With the worldwide closure of educational institutions as a measure to curb COVID-19, information and communication technologies (ICT) became more important than ever. Adult education is key to acquiring practical and technical skills and competencies for the labor market and society. It plays a central role in social inclusion and the employability of the most vulnerable groups. The project aimed to demonstrate how practical skills can be effectively taught through online training.
Rapid technological and economic changes make lifelong learning increasingly important. The COVID-19 pandemic posed challenges for all levels of learning, including vocational (VET) and adult education. Many programs were canceled, affecting disadvantaged groups relying on face-to-face courses. Cedefop showed that women, older workers, migrants, and low-skilled individuals were particularly affected. Online workplace learning also ceased as employees were not present. The pandemic accelerated digitalization and highlighted the importance of adult education. It is crucial for acquiring necessary skills for the labor market and society. Teaching practical skills online was challenging but essential for meeting digital labor market demands. DDBS-Learning introduced demonstration-based teaching to adult education. This method combined efficient learning with remote delivery of practical skills through observation and feedback. Educators learned to integrate this method via online training. After the pilot phase, a handbook was created to help organizations adopt this method into their educational systems.