FLEX

The FLEX project had looked at new ways of using technologies to improve the education of travelling children (e.g. circus, fairground, bargee children). The project did not, however, focus on technology alone. Instead, it started from the pedagogic needs of the children and their teachers. So it is logical that the institutions involved in this 1,5 million ECU project represent a good mix of technological and pedagogic partners (23 in total). The European Commission, DGXIII, supported the initiative financially (Joint Call Educational Multimedia). The FLEX project build further on the experiences gained during the TOPILOT project. The Flex project was finished December 1999.

For more information on FLEX, contact efecot central office
tel: +/32/2/227 40 60.

The Flex-project was sponsored by and

1 Aims
Ultimately, the FLEX project is all about supporting teachers who work with travelling children. The basic question is how teachers can manage the learning process of their travelling pupils. At this moment, it is very difficult to even establish contact between the teacher and his pupils. New technologies can help us here. Therefore, the FLEX project set out to develop a computer-based learning environment. This environment does not pretend to replace the interaction between the teacher and his pupils. It is just a tool for the teacher. The learning environment has 3 distinctive characteristics:

• it allows the tutor to monitor and manage the learning process and to motivate the learner from a distance
• it allows to flexibly adapt the learning path for each learner, according to his needs
• it combines multimedia and traditional learning materials.

The project also set out to develop 2 training packages to test the learning environment. The first training package targets the tutors of the circus, fairground and bargee children to help to train them in open distance learning skills. The second training package concerns basic skills for young learners (particularly language and arithmetic).
The pedagogic framework behind the learning environment and the training packages is based upon constructivism and the concept of learning blocks. A learning block is a flexible unit of learning, combining learning content and learning activities.

2 Project Phases
To realise the objectives of the FLEX project, the work has been structured into 4 phases.

Phase 1: Analysis
The first phase is the most theoretical phase of the project. In this phase, the pedagogic framework is developed, based upon the concept of learning blocks. This framework provides guidelines on how to build the learning environment and the training packages in the next phase. The technology skills and the needs of the users are also assessed in the first phase.

Phase 2: Design
In the Design Phase, the learning environment and the two training packages are worked out in detail. The learning environment is technically spoken composed of 3 parts:

• The communication platform. This is the technology part responsible for the communication between the learner and the teacher. In the FLEX project, the communication happens via GSM and satellite because of the mobility of the students.
• A database of re-usable learning materials, linked to a 'Follow Up' database containing results and messages. The database contains information on learning materials that the teachers can use with their students. These learning materials can be either new or traditional media.
• User interfaces. This is what the user gets to see on his computer. The user interfaces were developed to be as user-friendly as possible. The learner interface is a specially designed environment for the young learner's laptop. The tutor interface with the database is via a password-protected website gives access to menus and the variety of functionalities required.

Phase 3: Realisation (Building the environment)
In the 3nd phase, the learning environment and the training packages were built according to the design made in phase 2.

Phase 4: Testing and Validation Trials
In the 4th phase, the learning environment and the learning packages were tested in 5 different European countries: Belgium, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands and the UK. It is so to say the ultimate test of the system. It is, however, not the first time that the teacher-users get to see the system. The users have been involved all the way in the development and the building phases.

Phase 5: Results and Exploitation
The evaluation of the trials showed that the special learner environment (on the learnerâs laptop) is very much appreciated by the young pupils and their parents, and adds an extra important dimension to their learning. The tutors can also see the value of the messaging and monitoring they are able to do via the website. However the satellite transmission/transfer process did not prove robust and user-friendly enough, and the mobile context made it difficult to offer effective diagnostic support. So an intermediate solution was developed, with materials broadcast to the participating schools, which can then write this Îcontentâ on to CDRoms and deliver them to the families (normally within three days). The CDRom integrates new materials into the learning environment just as the satellite had done. This solution is preferred by families previously needed to transport large (98cm) dishes and set them up at each new location.

3 A BBC World Televison News video from the trials


To view the video you will need QuickTime. Click the QuickTime icon below to download and install the free QuickTime player if you do not have it.

FLEX Video: BBC World Television News by Shirin Wheeler in Flanders, Belgium. 28.8
FLEX Video: BBC World Television News by Shirin Wheeler in Flanders, Belgium. 56,6
FLEX Video: BBC World Television News by Shirin Wheeler in Flanders, Belgium. mstr

FLEX Report "Education on the Move" is also available on the BBC News Website at:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/europe/newsid_771000/771322.stm

4 Technologies used
The FLEX project uses the latest technologies to create a user-friendly learning environment.

a. Internet and database technology
At the core of the project is the password-protected FLEX website (teachers and other authorized staff only). Coupled to the website are several databases. The 2 most important ones are:

• a database with linked messaging facilities and information on the progress of the learners. This information is sent to the database server via the GSM modem of the learner.
• a database with indexed information on the re-usable learning blocks and the multimedia learning blocks themselves. The website allows tutors to request that specific multimedia learning blocks are sent to a specific learner via satellite communication.

b. Communication technology
The communication from the teacher to the learner is done via satellite. The teachers send their messages and learning blocks to SAIT-Videohouse where they are broadcast. In the intermediate model to be developed for the future, the schools use a Digital Video Broadcast receiver (Mediaspot) to receive the broad-band multimedia information and write CDRoms for delivery to their learners.

The information from the learner to the teacher passes via the GSM network. Every learner has a GSM modem coupled to his computer to send information. The GSM modem is a good and cost-effective solution for the return link.

5 Partners
In the FLEX project, 23 very diverse partners from 5 EU member states cooperate to achieve one common goal. So, it is a truely European project. Broadly spoken, there are 2 types of partners: partners who do the research and develop the system (consortium partners) and partners who test the system (schools).

a. Consortium partners
EFECOT
EFECOT is the coordinating partner of the project. The organisation has close links with the travelling communities. They do the project management and the finances of the project.
CINOP
CINOP is a Dutch organisation that specialises in innovation in national and international vocational education and company training. They are responsible for the evaluation of the project.
Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL)
The KUL is part of the project via its Centre for Instructional Psychology and Technology. The centre delivers the necessary pedagogic expertise and is in particular responsible for the research on the concept of learning blocks.
Scottish Council for Educational Technology (SCET)
SCET is situated in Glasgow. It is a centre that offers advice on learning through technology to government, business, parents,... SCETâs role in the FLEX project is to concentrate on exploitation possibilities.
Expertise Centre for Digital Media (EDM)
EDM is an institute within the LUC, carrying out research in a large number of informatics projects. It plays a pivotal role in the FLEX project, since it develops the databases, the communication platform and the user interfaces.
SAIT-VideoHouse
SAIT-VideoHouse is the partner concerned with the satellite communication part in the project. They have their own uplink facilities in Vilvoorde, near Brussels.
National Institute for Curriculum Development SLO / Educaplan
SLO/Educaplan develops curricula for primary, secundary, vocational, special and adult education. The organisation offers a wide variety of products and services. In the FLEX project, they focus on the course development and management issues.

b. Schools
16 schools are involved in the project to test the learning environment and the courses. They are in fact the ultimate judges of the project who decide on its usefulness. For the schools, the project means a lot of voluntary (and idealistic!) work. Some schools have also been intensely involved in the analysis and development phases to ensure active user input and feed-back.
De Boei, Belgium
De Schroef, Belgium
Het Molenschip, Belgium
De Groene Zwaan, The Netherlands
Landelijke Stichting Onderwijs voor Varende Kleuters, The Netherlands
Stichting Rijdende School, The Netherlands
Markiezaat College, The Netherlands
Berufsbildende Schulen Schsnebeck, Germany
Derby & Derbyshire Traveller Education Service, UK
Devon Traveller Education Service, UK
Hertfordshire Traveller Education Service, UK
StSdtische Gemeinschaftsgrundschule Frsndenberg, Germany
Norfolk Traveller Education Service, UK
Eastbank Academy, UK
Mary Immaculata College, University of Limerick, Ireland
West Midlands Education Service for Travelling Children, UK

6 EC Support
The FLEX project was co-financed by the European Commission, Directorate General XIII, Education and Training Unit. It runs in the framework of the Joint Call foVolkshochr Educational Multimedia. The total funding by the European Commission amounts to 1,5 million ECU. In the Joint Call, more than 80 projects are funded. Project representatives meet from time to time to exchange experiences and learn from each other.
The Joint Call is based upon a report by the Task Force for Multimedia. In the report, challenging objectives are set forth, aiming to ensure that by the year 2000:

• every teacher can incorporate multimedia materials in his/her teaching practice
• every pupil has access to quality multimedia learning resources at school
• every adult has access to quality multimedia resources for his/her personal and professional development
• every university has access to the very high-speed networks needed for exchanging and using multimedia educational materials with high-quality images
• every public library or public arts/cultural centre offers, free of charge, opportunities for access to multimedia resources
• every company, no matter what its size, has access to a centre for quality multimedia educational resources, thereby creating a virtual "open university for industry". The FLEX project focuses on the first objective, i.e. to support teachers to incorporate new media in their teaching practices.