Methodology with evaluation - Recreate.pdf

TEACHING METHODOLOGY -
E-LEARNING EDUCATION
FOR THE CREATIVE AND
CULTURAL SECTOR
The e-learning teaching methodology used within the Recreate
project for the e-learning platform recreate-educate.eu based on
active learning principles, web 2.0 and connectivism.
2022

Entrepreneurial Skills for REsilience in CREATive sector
Project ID: 2021-1-HR01-KA210-ADU-000034950
Teaching methodology - e-learning education for the creative and cultural sector
Project Recreate
Contents
Introduction ............................................................................................................................1
Theoretical background..........................................................................................................2
E-learning methodology..........................................................................................................4
Results and conclusions.........................................................................................................5
Introduction
A preliminary survey of educational needs in the CCI found that the creative sector lacked knowledge
in the areas of financial literacy, funding sources for entrepreneurial or cultural endeavours, internet
marketing and business planning to help overcome the pandemic crisis (Research for CULT Committee
2021, European Commission1
).
As this is an international project based on the availability of education for people with fewer abilities
and as the target group of the project experienced a major crisis during the COVID-19 epidemic, it was
initially decided to organize classes online with the intention of education available to as many
participants as possible.
During the preparatory phase of the project, research was conducted within the cultural and creative
sectors in Croatia and Spain, and we received information about the content of the education that our
participants consider necessary for the successful management of a business venture or project within
their sector.
The four basic modules are divided into:
M01 Financial Literacy, which includes basic terms from financial terminology, budgeting rules and
various strategies for determining the price of a product or service.
M02, second module is Sources of funding for CCS with topics: company growth and funding in the
SEED phase, Individual financing (business angels and other sources), internal borrowing and loans,
1 http://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=IPOL_STU(2021)652242

European sources in the financial period 2021-2027 with application and management of a creative
project financed by EU funds and Crowdfunding – mass financing.
M03 in the Digital Marketing module, the content is concentrated on the communication plan and its
revision with special emphasis on goals, audience and messages, as well as channels and budgeting
with evaluation. The second part is dedicated to social networks and personal branding, as well as
other tools for external and internal communication while protecting the digital personality.
M04 How to design a business plan for Creative Industries is concentrated on explanation what a
business plan is, main structure, tools for creation of the business plan and other considerations to
take into account for financing educational and cultural projects.
The clear structure of the e-learning modules prevents duplication of topics and repetition.
Theoretical background
Traditional formal education is based on a “knowledge reproduction model”. In this model, learners
are seen as passive learners. Research results claim that all types of learning are promoted when
teaching methods favour active learning. For this reason, the teaching methodology in our courses will
be based on active learning.
Comparison of theoretical models of learning methodology2
TRADITIONAL LEARNING THEORIES MODERN LEARNING
THEORY
BEHAVIORALISM CONSTRUCTIVISM COGNITIVE THEORY CONNECTIVISM
Understand/remember create estimate analyse apply recognize connect
Active approach to learning3
• sees learning as the active acquisition of new knowledge and the development of adequate cognitive
constructions
• sets the learner as a place of control, not as a passive participant in the learning process
• learning revolves around insight, information processing, memory and perception
• emphasizes the role of existing knowledge and experience in learning outcomes
• The learner is the processor and organizer of information
Important points to consider:
• Learners should practice what they learn
• Learners should be given the opportunity to learn together
• The purpose of feedback should be to improve the learning process
Modern methods and forms of teaching
2 Contemporary Methods and Forms of Teaching, dr.sc. Mirjana Posavec 2021, School Portal
3 Methodology of Online Learning and Teaching, Hakan Tuzun, Indiana University

The choice of teaching methods and forms is an important issue for modern teachers. Unlike those
traditional methods in which the teacher is more or less a transmitter of knowledge, and learners are
passive listeners and recipients of that knowledge, modern teaching methods allow active involvement
of learners in teaching and expressing their creativity, which is actually the goal of modern teaching.
To begin with, it is necessary to understand the differences between teaching methods and learning
techniques. Learning techniques are tools that allow understanding and comprehension of content:
mnemonics, flashcards, abstracts, notes, visual thinking, etc. On the other hand, teaching methods are
based on theoretical foundations that include various techniques or procedures used by teachers to
transfer knowledge, procedures and values, and facilitate the development of learner skills.
Connectivism is based on Web 2.0, which provides users with a large number of opportunities. The
principle of education based on Web 2.0 is called e-learning 2.0, which emphasizes the application of
Web 2.0 tools in order to improve the educational process. Unlike any other learning theory,
connectivism sees potential through cyber nodes specifically rooted in social networks.
According to the new learning paradigm, the methodology should be based on three ways of learning:
• Problem-based learning
• Self-directed learning
• Simulation-based learning
Active teaching methods are
• dialogue
• research
• problem-solving
• simulation
• play (gamification)
The dialogical method has an orientational and motivational character. It enables learners to get
acquainted with the program (whether the program is compiled by a teacher-programmer, to get a
finished program or the learners compose it themselves), create a work plan and motivation for the
upcoming activity based on the importance of its implementation
The research method includes independently searching for facts, finding relevant connections and
relationships between given data, restructuring data, redefining and independently bringing new
(unexpected) results.
Problem-based learning - enables a high level of creativity in learners. This is the highest range and
form of learning.
The game method is often applied in teaching. The learner's intelligence, perseverance and desire to
win and compete come to the fore.
PAR learning model 4
4 https://drbpresents.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/PAR-Model-Structure-for-Teaching.pdf
1. Aparicio, M., Bacao, F., Oliveira, T. (2016). An e-learning theoretical framework, Educational Technology & Society
2. Bacanlı, H. (2016). Behaviorist approach. In Z. Kaya, S. Akdemir, editor (s), Learning and teaching: Theories, approaches and models
3. Bognar, B. (2016). Theoretical backgrounds of e-learning. Croatian Journal of Education

The PAR learning model is a method of active learning characterized by three phases - present - apply
- revise, in which learners constructively build their own concepts and correct mistakes in the phase of
processing new teaching materials.
E-learning methodology
Considering the possibilities offered by the platform for the e-learning
itself, the following teaching methodology is proposed:
● The courses take place on the Learndash platform, which will be integrated into the learning
portal and integrated with most e-learning and digital accessibility plugins.
● Direct consultations with the lecturer can be arranged in a pre-arranged time slot or through
a forum, mail or some similar form of communication.
● Online teaching has proven to be excellent in a form that anticipates a change of activity and
alternates short video sequences with exercises and testing of acquired knowledge. Depending
on the topic being covered, the introductory part is followed by the elaboration of the topic
and the division into small parts that can be processed separately, and form an integral whole
with a larger topic.
● Thematic parts are connected with the practical part that the learners themselves make in the
form of a specific exercise that is sent to the lecturer or presented to other learners.
● All teaching parts and materials will be translated into Spanish and Croatian with transcripts
of content and subtitles for video materials, so as to be available to people with fewer
opportunities.
Every lesson should have:
Video lesson (max. 20 min.)
Transcript of the video lesson - synopsis
Short quiz (max 10 questions)
List of literature and sources for further research (online or offline)
Evaluation questionnaire - at the end of each course
Evaluation - methods
It is extremely important to set up evaluation and self-evaluation methods to make participants feel
rewarded and involved in the process. However, at the same time, it is extremely important to avoid
imposing stress due to evaluations, which would result in the withdrawal of learners.
4. CARNet - Referral Center (n.d.). Methodology and communication of e-education: constructivism
http://edupoint.carnet.hr/referalni/obrazovni/mkod/pedagogijkonstr.html
5. Jukić, R. (2013). Constructivism as a link in teaching science content and social subjects. Pedagogical Research

Teachers can monitor the learners' progress through the evaluation results and checklist ("learners
report card") and see at any time the extent to which each learner is involved in the program and, if
necessary, communicate with them and give them advice. Learndash has advanced evaluation options
– different types of questions, custom messages, question banks, etc.
The implementation of teaching will depend on the teacher and the topic being covered, but with the
obligatory use of modern methods and tools in order to achieve the highest possible quality of the
teaching process and learning outcomes, during the development of the curriculum, special attention
will be paid to outcomes that must have practical application.
Results and conclusions
The final evaluation was an integral part of each teaching module, and the results were collected
continuously. Here we present the results of the evaluation with particular attention paid to the
interviews conducted with the participants during the events in Madrid.
The key question was dedicated to the self-assessment of the knowledge that the participants have
about the topic before attending the module and after they have finished the individual module:
● How much did you know about this topic before taking the module (self-assessment)?
● How would you rate your own knowledge gained in this module?
The results in all 4 modules are almost equal and range from an average rating of current knowledge
of 3 to acquired knowledge with a rating of 4.
Here are the results per module (1 min, 5 max):
First number: How much did you know about this topic before taking the module (self-assessment)?
Second number: How would you rate your own knowledge gained in this module?
Financial literacy
3,00 3,74
Sources of funding
2,95 4,05

Digital marketing
3,55 4,28
Design of the business plan
3,37 4,09
The practical application of the knowledge gained in the program is an extremely important evaluation
criterion, whereby no one but the participants themselves can assess the usefulness of the program.
We are more than satisfied with this result.
How much will the acquired knowledge benefit you in the future? (1 min, 5 max)
Financial literacy 4,09
Sources of funding 4,05
Digital marketing 4,28
Design of the business plan 4,09
Interviews with the participants
In the direct interviews with participants, we found that the participants most missed contact with the
lecturers, which is inevitable in the case of online classes. However, a partial solution is possible
through a mentoring system in which participants willreceive feedback from the lecturer. For example,
a common practice is to assign specific tasks for which participants receive feedback. In our specific
case, this situation would be applicable in almost all modules, only the tasks would have to be designed
additionally. In Design of the Business Plan, it would be a business plan, in Pricing Strategies, it would
be strategy development, and in Digital Marketing it would be a Marketing or Communication Plan. Of
course, the situation would become quite complex in Funding sources, considering that we have
different elements that cannot be combined, and therefore different tasks should be set. For
Crowdfunding, for example, a CF campaign plan, for EU funds a logical matrix, and for other sources of
funding a Pitching presentation.
The next thing that was important to the participants was the translation. At the very beginning of the
implementation, we established that the automatic translation does not satisfy the quality and that
the so-called manual translation is necessary. Terminology is extremely sensitive and phrases are
mistranslated and the meaning is completely wrong. Therefore, it is necessary to foresee enough hours
for this activity and hire people who understand professional terminology (in our case economics) and
translate it into adequate terms.
When asked about the topics that were missing in certain modules, the participants answered that the
topics were complete, but they would like to continue with other additional modules. This is, of course,
a topic for another project.

Evaluation - teachers
As planned, we conducted an evaluation with the teachers upon completion of the task. Feedback
from them is important for future planning of teaching materials and anticipated consumption of time
and equipment needed.
The teachers believe that the topics are fully covered, but that they could also be expanded, depending
on the target audience. They propose new modules such as market overview and content creation.
They believe that for the following projects it is necessary to use professional equipment for recording
e-learning materials. Also, we concluded that they lost a lot of time on transcripts and that maybe that
part can be bridged with artificial intelligence, and better results will be achieved if materials are more
interactive. This is something we will consider next time and use our lessons learned.
Conclusion
The proposed methodology is adequate, but future programs should, wherever possible, provide for
mentoring and more direct communication with participants using digital tools such as peer-to-peer
communication on the forum, online meetings or communication using the proven technique of e-
mail. Also, using some other platforms instead of Learn Dash gives more opportunities for interactivity.
The duration of the video lessons should definitely be limited to the max. 20 minutes as planned, and
if necessary, the lessons should be divided into several parts.
All materials must be translated "manually", the use of an automatic translator is not of sufficient
quality and uses the wrong terminology due to a lack of understanding of professional phraseology.
In some modules, participants expressed a desire for more quizzes. However, quizzes should be
shorter, with no more than 5 questions per lesson. The participants greatly appreciate this technique
of evaluating the acquired knowledge, so care should be taken to ensure that the questions are of
appropriate difficulty, neither too easy nor too difficult.
The same applies to the assignment for students because the assignment can be too difficult and take
up too much time, thus causing the program to be abandoned due to lack of time. Instead, it is better
to plan an interactive task that can be solved like a game. The immediate feedback is very important
because in this way the participants know whether they have met the passing criteria or whether they
need to study a little bit more.
The most important thing in lessons for adult participants is the applicability of knowledge in practical
situations they encounter at work or during the design of creative or artistic projects. As all the e-
learning modules were rated very good in this category (the lowest average rating is 4.05 and the
highest is 4.28), we believe that they fulfil their purpose and that all participants improved their
knowledge in the field of entrepreneurial skills.
October 2022.
------------
Disclaimer: This publication [communication] reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot
be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

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