Learning tree Erasmus Project

Project Title

Learning tree

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for adult education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2017

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: ICT – new technologies – digital competences; Intercultural/intergenerational education and (lifelong)learning; New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses

Project Summary

The thought of starting the project ‘Learning Tree’ was a need in the field of adult education and lack of good practices. In fast-growing Europe, especially elderly people started to lose their enthusiasms on life not having enough chances connecting themselves within the social life. The long-lasting interaction among the partners awakened the idea of providing resources and possibilities to the target group, senior citizens of Europe. Having been experienced enough on different previous projects on similar topics, the partners decided to open the gates of a new dimension.

The main objectivities of the Project partnership were:
– to help to create a better United Europe
– to connect the elderly to live after retirement
– to find out new useful techniques adaptable on adult education
– to find out the similarities and differences among EU countries and form a more common lifestyle

The target groups of the Project were ITC teachers and seniors over 50. Teachers working in the field of adult education are generally having the problem of lack of materials and methods. The participants were the trainers dealing with the people having a lack of social and basic skills such as ITC usage, adapting themselves into the usage of the technological devices, suffering from interaction etc. One coordinator and an expert from each partner organisation took part in face to face meetings and three more trainers got the chance of attending to the short -term joint staff training events. In pilot workshops regularly took part 36 participants aged 50+.
During the project, the project partners elaborated 16 scenarios of ICT lessons dedicated to the development of basic skills of young-old (50+) and elderly people (65+). Next, the scenarios were tested in regular workshops as a pilot course. Finally, the results were analyzed and disseminated. The innovative approach was the use of genealogy. Partner organisations had target groups of seniors learners (young old or elderly) and implement the techniques decided on meetings to see if the expected results vary on learners from different cultural backgrounds.

Six transnational face to face partners meetings and two short-short term joint staff training were completed. Two 5-days workshops were organized in Italy and Poland.
The methods presented by the experts were evaluated and checked in partner countries. The results were released to the usage of national and international beneficiaries via dissemination activities.
Before starting the activities, trainers got some preparation of culture of hosting country and language learning if needed.

Especially at workshops, there was ‘formal and non-formal learning’ teaching processes from ordinary adult learning methods to specific teachings of seniors.

The main results achieved:
– New methodologies/techniques (including in the ICT area): 16 scenarios of experimental lessons in 4 languages
– A project website (1)
– 6 newsletters (each one after the TMP) in 4 languages
– information leaflets in English and consortium partner languages (total: 5 languages version)
– posters in national languages and English (total: 5 languages version)
– project logo (1)
– academic paper (1)
– evaluation reports (6 after TMP, 2 of Quality Management, 2 after joint staff training).

The intangible outputs achieved:
– New methods acquired by trainers, participating in the project, sharing experiences and best practices at transnational level;
– Experience gained by the project partners of management and organization of transnational partnerships, intercultural dialogue and cooperation;
– Increased culture of communication, competence and skills for teachers, trainers, managers and front line staff not directly involved in the project.
– Exchange of ideas and good practices
– Experience gained by individuals
– New/better skills both learners and trainers.
From the perspective of learning processes, products developed in the project were designed to innovate the curricula of the adults learning in two ways:
– making ordinary the of the new technologies in teaching methods, especially those classifiable as Web 2.0;
– setting the processes of learning in an interdisciplinary optic, encouraging a holistic approach to knowledge, skills and abilities.
Education in basic skills can reduce social inequality, increase inclusion, cohesion and active citizenship; and improve mental and physical health.

Contributed to the European added value by;
– creating a better methodology of adult education
– bringing cultural and geographical differences closer
– forming a European understanding of lifestyles and technological standards
– being a headquarter on adult education for the local institutions
– adopting the elderly into social life, thus, a healthier society.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 53300 Eur

Project Coordinator

Nazilli Halk Egitimi Merkezi ve Aksam Sanat Okulu & Country: TR

Project Partners

• Fundacja Pro Scientia Publica
• Institut für angewandte Sprachintegration Ottakring
• Itaka training