Improving the Integration of Low-Skilled Adults Through Developing Mathematical Skills and Community Support Erasmus Project

Project Title

Improving the Integration of Low-Skilled Adults Through Developing Mathematical Skills and Community Support

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

Project Summary

The project contributes to achieve Europe 2020 benchmarks: to decrease number of low-skilled adults in mathematical skills up to 15%, to increase employment rate by 75%; to raise participation of adults in lifelong learning by 15%. According to the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC), conducted in 2014-2015, mostly all EU-28 countries have a big demand on increasing the low levels of adults’ skills at problem-solving in technology-rich environments: LT-45%, PL-40%, CY-38%, AT-25%, IT-45%. According to Eurostat (2016) 35.5 % of the 25–54 year-old non-EU-born population has attained only pre-primary, primary or lower secondary education. Education plays a crucial role in helping low-skilled migrants and refugees settle in new countries. So, their motivation for increasing competences and skills through life-long learning has to be improved. Thus, there is a great need over the European Union to increase engagement of the local communities in motivating low-skilled adults, including refugees, asylum seekers and migrants, to learn in order foster their inclusion and integration. Thus, the project has two aims:
• To supply high quality ICT-based learning opportunities for improving basic mathematical skills of low-skilled adults, including refugees, asylum seekers and migrants
• To increase awareness within the local communities about the importance of educational help for low-skilled adults, including refugees, asylum seekers and migrants.
The objectives are:
To improve the integration of low-skills adults through developing their mathematic skills by using problem-solving ICT-based approach.
To monitor, assess and collect learners’ achievements in order to facilitate the validation of obtained basis skills.
To extend and develop educators’ competences needed for effective training of the low-skilled.
To increase engagement of local communities to foster inclusion and integration of low-skilled adults though education and learning.
The objectives have been met by developing three main intellectual outputs openly accessible within e-learning platform https://measy.lpf.lt/: 1)Training course M-Easy “Improve Your mathematical skills’; 2).Adult Educators Guide with the toolkit for developing competences needed for effective running of ‘M-Easy’ training course; 3).Communities’ Workshop training materials “Success of the inclusion and integration of low skilled adults through education”.
The general methodology to all 3 intellectual outputs is based on Open Educational Resources in order to promote the open access to developed educational tools. However, each outcome is based on the specific to this outcome methodology. The methodology of the training course ‘M-Easy’ is based on open and innovative digital era Mobile applications approach using problem-oriented experiential learning, blended learning and reverse training. The training course is developed to improve 27 basic mathematical skills, defined by partnership within needs analysis stage. M-EASY mobile application includes the set of 21 problem-oriented practical exercises, developed and programmed by partnership, is available on https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.vizuali.m_easy. The methodology of the Adult educator’s Guide for adult educators is based on self-directed e-learning as it consists of five on-line learning modules to help the effective facilitation of ‘M-Easy’ training course for the low-skilled. Training materials for adult educators-practitioners on how to run local communities’ workshop is based on reversed training methodology using 10 digital success stories (for self-learning prior the workshop) and e-Guide for adult-educators-practitioners
Target groups:
• Low-skilled adults, including refugees, asylum seekers, migrants: 82 were involved in piloting.
• Adult educators/facilitators engaged in mathematical skills training of the low-skilled: 17 were trained within the learning activity, 19 were involved in the piloting as trainers and 81 – in the multiplying events.
• Adult educators/practitioners working in the field of community education: 100 were involved in piloting.
The main impact on 82 low-skilled adult learners, participating in the piloting of M-EASY training course, was on upgrading of their mathematical skills for 41%. The measure of this impact was possible by using the Assessment tool for pre-assessment and post-assessment of 27 basic mathematical skills of the learners.
The impact on adult educators/facilitators/practitioners was in strengthening their capacities and developing their digital, social and civic competences to offer ‘M-Easy’ training course based on mobile applications and tailored for low-skilled individual learners (85% stated their satisfaction of the usefulness of the Adult educator’s Guide). 97% of the adult educators and community leaders concluded that they have gained enough knowledge and self-confidence to to lead a Workshop in the local communities on their own.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 291145,18 Eur

Project Coordinator

SOCIALINIU INOVACIJU FONDAS & Country: LT

Project Partners

• DIE BERATER UNTERNEHMENSBERATUNGS GESELLSCHAFT MBH
• CENTRE FOR ADVANCEMENT OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT IN EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY LTD-CARDET
• CENTRO PER LO SVILUPPO CREATIVO DANILO DOLCI
• DANMAR COMPUTERS SP ZOO
• Kauno rajono svietimo centras
• Vizuali, UAB