Nowadays, guys spend their time on their smartphones on a daily basis, so the possibility to develop a digital app provides with a fundamental tool in order to enhance students’ engagement and to further activate mechanisms that can develop their soft skills and their key competences.
The idea to create an the Soft Skills Training App aims to respond to students’ needs and its objective is twofold: first, it aims to provide with an innovative tool in order to enhance students’ engagement as part of the project learning activities; secondly, the App shall provide with an interactive platform assessing students’ activation of targeted transversal skills, allowing to further develop such skills on an individual basis and in a playful manner.
The Training App therefore is conceived as a supporting platform for students and it is calibrated on the specific set of transversal skills and parameters identified in the Soft Skills Evaluation Report.
The app acts as a support tool for the process of acquiring transversal skills initiated through the other project outputs such as the board game.
The app has been designed to allow anyone to use it based on their knowledge on the subject, giving users the opportunity to practice the use of daily soft skills in a completely autonomous way.
What are its functions?
1. Login/registration
We decide to use other services to store user data like Game Center (iOS) e Play Services (Google), in a NON mandatory that start only when there is a internet connection.
2. Tasks list
The main function of the app is the possibility for the useer to create is own daily lists task from a list of 60 tasks divided into the 5 main soft skills category we have selected into the project: Dealing with stress, Motivation, Desire to Learn, Crirical Thinking and Team Work. After creating the daily list, user have 24 hours to complete the selected task. After 24 hours the list was reset and had to start a new challenging day.It’s also possible for the user to change the list before the end of 24 hours. We decide to create illustration for each task to make the app design look more funny, specially after the feedback of the students we have during the LTTA in Malaga.
3. User progresses
To keep track of the user evolution, there is a profile evolution char that evolve during the use of the app showing to the user is balance and evolution in soft skill. This element is always accessible for the use and want to be a n instrument to motivate the user to continue play to improove is own competences.
Watch the video here.
So, just create the list of exercises and complete them within 24 hours: the more you practice, the better your skills will be!
It is a truly innovative platform not only accessible to students, but also to teachers, VET schools and other educational providers interested in implementing digital technologies in the context of their school activities.
The app combines the typical elements of gamification and the experience of exercising soft skills, acting as a self-analysis tool that can lead to constant personal and relational improvement.
You can download the app for free on Apple Store and Google Play.
