The context: The paper examines the contribution of accompanying research (Begleitforschung)  in the recently completed EU-funded Learning Layers project (2012-2016). The aim of the project was to promote the use of digital media, web resources and mobile devices as support for learning in the context of work. The project focused on two pilot sectors (healthcare in the UK and construction in Germany). The trans-national project consortium provided R&D expertise in system architectures, software solutions, educational technology, healthcare education, vocational education and training and evaluation studies. The specific context of this paper is the work of the accompanying research team in the construction pilot of the Learning Layers project in North Germany – primarily involving the research team, technical partners and the main application partner Bau-ABC Rostrup (intermediate training centre).

The focus (within the Learning Layers project): The paper gives a picture of the participative co-design process in which the Learning Layers project engaged trainers and apprentices from Bau-ABC, technical partners and accompanying research. The process took off with the idea to digitise the hitherto paper-based training materials, instructions and worksheets for reporting on apprentices’ projects. In several iterations and with the help of joint training schemes the process led to creation of an integrative toolset – the Learning Toolbox – to access web resources, to manage communications and to share knowledge and information on construction projects. By the end of the project the Learning Toolbox had been pilot tested as integrative toolset to support the training projects in selected trades.

The interest of knowledge (for revisiting the Learning Layers project): The paper provides background information on earlier models of accompanying research (Begleitforschung) in German innovation programmes on

a) Humanisation of Work (Humanisierung der Arbeit) and Work and Technology (Arbeit und Technik) programmes in the 1980s and 1990s and

b) in the pilot projects (Modellversuche) on the development of the dual system of vocational education and training - including the earlier single pilots and the later programmes, such as the BLK-Programme "Neue Lernkonzepte in der dualen Berufsausbildung" (New learning concepts for the dual system of vocational education and training) in 1996 - 2003.

By revisiting the earlier models of accompanying research the paper highlights the preconditions for (and degrees of freedom in) using accompanying research as support for the co-design process in the Learning Layers project (and its construction pilot).

The research challenge: The paper examines the research materials and documentation of project experience with emphasis on the following questions:

a) In what ways has the work of accompanying research contributed to growth of digital competences and promotion of digital transformation in the application partner organisation (Bau-ABC Rostrup) and in its training practice?

b) In what ways has the accompanying research team been able to develop conceptual interpretation of project work during the processes of co-design, capacity building and piloting with the tools?

c) in what ways can this conceptual interpretation be enriched when compared with predecessor models as well as parallel models of developmental work research or transdisciplinary action research.?

Research literature: Deitmer, L. 2004: Management regionaler Innovationsnetzwerke. Evaluation als Ansatz zur Effizienzsteigerung regionaler Innovationsprozesse. Nomos Verlag. Baden-Baden. Deitmer, L., Fischer, M., Gerds, P., Przygodda, K. ,Rauner, F., Ruch, H., Schwarzkopf, K. & Zöller, A. 2004: Neue Lernkonzepte in der dualen Berufsausbildung. Bilanz eines Modellversuchsprogramms der Bund-Länder-Kommission (BLK). Bertelsmann Vlg. Bielefeld. Fischer, M., Boreham, N. & Nyhan, B. 2004. European perspectives on learning at work: the acquisition of work process knowledge, Luxembourg, Office for Official Publications for the European Communities. Fischer, M. & Boreham, N. 2008: Work Process Knowledge. In Rauner, F. & Maclean, R. (Eds.) 2008: Handbook of Technical and Vocational Education and Training Research. International Library of Technical and Vocational Education and Training. Springer Verlag. Rauner, Felix 2002: Modellversuche in der beruflichen Bildung: Zum Transfer ihrer Ergebnisse. Bremen: ITB-Forschungsberichte; 3 Sloane, P. & Gössling, B. 2014: Modellversuchsforschung reloaded: Wie im Wirtschaftspädagogischen Graduiertenkolleg Lehrer zu Forschern werden und danach zurück in die Schule gehen. Zeitschrift für Berufs- und Wirtschaftspädagogik, 110. Band, Heft 1 (2014). Franz Steiner Verlag, Stuttgart Research Articles and Papers from Learning Layers Conference paper (ECER 2014) The Role of Accompanying Research and Participative Design in the Learning Layers Project - 2014. ResearchGate DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.29877.06881 International Journal for Research in Vocational Education and Training 1(2):143-160 · December 2014 Learning Layers Theory Camp (2014) papers WP Accompanying Research: Reviewing the role of Accompanying Research, Interactive Research and Action research as support for participative design processes. ResearchGate DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.22003.32806 WP1/ Work Process Knowledge: Introduction to the reviewing of the legacy of the EU-funded Work Process Knowledge network (FP4 - TSER). ResearchGate DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.34795.95527 WP2/ Work Process Knowledge: Revisiting the Theme ‘Work Process Knowledge’ and its implications for vocational education and training - The position the WPK network. ResearchGate DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.30391.93602 WP3/ Work Process Knowledge: Reviewing Work process knowledge - Summary. ResearchGate DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.23371.39206 WP1/ Vocational and Workplace Learning: Conceptual interpretations of ‘Work Experience’, Vocational professionalism’ and ‘Workplace Learning’ - Overview on selected European studies. ResearchGate DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.22894.61761 WP2/ Vocational and Workplace Learning: Approaching a Synthesis: - Workplace Learning, Vocational Knowledge Processes, Working and Learning Tasks.. ResearchGate DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.30863.79523 WP3/ Vocational and Workplace Learning: Reviewing Vocational and Workplace-based learning - Summary. ResearchGate DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.26805.47842 Logbooks of blogs on the development of the Learning Toolbox (Logbook 2014, Logbook 2015, Logbook 2016a, 2016b)