@Learn

Short Description

@Learn was a multilateral Grundtvig project which united partner organizations from five European countries with the aim of fostering the idea of active ageing and lifelong learning. The project’s goal was to promote an understanding of ageing as an enriching part of the life course and to establish an active aging learning community which raises awareness about and educates on topics like health care, social inclusion, new media and intergenerational solidarity. To reach this, we brought together older adults aged 60+ and younger people aged 16-35 in all partner countries to create a vibrant and rewarding cross-generational learning community.

@Learn

Aim

Building a lively, intergenerational learning community marked by mutual appreciation, support and exchange.
Development of offline and online learning materials.
Fostering intercultural and intergenerational exchange.

Full Description

@Learn was a multilingual Grundtvig project with partners from 5 different European countries.

The aim was to build a learning community to promote Active Ageing and Lifelong Learning. The focus was on the following topics:

Health and prevention for conservation of competence and productivity
Social integration via the new media
Intergenerational dialogue

Learning is a major part of Active Ageing and promotes not only the physical and psychological health, but also helps older people to remain socially integrated, to feel perceived and appreciated.

We developed an Active-Ageing Learning Community in which over 60 years old people are able to educated themselves further together with younger learners aged 16 to 35 years old.

Our vision was a lively, generation-spanning Learning community, shaped by mutual appreciation, support and exchange.

The project lasted from 01.11.2012 to 31.10.2014.

The project was coordinated by the Technical University Gabrovo (Bulgaria). Project parterns were: ZAWiW (Ulm University, Germany), University Coruña (Spain), Provinvical Association of Pensioners and Retired People from A Coruña (Spain), Patto Territoriale Oristano Soc. Cons. a r.l. (Italy), and Age Action Ltd. (Ireland).

Step by Step Explanation

1
Development of an Active Ageing Learning Community (AALC) comprising 3 learning modules (face-to-face and Internet-based):
- Health Self-Management
- ICT for Social Networking
- Intergenerational Volunteering
The materials were available online and offline in the respective languages of the project partners.
2

Active involvement of the target groups within the project lifetime and after its end by including them in the following activities:
3

Raising awareness on active ageing and acquisition of active ageing skills.
4

Using intergenerational approach, blended learning and methods such as cooperative, engaged and problem-based learning.

Results

By participating in our learning programs the learner had access to an broad field of new knowledge and skills - for example they received information on healthy nutrition and disease prevention, learned how to use social networks and blogs or discussed about the differences between the generations and methods for strengthening the mutual understanding. The young and old participants could reflect together on their lifestyles and Active Ageing. Eventually, their active and healthy lifestyle promotes a successful demographic change in Europe. In all partner countries pilot tests of the resulting learning materials took place, in different intergenerational actions learners from different age groups came together to exchange ideas and to continue their education together.

Implemented Methods

Focus Groups

Focus groups were conducted in each partner country, targeting seven 60+ and seven 16-35. They were in the form of workshops moderated by an expert. The workshop was recorded on video. The video was analysed and reported in a Needs Analysis Report. Their aim was to achieve objective information on the active ageing knowledge and skills gap, as well as on the disposition and motivation of both target groups to active ageing learning. Furthermore, it was envisaged to provoke the target groups to share their viewpoints and actively participate in the discussion of the problems under question. This helped the consortium in the development of the learning modules that best matched the learning needs of the target groups. In addition, they aimed at involving the target group in the project from its very beginning.