COmmunity LIBraries and digital LITEracy skills for MLF children Erasmus Project

Project Title

COmmunity LIBraries and digital LITEracy skills for MLF children

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 2017

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: ICT – new technologies – digital competences; Romas and/or other minorities; New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses

Project Summary

If you want to participate as a fully-fledged citizen now and in the future, and also want to be successful in the (future) labor market, then digital skills are an absolute precondition, in addition to language and reading skills. The DESI Index 2020, provided by the European Commission, reports that only 58% of Europeans have at least basic digital skills (meaning 42% don’t even have basic skills), despite the fact that the job market demand for ICT and digital competences is growing. Therefore, children must acquire these skills from an early age. This applies not only to basic ICT skills, but also to competences referencing the conscious and critical use of digital technology. Unfortunately, also here a additional social divide is looming. Research shows that the skills indicators are strongly influenced by socio-demographic factors. Therefor COLIBLITE was aimed at multicultural- and low-income areas and families. Children from these families often have no personal and suitable digital devices, and their parents often have low education, insufficient digital skills and insufficient financial resources to support their children in their (educational) online environment. This causes problems not only concerning bullying and filter bubbles, but also regarding difficulties in their studies and in their future careers. This required combined educational efforts in- and outside school as well as at home. Of all the educators around children and youngsters: schools, libraries, community centers, sports clubs and parents groups. However, during year 1 of the project, COLIBLITE national and local research showed that not only parents, but also many educational professionals often do not have the basic digital skills and competences needed to support their children and students in their online world.

In order to promote and teach the necessary digital citizenship skills to children and youngsters, COLIBLITE developed and coordinated neighborhood approaches, methodologies and actions. This involved schools, libraries, youth work, community centers and parents from an MLF background. They focused on building so called “educational triangles” consisting of a school, a library, a social organization or community center and, preferably, a parents’ group. Libraries had a central role in the project. In year 2 each participating educational partner was made ”digitally literate” in terms of policies, skills and competences of the staff. After this the cooperation between staff of the partners organizations was improved by organizing joined meetings, training and by the exchange of knowledge between educational professionals. In parallel learning materials were developed for inside and outside school lessons and activities. Also parent information events took place. Development of lesson plans and outside activities were based on co-creation by using existing free (online) materials and experiences from elsewhere. In addition teachers were supported in and outside school by media coaches. After the transnational evaluation in year 2, the local COLIBLITE activities were deepened and/or extended and disseminated by creating new educational triangles in other neighborhoods and with other schools. COLIBLITE partners also made efforts to make the COLIBLITE approach part of school-, library and municipal policies. Unfortunately COVID made it, because of the lock downs, almost impossible to organize final conferences and to evaluate certain activities with partners form the educational triangles. During the 3-year project period 3091 children, 500 educational professionals and 250 parents were involved in the COLIBLITE activities. National partners aimed at different age groups and had to work in quite different educational environments. However each national partner worked based on the transnationally agreed principles and competence- and skills schemes. Transnational discussion took place in annual conferences and regular webinars.

Final COLIBLITE products
(1) 4 national research reports on national digital literacy policies for schools, libraries and youth work.
(2) 4 local action plans, based on findings during and conclusions of national research as base for the local educational triangles.
(3) Several lesson plans on training of professionals, schoolprograms for children and training of cyber parents
(4) Transnational online toolkit with tips, tricks and examples of good practice.

IMPACT
(1) All COLIBLITE partners created a digital literacy agenda in their organization.
(2) The COLIBLITE methodologies have been implemented and disseminated. The teachers now work together and with other “external” collogues to find the best practices of introducing the digital approach in their learning methodologies. There is also more cooperation and mutual support in executing and connection activities for children and parents in and outside school(time).
(3) During the COVID lockdowns many of the COLIBLITE objectives were put in practice and the lack of competences with educational professionals and the absence of digital devices in low income families became acutely apparent during the processes of distance learning.
(4) COLIBLITE methodologies proved to be key to solve problems and to make educational professionals and organistions aware of the need of sustainable policies and cooperation.
(5) The trainings with the parents and the teachers have improved their understanding of certain digital competencies that were only mentioned during the community building workshops.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 423646,69 Eur

Project Coordinator

stichting de bibliotheek Utrecht & Country: NL

Project Partners

• AFRICAN COMMUNITY SCHOOL
• OPEN GROUP SOCIETA COOPERATIVA SOCIALE O.N.L.U.S.
• ASOCIATIA ACTIVEWATCH
• ERVET – EMILIA ROMAGNA VALORIZZAZIONE ECONOMICA TERRITORIO SPA
• Stichting Mira Media
• Scoala Gimnaziala Nr. 117
• ISTITUTO COMPRENSIVO N. 15 DI BOLOGNA