The National Commission for Further and Higher Education (NCFHE) is currently implementing the ECVET project workplan for 2020 despite all the challenges this year has brought with it. 

Usually, the ECVET project, which is co-funded by Erasmus+, is a social project where events are organised locally and abroad in order to give stakeholders the chance to meet and discuss vocational education at all levels. 

In Malta, the NCFHE utilises some of the ECVET project funds to promote the validation of non-formal and informal learning (VNFIL), which is regulated by a subsidiary legislation that carries the same name. VNFIL is a process that identifies, assesses and formally certifies the knowledge, skills and competences that one can earn through non-formal and informal learning. The ultimate goal for validation is to enable skills and competences to be validated against defined national occupational standards that are published by NCFHE. 

Furthermore, through the ECVET project, the NCFHE assists and supports educational institutions through the organisation of business breakfasts, seminars and conferences, as well as through the publication of informational leaflets such as the ECVET manual.

This year, it was thought best to organise something on online learning due to the obvious increase in the demand for this type of teaching method by our education institutions. The preparation for this webinar included contacting a local expert and a foreign one on the subject, in order for them to provide our attendees with concise, direct information on the topic. The webinar was held on July 14, and it was a success. 

Ghuenia Zgheib, Assistant Professor of Instructional Design and Technolgy at the University of Balamand, Lebanon, presented a piece on the Basic Elements of Online Teaching and Learning. Dr Zgheib started by giving a brief introduction, followed by an overview of what online learning is by going through the nine dimensions for online learning and the meaningful online learning framework. She then went into detail on the difference between asynchronous and synchronous online learning and technologies. She also included a poll in her presentation where attendees could participate in real time, gave examples of good practices in online learning, and discussed the institutions’ and students’ readiness for online learning.

Meanwhile, Martin Debattista, a local digital education and digital media expert, presented another piece on the Local Approach to Digital Education. Debattista opted for a more local approach in his presentation, during which he guided education institutions through the new NCFHE information published on the topic. During his presentation, Debattista emphasised that the local approach to online learning should be as simple and as direct as possible by utilising common definitions, having efficient application forms that help ease the accreditation process, investing in the right tools, and learning from best practices. 

Through this webinar, education institutions had a clearer picture of what needs to be done for a smoother transition to online learning from traditional learning. 

A recording of this webinar may be accessed here.