FLOWSPARKS is a candidate to win the Bold EdTech award given the strong use case we have with our client ‘Group Maatwerk‘. FLOWSPARKS is a SaaS solution, an online authoring tool & LMS for creating, managing and updating digital learning materials faster. The platform is accessible from any location, at any time, and on any device, always providing the latest version for optimal convenience. It’s an instructional design driven authoring tool. Designed with instructional principles in mind, FLOWSPARKS is user-friendly, enabling anyone to create e-Learning content effortlessly. This ease of use was a key factor in ‘Group Maatwerk’s decision to choose FLOWSPARKS one year ago.
Who is Group Maatwerk?
Group Maatwerk is dedicated to supporting sheltered workshops, providing employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities. This group includes those with cognitive disabilities, psychosocial issues, autism, and individuals transitioning from the prison system.
Group Maatwerk’s support extends to training programs focused on developing daily competencies, soft skills, and occasionally technical skills. The goal of these programs is to empower these individuals both in their personal lives and in the workplace.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Group Maatwerk, like many organizations, faced the challenge of adapting their training methods. Transferring from traditional live training towards long Zoom calls, were ineffective for their target audience, who often struggle to engage with prolonged screen time due to their disabilities. Recognizing the need for a tailored approach, they sought training methods that were interactive, engaging, challenging and most importantly: fun. To meet these specific needs, Group Maatwerk turned to FLOWSPARKS.
Changing learning environment
Group Maatwerk has partnered with FLOWSPARKS to create an interactive and challenging learning environment. Doing this by developing videos, graphics, animations, storylines, and implementing as many gamification features as possible in the training. Such an approach significantly boosts the engagement of workers with disabilities, better equipping them for workplace and societal challenges.
A prime example of this collaboration is the adoption of FLOWSPARKS’ ‘SMARTGAME’ didactic template by Group Maatwerk. SMARTGAME facilitates the design of scenario-based e-Learning experiences, incorporating video elements assisted with instructional feedback. Participants navigate these scenarios by making choices that influence the storyline, allowing them to carve their own path and witness the consequences of their decisions. In this case, Group Maatwerk has developed a scenario about a job interview.
Click here to see a demo of this game. Navigation: Scroll down and click on “Dirk” > Scroll down and click on “Het vervolg…” > Scroll down until the module “Nieuw gesprek”, click on START
The SMARTGAME template’s high level of interactivity makes it a frequent choice in their e-Learning modules. Another notable module is “How to Avoid Discrimination at Your Workplace,” which presents various propositions in a game format. Participants identify prejudices among different groups, facilitating learning in a fun and engaging manner.
Blended learning
Initially, Group Maatwerk started with one training course, namely the progression course for workers with disabilities. This is a 64-hour training course offered in a blended format. This is a training that enables the stronger profiles among these workers to grow in the company where they are employed. By starting this training, Group Maatwerk quickly found out the great added value of e-Learning. Which led to the decision to launch two major e-Learning courses built with FLOWSPARKS in 2023.
Group Maatwerk noticed that the blended learning format, is the ideal format for the target group. Combining an independent study approach with the guidance of a teacher. Thanks to the interactive e-Learning modules that includes a lot of gamification, the workers with disabilities are encouraged to participate and share insights with each other.
Benefits of the project
This project, including all 8 learning modules, video creations and working hours costs 160.000 euros. Because of the investment in this e-Learning project, Group Maatwerk is now able to speak on sevaral congresses about digital inclusion within the world of e-learning. Next October, Group Maatwerk will speak on the congress ‘West for Work’. Digital divide still exists among people with disabilities. Often, these people don’t even get the access to e-Learning and so they miss educational opportunities in their professional self development. Group Maatwerk delivers with FLOWSPARKS accessible and didactically supported content, so people with disabilities can follow e-Learning and become competitive in the working field.
Progress
Group Maatwerk sees that a lot of their clients within the sheltered workshops, are booking progress with the outroll of the Blended Learning course. This year, they plan to start another 2 e-Learning projects, with a cost of 200.000 euro each.
#De bovenstaande projecten zijn opgestart in januari 2023 en zijn bijna afgeleverd.
“The intent of this training was to develop a course that allows people with disabilities to develop themselves in a professional production environment. Low-threshold and accessible blended learning is the answer to this training question, a set-up that has worked out very well with FLOWSPARKS.
Our target group is characterized by diverse disabilities like: cognitive impairment, autism, psycho-social problems, etc. To deal with these difficulties, FLOWSPARKS made extensive use of the interactive work formats.” – Jeroen Jonkmans Project Manager e-Learning at Group Maatwerk
