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BonJour!

BonJour - Project LogoThe objective of the BonJour! project is to enhance media literacy among older individuals by focusing on journalism and digital skill improvement. This effort aims to foster social activism among seniors and bridge the generation gap in digital proficiency. A key aspect of the plan involves establishing a pool of Media Educators for the Elderly, a role that is currently lacking despite its pressing need. The target groups include adult educators, senior educators, media educators, as well as individuals aged 55+ and senior learners.

The implementation strategy includes conducting a learning needs analysis for seniors in media education, providing training for Media Educators for the Elderly, and offering courses for seniors to enhance critical thinking and ICT skills through media literacy and journalism. Additionally, the plan involves creating a handbook and guidelines for Media Educators, developing a curriculum for seniors, and launching a pilot program where elderly individuals actively contribute to media and digital content creation.

Expected outcomes include the establishment of a methodology for Media Literacy for the Elderly centered on journalism, the identification of the Media Educator profile, and the creation of a pool of Media Educators for the elderly. Furthermore, the initiative aims to produce a guide for Media Educators, an e-learning platform tailored to seniors’ needs, and tangible learning materials for elderly individuals.

Partners

EduVita LogoThe project is coordinated by EduVita, an educational, cultural and intergenerational centre in the heart of Lecce, Southern Italy, founded in 2019.

EduVita is a place of connection between past, present and future: we create learning opportunities to improve the quality of life of elderly and young people through intergenerational dialogue. Our NGO is active both locally and internationally, participating in Erasmus+ research and mobility programmes in the field of Adult Education.

We focus on pedagogical research, innovating teaching and learning processes, designing learning settings and developing new methodologies based on Adult Education and Intergenerational learning approaches.

Fundacja Pro Scientia Publica

PSP LogoFundacja Pro Scientia Publica is a non-profit NGO established in September 2010 in Wroclaw, Poland.
It creates, tests, and adapts senior learners’ curricula and provides high-quality guides for adult educators covering the three main areas: artistic, digital education, and critical thinking.
All courses are designed based on developing competencies for LLL that are essential to citizens for personal fulfilment, a healthy and sustainable lifestyle, active citizenship, and social inclusion.

Europäische Bildungsinitiative

EBI Logo - Logo of the European Initiative for EducationThe “Europäische Bildungsinitiative” (EBI) in Wiener Neustadt, Austria, is a non-profit focusing on innovative education, training, and culture for adults and educators. It comprises training, technical, and research departments, offering courses, multimedia and interactive content development, and research on teaching methods. Activities include adult and school education, vocational training, and higher education courses. The EBI team consists of volunteers, including trainers, administrators, and researchers, paid only for specific project work or training activities.
Peter Mazohl and Harald Makl will be coordination the Austrian team.

Web: www.advanced-training.net 
Contact: info[at]advanced-training.at

International Foundation for the Development of Adult Education

IFAE LogoThe International Foundation for the Development of Adult Education (IFAE) was registered on March 2023 in Warsaw, Poland.

The mission of the Foundation is improving the quality of human life and development of civil society through lifelong learning and media education.

Programmes we are currently running:

  • Virtual University (virtualny.live) – short courses and individual classes at Zoom on a wide variety of topics (history, art, literature, psychology, economics, etc.).
  • IFAE MediaLab School (media.ifae.live) Online and offline courses for beginners in journalism and blogging
  • School of Media Competences for activists of NGOs
  • BonJour – Enhancing the Critical Media Literacy of the Elderly throught Digital Education and Journalism

Web: www.ifae.live
e-mail: foundation.edulife@gmail.com

Nazilli Hayat Boyu Ogrenme Dernegi

The description is in progress.

My Madeira Island

My Madeira LogoAssociação MY MADEIRA ISLAND is a non-profit association to support the social, economic and cultural development of Madeira Island according to the Sustainable Development Goals.
We contribute to the goals by organizing non-formal educational events and actions for young people and adults, at the local and international level, and online initiatives.
My Madeira focuses on the following areas:

  • Media literacy and critical thinking learning programs for young people and adults;
  • Digital literacy and cybersecurity;
  • Storytelling and creative writing, photography workshops, video-making workshops.

We also run an online magazine that talks about the island of Madeira and its people.

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BonJour Project – aims, activities, and results

We aim to enhance the media literacy of older individuals through journalism and digital skills improvement, which will, in the long term, aid in their social activism and lessen the generational digital gap. A group of media educators for the elderly will be established; such a role is currently non-existent, yet it is increasingly necessary today.

Target Groups

  • Adult Educators, Senior Educators, Media Educators
  • Adults aged 55+ and senior learners

Implementation

  • Conducting a learning needs analysis for seniors in media education
  • Providing training for Media Educators for the Elderly
  • Offering training for seniors in critical thinking and ICT skills through media literacy and journalism
  • Developing a Handbook and Guidelines for Media Educators
  • Enhancing the media and digital literacy of elderly individuals through curriculum development for seniors and an e-learning platform
  • Conducting pilot activities for seniors, enabling them to become creators of media and digital content.

Expected Results

  1. A methodology for Media Literacy for the Elderly, focusing on journalism alongside digital skills development
  2. Identification of the Media Educator profile
  3. Creation of a pool of Media Educators for the elderly
  4. A guide for Media Educators of the elderly, including a curriculum for training trainers of seniors and guidelines for adult centres
  5. A two-threshold e-learning platform for media literacy and journalism training for seniors, complete with curriculum and learning materials for elderly individuals.
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Related articles

BonJour – new Project on Journalism & Fake News
EBI is proud to be a partner in the BonJour Project, coordinated by EduVita (from Lecce, Italy). The objective of the Read more
BonJour: Kick-Off in Lecce
We are excited to convene the Kick-off Meeting at the EduVita Intergenerational Centre in Lecce, marking the beginning of our Read more

 

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Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.

CONNECT – results available

PeterMaz CONNECT, Miscellaneous
CONNECT – results available

Objectives of the Project

Objective 1: Develop an innovative multidisciplinary and cross-sectional curriculum for students from the computer and information, health, and social sciences background, with the main focus on cooperation between sectors for strengthening the existing knowledge, skills, and entrepreneurship, in the first ten months of the project, by an international team of eHealth informal and formal educational providers within partner institutions.

CONNECT-<Course
CONNECT Project: eLearning course module (Click on the image opens the course)

Objective 2: Provide one Intensive Study Programme (ISP) to 42 students from computer and information, healthcare, and social sciences backgrounds in mixed working groups in Cluj-Napoca, Romania in September 2022 in order to facilitate student’s challenge-based learning collaborations by having students develop eHealth applications in the form of a project with real implication in the field of eHealth.

Objective 3: Develop a transnational network of key actors from academia, industry, and NGOs to establish collaborations, exchange best practices and facilitate long-distance mentorship for students who graduated from the Intensive Study Programme through an online platform “eHealth Community of Practice” through the end of the project.

Further Information about the CONNECT Project

The sustainability of the project will be ensured firstly by integrating the open-source Curriculum that will be developed by the partners into the course of eHealth at the Department of Public Health, from BBU, as part of their educational program at the Bachelor’s and Masters’s level. Therefore, one of the intellectual outputs of the project will be transferred to them and other interested higher education institutions in order to create a long-term use for our product.

The “eHealth Community of Practice” online platform will be available for at least three years after the project completion period, constituting a transnational network of members from academia, industry, and healthcare and as a mentorship platform for future health innovators.

CONNECT-COP-Platform
CONNECT Project: CoP Platform

 

 

The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents which reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsi­ble for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

Which devices do your students/learners use?

Europaeische Bildungsinitiative Flipped Adult Education, Miscellaneous, Project
Which devices do your students/learners use?

To use multimedia and interactivity learners must be equipped with modern devices that enable to display the content. In addition, it must be possible to work with this content, which includes not only viewing and reading but also saving, changing or creating new content.

The extent to which these activities are carried out often depends on the type of training. Language learning, for example, might be structured differently than learning scientific content.

The first step in our project is to get an overview about the used devices in modern, technology-enhanced learning. Therefore, we did a small survey among trainers, friends and former or current project partners.

You still may contribute to the brainstorming survey. Use the QR-Code and enter your prefered device in this AnswerGarden form.

Tutorial Support – how to Contact the Trainer?

PeterMaz Technology Enhanced Teaching
Tutorial Support – how to Contact the Trainer?

As an organization intensively involved in eLearning we permanently check the quality of our courses and try to amend the quality. One issue is the communication – here mainly the contact between the learners and the tutor.

In fact, we were sure that the best method is a forum where learners can ask the trainer. The result of a questionnaire (conducted in the frame of a Grundtvig Multilateral Project) the results prove our current opinion – but not fully.

Do women prefer to talk?

In an eLearning course, there is always the problem of the support of the learners. Sometimes, learners want to contact their tutor or the have a problem and need help from their trainer or teacher. Which method – do you think – is the best one?

There are several methods available and you have to select the best one. Here is the list of possibilities:

  • Telephone
  • Skype
  • Forum
  • Chat

Here are two synchronous and two asynchronous methods mentioned.

Chat

Forum

Skype

Telephone
Female

15 %

63,2 %

17 %

5 %
Male

12 %

72,0 %

13 %

3 %

The behavior is similar: the majority prefers forums. Here the preference of male participants is about 10 percent higher as the female answers.

Female participants in the opposite show a higher percentage of skype preferences – they prefere to talk.

If you check the differences between synchronous and asynchronous communication you will find a six percent higher level of preferences for synchronous methods at the female users.

Advantages of eLearning

PeterMaz Miscellaneous, Technology Enhanced Teaching
Advantages of eLearning
Technology is a fact in learning. Multiple devices varying in size, power, and functionality can be found frequently used by learners.

Here is an overview about eLearning advantages (we always compare eLearning with pure face-to-face classroom teaching). The list is split into three parts respecting the different target groups involved in eLearning. The summary is based on modern eLearning courses using an optimized platform (that does not really exist) and well done courses using a lot or multimedia elements and interactivity.

Advantages of eLearning (learner’s view)

  • Learner actively involved in his/her e-learning
  • Interactivity and attractiveness of eLearning content
  • Flexibility and adaptability according to availability (time, location)
  • Training at own pace, independently of other learners
  • Self-assessment during and at end of course
  • Personal progress monitoring during eLearning course and appraisal of results obtained thanks to tracking
  • Tutorial support on demand (if necessary)
  • Contact to other learners (if planned and necessary)
  • No travel costs

Advantages of eLearning (company’s view)

  • “Mass” training (big number of learners)
  • Savings relative to classroom-based training indirect costs (travel, accommodation, etc.)
  • Flexibility and adaptability according to learner availability (time, location)
  • Customization and adjustment of training courses to predefined skills and teaching goals
  • Low logistical constraints (no room booking, employee travel, accommodation, etc.)
  • Precise course reporting and automated results analysis thanks to tracking (based on the eLearning platform)
  • Durable and updatable teaching materials (often reuseable)

Advantages of eLearning (trainer’s view)

  • Prerequisites for assessing learner levels
  • Training performed on interactive and attractive tools for both trainer and learners
  • Flexibility and adaptability according to availability (time, location) especial for the tutorial support
  • Learner monitoring from the platform (tracking)

The Importance of Technolog Enhanced Learning

PeterMaz Miscellaneous, Technology Enhanced Teaching
The Importance of Technolog Enhanced Learning
Techology is a fact in teaching and expected by learners.

eLearning, with all its characteristics defining its advantages and disadvantages was a major breakthrough in academic education and professional training. Various Universities worldwide have incorporated eLearning solution in their curriculum and commercial companies from different fields of business have also integrated this method in their staff training programs to further enhance and develop the skills and knowledge of their workforce which can significantly contribute in the company growth in terms of production and profit.

One of the advantages of eLearning is its flexibility which allows any people willing to study but with always a limited time can access education and training by using eLearning tools and modules related to the field he or she wants to study. For students, this is major advantage in trimming down tuition fee expenses and other miscellaneous fees related to their academic pursuit.

eLearning includes all forms of electronically supported learning and teaching. eLearning is the computer and network-enabled transfer of skills and knowledge. eLearning applications and processes include Web-based learning, computer-based learning, virtual education opportunities and digital collaboration. Content is delivered via the Internet, intranet/extranet, audio or video tape, satellite TV, and CD-ROM. It can be self-paced or instructor-led and includes media in the form of text, image, animation, streaming video and audio.

In eLearning environments learners interact with learning materials, their instructors and other learners from various locations and often at various times using network technologies. So by its nature, eLearning offers significant flexibility as to when and how learning occurs. eLearning can include independent, facilitated, or collaborative approaches to learning.

eLearning can be asynchronous (meaning learners are experiencing the learning at different times) or synchronous (meaning learners are experiencing the learning at the same time) or it can incorporate both drawing on the strengths of each. Independent learning is, by definition, asynchronous. Facilitated and collaborative can be either asynchronous or synchronous learning.

What does eLearning and Blended Learning mean?

PeterMaz Blended Learning, Miscellaneous, Technology Enhanced Teaching
What does eLearning and Blended Learning mean?

eLearning means to learn with electronic media. In many descriptions it’s reduced to learning using the internet. That’s basically not correct. eLearning covers the learning process supported by any means of electronically media (Computer, CD-ROM, digitized video, sound, the Internet, …).
eLearning as a term is outdated and should be replaced by “Technology Enhanced Learning”. This covers all the learning techniques as mentioned above, also the learning using the internet (as the access to the Internet only can be done by using multiple devices1 the learning with the Internet is fully covered by this term).

Blended Learning combines classical classroom teaching with eLearning. You may also call it “Hybrid Learning” or “Mixed Learning” – there are a lot of different terms existing – all meaning the same.

eLearning does not exist apart from already established and traditional learning venues. As new technology is introduced and adopted, it immediately becomes integrated with the instructional technology that preceded it. This is called “Blended Learning” or “Hybrid Learning” delivery.

Online learning content and strategies are showing up in classrooms nationwide. Digital content is replacing textbooks and much of it was initially used in formal or informal learning online.

If you are interested in technology enhanced learning and teaching methods have a closer look atour pages and in the blog!

 

1 Multiple devices means computers, laptops, norebooks, convertibles, tablets, and even smartphones. The use and the term “multiple devices” was created by Carlos Guerrero (SAFA) and Peter Mazohl (EBI/EIE). You will find mor information in this blog post!

VTT-Box Project – consultations in Latina

Europaeische Bildungsinitiative Miscellaneous, VTT-Box project
VTT-Box Project – consultations in Latina

Peter Mazohl and Harald Makl, both from the board of the EBI/EIE, visited Francesca Neiviller (I.T.S. Vittorio Veneto Salvemini) for consultations and the first planning of the VTT-Box Erasmus+ Project begin of September 2017 in Latina.

The aim of the meeting was the planning and structuring of the courses that should be developed during the project. Besides this, many organisational and structural issues were discossed and taken in account for the kickoff meeting of the project, which will take place in Wiener Neustadt in October 2017.

 

This project aims to develop special Distance Learning courses, an innovative self-evaluation method and an appropriate transferability guide.