Work Packages

Work Package 1: Online Learning Management System Design

The project aims to train older adults in language learning through digital tools, combine knowledge of English with digital literacy, and uses educational formats that combine textual content with interactive media and collaborative practice of two generations. Thus, a textbook adapted to the learning needs and characteristics of older adults for learning English will be developed and be complemented with the use of an Online Learning Management System teaching digital literacy as well. The methodology behind this work package will be content-based learning to help older adults to align their learning needs with the training they are provided through collaborative learning experiences with younger adults.

An interactive platform with topics including basic English vocabulary and digital skills will be developed, which will be both a guide for older adults to review what they learn and help young adults to teach the content to older adults.

The online learning management system will serve as a learning tool to practice language and digital skills. The contents of the online learning management system will be the same as the ones included in the textbook.

The training content related to learning English for older adults will be developed taking into account the situations in which they can be faced on a daily basis. The level will be for beginners.

English Text Book

The innovation of the intellectual product is the design and adaptation of the contents of an English learning textbook to situations that people may face will be based on content-based instruction methodology. The textbook, which will be an interactive PDF file, will be based on images and will be written in English, so its impact will be very high since it can be used in any field (local, regional, national and European) by any group of older adults in Europe who wish to improve their digital and English language skills and knowledge. Therefore, the geographical transferability of the product is very high.

The textbook will be divided into different chapters containing the most common situations faced by older adults. it will contain a large number of visuals and age-appropriate material. There will be a section dedicated to technology-related vocabulary. It is a complementary product to the learning that will occur.

Work package 2 – Collaborative Learning Practices

This project will provide older adults with a basic English language and digital skills training. However, before the teaching takes place, first trainers will be trained first. For this purpose, a course on language teaching methodology for the older adults with a specific focus on digital social inclusion will be provided to the trainers in each project participating country. In this work package, older adults will be provided with a quick reference pocket handbook, which will be illustrated. This work package focuses on preparing this booklet, which is expected to be conducive to collaborative learning practices between older and younger adults.

This intellectual product aims to define the optimal training methodology that must be applied both for an adequate preparation of English courses face-to-face and online aimed at older adults. For the design of the manual, it will be necessary to establish the content of each topic that will be covered in the Manual for Trainers.

The target group is that of language teachers to the older adults. Within the methodology, innovative elements will be introduced that allow a greater interconnection between students and teachers, taking into account tools, methodologies such as proactive tutoring, collaborative work, or Kolb cycles.

On the other hand, the methodology that will be carried out will guarantee the training of the group of older people using new technologies (e-learning platforms, interaction through digital media, and use of interactive media as a learning method). This methodology is expected to have an important impact on the group linked to the teaching of older people since it is an innovative product (currently there are training methodologies, but they are not specifically aimed at older adults). There will also be a transferability to other countries of the European Union as the methodology proposed in this project is not language-specific and can simply be used in the teaching of multilingual and digital literacy skills.

The manual should include the new technological means that can be used in the teaching of languages to older people. One of the main purposes of this manual is to help language teachers involved in the training of older people to select and use the resources of teaching, including technological means and activities that help keep older people “active” in the development of multilingual and digital literacy skills. The manual also provides guidance on different ways of taking advantage of existing media and collaboration with younger adults to make courses more active and dynamic.

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