At the beginning of the pandemic, there was a swift shift from analogous to digital learning, thus resulting in an increase in digital competencies. After restrictions were eased, VHS Meppen faced the challenge to incorporate its previously gained experience as an digitally operating institution in a timely pedagocial and organisational manner, thus establishing a new form of in-person learning. This includes the modified role of the teacher and their methodology. We planned on making the participants an integral part of the project‘s management (project planning and development, implementation and follow-up). Using the concept of empowerment, the disadvantaged were set to make use of the benefits of the digitisation in order to generate digital contents and portfolios. Thanks to microteaching scenarios, the participants themselves were involved in planning short teaching units or in the development of digital teaching materials by means of micro-challenges. The content created by the participants (short videos, blog entries, digital portfolios) remains available to the VHS as authentic teaching and learning materials. This will facilitate the participants learning and open up new perspectives as concerns them living autonomously.
Since 1988, the Volkshochschule Meppen, located in the centre of the Emsland, has been and continues to be a centre for furthering one’s education with varied educational opportunities for people of all age groups and layers of the population. Courses are conducted in different formats and concern topics such as society & environment, culture & creativity, languages & integration, health and vocational education. Since 2016, the Volkshochschule Meppen has fortified its efforts to work in a project-based manner and thus has a diverse project portfolio. Its broad and diverse project landscape, especially for immigrants, focusses with the following areas: Language support for the purpose of social and professional participation, qualificational courses for securing skilled workers, social space orientation and voluntary commitment. Thus, projects are carried out that are considered and receive attention at the federal, state and district levels. On the European level, the project "MUT-Macher*innen für Europa" is the first Erasmus+ project that the VHS Meppen has carried out. VHS Meppen has a wide range of experience in the field of e-learning as well as in the implementation of different types of online courses.