As adult educators we find that the perspectives of adult learners are particularly diverse, yet parallel with the immediate needs of an inclusive, democratic society that is constantly changing. We looked at challenges in our organisations and found that our needs, such as the need to develop a bottom-up and participatory approach that allows learners to choose the contents, methods, and tools that best satisfy their learning goals, correlate with EU priorities for adult education. Another need is teacher training that addresses the specific skill to be adult educators. Moreover, teachers in adult education require new skills in order to plan efficient blended learning or e-learning environments, as ICT and digital literacy become crucial skills in opportunities for lifelong learning.

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Based on our experience as institutions for adult education in different countries are trying to solve similar challenges in different ways. We wish to exchange good practices to enable the implementation and continuous improvement of student-oriented communities of open learning in adult education. The idea is based on the Open Class of SCVO Encora in Belgium, which is also implemented in Sweden. We are a partnership of six institutions that provide adult education, with different yet complementary areas of expertise related to the aim of the partnership. We believe that “Communities of Open Learning” (CoOL) need to be carried by four pillars: quality in values, pedagogy, and methods (1), with effective use of the available ICT-tools (2), self-sufficient teams of educators and other personnel that function in an open feedback culture (3), supported by rich networks that connect the school to the job market and available support systems (4).

 

By exchanging our experiences and investigating solutions we want to realize models for adult education that can be used in different contexts and in different countries. We will do this by focusing on the aforementioned four pillars for the exchange of best practices.The partnership will hold six Project Meetings (TPM). Two meetings will be digital and the remaining four will be face-to-face TPM and they will be followed by short term LTTA. In each of them we will be focusing on one or two main themes: (1) Networking in class and world, (2) Self-governing teams + Quality of learning for staff and learners, (3) ICT in support of community-learning without borders, and (4) Open Learning Communities (integration of all of the above into a comprehensive and effective system in support of learning in an open society).

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The methodology of the project was based on a collaborative approach concerning both organisation of activities and a methodology of LTTA. Teachers and staff of our schools will be the main agent of the exchange of best practices during LTTA. After every LTTA each organisation will organise dissemination activities in their own organisation which will contribute to the sustainability of knowledge and skills. As a result of the project, we expect to reach a comprehensive exchange of the best practices in high quality according to the four pillars presented above.

 

On the external level, we will produce a project website that presents the partnership, our aims and objectives, and results. Internally, all project documents and plans for implementation and dissemination including measurable key indicators, will be set out for all actions proposed.

 

All project activities help the educators/trainers in their professional development by learning from each other, changing their attitude in teaching adults, merging knowledge towards a new thinking and new approach in adult education. The expected end result is a well functioning partnership of adult education schools that continues to innovate the development of quality, based on a flexible and open teaching model.

 

The main target will be the formation of skilled development teams which can be a driving force within our institutions. New perspectives on adult education, new ways of teaching, more open learning environments will help our students shape their own learning trajectory. It will empower them, contribute to their personal development and prepare them for (working) life. We want to inspire each other, and other schools for adult education at the local, regional and European level. Since the project will spread a new methodological approach for adult education, both organizations working with adults, and European adult learners will benefit from it.

 

With this project we want to stimulate the uptake of flexible learning in adult education by empowering educators in the sector. We also want to collate our tacit knowledge, based on know-how and daily experiences, showcasing the best practices adopted by our institutions in an international approach within the EU. As educators we hope to do much more than teach knowledge and skills; we want to be and support learners who can self-govern, collaborate, and form a community.