Introduction

This book summarises 15 years of research (2007-2021) on the exploitation of digital technologies for VET. In other words, our activities started the same year as the first iPhone was launched! Four research groups formed the leading house on the topic, named DUAL-T, where T stands for technologies and DUAL refers to the Swiss VET system, relying to a great extent upon the alternating of days at school and days in the workplace. This uniquely long-term research scheme has gathered more than 50 research scientists, produced 13 doctoral theses, led to the development of multiple digital learning environments and enabled dozens of empirical studies on thousands of apprentices and hundreds of teachers and company trainers. DUAL-T developed a network of stakeholders, including vocational schools and companies, but also many professional organisations and cantonal or national public entities. This book does not provide a detailed account of all these activities, which have been published elsewhere. But it proposes several answers to the question: “Which digital technologies contribute to the enhancement of vocational education?”