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FROM

TOOLBOX

TO YOUTOOL

Nowadays SALTO Toolbox became one of the most used reference for

finding, comparing, inspiring activities implemented by trainers, youth

workers and social workers. It still maintains anyway a static approach.

Changes and adaptations are not contributing directly to innovate an

already uploaded tool. Only some variations appears in the database as

a separated tool, most of the times losing its original uploader’s trace,

instead of recognizing also the other possible contributors, as it happens

for an open source software. The free share approach behind Tool Box

can evolve with open content tools. Content that commits users with the

right/duty to make more kinds of uses than those actually foreseen by Tool

Box. The primary characteristics and commitments for usage of the tools

are expressed in the "4Rs Framework":

1. Reuse – to reuse the content in its unaltered form

2. Revise – to adapt, adjust, modify, or alter the content itself (e.g.,

translate the content into another language)

3. Remix - to combine the original or revised content with other

content to create something new (e.g., incorporate the content

into a mash up)

4. Redistribute - to share, your revisions, or your remixes with others

(e.g., upload a copy of the new content to the Tool Box).

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TOOL FOR LEARNING STRATEGY

In the first years after the launch of the Toolbox, SALTO officers were the most active uploaders

of the tools developed or gathered during training courses and seminars. Later on trainers and

youth workers start to contribute to the “learning society” active in non formal education and

youth activities.

Tool Fair, together with the European Strategy

on Tools for Learning, became official and

regular support measures focused on tools and

they are influencing also the quality of the

uploaded tools. The decreased number of

uploads per year is corresponding to a more

structured format for the ones inserted, nearer

to the definition of tool elaborated by the

working group on Tools for Learning.

Due to the large use of the Tool Box as reference for trainers, youth workers and social workers

(see the chart below) and to the high number of tools uploaded (1.221 nowadays), we can

pinpoint innovation more in the transferability and adaptation of the existing tools (also to

different contexts like formal education and vocational training) than in the uploading of new

tools. The Tool Box has to follow and collect this contributions through a more flexible and

interactive interface commit.

Analyzing the functioning of the actual version of Toolbox, it has been possible to spotlight

different critical points that can be considered useful for a deeper reflection on its possible

revising phase. The analysis has been developed adopting a user oriented approach,

considering Tool Box as a resource that can be used for planning activities or comparing

different practical approaches to the same topic. A sort of on line clipboard, where everybody

can take inspiration from, but also everybody should feel the duty to contribute in the

evaluation, transferability and adaptability of the originally uploaded tool.

YOUTOOL has been chosen as title of this proposal, in order to focus the attention on the wider

humanization of the Tool Box and the reinforcement of the tool ownership as a common

resource developed by groups of researchers, officers, trainers, youth workers and social workers

in a multi linguistic approach.

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PROPOSALS

CONCEPT

To transform an on line database in a learning community, establishing links between researchers,

trainers and practitioners, stimulating their professional relationships based on mutuality and on

the development of common content tools for the educational field in general.

STRATEGICAL IMPROVEMENTS

specific website like www.toolbox.net (actually available) linked from SALTO webpage

greater interactivity with the users through social networks typical methods and tools

broaden perspective towards formal education and vocational training

wider possibility for the international Tool Box to embody also national levels

possible fund raising through commercial banners for specialized publishers

TECHINAL IMPROVEMENTS

Reclassify all the tools on the base of the new categories

Modify the search filter system based on only 3 items

Add the possibility to export a tool as PDF or to share it via e-mail or social networks

Add the possibility to upload multilanguage versions to an already published tool

Add the possibility to interact with the uploader of a tool through social networks and to ask or

give advice on it

Modify filters to search tools by language

Modify filters to search tools by uploader or author, having the possibility to visualize all tools

uploaded by him/her

Add possibility to create a favorite list of tools/authors /uploaders

Add the possibility to have a reward for the publishers based on the number of tools

uploaded, their evaluations made by the users, the comments received, the comments given

to someone else contributing to improve the tool