CONTEXT The PIAAC Survey of Adult Skills shows that 70 million Europeans struggle with basic reading and writing, calculation and using digital tools in everyday life. Without these skills using a machine to buy a train ticket, read to their children or understand written safety precautions becomes difficult and a barrier to social and work inclusion. The importance of Digital Literacy, as one of the eight key competences that every European citizen should master, is even highlighted by the European Commission’s 2010 Digital Agenda for Europe. As a consequence, the European Council adopted a “Recommendation on Upskilling Pathways” in order to help adults acquire a minimum level of literacy, numeracy and digital skills through the development of high-quality and accessible services. In this context the COMP-UP Consortium, according to its experience with disadvantaged and low-qualified adults and in adult education, suggests that updating competences of Adult Education Professionals (AEP) who support adult learners is a reply to improve the literacy, numeracy and digital skills of this target group. OBJECTIVES AND PARTICIPANTS The COMP-UP project, in line with the needs and priorities listed above, will be aimed at increasing the motivation of low-qualified adult learners to take part in education and improve their literacy, numeracy and digital skills. In practice COMP-UP aims to: - Collect and analyse EU and NA projects and tools in the field and identify the competence gaps of AEPs (IO1) - Supply competences to 50 AEPs to motivate low-qualified adult learners in improving their skills (IO2) - Update digital competences of AEPs through a blended-learning methodology and the use of Webinars - Develop an online platform designed to be a “resources library” and valorise EPALE platform activities (IO3) - Implement Motivation workshops to improve the 3 basic competences of 75 low-qualified adult learners (Digital, Literacy, numeracy) (IO4) - Build a Local and EU Network of AEPs using the same methodologies - Valorise the COMP-UP concept and training through 11 multiplier events reaching 280 people at EU level (E1-11). METHODOLOGY The consortium will use different interconnected methodologies. First, it will investigate the needs and skill gaps of AEPs through a focus group in each country. Second, on the basis of an interactive process of development and mutual feedback the partnership will elaborate the COMP-UP Tool collection, Training Curriculum and Motivation Toolkit: a collection of useful resources for AEPs to implement workshops aimed at motivating low-qualified adult learners to improve their literacy, numeracy and digital competences. Finally, the development phase will be followed by a testing phase and a common learning and teaching activity. The main expected RESULTS are: IO1.COMP-UP Tool collection, a collection of already developed EU and NA projects, tools and methodologies in the motivation and skills assessment field and a guide for AEPs on how to apply them when working with low-qualified adults. IO2.COMP-UP Training Curriculum to supply competences to AEPs to develop effective outreach, guidance and motivation strategies for low-qualified adult learners and to use skill assessment tools in the literacy, numeracy and digital area. IO3.COMP-UP Online platform to create a network of AEPs and to share and valorise the Outputs, Webinars and the selected EU and NA projects and tools in the field of motivation and skills assessment at EU level. IO4.COMP-UP Motivation Toolkit, a practical resource for AEPs to implement Motivation workshops to low-qualified adult learners, with step-by-step description on how to carry out the activities. These IOs will be connected with Local and National Multiplier Events in each country to reach a wide range of target groups and stakeholders. In addition to the 4 core intellectual outputs COMP-UP will develop further outputs necessary to achieve its objectives: Dissemination and Communication Strategy, Quality Management Handbook and reports. COMP-UP will have an extended IMPACT on: - Direct participants in the project (AEPs) who will acquire competences and innovative tools in the field of motivation and skill assessment (literacy, numeracy, digital) of low-qualified adults and networking with stakeholders; - Low-qualified adult learners who will benefit indirectly in terms of better understanding of their own communication styles, learning styles and barriers in learning. As a consequence, they will be more motivated to take part in learning; - Partner organizations who will integrate the COMP-UP training programme in their curriculum and will replicate it to reach even more professionals; - Stakeholders, Associated Partners who can access a wide range of materials in various languages thanks to the online platform, which will be available for 5 years after the project end, thus ensuring a sustainable EU network of stakeholders in the field
COMP-UP, in line with the needs and priorities listed above, was aimed at increasing the motivation of low-qualified adult learners to take part in education and improve their literacy, numeracy and digital skills. Therefore, the following project objectives were set to tackle the above mentioned topic: -Collect and analyse EU and NA projects and tools in the field and identify the competence gaps ofAEPs (IO1) -Supply competences to 50 AEPs to motivate low-qualified adult learners in improving their skills(IO2) -Update digital competences of AEPs through a blended-learning methodology and the use of Webinars -Develop an online platform designed to be a “resources library” and valorise EPALE platform activities (IO3): although IO3 was cut the Consortium has met this objective and developed a Webinar Library on the project website to ensure a wider dissemination of the COMP-UP resources at EU level -Implement Motivation workshops to improve the 3 basic competences of 75 low-qualified adult learners (Digital, Literacy, numeracy) (IO4) -Build a Local and EU Network of AEPs using the same methodologies -Valorise the COMP-UP concept and training through 11 multiplier events (E1-11).
The PIAAC Survey of Adult Skills showed that 70 million Europeans struggle with basic reading and writing, calculation and using digital tools in everyday life. Without these skills using a machine to buy a train ticket, read to their children or understand written safety precautions becomes difficult and abarrier to social and work inclusion. The importance of Digital Literacy, as one of the eight key competences that every European citizen should master, was even highlighted by the EuropeanCommission’s 2010 Digital Agenda for Europe. As a consequence, in 2016 the European Council adopted a “Recommendation on Upskilling Pathways” inorder to help adults acquire a minimum level of literacy, numeracy and digital skills through the development of high-quality and accessible services. In this context the COMP-UP Consortium, according to its experience with disadvantaged and low-qualified adults and in adult education, suggested that updating competences of Adult EducationProfessionals (AEP) who support adult learners is a reply to improve the literacy, numeracy and digital skills of this target group.