palacký University Olomouc (CZ)

P4 Pro-kompetenz (DE) for Intercultural modules and final QM assessment

P6 English in Medical Practice Association (PL)

P7 Slovak Medical University in Bratislava (SK)

20 learning modules have been created. They are available in the on-line learning platform here and in also in downloadable PDF versions. Here is a small preview of the content:

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HELP has been funded by the European Commission under the Erasmus+ programme and addresses two political priorities of the EU: ICT and Open Source usage and Multilingualism by using ICT to modernise European Union Higher Education and strengthen quality mobility and cross-border cooperation. The key aspects are internationalisation, promotion of labour market integration and enhancing competitiveness in the healthcare industry.

HELP allows Higher Education institutions to be open to more flexible learning and to introduce more access routes. It also allows more flexibility of higher education studies focused on both, the labour market and the wider society.