Background Information
SITAM-AB is involved in a variety of activities of a broader scope that extends beyond the strictly academic. It functions as provider and consultant of nationwide Adult Education courses and regularly organizes advanced seminars for the training of the trainers involved.
It is currently running research and development projects on specialized subjects and the improvement of training provision.
It organizes educational trips in Europe, such as those implemented through the Leonardo da Vinci initiative that involved exchanges between Greek, English and German tutors from SITAM-AB and other European Colleges and Universities.
It also organizes creative Fashion Shows and Exhibitions promoting the work of Young Designers.
Ο όμιλός SITAM-AB είναι ο κύριος ανάδοχος στα προγράμματα Leonardo da Vinci που ονομάζονται TELESTIA (τέλος 2000), ARACHNE (τέλος 2001) και σε ανάπτυξη το TELESTIA II (-2006). Επίσης μόλις τελειωσε μέσα από το πρόγραμμα e Content του IST τo eTelestia (2004) και του απενεμήθη το European Quality Seal of Excellence Αward 2005 in Multimedia (Platinum).
Τα προγράμματα αυτά αφορούν την ανάπτυξη εργαλείων για εξάποστάσεως εκπαίδευση για επαγγελματική κατάρτιση στο ένδυμα και βασίζονται στις προτωποριακές μεθόδους ΑΒ.
Background to the projects
The rapid expansion of computerized technology in the clothing industry, has had an impact on the quantity and quality of products produced, as well as on their price levels.
Clothing companies in order to gain competitive advantage, turned towards low labour cost countries, mostly situated outside the EU. This had a double impact: on the one hand it raised unemployment and on the other hand lead to a number of key skills related to the design and product development, to be diminished and gradually lost.
Our aim was on the one-hand to record skills that were being lost, and on the other hand to find a way to use the available technology in a clear and appealing way for the younger generations.
Thus, it became apparent that there was a need for an eLearning solution, which would integrate traditional much needed skills, rapidly becoming extinct, into innovative training methods using advanced technology and distance learning media, with a European accreditation option, in order to meet rapid changes in workforce requirements.
The TELESTIA and ARACHNE CD-ROMs are developed using a variety of software and run on standard PC compatible computers with interactive multimedia animations..
In terms of computer literacy, the user need not have any prior knowledge or skills. However, even if the user has some prior knowledge and expertise, he/she will find the TELESTIA and ARACHNE modules as valuable skill “snacks” using very simple, quick and accurate procedures.
Along with the computer, the user also needs the work environment necessary for the learning-by-doing approach involved in the training of skills. This includes a worktable next to the computer together with the necessary equipment (appropriate paper, drafting and/or designing material) including the corresponding AB working tools/ templates for each module, i.e.: