With the Erasmus + KA2 project “European Senior Exchange”, the five partners of this project want to give an answer on the call from the European Commission to the new priority: offering activities of education and exchanges of experiences to seniors with a view of building and adding solidity to the European identity. This new priority is designed to encourage applicants to propose activities that can benefit senior adult learners. Communication is in a lot of projects the weakest point. With this partnership, we want to improve the knowledge of the common language, English in this case, so our senior adult learners can go abroad an exchange their ideas with each other. To reach this goal, we will use the Callan Method and the electronic learning environment of our Croatian partner. From the second transnational meeting on, there will be two parts of the meeting. One part is specific for the staff and one part for the senior adult learners. By bringing them together on common teaching, learning and training activity, we want to encourage the exchange of ideas, knowledge, and vision. By offering an intergenerational learning environment for the senior adult learners, each transnational meeting will be an opportunity for the seniors of the different European partners to talk with each other in a common language and to build a solid European identity. We believe that only by the exchange of senior adult learners, the networks between them and their countries will become stronger. Because we live in a digital era, a good knowledge of ICT and the right information is essential. For the staff, all the persons who work with senior adult learners, this project wants to improve the knowledge of the staff on the ICT level. This will be done by exchanging tips, ideas, best practices, workshops, the digital learning environment, leaflets with pedagogical methods and so on. The exchange of innovative ICT tools will be done during the transnational project meetings. With stronger teachers, accompanying persons and volunteers, the senior adult learners will benefit the most. Because they will have the possibility to be helped in the most suitable way and a strong link to our digital society. The best way to promote Erasmus + among European citizens is by mobilities between the different countries. This project will focus on the mobility of staff and senior adult learners through Europe in this digital era. With the right plan, digital tools and pedagogical methods to explain them to all the participants. Fighting e-illiteracy starts with the improvement of their own knowledge of ICT. The exchange of good (ICT)practices, innovative ICT tools and the use of them in daily life will encourage senior adults to use them and to pass this knowledge. Our website with tutorials, digitals leaflets about pedagogy and example of good practices is available for everybody and free of charge. This project can only succeed with the help of many volunteers. By recruiting, training, activating and motivating those volunteers, the project will live on after the official project end. Only in this structured way of supporting the transnational meetings and exchange of senior adult learners, we can be sure of the sustainability of the project. The participants of the transnational meetings and the learning, teaching, and training activities, will be the best ambassadors for Erasmus +. Presentations given by the participants of all the organizations will be done if asked by the national agency because nothing is as inspiring as a volunteer that gives a presentation of Erasmus + with a smile on his face and the willingness to go on with Erasmus +.
Improving of the knowledge of a common language, English in this case. New teaching methods. Special methods for seniors. Improving the lessons for seniors. Discover and knowledge of different cultures. Knowing more about each others history. Common European values and history. Bilateral help if needed. Exchange of knowledge and strengthen the own organization. Improvement of ICT-competences. Ability to work with elderly. To teach on the level of elderly. Empathy for elderly. The use of daily and necessary App's with the smartphone for seniors. Internet safety, recognizing dangers, phishing and other discovering and getting to know its danger to the seniors. An European website in the language of the participating seniors with tutorials in their own language, free of charge, free of adds, without commercial purposes. But most of all an European network of seniors who know eachother through the different project meetings and activities. We also want to be an example for other organizations who work with seniors and be an example of European citizenship.
Experience had taught us that an effort had to be made to involve the seniors more in the increasingly focused life on computer science in all its forms. To give the opportunities for seniors to learn or improve their English. Obtain more knowledge about project management in Erasmus + for the Staff members Learn new learning methods for teachers and staff.- Improving of the teaching methods. Training of teachers. Callan method, HIHTAST method. The possibility of traveling by getting to know the seniors and other seniors in European countries. Opportunities for seniors to travel, especially for seniors without the possibilities to travel. Possibilities to become an active European citizen. To promote the European idea. Meeting people in other countries, travelling as a senior. Enlarge the vision and create a European network of seniors. Getting to know other cultures and local customs, seniors from other countries getting to know our culture. Stay in touch, creating new frienships and European Seniors citizenship. The biggest need is a special and adapted pedagogical method for teaching seniors. Seniors learn in an other way and special method is needed. There is a lot of knowledge but it's not combined.