"Critical thinking for seniors"
This Erasmus+ strategic partnership project is focuses on adult education and well-being of seniors. EU aging society is a fact. According to EC in 2020 more than 20% of Europeans will reach age 65 or more. It is believed that in 2050, the elderly will be around 22% of the total population of the world (United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs:
https://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/longrange2/WorldPop2300final.pdf
Project partners from six organisations from Poland, Estonia, France, Italy and Turkey analysed situations in own countries and found out that many seniors do not use Internet mostly because do not have technical skills and competences. It is difficult for this target group to use all opportunities and advantages of 21st century. They need assistant and consultants who can teach in proper way.
But even those who use Internet have problems with understanding what they read, watch and listen. It is very important to teach/train seniors in critical thinking, so they can analyse texts and video.
To teach/train seniors it is very important to have educated staff/educators who know specific of adult education. Extending and developing the competences of educators and other personnel who support adult learners is one of priorities of Erasmus+ Programme and also of this project.
To organise workshops in critical thinking on local level, partners decided first of all collect good practices about critical thinking, test them and create Toolkit which will be used for daily work in adult education in partners' and other organisations.
The specific objectives of this project are:
- to exchange good practices about aging and critical thinking that can be transferred to various contexts of adult education;
- to give staff members/educators the ability to build knowledge, skills and attitude based on critical thinking;
- to support the professional development of those who work in education and training;
- to promote non-formal learning and cooperation in the field of adult education in EU countries.
The main target group in this project is staff members/educators from partners' organisations. The final beneficiaries are seniors - adult learners, including learners of various literacy levels and educational backgrounds. Special target group will be women in age 50+. Project will tackle also different organisations and institutions who work with seniors.
There will be tangible and intangible results
Intangible results:
- exchange of good practices and experience among staff at international level;
- acquisition of new skills for educators from the partners' organisations;
- enhanced intercultural competences for the staff and learners;
- lifelong learning network of partners and other stakeholders involved in the project at local, national and European level;
- increased EU project management competencies.
Tangible results:
- Toolkit with methodological and pedagogical materials for educators;
- video about the training;
- promotional materials (project logo, leaflet, information for social media - Facebook page, etc.).
The impact of the project first of all will be seen on people. Participants directly involved in the project activities will reinforce professional skills in adult education with focus on critical thinking. Thus, they will, in turn, improve the quality of their teaching/training adult learners with whom they interact. They will also improve their digital/ICT/computing and linguistic skills, media literacy skills, increasing their ability to work in international settings.
Adult learners as final beneficiaries will learn how to read/listen/watch with critical eye, how to analyse and check credibility of information, its sources, authors and distributors. They will develop their ICT skills and learn how to work with modern gadgets and search information in the Internet. They will improve soft skills (communication with each other, intergeneration communication, teambuilding, etc.). They will learn about Erasmus+ Programme opportunities and possibilities for international cooperation. As a result, adult learners will be more self-confident and prepared for challenges of 21st century.
Associated partners and other stakeholders in adult education that will attend local and dissemination activities will benefit from the information provided by direct project participants and will be able to continue networking with project partners and other organisations in different educational fields.
The sustainability of the partnership and the potential longer term benefits of this project will be seen on group of skilled adult educators who are able to understand and train adult learners and particularly elderly people in critical thinking; collection of good practice; Toolkit with methodological and pedagogical materials; video with training course; strong networks on local, national and European levels; alliances for further cooperation and new projects.
Project Facebook page
Toolkit Critical thinking for seniors
This project has been founded with support from the European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of the author and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.