Present guidelines were prepared to help teachers and mentors in Slovenia in conducting  distance education in the time of COVID-19 lock down in:

• implementation of WBL in schools;

• distance learning for apprenticeship form of education;

• distance learning in case that WBL can not be implemented as planned.

Implementation of WBL in schools

We recommend that distance education is not divided into theoretical and practical lessons, but that teachers of professional theory and practice within professional modules are connected through common learning units and with tasks at different taxonomic levels. 

During the distance education, part of the goals of WBL will not be able to be realized, so we recommend that teachers pay attention to connecting professional-theoretical knowledge with practical skills. For this purpose, teachers of professional modules and WBL already use open channels (eg. Youtube) and also include content from the field of professional identity, history of professional development, interesting facts and innovations from the professional field, etc.

One of the basic characteristics of distance education is greater independence of students in learning, including taking greater responsibility for their own learning, which is an important component of their professional development. The success of independent learning and teamwork with classmates and teachers will be much greater if students are presented with a distance education plan that includes time-coordinated individual and group tasks, as well as joint meetings and the possibility of individual consultations.

Where cooperation with companies is possible, teachers can also invite mentors and other experts from companies to design short video lectures and project assignments.

Distance education for apprenticeship form of education

For apprentices, the school organizes distance education on the same principles as it does for students in the school form of education.

In schools where students and apprentices are in combined classes, distance education is provided for all together.

Adapted distance education is provided for apprentices in schools that provide cyclical training on an apprenticeship basis and are scheduled to be in the company during this time. Depending on the school resources and interest of the apprentices, the school may include in distance education:

• review and complementarity of the apprenticeship diary, preparation of additional reports,

• consolidation and upgrading of general knowledge and key competencies, such as communication, foreign languages, ICT, digital literacy, ...

• open curriculum,

• preparation for the final exam,

• consolidating and supplementing the knowledge of professional modules that may have already been completed, especially upgrading with more complex individual and group tasks, etc.

Distance education for the time the WBL in companies was planned

In some schools, WBL is planned during the time of distance education. The school also provides distance education in this case.

When it comes to a shorter period (2-3 weeks), we recommend that the school continue its education according to the goals of professional modules and subjects.

In the case of a longer period of the distance education, the school may, depending on the school's possibilities and students' interest in distance education:

• review and supplementation of the apprenticeship diary, preparation of additional reports,

• strenghtening and upgrading of general knowledge and key competencies, such as communication, foreign languages, ICT, digital literacy, ...

• open curriculum,

• preparation for the final exam,

• trenghtening and complementaring the knowledge of professional modules that may have already been completed, especially upgrading with more complex individual and group tasks, etc.