HEFP, a pioneer in distance learning

For over 50 years, the Swiss Federal Institute of Vocational Education and Training (EFIVET) has been Switzerland’s leading organisation for vocational training. Serving as a crucial link between professional associations, organisations in the world of work (OrTra), and the 26 cantons with their hundreds of vocational schools and colleges, EFIVET plays a pivotal role in the country’s educational landscape. As a federal institute of higher education, EFIVET is the primary contact for all matters related to development projects, as well as the training and continuing education of vocational training professionals. Unique in its mission, EFIVET bridges the gap between vocational training and higher education, while aligning with the needs of the business world. It conducts essential research on vocational education and training, contributes to the development of professions, and fosters international cooperation in this field.

With around 250 employees spread across its three sites in Lausanne, Lugano, and Zollikofen, EFIVET continues to support and innovate in the realm of vocational education.

Background

The institution has been a pioneer in distance learning, launching e-learning and blended learning projects as early as 2000-2010, well before the advent of current technologies.

These innovations, initially in their infancy, saw significant acceleration in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The urgent and widespread need for distance learning made it essential to find a solution capable of creating both synchronous and asynchronous distance courses. With the support of audio-video professionals, HEFP to make headway and better identify its needs. Both teachers and students showed a strong interest, leading to the first step of providing video equipment.

However, the technical skills required to properly use this equipment quickly became a barrier. The difficulty was how to produce large quantities of high-quality videos while keeping within a reasonable budget and in a way that was accessible to everyone? The cost and time needed for filming made it extremely challenging to align videos with the training content. It was also crucial not to distract HEFP’s trainers’ from their main focus of teaching with unnecessary technological complexities. Pedagogy and course design had to remain their priority.

Rapidmooc solution

In collaboration with the Unité des moyens d’enseignement pour la formation professionnelle de la Conférence intercantonale de l’instruction public, a Pro 43” studio was installed in a recording room on the Lausanne campus in 2023. After a few months of familiarisation and testing, the device quickly became a hit due to its remarkable intuitiveness.

But the studio’s appeal didn’t end there. HEFP’s innovative approach, already central to complex projects, was further enhanced by integrating Rapidmooc. The studio allowed for live course to be held in the auditorium of a French-speaking university as well videos to be made for international use. While it was initially intended for trainers to create educational content, the tool soon attracted a wide range of users for various purposes.

Videos, in addition to simply explaining and teaching concepts, are used to convey messages in a dyanamic and engaging manner. They combine condensed text, images, and various media, centered around the presenter, to effectively capture the audience’s attention. The university’s administrative and communication departments also use the video studio for their own needs, leveraging its ability to highlight the presenter alongside their message.

Users

Trainers, teaching staff

Administrative and educational team

Local and regional teams

Students

Advantages

The Rapidmooc studio is set up in its own recording room with a booking system and additional facilities, such as a 3D printer. It is used every week by staff who come on their own, whenever they want, to create videos at their convenience, guaranteeing a high ROI.

Professional-quality videos

Tailored teaching

Easy to use

Quick ROI

Moving forward

The video studio has helped cultivate relations between teams within the institution and beyond, including other stakeholders in Swiss and international education.

The tool’s intuitiveness is constantly being improved and is set to become more accessible and ergonomic.

In the long term, using the compact model of the video studio on campus could be highly beneficial, allowing for greater mobility to leverage the wide variety of filming spaces and adapt to different needs.

Acknowledgement

Matthieu Perrin, Head of Diplomas and Certificates for Vocational High-School Training and Sports in Vocational Training.

Nicolas Rebord, Head of Study Programs for Certificates in Higher Education, Vocational Branches, and Vocational Practice Trainers and Tutors

As key players in the development of our courses and at the forefront of innovative teaching methods, they work tirelessly to provide the best possible resources for our teaching teams and students.