Simpec T: partners are moving towards the first micro-certified training courses

On 29 and 30 May, the MFR’s training committee and trainers met in Houlgate for a key stage of the Simpec T project: the development of the first micro-certified training courses.

These two days build on the initial phases of the project, which focused on observation, needs analysis and the identification of best practice across the partner regions. The aim now is to move into a more operational phase: transforming the findings and practices observed into concrete, accessible and transferable training content.

A key stage in the development of training programmes

The work carried out in Houlgate forms part of the development of micro-certified training courses designed to enhance the skills of professionals and local stakeholders working with older people.

The training courses designed as part of the project must meet several objectives. They must be easily accessible, tailored to the target audiences, hybrid in nature, assessable and transferable across the various partner countries. They must also be compatible with a European framework for the recognition of skills.

Over the course of these two days, participants therefore worked on developing the initial training content, in line with the needs identified during the previous stages of the project.

The first three training topics

The group focused on three initial key themes:

• prevention and safety;

• health and safety;

• social connections.

These three themes form the basis of the first micro-certified training courses.

Each theme may be structured around several badges. Once all the badges for a given theme have been validated, the participant will be able to obtain a meta-badge corresponding to the theme covered.

For example, for the prevention and safety theme, five badges have been identified:

• responding to an accident;

• making the home safe;

• managing medication;

• preventing everyday accidents;

• working safely.

The MFR trainers have begun drafting the content for the first training courses. This content will then be presented in a more engaging and interactive format to help future learners absorb it more easily.

Hybrid training courses that are accessible and assessable

A key focus of the work was on the format of the training courses. The content must be designed to be accessible, clear and tailored to the realities faced by professionals in the field.

Participants identified several teaching tools that could be used to make the training courses more engaging: visual aids, videos, quizzes, interactive activities and role-plays. Particular attention will be paid to mobile accessibility, as not all learners necessarily have access to a computer.

The training courses must also be assessable. This aspect is essential, as it will enable participants to earn badges and have their acquired skills recognised.

Several points still need to be explored in greater depth, notably the assessment criteria, the procedures for earning badges and the possibility of automatic award based on the results of the final assessment.