Digitalization of Sustainable Health Education

<< Background >>The DiSHEd project aimed to contribute to the development and adaptation of Vocational Education and Training (VET) in Food and Health, aligning it with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.DiSHEd addresses two pressing needs: the enhancement of digital education and the focus on food security and sustainability, which are recognised priorities both in Europe and globally. By integrating digitalisation with sustainable food practices, we aimed to update food and health education to reflect evolving requirements of the labour market. Digital preparedness in VET education is lacking, particularly concerning curricula that emphasise food sustainability. Informative tools and materials help future students build the skills and knowledge to advocate for sustainable food practices across Europe.The initial project analysis highlighted the need for digitally competent VET educators and the inclusion of sustainability training in food and health programmes across Europe. DiSHEd addressed this by focusing on educators’ digital upskilling, guided by the DigCompEdu framework. Digitally upskilling educators empower them to apply effective pedagogies and foster these skills in students.<< Objectives >>We have sought to accomplish several critical objectives through the implementation of this project: •Improve Digital Competence: Provide VET educators with the necessary digital skills to incorporate innovative teaching methods and enhance student learning experiences.•Update Curricula: Revise VET Food and Health curricula to integrate digital education and sustainability, in accordance with labour market demands.•Promote Sustainability Awareness: Encourage students to actively engage in sustainable practices by fostering an understanding of food security and sustainability.•Enhance Collaboration: Encourage the establishment of partnerships between countries to exchange best practices and resources for digital education and food sustainability.•Enhance the Employability of Graduates: Equip students with the necessary skills to succeed in the food and health industries in a digitalised environment.These objectives will contribute to a VET system that is prepared for the future and is in accordance with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.<< Implementation >>In order to accomplish the primary objectives, this project implemented a variety of activities:-A variety of project networking events, dissemination activities were implemented to engage VET educators, food and health professionals, broader stakeholders and organisations-Surveys, focus groups and interviews were implemented to evaluate current food sustainability practices and employers’ needs-Publication of industry’s sustainability practices- VET educators’ digital competency training requirements were identified through the circulation of the MyDigiSkills assessment tool-The creation of the digital infographic booklet and training guide addressed the identified needs that will equip VET educators with the necessary skills and tools to digitally enhance their personal competencies and teaching practices-Dissemination: engage with organisations and constituents across partner countries and gather feedback on the efficacy of the project outcomes, a variety of project events, such as an LTTA and multiplier events, were organised. The consortium was able to refine the project results to ensure that they were in optimal alignment with their intended purpose as a result of the insights garnered from these events.<< Results >>The concrete outputs and results of the project include:(R1): Publish a report on employers’ needs in the current Food and Health labour market based on focus groups withindustry across partner countries(R2): Infographics on sustainable food priorities in the European food industry(R3): Create an extensive list of job opportunities(R4): Present best practice case studies of food sustainability practices in partner countries(R5): Identify VET educator’s digital competency training needs(R6): Create an infographic booklet on digital skills to support Food and Health VET educators in the age of digitaltransformation(R7): Generate a report on current digital competency teaching practices in food and health curricula(R8): Present 'best practice and online learnings from Covid' from a staff training event(R9): Develop a training guide for Food and Health VET educators on developing and teaching digital competence and FoodSustainable practices-Publication of an article on food sustainability practices in the journal Sustainability-Creation of manuscript for publication on employers’ needs in the same journal