TEACHING DIGITAL COMPETENCES TO LOW-SKILLED OR LOW-QUALIFIED SENIOR CITIZENS THROUGH ANALOGIES

Project summary

Nowadays, basic actions in daily life need a minimum of digital command because they are becoming online increasingly. Nevertheless, according to Eurostat, 44% of the EU population has insufficient digital skills. It is worrying because the level of digital skills is linked to the level of qualification and skills of the population. In fact, senior citizens are the lowest qualified group in society (36.1% of them have less than primary or primary/lower secondary education, and this is a factor why 22% of seniors use internet for banking (44% in general population), 23% makes online purchases, 25% reads newspapers online and only 10% participates in social media. However, once seniors “are confident enough to use technology, they start using the internet actively, just like younger generations” (Eurostat, 2014). Hence, low-skilled or low-qualified seniors need to: - Approach to internet as an easy and simple tool accessible for any person regardless of age - Being provided with a clear understanding about digital world and for what can be used - Develop the self-esteem and capacity to use internet in daily tasks through different digital devices (e.g. mobiles, tablets, PCs, etc.) On the other hand, it is necessary to promote and deepen the technological-pedagogical knowledge of all those who work directly with adults, in formal or informal contexts (Adult Digital Literacy, EPALE 2017). Therefore, the aim of TEA 4 SENIORS is to foster the digital literacy and understanding of the digital world among low-skilled or low-qualified senior citizens and their educators through an effective methodology, so they can improve their capacity to communicate, share, interact, learn and access to up-to-date information in today’s digital world by using ICT devices and internet. The specific objectives are: - To produce a European online learning platform with specific content and materials for the development of digital competence in low-skilled or low-qualified senior population; - To develop and implement an easy-to-understand learning methodology concerning digital competences, based on learning through analogies, adaptable and tailored to the needs of individual low-skilled or low-qualified seniors to use online with minimum assistance and/or previous knowledge; - To improve the capacity of adult educators, who work with low-skilled or low-qualified seniors, to teach digital competences through analogies in participating countries; - To increase the daily use of internet among low-skilled or low-qualified seniors to promote their social inclusion; - To foster lifelong learning in adult education, especially among seniors. TEA 4 SENIORS will directly involve around 300 people through its activities. Activties will combine the cration of innovative educational tools (O1-O5) with trainings (C1) and dissemination events (E1-E6) to increase the digital literacy among adult educators and low-skilled or low-qualified seniors, as well as to improve the capacity of adult educators to teach ditigal competences to low-qualified or low-skilled seniors. Activities will target adult educators, low-skilles or low-qualified seniors, experts in adult education and digital literacy and stakeholders, such as educators working with other type of adults or even other tagerts (young people, students, etc.) as well as training companies or orgnisations and local authorities. The expected results are: - Learning by Analogies and Gamification Digital Framework for low-skilled Seniors and Adult Educators - Methodology and Guidelines for Educators - TEA Open Badges System (OBS): a set of open badges will be developed by the partnership in order to be awarded among completion of the e-learning modules - TEA-Game e-learning platform for seniors - Handbook for Adult Educators - Diffusion of the contents through events of divulgation in partner countries The envisaged impact is to increase the use of ICT among low-qualified or low-skilled senior citizens, so contributing to their digital inclusion.