The project Serious Games for Entrepreneurship Skills of Adult Learners (SG4Adults) aims to stimulate entrepreneurship mind-set and to develop entrepreneurial competencies of adult learners through the use of game-based learning method. The project is in direct correlation with the EU policy in the adult learning field, taking that the proposed method is expected to contribute towards increased competitiveness, employability, social inclusion, active citizenship, and personal development of the targeted adult learners. In particular, the application of informal approach in formal learning environment for up-skilling adults for employment is aligned with one of the goals of the EU policy. The overall objective of the project is to develop, deploy and assess experimental pedagogical plan based on game-based learning method used for stimulating entrepreneurship skills and attitudes of adult learners. SG4Adults aims to analyze the pedagogical potential of the proposed game-based learning method applied to competencies development of adult learners, consequently identifying specific variables that influence the successful implementation of the informal learning method in a formal environment with preparing teachers to successfully implement the innovative approach. The specific objectives of the project are: 1. To design and develop a specific game-based learning method for simulation training of adults with an aim of encouraging their entrepreneurship skills; 2. To develop a training curricula for teachers of adult learners for using game-based learning method in the classroom; 3. To test and evaluate the impact of a game-based approach in formal teaching and pedagogic methodologies for adults; 4. To validate the proposed approach as a means of learning and evaluate its impact on adult learners. There are two main target groups of the project: adult learners (age 35-50 years) and teachers delivering courses for adult learners. The proposed innovative learning approach is expected to provoke positive contribution by equipping adults, in particular low skilled and older workers, with new skills needed to better adapt to the changing economic environment. An estimate 90 adults from 6 countries will benefit from increased entrepreneurial skills through the newly developed game-based learning method while 12 teachers will be trained how to use the method in the classroom. The following activities are planned to be realized: 1. Project Management 2. Baseline analysis 3. Comparative report with recommendations 4. Serious Game design and development 5. Training materials and pedagogical guidelines developed 6. Training of teachers and piloting SG among adult learners 7. Quality assurance 8. Exploitation and dissemination The following results are expected from the project: Operational results: 1 Project Management Guidelines; 4 transnational meetings; 2 Interim Management reports and 1 final report. Quality assurance results: 1 Quality management plan; 2 questionnaires, for trainers and trainees; 1 Quality management final report. Dissemination results: 1 Dissemination plan, 1 Dissemination report, project leaflet/poster/brochure, project website Exploitation and sustainability results: 1 Exploitation and sustainability plan Other project results: 12 teachers trained to implement SG in the classroom, 10 teachers mobilities realized, 90 adult learners trained using the developed SG, training materials and pedagogical guidelines for teachers developed. The expected impact from the project is adult learners with newly acquired entrepreneurial skills through SG method, prepared teachers to use the developed learning method and proof of concept for policy makers to further boost the development of SG method in adult education. Finally, the newly developed game-based learning method will be adopted and validated in 4 adult learning providers which will continue to use it within their annual teaching program.
The project Serious Games for Entrepreneurship Skills of Adult Learners (SG4Adults) wanted to develop a game-based learning method which stimulates an entrepreneurship mind-set and develops entrepreneurial competencies in adult learners. The project is in direct correlation with the EU policy in the adult learning field, taking that the proposed method is contributing towards increased competitiveness, employability, social inclusion, active citizenship, and personal development of the targeted adult learners. In particular, the integration of an informal approach in formal learning environments for up-skilling adults for employment is aligned with one of the goals of the EU policy. The specific objectives of the project were: 1. To design and develop a specific serious game that causes adult learners to develop their entrepreneurship skills; 2. To develop a training curricula for teachers of adult learners in which they learn to use the serious game in the classroom; 3. To test and evaluate the impact of the serious game in formal adult education; 4. To validate the proposed approach as a means of learning and evaluate its impact on adult learners. The project had six participating organizations. CVO Antwerpen was the coordinating organization. CVO Antwerpen is an adult education center with several campuses in and around the city of Antwerp in the Flemish region of Belgium. It is one of the largest centers for adult education certified and funded by the Flemish Government. It organizes more than 950 modular daytime and evening courses per year. This are courses for immigrants, formal vocational education and second chance to learn, higher professional education, language courses, entrepreneurial training courses, maritime training, welding and courses in application software. Universitat Jaume I (UJI), founded in 1991, is a public funded centre for higher education and research in Castellón, Spain. Its aim is to promote the social, economic and cultural development of its community through the creation and transmission of knowledge. It has four faculties – Law and Economics, Humanities and Social Sciences, Health Sciences – and a School of Technology and Experimental Sciences. IRIS VET Centre is a nationwide vocational training center providing certified training courses to the Greek public. The location of the VET Center is Piraeus, Greece. It also has two subsidiaries in the Greek city Egio and island of Kithira. The delivery of training takes place on certified premises all conforming to access standards for people with special needs. Youth Entrepreneurial Service Foundation (YES) is a non-governmental organization established in 2005 in Skopje, Macedonia, which aims to stimulate the entrepreneurship in the country through reinforcing the business and soft skills of future entrepreneurs needed for successfully running own company. YES sets the goal to support innovative start-up businesses through many activities and subventions in order to help the local development of the currently most productive sector – SMEs. The Elephant Learning in Diversity is an agency started in April 2008 in Nijmegen, The Netherlands, and is an expert in strategy and innovation in adult learning. We advise and support organisations in- and outside Netherlands how to make use of the European dimension of life long learning. Seed is a non profit organization active in social development and international cooperation projects in education and digital technologies. Founded in 2007 in Switzerland, Seed has run projects in Ghana, Ecuador, Mexico, Croatia, Brazil and has participated into many European projects for the development of innovations in education. The main activities were project management, baseline analysis, comparative analysis, serious game design and development, development of pedagogical guidelines and training of teachers, piloting of the serious game, quality assurance and exploitation and dissemination. The following results were realized: Operational results: 1 Project Management Guidelines; 4 transnational meetings; 2 Interim Management reports and 1 final report. Quality assurance results: 1 Quality management plan; 2 questionnaires, for trainers and trainees; 1 Quality management final report. Dissemination results: 1 Dissemination plan, 1 Dissemination report, project leaflet/poster/brochure, project website Exploitation and sustainability results: 1 Exploitation and sustainability plan Other project results: training materials and pedagogical guidelines for teachers developed In the long run, the results of this projects will stimulate teachers in adult education to apply the developed games in courses in adult education and as such, to integrate informal teaching methods in formal education.