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The event was part of a three-year strategic cooperation project (LTA) coordinated by the Estonian National Agency, titled “Digital Pedagogy in the Age of AI” and brought together education experts from across Europe. Together, they looked at the importance of blended mobility, shared best practices, and discussed the role of AI in the future of education.

Digital transformation is one of the horizontal priorities of the Erasmus+ programme, Vrhovski explained. “It is a priority for everything we do. And blended mobility contributes to the digital transformation in two ways. On the one hand, it allows us to improve the quality, inclusion, and results of projects. On the other hand, it develops digital competence. In addition, everyone participating in the programme can use digital tools and collaborate on digital platforms,” Vrhovski said.

Blended mobility is a combination of physical and virtual mobility. Vrhovski pointed out that it is one of the important tools used in Europe to contribute to the development of digital skills. “We have created a digital competence framework at the European level that describes five areas of digital skills: information and data literacy, communication and collaboration, digital content creation, safety and problem solving. Blended learning contributes to the development of all five areas and accompanying digital skills” she explained.

Developing digital skills in Europe is critical

According to Vrhovski, blended learning plays an important role in increasing digital skills in Europe, because it helps address a significant existing problem. “Data shows that 43% of eighth-graders in Europe lack basic digital skills. In today’s world, this is a major problem in terms of academic achievement, participation in society, employability, competitiveness, security, and preparedness,” she said.

„Digital transformation is something that enables all of us to work and live successfully in societies nowadays. Digital education contributes to the competitiveness of Europe through skills development, social cohesion, employability that it enables. Nowadays, importantly, we cannot imagine democracy without its digital aspects – media literacy and dealing with disinformation is crucial“ said Vrhovski.

Tartu Vocational College (VOCO) shares its blended mobility experience

At the event, Andrei Atškasov, Head of Projects at VOCO, shared his experience. In 2024, he accepted the Erasmus+ Golden Digital Apple awarded to VOCO for developing and implementing virtual mobility in vocational education.

VOCO’s journey with blended mobility began during the COVID-19 pandemic when schools went into lockdown and no one knew what the future would bring. “We sat down with experts from Denmark, Spain, the Netherlands, and Finland to discuss what could be done. Since the Erasmus+ programme offered the possibility to carry out virtual mobility, we started thinking about how to successfully implement it in vocational education,” said Andrei.

The support received through the Erasmus+ programme was used to create hybrid classrooms. “These classrooms have special cameras and screens to make it possible to conduct practical workshops. This way, students on the other side of the screen can follow along,” he explained.

The feedback has been positive

VOCO’s virtual mobility received a lot of praise, which led to the decision to implement blended mobility after the pandemic subsided. The virtual component has many advantages, especially since digital skills are crucial. “The virtual part helps students refine their skills in a comfortable and familiar environment,” noted Andrei.

Students have also been satisfied with blended mobility. “They like that something different is happening. The virtual component creates the first contact and gives them the chance to try things out at home. This means that when students finally take part in the physical mobility, they feel more confident and are more active on site,” he explained.

Prepare for potential challenges

Institutions starting with blended mobility should be ready for some practical challenges. “Organizing blended mobility definitely takes more resources. Some people have told me they’d like to do it but don’t have the time. You need to plan virtual activities and, if necessary, provide additional consultations so students understand what it’s all about,” said Andrei.

Another issue is technical difficulties. “For example, we’ve experienced problems with Spain where the internet connection can drop. We were lucky to be able to create hybrid classrooms, but not everyone has such resources, and this leads to uneven quality – a problem that needs attention,” he added.

What should project organizers focus on?

To more easily overcome challenges, Andrei recommends focusing on three things for anyone planning blended mobility: “First, it’s crucial to find a good partner who actively contributes. Second, identify someone in your school who is genuinely interested in implementing blended mobility. Third, think about how to make the format as attractive as possible for students,” he emphasized.

“All of this requires initiative. Nowadays, many institutions already use blended mobility. It’s easy to find a suitable model and adapt it to your school. At VOCO, we will definitely continue working actively on this topic,” Andrei concluded enthusiastically.

Find the original article here: Blended Mobility and the Future of Digital Education - Erasmus+ | Erasmus+