Digital Basic Skills Programs for Adults
General Information
Target audience:
Basic Skills Teachers / Tutors / Adult Literacy Instructors / Adult Educators
Course date:
Course status:
Certificate of Completion:
Participants completing the course will be awarded in the following ways:
1) Digital Certificate on Completing the Course: Approaching Digital Teaching & Learning
Criterion 1: accessed each of the content pages in the MOOC.
Those who meet this criterion will receive a digital certificate automatically at the end of the course. The certificate will certify that the participant has completed the course and engaged with all elements of the course thematics / content.
2) EBSN Badge on Professional Development Series: Approaching Digital Teaching & Learning
(Only for those completed criterion 1 and received Certificate of Completion)
Criterion 2: completed knowledge checks (quizzes) and submission of at least 1 meaningful and relevant post in the forum discussions every week (corresponding to the thematic questions of the week, altogether minimum 4 entries within the course course).
This will prove that the participant reflected on the course content from the perspective of their own practice and were able to apply newly gained knowledge and insights in their own context.
The Professional Development Series is an initiative of the European Basic Skills Network to support adult educators, teachers, and other personnel in basic skills education and training to develop skills and methods to help people progress on their upskilling pathways effectively. Within the project supported by the ERASMUS+ Program, a series of OERs and MOOCs are being developed. It is also an ambition of the partnership to establish Microcredentials, awarded to those completing MOOCs and recognised by different educational institutions and national or regional authorities taking an active role in further education and professionalisation of adult basic skills teachers.
“Digital Basic Skills Programs for Adults” is one of the courses being implemented and tested with adult education professionals from Norway as participants in 8 weeks by Folkeuniversitetet, Norway.
Course objectives
This course has specifically been designed to assist you in understanding the basic skills challenge to enhance your teaching practices when working with adults with basic skills. It will introduce you to factors leading to poor basic skills and equip you with knowledge of personal development and upskilling pathways in your teaching context. It has been developed as part of the PDS project by EBSN in tandem with South East Technological University.
Course results
By the end of this MOOC, you will be able to:
- Have a better understanding of the importance of digital skills in working and social life
- Have a better understanding of the challenges that face your learners
- Be able to motivate and create a secure environment for your learners
- Become competent in choosing content, activities and working methods that develop adults’ basic digital skills.
Course format
The MOOC will be implemented as an 8-week long 4-unit online course (2 weeks for each unit, with a workload of app. 6-7 hours/unit; a total of 25 hours equivalent to around 1 ECTS), self-instructed study with self-checks as well as moderated thematic forum discussions and three live webinars via Zoom with a tutor. The webinars will take place at the beginning, middle, and end of the course.
The MOOC on Basic Digital Skills will include ample learning resources from an international setting, presenting the best teaching strategies and practices. The presentations, videos, and other resources are becoming available every two weeks.
Key themes of the course
Unit 1: The information society influence on working and social life, competence areas and framework of digital skills
Unit 2: Digital Competences for Civic and Social Life
Unit 3 Digital Competences for Work Life
Unit 4: Learners – eLearning and apps for everyday life and for improving basic skills
Assignments & Assessment
During this course, you will encounter several Knowledge Checks and short quiz questions to check your understanding of various topics. Please try to answer these and revise the relevant section if you experience difficulties. In addition to this, you will be asked to reflect on your teaching practices using the newly gained knowledge.
Each unit will have a workload of between 6-7 hours.
Detailed course objectives
Unit 1: An Introduction to Digital Skills!
Unit’s objectives:
- Understand how information communication technology developments have changed society and its effects on both working and social life
- be familiar with the framework of digital skills and the concept of digital literacy
- be aware of the importance of the learner’s pre-knowledge, experience and needs when you use the framework to plan a course
Unit 2: Digital Competences for Civic and Social Life
Unit’s objectives:
- Understand how critical digital skills are to be able to be a part of public and social life
- Be mindful of the learner’s needs and how to create a secure learning environment
- Become competent in choosing content, activities and working methods that develop adults’ basic digital skills based on their perceived needs
Unit 3: Digital Competences for Work Life
Unit’s objectives:
- Know how to define and map digital skills needed for the actual workplace/participant
- Understand how to use frameworks, work profiles, portfolios and other pedagogical tools
- Be able to plan and conduct tailor-made courses at the workplace based on the student’s needs and personal experience.
Unit 4: Learners – eLearning and apps for everyday life and improving basic skills
Unit’s objectives:
- Define eLearning
- Know more about the learner and learner characteristics
- Be aware of different teaching and learning styles
- Get familiar with different applications that can be used for everyday life and learning.
