ENABLING PROFESSIONALS AND FAMILIES TO TRANSFER SUSTAINABLE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS TO DOWN SYNDROME INDIVIDUALS Erasmus Project

Project Title

ENABLING PROFESSIONALS AND FAMILIES TO TRANSFER SUSTAINABLE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS TO DOWN SYNDROME INDIVIDUALS

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 school education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2018

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; Disabilities – special needs; Environment and climate change

Project Summary

Among the European countries there are different educational systems which Down Syndrom (DS) individuals are subjected, although the overall trend is to train them for their inclusion in the labour market and society. On the other hand, it is important to address environmental sustainability from the early childhood, by promoting a participative methodology, focused on engaging children to learn about recycling, and through collaborative projects. Also, Educational Technology brings new opportunities for designing attractive approaches and tools to improve the engagement of DS individuals, enhancing their outcomes academic subjects, but also their self-care capacities. Currently, few programmes based on eLearning for scientific competences have been developed for DS individuals. While these approaches are being considered by policy makers, there is yet a lack of research in this field and its adaptation to primary and secondary education for people with disabilities. However, this is crucial to enhance future careers and changing the societal misconceptions against the skills and competences of people with DS and other disabilities, providing them with knowledge on scientific and technical fields.
SUSKIDS has developed a new tool by means of digital resources for enhancing current didactics for DS individuals and has proposed a framework of qualifications acknowledged at the European level for them. SUSKIDS is aimed and fully in-line with the formal education curricula.
SUSKIDS Partnership has brought together a multidisciplinary team with a wide geographical coverage: Spain, Ireland and Belgium, reflecting a wide variety of cultural backgrounds and formal education systems. It has been comprised by:
• University of Burgos (UBU) and Trinity College Dublin (TCD), both experts in Civil Engineering.
• UC Leuven-Limburg (UCLL), experts in research concerning vulnerable youngsters and adults with a focus on social issues concerning the place of the Internet in care and welfare, specifically on the theme of e-inclusion and inclusive education.
• Bjäland Technologies (BJL), a highly-innovative SME working on training platforms and tools to increase the self-management of elderly and disabled people.
• National Council of Curriculum of Assessment from Ireland (NCCA), experts in assessing teachers and public bodies about curricula and methodologies.
• Asociación Síndrome de Down Burgos (ASDB), a non-profit, independent and supportive association that brings together families that have among their members people who have intellectual disabilities.
• Senior Europa (Kveloce) (KVC), experts on Social Impact Assessment, gender and Dissemination strategy.
The following Intellectual Outputs have been produced, sustained by an intensive dissemination activity and designed through a systematic and participatory research.
O1. Toolkit for recycling skills knowledge transfer to SD individuals;
O2. Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) of sustainable construction for SD individuals;
O3. Development of a course validated and recognised by the Irish National Frameworks of Qualifications;
O4. Evaluation guidelines validated and recognised by the European Framework of Qualifications.
Three events have been organised: A Workshop (ME1) “Enabling professionals and families to transfer sustainable knowledge and skills to Down syndrome individuals”, a Conference (ME2) “Use of technology to transfer sustainable skills to DS individuals for the improvement of inclusion”. Aditionally, one extra event has been carried out: SUSKIDS WEBINAR: “Uso de la tecnología para transferir habilidades sostenibles a personas con Síndrome de Down y mejorar su inclusión” whose objetive was to diseminate the project results in the collective of DS: associations and special education schools and to offer the VLE for use in their centers.
SUSKIDS has substantially impacted on the formal education system and the society as a whole:
• Children with DS (10-16 years old): Significant improvement in students’ competences, engagement and autonomy, raising inclusion at long-term
• Teachers: Tools and resources introducing recycling and construction appealing for pupils with DS. Improved long-life education.
• Policymakers: New approaches in education self-management for people with disabilities. Adaptation of the current curricula to the new technologies and its benefits. At long-term, students better prepared for the labour market.
• SMEs and industry: New market opportunities related to self-management of chronic patients and people with disabilities integrated into their curriculum.
• Academic community: New research lines and wider samples. Better visibility of research into self-management, disabilities, recycling and construction sciences.
• Associations and families: Increased of social awareness on education for people with self- management, disabilities. More interactive resources and appealing learning tools.

Project Website

http://suskids.eu

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 362014 Eur

Project Coordinator

UNIVERSIDAD DE BURGOS & Country: ES

Project Partners

• NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR CURRICULUM AND ASSESSMENT
• SENIOR EUROPA SOCIEDAD LIMITADA
• UC LIMBURG
• THE PROVOST, FELLOWS, FOUNDATION SCHOLARS & THE OTHER MEMBERS OF BOARD OF THE COLLEGE OF THE HOLY & UNDIVIDED TRINITY OF QUEEN ELIZABETH NEAR DUBLIN
• Asociacion de Padres de Niños Afectados al Sindrome de Down de Burgos
• BJALAND TECHNOLOGIES SL