Gerry Barbera University of Messina (ITALY) MULTIMODAL AND DIGITAL EDUCATION: IDENTIFICATION AND SELECTION OF BEST PRACTICES Gerry Barbera University of Messina (ITALY)

General description of the initiative EU-MADE4LL is a european Project coordinated by the University of Messina and financed within the Erasmus+ programme. The project aims to design, implement and test a transnational joint syllabus that integrates multimodal digital literacy and English for international communication. It will also produce data to develop a Common Framework of Reference for Digital Literacy (CFRDiL). Ther project activities started on 1/09/2016 and will end on the 30/08/2019. This project promotes the dissemination of digital learning contents and class activities by developing forms of open and inclusive learning and teaching techniques in the context of participatory education practices.

Project Members The project involves 6 higher education institutions: Università di Messina (Italy) University of Leeds (UK) Università di Firenze (Italy) Aarhus Universitat (Denmark) Università di Roma-Tor Vergata (Italy) LUH-Hannover (Germany) Rocca Creative Thinking a private company (UK) . The primary target of the project is the ensemble of European higher education institutions concerned with modernization of education and enhancement of students’ employability and private companies, which need to recruit graduates skilled in digital literacy for international communication.

Target and Metod The project aims to promote modernization of higher education and enhance students’ employability through the design and implementation of: (1) a transnational joint syllabus that integrates multimodal digital literacy and English for international communication; (2) the development of an e-platform that enables transnational adoption and implementation of the joint syllabus by other HE institutions; (3) the creation of a Common Framework of Reference for Digital Literacy (CFRDiL): a comprehensive set of guidelines to systematically describe levels of proficiency for students and European citizens. It proposes innovative collaborative teaching/learning practices through teachers’ and students’ online collaboration and mobility for the development of transversal skills combining digital technologies and language learning.

Benefit: specific contexts Students will benefit from the availability of a tested joint syllabus and the certification provided by the CFRDiL, to be included in their Europass CV, which will enhance their employability transnationally; Teachers will have access to a full set of resources (encompassing the e-platform, joint syllabus, online videos of lectures, learning materials, and the CFRDiL) to be integrated in their modules, aimed to update their teaching practices and contents to respond to today’s transnational market needs; Companies will be able to recruit graduates skilled and trained in digital literacy for international communication. They will also benefit from the CFRDiL, as a reliable certification of the proficiency of the candidates in the recruitment processes.

Transferability The Joint syllabus will be developed as to be fully replicable in other academic and non-academic contexts and will include learning objects that can be also used to shape larger study programs, such as joint curricula. Moreover, the standardized Common Framework of Reference for Digital Literacy, will be an indispensable tool to describe levels of proficiency for students and European citizens across Europe and other countries and will be made available on the online platform. The L3S Research Centre will allow full access and use for 10 years after the end of the project. All other teaching, learning and assessment materials will be available in open access.

Sustainability The project's outcomes adoption will considerably increase European students' and citizens' qualifications, skills and expertise, to be fully prepared to respond to the increasing demands of the labour market in international digital communication in English.   The three outputs of the project - (EU-MADE4LL platform), - the joint syllabus and - the common framework will be integrated in the partners' curricula and will contribute to innovation and modernization of their course offer.

Impact The project focus is meant to: - help academic institutions, teachers and learners to acquire digital skills and innovative learning methods; - support the development and availability of open educational resources via the e-platform EU-MADE4LL; - mobilize all stakeholders (teachers, learners, families, economic and social partners) to change the role of digital technologies at education institutions. The project impact involves also the ensemble of European higher education institutions concerned with modernization of education and enhancement of students’ employability, as well as companies, which need to recruit graduates skilled in digital literacy for international communication.

Re-thinking education for the working world BEST PRACTICES Analysis of the needs Professional Network Transferibility Sustainability Innovative character Impact

Thank you for your attention

General Inquires: unimed@uni-med.net RESUME RESeaU Méditerranéen pour l’Employabilité CONTACTS gbarbera@unime.it General Inquires: unimed@uni-med.net