BACKGROUND & CHALLENGES The ability of educators to attract, motivate, and engage adult learners emerges as crucial in securing their participation to learning activities. To this end, adult educators, often ending up in such positions on the basis of their experience in a completely different profession and not trained as educators, need to continuously develop various areas of competence pertaining to didactics, such as effective communication, self-reflection, knowledge and use of different learning methods, styles and techniques. Improving this type of horizontal competences is expected to improve their ability to motivate adults to seek participation in learning activities and their overall teaching efficiency, and eventually contribute to a positive shift of attitudes towards adult learning. OBJECTIVES The main goal of the project is to improve the quality of instruction in adult education in terms of learner motivation and engagement. Τo accomplish that, the project will provide a comprehensive framework of assessment and corresponding improvement of adult educators’ performance in the field of didactics. To achieve this goal, the project sets the following specific objectives: 1. Develop and provide tools to improve the assessment of adult educators’ knowledge, skills and competences in the field of didactics for adult education. 2. Increase adult educators’ performance regarding learner motivation and engagement through project training activities and resources. 3. Share recommendations enabling adult education providers to assess and improve their workforce's didactics competences. PROJECT PARTNERSHIP The partnership comprises 5 organisations from 5 countries, from the world of adult education and training, research and assessment & learning innovation. The lead partner, UNIMC, has extensive experience in developing research and training activities in the field of adult education. VHS CHAM, VAEV and APRC are both leading adult education providers with significant experience in the development of adult education programs. UNIMI and PROMEA are experts in R&D and delivery of innovative learning methodologies. ACTIVITIES & METHODOLOGY In order to achieve its objectives the project envisages developing: - The AdUp diagnostic tool for the assessment of educators’ knowledge, skills and competences in the field of didactics for adult education. - The AdUp modular course for the enhancement of knowledge, skills and competences in the field of didactics for adult education. - The AdUp MOOC, comprising the AdUp learning units and contextualised training and assessment materials of the AdUp modular cource in an online form, and introducing additional MOOC didactic resources (i.e. digital only material), all openly available to learners. - A framework for the valorisation of AdUp materials to secure the exploitation of project resources as best practices for adult education. RESULTS The AdUp project is expected to have the following results and impact: - A diagnostic tool for the assessment of adult educators’ performance with regards to motivating and engaging adults in learning activities. - A modular course curriculum, also available in the form of a MOOC, to improve adult educators’ knowledge, skills and competences. - A Certificate Supplement, allowing the integration of adult education didactics competences, with a focus on learner motivation and engagement, into the EU certification schemes. - A recommendations paper to impact adult education providers' approach to assessing and improving their workforce's didactics competences. - A Statement of Support on the endorsement of the developed resources and a network of adopters consisting of adult education providers who have integrated the project’s resources into their practices or are planning to do so. - A three-day transnational training event to train the participants in the use of the AdUp resources. - 4 national information days (one in each partnership country) to promote project results and set an open discussion on increasing the quality and effectiveness of adult education provision. POST-PROJECT SUSTAINABILITY - The AdUp assessment and learning materials will be integrated into adult education providers’ practices enhancing learning offerings through the assessment and improvement of their staff’s competences. - Adult educators will be able to access AdUp diagnostic tool and MOOC infrastructures and content either on their own or motivated by adult education providers or sectoral stakeholders. - The Certificate Supplement will provide awarding bodies with a complementary training credential, to be further use for documenting learning outcomes achievements. - The recommendations paper will provide adult education providers and other stakeholders with insights on improving adult educators’ competences to meet the needs of adult learners, further shaping practices and policies towards this direction.
The project aimed to provide a comprehensive framework of assessment & corresponding improvement of adult educators’ performance in the field of didactics to improve the quality of instruction in adult education in terms of learner motivation and engagement. The project’s specific objectives were to: 1. Provide the tools required to improve the assessment of adult educators’ knowledge, skills and competences in the field of adult education didactics. 2. Increase adult educators’ performance regarding learner motivation and engagement through project training activities & resources 3. Share recommendations enabling adult education providers to assess and improve their workforce's didactics competences.
According to Eurostat, most adults do not consider further education & training useful & 67% of those who have such an experience do not wish to take part again. The lack of interest & motivation on the part of adults poses a significant impediment to the implementation of EU & national adult learning policies for increasing access to upskilling pathways, enabling low-skilled adults to acquire a minimum level of literacy, numeracy & digital competence, and/or a wider set of skills, knowledge & competences, relevant to the labour market & required for active participation in society. Success in motivating low-skilled adults to enrol in programs towards developing professional skills & acquiring knowledge hinges on the relationship between adult learners & adult educators. The educational setting within which classes take place, presence/absence of specific attitudes, motivations & dispositions by the part of learners are likely to determine their capacity & degree of learning/participation. Enabling those who need it the most to turn back to education & improve any set of skills, knowledge & competences, it is important to enhance the quality of instruction in adult education, especially in terms of learner motivation & engagement.