An Innovative Toolkit for Trainers for the Development of the DIGITal & Numeracy Competence for Low Skilled Adults Erasmus Project

Project Title

An Innovative Toolkit for Trainers for the Development of the DIGITal & Numeracy Competence for Low Skilled Adults

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; New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; Key Competences (incl. mathematics and literacy) – basic skills

Project Summary

The IntoDIGITS project aim was to create practical innovative tools supporting the development of key competences for people at the risk of social exclusion (low-skilled adults), including development of digital tools for VET trainers.
Specific objectives of the project were oriented towards an increase of the numeracy and digital competence of low-skilled people through improvement of the quality of competence of teachers, trainers working with the low-skilled adults what will contribute to an increase in their competitiveness on the labour market.

IntoDIGITS project has been based on the scale which was developed to Qualification Framework for competence Digital and Numeracy Competence. In each QF the partnership expressed the Learning Outcomes that should be achieved at each stage on the AC Scale.

It is a fact that digital and numeracy competences play a major role in social, economic and the labour market for an individual to thrive. Digital skills are essential for someone to survive in today’s socioeconomic environment. These skills are crucial for the social life for the professional life as well as functioning in a digital community.

The project accomplished in cooperation with the partners from Cyprus, Poland, Greece, Spain, Italy and Germany was dedicated to low-skilled people to help them in competence acquisition and to improve their abilities and regain confidence in their skills through the set of the prepared results:
1. A Context Specific Qualifications Framework/ Profiles for the Numeracy and as well for the Digital Competence Linked to the Active Citizenship ladder
2. 42 Experiential & Innovative Workshops for the Numeracy and Digital Competences
3. A Digital Assessment Tool for the Numeracy and Digital Competences
4. IntoDIGITS: 42 Digital Tools in 6 Languages incorporated in a new IntoDIGITS online toolkit
5. Publication on good practices and outcomes of the project.

The Profile for the Numeracy Competence (IO1) and for Digital Competence (IO2) were prepared on the basis of desk research in each partner country regarding numeracy competence.

In IO3 were designed and developed 42 experiential and innovative workshops and activities – 21 for the numeracy competence and 21 for the digital competence. The methodology guides has created a total of 350 exercises which have been converted into 42 online interactive quizzes in 6 languages (2100 exercises in total).

A Digital Assessment Tool for the Numeracy and Digital Competences (IO4) is an online digital assessment tool to assess the Numeracy and Digital Skills of low-skilled adults. Based on the results of this assessment the trainer will be able to choose the appropriate workshops for the required Learning Outcomes that must be addressed so as to eliminate the gap.

In order to make the project results more visible and to sustain them after the project has been finished, the partnership prepared the scientific publication: “An innovative toolkit for the development of the digital & numeracy competence for low skilled adults.” (IO6).

During the development of the project results, partners cooperated with strategic experts in the field, potential associate partners and with members of professional networks. In context of their ongoing activities several partners are linked with business enterprises having a permanent collaboration with employers and trainers. This made a contribution to achieve a better quality of cooperation between the relevant actors of the VET system and to adapt concepts related to the education needs for labour market and educational integration of low-skilled adults.

During the project realisation different target group was involved in order to gain the high quality of outputs. There were activities needed to ensure that the people involved in the development of the outputs have the right skills, experiences and expertise in order to deliver an output of high value.

The engagement of low-skilled adults in the pilot activities entails some level of difficulty since in many cases they are disconnected from the society and the learning process and therefore special measures have been taken to ensure their participation.

Targeting low-skilled and unemployed adults were crucial to gain their trust before they commit to any activities, provide incentives and eliminate any psychological barriers that would prevent them from participating.

The aim was to promote the complete IntoDIGITS (toolkit and assessment tool) to trainers working with our target group. It was done through the trainers’ workshops in all partner countries where more than 60 trainers took part. To engage the trainers/organizations to participate in these 2 activities, dissemination activities started early on therefore building an interest on the tool and the project in general.

The associated partners also had well developed networks of trainers who focus on social and labour integration and they have shown an interest to support the projects’ activities.

There were organized 8 Multiplier Events in 6 countries where participated 286 participants, including the final conference with 105 quests.

Due to Open Educational Resources the project outcomes are available across the EU and worldwide of a definitive interactive toolkit for low-skilled people. The consortium expects, that in long-term there will be the increase of the educational quality in the education and training of low-skilled adults via using the workshops on the Numeric and Digital competences of the IntoDIGITS toolkit.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 404485 Eur

Project Coordinator

SIEC BADAWCZA LUKASIEWICZ – INSTYTUT TECHNOLOGII EKSPLOATACJI & Country: PL

Project Partners

• DIMITRA EDUCATION & CONSULTING SA
• EDITC LIMITED
• METROPOLISNET-EUROPEAN METROPOLIS EMPLOYMENT NETWORK EWIV
• E.RI.FO.-ENTE DI RICERCA E FORMAZIONE
• FUNDACION EQUIPO HUMANO