Adult Education: A Digital Europe for All! Educação de Adultos: Europa Digital para Todos!

Summary

The project focuses on digital literacy - a key area in today’s increasingly digital world - by promoting the digital skills of low-skilled adults and increasing the use of digital tools among teams working with adult learners. In line with the values of Education for Citizenship, recognised by the European Innovative Teaching Award, the project also emphasised participation in democratic and civic life, the development of social and intercultural skills, critical thinking, and the promotion of European values among adult learners.

“Being part of a school and Europe in the first person was an experience I will never forget! Not just as a student, but as an immigrant in a Europe that welcomed me with open arms.”

Topic(s) addressed

• Critical thinking and media literacy through education
• Development of social and intercultural skill
• Democracy and inclusive democratic participation

Target group(s)  

• Mobility activity involving a group of five adults with fewer opportunities (migrants; low qualifications).

Methodologies used

The learning journey met the group’s expectations, offering a mix of formal, non-formal, and informal opportunities that provided not only rich experiences for developing digital skills but also unique cultural, social, and linguistic enrichment. Participant selection prioritised adults with fewer opportunities - mostly migrants with low qualifications - thereby promoting inclusion. All learners played an active role in the learning process, enhancing their critical thinking and media literacy through education in European values.

Innovation environment

The inclusion of adults represented both a challenge and an innovation for the school, filling a gap in the Internationalisation Department’s efforts to involve all sectors of education in these projects. This was made possible through Erasmus+ funding and aligned with the principle of sustainability embedded in the learning pathways we design for group mobility activities. Another key objective achieved was the creation of a positive school climate through cross-sector cooperation.

Teachers’ role

All adult education staff - both teaching and non-teaching - were involved in the project, participating in the group mobility activity with adult learners and contributing to the design of the learning pathways. Recognising their key role in our work with adults, two staff members also undertook individual mobilities on a structured course to acquire skills in the digital field.

Impact and output

The results exceeded the expectations of both participants and the wider school community, giving the adult education sector a stronger sense of belonging to the school and to European programmes. The impact has been amplified through digital channels such as the school’s website, newsletter, and social media. Digital resources - such as the logbooks produced during the mobility and shared with the educational community - helped ensure the project reached everyone. The school’s Erasmus projects already enjoy visibility through initiatives such as ErasmusDays and related activities. The most direct outcome is the commitment to make Erasmus+ projects in the adult sector a regular practice at the school by submitting an annual application, with inclusion as one of the key objectives.

Learn more about the project

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