The University of Burgos coordinated the Erasmus Days 2023 conference within the dissemination of the project co-financed by the European Union e-EarlyCare-T.
The conference, held in the Grading Room of the Faculty of Health Sciences, was aimed at teaching staff and students of the Faculty of Health Sciences and the Higher Polytechnic School, as both centres offer degrees related to the project, such as the Degree in Psychology, Degree in Occupational Therapy, Degree in Health Engineering, University Master's Degree in Health Sciences, and the Master's Degree in Lifelong Learning in Early Childhood Assessment and Intervention through the Application of Intelligent Systems).
Dr Sáiz Manzanares, as project coordinator, reported on the results obtained to date. These are specified in the development of eight training modules, accessible through the project website and the Institutional Repository of the University of Burgos and the implementation of the training modules within a Virtual Learning Classroom (VLE) which can be accessed after registration from the project website. The contents refer to various pathologies and/or disorders at early ages (brain damage, epilepsy, maturational delay, prematurity, autism spectrum, sensory disorders, spina bifida, cerebral palsy), cognitive, social and language development, psychomotor development, development of personal autonomy, diagnosis and intervention, observation and assessment techniques, use of intelligent resources (internet of things, intelligent personal assistants, eye tracking, and eEarlyCare web application).
In addition, as part of the Erasmus Days, the coordinators of the modules presented their content. Dr Elvira Mercado Val presented "Module II - Early Neurodevelopment" and "Module III - Pathologies in early ages: Epilepsy, Childhood Brain Injury and Cerebral Palsy". Likewise, Dr Montserrat Santamaría Vázquez addressed the development of the modules: "Module VI.2: Development of personal autonomy" and "Module III.7: Characteristics of Spina bifida and spinal cord injuries at early ages". Finally, Dr Raul Marticorena Sánchez presented the results of "Module VII.2. Early intervention and application of intelligent resources. Intelligent personal assistants".
The modules within the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), which can be accessed interactively with the support of inclusive avatars, were then demonstrated. Each of the modules includes learning self-check tests where feedback on the outcome is applied. This Virtual Classroom includes a progress bar that facilitates the overall monitoring of learning.
Following the open access policy for research results, all materials and the Virtual Learning Classroom are available in four languages: English, Spanish, Italian and Croatian.
Finally, information was provided on the "II Learning Activities" which, as part of this project, will take place at the Faculty of Health Sciences of the University of Burgos in June 2024. In this future meeting, a second intellectual result will be presented, consisting of interactive simulation laboratories that will deal with the resolution of practical cases on different affectations in ages 0-6 years and the management of technological resources such as eye tracking and "Intelligent personal assistants". These laboratories will also be implemented in the VLE. Similarly, information was provided on the development of the "II Multiplier Event" to be held at the Faculty of Health Sciences of the University of Burgos on 2 and 3 October 2024 in the form of an international congress: "1st International Conference on Early Intervention and Technology in the 21st Century".
The quality of the eEarlyCare-T project is endorsed by the rating of "excellent" in all the sections evaluated in the SEPIE's interim assessment report. Furthermore, eEarlyCare-T has been selected in the SALTO AWARDS call as one of the three best European projects in the "Digital Transformation" category.
About eEarlyCare-T
The project "Specialized and updated training supporting advance technologies for early childhood" (eEarlyCare-T) is integrated by researchers from three European universities (University of Burgos, University of Roma Tre (Italy) and Croatian University of Sveuciliste u Rijeci), with the participation of the Spanish companies Gestionet Multimedia S.L. and Kveloce I+D+i.
This is an interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary and innovative project focused on updating the training of practising professionals and new professionals in the field of early childhood care (ages 0-6 years). The training activities apply innovative teaching methodologies based on the use of different technological resources (avatars, gamification, simulation laboratories and virtual reality). In addition, the entire training process is carried out within a virtual learning environment (VLE) that implements different tools that allow the user to self-evaluate and personalise learning.