Jimoyiannis A. & Gravani M. (2008). Adult educators’ and learners’ perceptions and experiences of digital literacy: The case of the Second Chance Schools in Greece (original) (raw)
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This paper presents an investigation into the adult teaching and learning of digital literacy in the context of Second Chance Schools (SCSs) in Greece, a project initiated by the European Commission (EC) aiming at combating social exclusion through education and training. It aspires to shed light on the educational reality at SCSs regarding the teaching and learning of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) subject and to highlight the processes of adult learning. In doing so, the paper uses the experiences and perceptions of 24 adult learners and 8 educators as they embarked on the ICT course in four SCSs. The exploration reveals the importance placed by the participants on the ICT subject, although it was proved to be a ‘difficult’ one, due to learners’ age, fear of exposure and technology, the lack of appropriate organization and material infrastructure, and educators’ instructional habits. However, data indicate that educators in the sessions tried to adopt flexible practices adjusted to adult learners’ needs and interests, aligned with the adult learning principles and embodying elements of interdisciplinarity. Moreover, findings reveal that learning in the course of the ICT subject has been mainly ‘active’ rather than ‘passive’ for both adult learners and educators: they have both developed philosophical and pedagogical knowledge, while learners further developed technical and social skills on ICT, and have had serious difficulties in conceptualizing knowledge concerning ICT systems and components. The article ends with some implications concerning the design of adult digital literacy courses and future initiatives about ICT educators’ preparation and development.
International Journal of Digital Literacy and Digital Competence, 2010
The study presented in this paper explores some aspects of adult learning on digital literacy in the context of a lifelong long learning programme for social cohesion in Greece, namely Second Chance Schools (SCS). The article gives an outline of the framework of the digital literacy subject, as it is taught in the SCS, and underlines its associated objectives with regard to adults' knowledge and competence in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). The exploration draws upon the experiences and perceptions of eight adult ICT educators that taught in the context of four case study SCS. The findings reveal that the educators tried to use flexible instructional practices that were adjusted to adult learners' needs and interests. Common effective instructional practices in use were: a) ICT competence sessions that were performed at the computer laboratory; b) interdisciplinary and multi-literacy lessons; c) ICT-based short and long term projects, and d) individual instruction sessions that were focused on adults' specific needs or difficulties. In addition, the article reveals the difficulties that adults faced in the course of developing ICT literacy skills, from the perspective of the educators. The paper ends with some implications for the design of adult digital literacy courses in SCS and other lifelong learning programmes, and for the preparation and development of the ICT educators in the years to come.
Digital literacy for adults has developed into an important dimension of ICT-related policies worldwide. Yet, although research argues that adults need digital skills, limited evidence has been directed to digital literacy teaching approaches to adults and the associated pedagogy. The study explores the extent to which core features of effective adult learning were addressed within the context of digital literacy courses offered by the State Institutes of Further Education (SIFE) in Cyprus. Semi-structured interviews conducted with two groups of Greek-Cypriot adults enrolled in these courses indicate that while certain aspects of adult learning, such as an optimal climate for learning were in place, other principles related to the consideration of learners’ needs and learners’ input in the development of learning contracts were in effect to a certain extent only. Since this can mainly be attributed to the nature of the courses which were designed top down and remained openly ECDL exam-oriented with pre-fixed content, repercussions are drawn with regards to alternative paths to adult digital literacy, organized on the basis of learners’ expectations, profiles and needs.
Research study - Adult learners in digital learning environments
Ecorys working in partnership with Bertelsmann Stiftung have been commissioned by the European Commission’s DG Education and Culture to carry out a study on ‘Adult Learners in Digital Learning Environments’. The overall aim of the study is to contribute to the work of the Commission and Member States in achieving the objectives set out in ET 2020 in relation to ICT-enhanced learning including OER in adult education, in particular through: • Providing the Commission with a detailed description and analysis of the current state-of-play of the use of ICT-enhanced learning, including OER, in adult education in Europe, sampling across EU28 Member States, EFTA States and Candidate States; • Providing policy-relevant analysis and advice; • Developing policy conclusions and recommendations, for relevant policy makers in Member States, and for adult learning providers; and • Developing an approach for a (self) assessment-toolkit for adult learning institutions as well as policy makers for analysing their state of play when it comes to ICT/OER use in adult learning. The terms of reference outlines a number of specific outputs for the study including: • A review and analysis of EU and national level policies and research of key academic literature as well as surveys on ICT enhanced learning, including OER, in AL; • A summary of the current use and take-up of ICT enhanced learning, including OER, in different types of adult learning and where the potential is still unexploited; • A detailed description of the types of providers of adult learning that are engaged in ICT enhanced learning, including OER; • A detailed description and analysis of the factors that contribute to improving the efficacy of ICT enhanced learning, including OER within the adult learning provision; • A detailed description and analysis of types of adult learners and their take-up of OER, including a description of their socioeconomic background; • A detailed description of the types of OER (e.g. OER on higher education, basic skills, language learning..) different groups of adult learners are engaged in; • An inventory of existing learner support measures required by non-users to take-up OER. This should include a representative number of good practice examples for each of the target groups identified and an analysis of the success factors of the examples and conclusions on how these examples could be mainstreamed; • Policy relevant conclusions and recommendations for actions to be taken by policy makers, other stakeholders in Member States and at the EU-level to make ICT enhanced learning, including OER, a part of mainstream adult learning; and • A proposal for a toolkit for assessment on the level and quality of ICT enhanced learning in adult learning (e-Maturity) to be used by either providers or policy makers.
ESREA Network on Adult Educators, Trainers and their Professional Development (pp. 837-844). Thessaloniki: University of Macedonia. ISBN: 978-960-243-668-4.
As part of a larger research project investigating adult teaching and learning of ICT, in the context of a lifelong learning programme for social inclusion in Greece, the aim of this study is to highlight a number of emerged factors determining the profile of the ICT adult educator. The main objective is to sketch out the education, training, role, competences, competencies and challenges faced by a particular cohort of ICT educators participated in the study, in order to further understand how they conceptualize themselves and their role in this specific educational context, and the ways in which their educational praxis has been shaped as a result. The analysis presented draws upon the findings from interviews with eight adult educators teaching ICT in the context of four case study Second Chance Schools (SCS) in Greece, a project funded by the European Commission and the Greek government aimed at combating social exclusion of individual adults through education. The latter consist of a population with special characteristics and traits regarding the teaching and learning of ICT. The study reported, harnessing a qualitative case study approach within an interpretative paradigm, focuses on the ICT educators’ beliefs, experiences and perceptions. From the analysis, a number of themes have emerged that proved to have shaped the profile of the ICT educators in SCS; a) the lack of adequate education and effective preparation and training· b) educators’ undefined role along with their competences, skills, personal characteristics and abilities, and the impact of the above on their educational praxis· c) their previous experiences at typical secondary schools· and d) the need for lifelong training and professional development. The issues raised and the implications of the study might be helpful in future attempts to develop an integrated national framework for the specification of the education, training, competences and competencies of the ICT adult educator aimed at improving learning and teaching in SCS.
Educational Technology & Society, 14(1), 217–227, 2011
The research reported in this paper aspires to shed light into adult digital literacy using learners' and educators' experiences and perceptions at Second Chance Schools, a project in Greece aiming at combating social exclusion through education. In exploring the above, this investigation uses a case-study approach within a qualitative paradigm and draws upon a heuristic that brings together a set of ideas on adult program development to guide research techniques and analysis procedures. The latter focuses on five key elements of program development for adults: needs identification, planning, design, climate, and evaluation. The findings identify the importance placed by the participants on digital literacy and indicate some tentative points and practices that, when suitably adapted, could pave the way for effective preparation and delivery of digital literacy courses for adults.
International Journal of Digital Literacy and Digital Competence, 2012
Digital literacy for adults has developed into an important dimension of ICT-related policies worldwide. Yet, although research argues that adults need digital skills, limited evidence has been directed to digital literacy teaching approaches to adults and the associated pedagogy. The study explores the extent to which core features of effective adult learning were addressed within the context of digital literacy courses offered by the State Institutes of Further Education (SIFE) in Cyprus. Semi-structured interviews conducted with two groups of Greek-Cypriot adults enrolled in these courses indicate that while certain aspects of adult learning, such as an optimal climate for learning were in place, other principles related to the consideration of learners’ needs and learners’ input in the development of learning contracts were in effect to a certain extent only. Since this can mainly be attributed to the nature of the courses which were designed top down and remained openly ECDL exam-oriented with pre-fixed content, repercussions are drawn with regards to alternative paths to adult digital literacy, organized on the basis of learners’ expectations, profiles and needs.
Adults' use of ICTs for learning: reducing or increasing educational inequalities?
Journal of Vocational Education & Training, 2004
Within the hyperbole surrounding information and communications technologies (ICTs) and lifelong learning, our understanding of what learning activities ICTs are actually being used for throughout the adult population remains under-developed. Based on a household survey of 1001 adults in the west of England and South Wales, this article considers who amongst the adult population is using ICTs and what they are using them for. Moreover, the article also takes time to consider who is not using ICTs for learning given the widespread claims made about ICTs' potential for social inclusion. The survey data show that within adults' use of computers and the Internet, education and learning are minority activities, most commonly taking the form of informal learning at home. Moreover, any educative use of ICTs appears to be patterned by a number of social factors. In particular, logistic regression analysis shows that whether or not an individual uses ICTs for educative purposes can be predicted (with 82% accuracy) by the five variables of age, gender, educational background, occupational class and area of residence. The article concludes by discussing these findings in relation to the United Kingdom Government's present lifelong learning agenda.