Methods

Workshop on European Identity and Awareness

The workshop concept can be used to clarify the following question: Which projects, activities and methods in adult education can be used in order to help fostering and/or developing a European awareness or European identity.

Romy Anke

Gender Switch

Woman or man - how do young and old see the gender roles? Pupils slip into the role of the opposite sex and play with the stereotypes and prejudices of the times when the grandfather or grandmothers were their age. For this purpose, the students aged 16 and 17 interviewed their grandmother or grandfather. For the photographs that were being taken, they changed into the opposite sex and were styled in the way their grandparents looked when they were their age.

Rayna Koleva, Ruse, Bulgaria

Panel Discussion

The Panel Discussions stimulate analytical thinking, receiving feedback from the participants in the project, and allow all participants to express themselves. The aim is to provoke a conversation in which to present different points of view. The Panel Discussion is used to boost European identity, to develop and apply key competences and to evaluate the different aspects of active social inclusion. It helped in establishing cooperation with other organisations on local level (NGOs providing education for seniors, decision-makers of municipalities, associations representing older citizens, experts, national EU representatives and representatives of the European Commission).

Rayna Koleva, Ruse, Bulgaria

Impulse Lecture

Impulse lecture is slightly different from a standard lecture. Its focus is to motivate older citizens for active participation in the civil society on EU-matters and in actively shaping the environment they live in and to present some thematic areas on national and international levels as impulses for the national citizens’ panel sessions.

Paola Berlen

Statistical Survey

This statistical survey technique is a quantitative method that aims to know the opinion of a group of people concerned by related to a given topic. The survey is done through survey questions, questionnaires, interviews, etc. It is used to carry out a research in the most punctual way possible, consulting the target group of reference; in this way one starts from experience to arrive at a scientifically founded work. Surveys provide important information for all kinds of public-information and research fields.

Nunzia Maria Giancaspro

Role-play

The main objective is to live real life situations that happen at personal level in people’s everyday life. Classes were created to teach the foreign language to the participants using the teaching framework defined I. the Discussion Groups. The target group of the project was formed by adult students, part of U3A Italy, Lithuania, France, Finland.

Isabella Gaudiuso, Tulcea – Romania

Lecture

A used form of communication among the partners to establish various steps of development of project and the cooperation with the senior volunteering associations of each country. The target group were adult students who are part of U3A Italy, Lithuania, France, Finland. Information about volunteering in all partner countries was conducted to share and exchange good practices and activities in which each organization have experiences in the context of volunteering in their country. To transmit knowledge in each participating institution in order to develop guidelines for volunteers and volunteer organizations.

Giuseppe Passeri

Discussion

The aim of the method is to make the participants aware of the problems related to the concept of citizenship and democracy. The discussion group was formed by students of the Third Age Universities of the Province of Vicenza and the students of Third Age Universities of the Province of Bari. The participants discussed and examined the questionnaire produced by the University of Padua.

Brain writing

Brain writing is a complementary technique to brainstorming, which can be done in different ways. More specifically, Brain writing is the graphic version on paper of brainstorming and is used to develop and generate ideas for the project under consideration, from which new ideas and new projects can then be developed.

Isabella Gaudiuso

Working group

It is a method that tends to form working groups of people with different opinions or with different professionalisms, who come together and work together in a coordinated manner to face and solve a problem that could not be solved individually by the individual components. The lifespan of a working group can last between a few months and several years.

DWCG

Treasure hunt

An exciting rally on the historical traces of remarkable women from Ulm, where the influence and work of these women becomes visible.

Raya Staykova © ISSK-BAS

Internship (placement)

It is a training method based on learning- by- doing and active participation in a new created environment for training to discover new directions to continue the study outside the traditional academic entities. It is a method for knowledge transfer from- science and Business and NGO sectors and vice versa. In our case it is a knowledge transfer from science to business and NGO sector. It gives skills to collaborate with professionals outside academic community and to be a member of a complex multidisciplinary team.

Raya Staykova © ISSK-BAS

Presentation in a Real Situation

Presentation in a Real Situation is a participatory-oriented method for informing, persuading and motivating the audience about something. It trains people to debate. As an educational method the presentation is widely used by the trainers and by the participants - to present new learning material or when reporting learning outcomes (individual or in a group). In the project the method is used to help PhD students to train themselves with the help of a lecturer to learn to communicate with different social groups in a real situation, to debate on the scientific topics and to use the knowledge and skills what they have learned during training courses. It gives them skills to present specific scientific topics in different ways.

Raya Staykova © ISSK- BAS

Lecturing and workshop training

Mixed method for teaching and giving new information and knowledge with elements of participation. It has two phases: lecturing and training to do presentation imitating different audiences. Presentations are prepared with the help and directions of the lecturer. The group members debate the presentation and evaluate the achieving the aim of it.

Gabriel Bulancea

The “critique” workshop

Critical Workshop in the Arts and Humanities Within critical workshops, participants learn how to use their experience and knowledge in order to change attitudes in the Arts and Humanities. This method is relevant to those in the fields of: Performing Arts, Literature, Languages, Linguistics, Philosophy, Visual Arts, Classical Studies, Music, Religious Studies, etc. The “critique" workshop is considered a platform to both encourage the attending of theatre performance and to support their reception and their understanding through specific training activities. This critique workshop represents a tool for a qualitative survey and, at the same time, the first level of a multi-annual audience building programme. Its purpose is to promote: a) an autonomous choice of theatrical activities by young potential spectators and (b) their conscious reflection on their tastes, desires and cultural needs. The critique workshop also aims to obtain from the young participants insights useful to the renewal of the theatrical offer.

Elena Nastase Checherita

General E-Learning

E-learning as a method is more and more used in the training activities of human resources, ensuring collaboration and access to information for all learners, and improving the quality of the learning processes. The activities which harness the E-learning method become true occasions of learning management: identifying ways by which one learns how to learn, to explore, to search, to select and summarise knowledge. E-learning facilitates the interaction learner to learner, learner-trainer, learner-information.

Elena Nastase Checherita

Strong Inventory Test

The Strong Interest Inventory (SII) is a self-assessment instrument that career development professionals use to help high school and college students, as well as adults discover their interests. The Test measures the subject’s interest in a broad range of occupations, work activities, leisure activities, and school subjects. The Strong Interest Inventory is based on Holland codes, which are personality types created to measure an individual’s “type” and match it with a list of career choices.

Danube Activities for Pupils

How to involve students in the transnational activities of "The Wanted Danube".

Carmen Stadelhofer

Narrative Storytelling

Storytelling as an accompanying activity during the knitting and crotecheting sessions.

Ana Zlibut

Crocheting and knitting for Europe

The idea is to crochet and knit a woollen ribbon that symbolizes a certain course or route – in our case it was the river Danube. The idea behind was to foster a common feeling of being part of the Danube community.

Getting to know each other with Danube Boxes

Getting to know each other in a creative way and thereby discovering similarities and differences is the aim of this method. The target group are people from all Danube countries, who do not know each other and who do not share a common language. The participants create a personal “Danube box” - and fill it with 3 objects that present personal symbols regarding the subject “Danube”. These boxes should give rise to time witness work and exchanges about personal experiences, attitudes and feelings.

Jürgen Jauss

Tablecloth Painting Action as an Ice-Breaker

The tablecloth was designed as an ice-breaker for conversations about a special region in Europe and as means of corporate identity at an big public intercultural event. Before the event, a team of volunteers painted the course of a river that unites this region – from its sringt to river delta with some indications of big towns. Every table host was equipped with such a tablecloth and coloured pens. During the event, the participants were invited to write or paint something related to this river/region (e.g. their hometown, birthplace, visited towns or regions, memories, symbols, etc.). This way the hosts as well as the participants had an easy way to “break the ice” and to get into contact.

ILEU e.V.

Joint organization of an intercultural event

Joint organization of an intercultural event by various civic society organizations in a city. The aim of this action is not only to set up an event, but also to foster and connect local organizations.

Carmen Stadelhofer

Project-based Learning for Students

Project-based learning is based on the idea that students acquire a deeper knowledge through active exploration of real-world challenges and problems. Students learn about a subject by working for an extend period of time in a project (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project-based_learning).

ILEU e.V.

Contemporary Witness Work

Contemporary witnesses are people who are able to give insights on historical events and traditions, since they lived during that time. Contemporary witnesses work focuses on these witnesses, and refines their experiences for the public, and in some cases, it also helps the contemporary witnesses themselves to better understand their past.

ILEU

European Soirée

The European Soirée is a role-playing game in which participants present themselves as historically or contemporary important personalities with significance for Europe from his/her home country. It is the aim of the game to introduce important personalities to all participants from different countries. Important means that the person should have a significance for Europe. For one evening each participant acts and gets dressed as that famous person she/he selected. It can be a person with a political, cultural, educational, social, scientific or other background.

Emiliya Velikova, Ruse, Bulgaria

Simulation

In the simulation the participants perform a certain activity in conditions, as closely as possible to the real situation. The method is useful, where practice is required for the performance of certain tasks, and it is not possible to practice the activity concerned. The method allows participants to apply directly the learning outcomes.

Emiliya Velikova, Ruse, Bulgaria

Seminar

The method helps organizations from different countries and different spheres of activity to work together and exchange best practices in areas such as adult social inclusion and the acquisition of new cultural and / or linguistic skills through formal and non-formal education and training. The creative process of the seminar encourages creative expression of thoughts and feelings in thematic areas related to the living environment, history and cultural identity of the participants.

Emil Kyustenbekov, Ruse, Bulgaria

Mobility

As a method, mobility allows the exchange of experience, practice and methods to better understand the diverse cultural, social and economic trends in Europe as well as areas of common interest. It helps to enhance the opportunities for adults to study and work with students in other countries to promote their self-esteem and to increase their adaptability.

Emiliya Velikova, Ruse, Bulgaria

Survey

The application of the method contributed to the development of an educational program with themes, subtopics, methods and educational tools enhancing the role of third-age people in the civil dialogue process at all levels. It helped the exchange of ideas and knowledge between generations, nations and cultures. The method contributed to improving the social environment in the Danube countries through the organization of continuing education.

Yordan Kazakov, Ruse, Bulgaria

Drama Game

Drama Game is a basic learning activity. This is how students are stimulated to think and experience their individual or social problems. Older learners could learn to explore, explore, and experiment with their problems, events and relationships. Drawn by the drama, they draw their knowledge and experience of the real world.

Emiliya Velikova, Ruse, Bulgaria

Practical Training in Computer and Internet Usage

Lifelong learning of people of every age group, also old adults, is not a luxury but a social necessity. The method serves to consolidate or apply knowledge, skills and competencies in practice. It consists of deliberately carrying out certain actions and repeating them in order to form and improve one or other skills and habits. The character and the methodology of their application depend on the specific curriculum, as well as on the level of preparation and development of elderly learners.

Emiliya Velikova, Ruse, Bulgaria

Festival

The main purpose of these festivals is to improve the quality of training by enabling participants to exchange experiences, information and promote among them the contemporary understanding of European awareness, and dialogue between cultures and the generations.

Emiliya Velikova, University of Ruse

Writing Stories

Individual learning is one of the most effective educational method because it is consistent with the individual socio-psychological features of adult learners. The method encourages creative expression of thoughts and feelings on the topic of the river Danube and Danube countries that have to do with the older people's living environment, history and cultural identity. It helps to develop the individual learning skills of older people for comparing and learning about other countries and cultures, provokes reflection on intercultural competences and contributes to their widening.

Milena Popova, Ruse, Bulgaria

Story-Telling Cafés

Lifelong learning is the key to assuring that experience and competences of older people are not lost to society. The method was used to enhance the participation of older learners, intercultural and intergenerational dialogue, and to increase the participants’ creativity on the topic of the river Danube and Danube countries through telling personal stories.

Emil Kyustenbekov, Ruse, Bulgaria

Cross-national Meeting

The Cross-national Meetings (Theoretical-practical conference) are an important final organizational form in adult learning. They are of great importance for activating learners, generalizing and systematizing the mastered knowledge, skills and habits. It provides a public view of the learning outcomes. A Cross-national Meeting was used to promote European values, tolerance towards other cultures, and diversity, as well as the unity of Europe and the Danube Region during the DANET project.

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Panel Discussion

Panel discussion was used to boost European identity, to develop and apply key competences and to evaluate the different aspects of active social inclusion. It helped in establishing cooperation with other organisations on local level (NGOs providing education for seniors, decision-makers of municipalities, associations representing older citizens, experts, national EU representatives and representatives of the European Commission).

Ana Zlibut, LSFTB

Exchange of cultural packages

In December 2016, the association Danube-Networkers started a small project with the purpose of finding out how people from the Danube countries celebrate Christmas and brining these people together. Christmas is a Christian festival celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. Christians all over the world celebrate it in different ways.

Ana Zlibut, LSFTB

Elaboration of creative and literary materials

The elaboration of creative materials intends to collect of creative thoughts, which will be put in a specific material form, as a result of the individual`s aptitudes.

Catalin Martin

Peer to peer learning

With the help of the trainers, the seniors were able to get basic knowledge in coding.

Catalin Martin

Edutainment

In order to explain and make the seniors understand the concepts of augmented and virtual reality, we used several games and application for mobile. We played with cars inside the classroom, even though cars didn’t exist in reality, or brought birds or elephants inside.

Catalin Martin

Learning by doing

Just showing some concepts and explain how to do something is not enough. Seniors were asked, for example, to create a Google account by themselves or to adapt the existing code and colour an existing background from blue to yellow.

ZAWiW

Open space session

Open space is an umbrella term describing a variety of meeting formats where the participants define the agenda with a rigorous process.

ZAWiW

Lecturette

A Lecturette is a short ten to fifteen minute lecture, which intends to establish some common language between presenters and attendees, in this case, regarding the type of the personal town tour.

Ana Zlibut LSFTB

Critical incidents

Critical incidents are similar in design to case studies. But they are much shorter, usually a paragaraph in length.

Ana Zlibut, LSFTB

Role-playing game

The method is suitable for forming skills to adequately react to a particular situation or to understand the behaviour of other people / heroes. Each role-playing game has the following elements: a role-playing situation, a place of action, and actors (real and imaginary) who enter certain roles. (Applied Classification of training methods-Valentina Vasileva)

Ana Zlibut, LSFTB

Learning game

Learning by playing is a welcome method. Playing games is a great leisure activity enjoyed by people of all ages, moreover it motivates participants and helps them build selfconfidence, as well as social and problem-solving skills.

Interviewing

A short Interview was conducted before the research really took place. Objectives were defined for gaining as much as possible data about buildings, urban places, way of life in the town. Objectives were defined. What the interviewers wanted to achieve was to obtain stories about the town. The type of interview was chosen and who would be the interviewees. Decisions were taken on the type of respondents needed and their characteristics (older people who have lived in the town for decades, who are analytical enough, etc.). It was decided how the interviews would be conducted. Face-to-face, and if the interviews would be recorded or not. It was decided how the sample would be constituted.

Descriptive ethnographic method

Descriptive ethnographic method is a research method observing and investigating human behaviour, objects, people, relationships in a local cultural setting. It can conclude collecting personal stories, memories, life histories, etc. It is a qualitative research method. It was used in the Project Personal Town tours. In this project personal itineraries titled Between Lettuce and Plečnik (the architect), Living at the edge of Barje Marches, Between culture and friends were set up and illustrated with the stories contributed by older interviewed townspeople. Ethnographic interviewing is a type of qualitative research that combines immersive observation and directed one-on-one interviews. ... The idea is to interview users in their natural setting, while they are performing their tasks, asking them questions about what they are doing and why.

Meta Kutin

Exploratory research learning

Exploratory learning means learning through exploring environments, reality, and lived and virtual experiences with tutorial and peer-based support. Exploratory learning was the basic method in the project Personal town tours. All partners applied the same method based on setting up research answers and interviewing inhabitants as well as in some cases the intellectual outputs and further small scale projects as well scientific articles were added though not planned initially. The project and its contents became an integrated part of the more permanent U3A’s educational programme Squares, streets and buildings around us.

Online – distance learning supported by Moodle platform

The course was in fact a blended course most of it was online. Face-to-face consultations were organised and the audience was introduced to the use of Moodle. The participants were issued certificates following their successful completion of the course.

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Modification of materials

It is valuable to be submitted basic structure of the course to develop, if the structure has been validated in practice, in real life. The partnership had an expertise in different reference areas, which enriched the material considerably.

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Research into intergenerational learning

Generally speaking the concept of generations and the pertaining categorisations are frequently misunderstood. A generation is a social group of people who are more or less of the same age and live in similar social and historic conditions, who have similar feelings about their times, who have been gaining similar experience and knowledge, who have been developing similar attitudes, values and have adopted similar life styles (Ule 2008: 20). Multigenerational relationships are rather well preserved within families. There are differences between generations in their attitudes and standpoints towards a number of individual and social topics. Understanding generations’ means understanding the phenomenon of social change.

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Making short featured films

The method is complex, leading to the final result professionally made short featured film. Since it is a short film it demands a lot of dexterity and substantial intellectual input.

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Focus groups on the value of European films about old age and active ageing

Focus groups were composed of experts in the field of old age and experts in the field of European cinema. Also, adult educators joined the group.

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Research into the state of art of old age in partners’ countries

The authors collected national data on active ageing concerning national policies, providers of education in later life, good practices. They also gave the definition of active ageing as it has been accepted on the national level. The national reports were compiled and data were compared in the so called European report on active ageing.

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Biographical method

This method was included as part of evaluation, detection and recognition of prior learning. Another dimension is social – self-reflection which is not only related to vocational training but also to social and cultural background of participants. This method is used to analyse an individual’s history, present and future, raise his self-awareness and encourage conscious planning of future actions, has positive effect on personal development of an individual. It helps the individual to better understand the importance of events and transitions in his life, become aware of his own identity, recognise and take responsibility for his own life and take an active role in it. Focus is to collecting and analysing the different ways of acquiring knowledge and competence development in different life circumstances and different social situations in which life skills are important. This method is useful in the detection of hidden knowledge and empowerment of self-confidence, and in opening new paths in training process. In this project were used spoken and written forms of biography in combination with guided interview. On institutional level this method is very useful tool for collecting data about previous learning, and important part of process for recognition of prior learning

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In-company training

80 hours of in-company training, enables participants to apply newly acquired knowledge in order to help them have better social integration and integration to countries labour market. This part of the project is important because of integration into the labour market. In-company training is regular part of continuing vocational education and training and this method is very important for work experience of participants, improvement of their practical skills (vocational, social, language). In this project this is also part of social inclusion process and improvement of employer’s awareness about their social responsibilities and opportunities for working with immigrants.

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Teaching by lectures the host country language

Key goals of this method is to transmit knowledge, to inform about national culture, to motivate participants to be active members of society. This method was developed for female immigrants from third countries who have only basic reading skills in host country language. This method includes improvement of listening, speaking, reading, writing skills of host country language and basic information about culture, heritage, social background and other information needed for social inclusion. Participants live in host country, they have basic listening skills but they are still not integrated because of social distance, low speaking, reading, writing skills and lack of professional skills. This method is combination of traditional language course, course about basic cultural information and motivation training. Participants have gained basic knowledge of the host societies language (Croatian), history, and institutions and this is indispensable for integration

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Focus Groups

Focus groups in which were representatives of project partners were conducted to define and monitor performance indicators (metrics), assess the quality of the project results, its progress and impact. Focus groups are important part of the evaluation process (formative and final evaluation) and enabled information about dynamics of the project implementation, challenges in implementation, obstacles for partners in the project, their satisfaction with project management and with the results, suggestions for improvement of implementation.

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Interviews

Semi-structured Interviews were conducted to explore older people’s perceptions and ideas about the required and desired competencies of professionals working with the population in their later life. Empirical work was conducted in five countries, so that the views of elderly people from different regions of Europe could be fully considered and integrated in a culturally comprehensive framework (a qualitative approach; sixteen semi-structured interviews in each country). This methodology permits elderly people to express their ideas and perceptions in an in-depth and freely way, giving the space and time that is offered to elaborate on specific needs and desires which can be oriented by cultural, social/environmental or individual factors.

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Desk research

Desk research was conducted to identify innovative and effective learning/teaching approaches for working with older people. The desk research was focused on innovative and effective learning/teaching approaches used in training of health and social workers and focused on supporting interaction skills. Innovative learning approaches for working with the elderly was identified; opportunities were described. Based on this inventory, best practices and innovative teaching methods were identified based on the research, and examples of good practice were provided.

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Shared classes with golden topic

This training process was based on activities that grow out of one common centre of interest of adult learners (called “golden topic”). The golden topic was “Old cooking recipes”. Around this topic were set three main branches of activities: ICT, literacy and English courses. In this training was also included development of another two basic skills: literacy, with reading and creative writing courses and Basic English communication skills. The methodological approach was based on four pillars: motivation, learning through acting, self-confidence and active participation of the adults all along learning process.

Individual learning

item III Basic andragogical methods of learning* applied Classification of training methods (Valentina Vassileva) The main idea of the Individual learning is a particular type of activity, which could be done in different ways, with a variety of methods and means. It is a major component of all other forms of training, but it also includes self-training, homework, self-employment in leisure time, and more. Students work independently in study rooms, libraries, outdoors, etc.

Platform AGORA

Training Workshop

item 7 Methods used in vocational training* applied Classification of training methods (Valentina Vassileva) The method reflects the pursuit of learning in close proximity and direct connection with practice. It is a particular form of practice-oriented learning, providing both professional knowledge and skills and key competencies. It is based on a mix of single methods combined in a certain way. The workshop combines: individual work, group work, discussion, document analysis, moderation, etc.

Platform AGORA

Project method

item 7 Methods used in vocational training* applied Classification of training methods (Valentina Vassileva) The main idea of the project method is to set up a task related to solving a real problem that needs to be performed by a group of people within a certain period of time. Learning through a project method involves practical work in the form of a purposeful, time-limited work. During the different phases of the project, participants are encouraged to accumulate various knowledge, skills and abilities. Linking learning to action in fulfilling a specific task aims at mastering professional competence, including a social one.

Platform AGORA

Presentation (with artistic means)

Presentation is a participatory-oriented method for informing, persuading and motivating. In the learning process, the presentation is widely used by the trainer and the participants - when presenting new learning material or when reporting learning outcomes (individual or group). In this specific case it helped the participants from different countries to convey content with artistic means. [Applied Classification of training methods (Valentina Vassileva)]

Platform AGORA

Icebreaker

Icebreaker is an information-oriented method that helps to "break the ice" in various ways. It helps group members/ participants to get acquainted, relieve inhibitions or tension between people, allowing those involved to build trust with and feel more open to one another. Icebreakers encourage participation by all, helping a sense of connection and shared focus to develop. [Applied Classification of training methods (Valentina Vassileva)]

Mihail Georgiev, Platform AGORA

Drama game

These are role-plays, in which a certain scenario is produced in the form of a monologue, dialogue, pantomime. It is possible to play dramas on a specific text or on a scenario designed by students. The goal is to experience a particular problem or situation where emotional involvement raises real issues. After the play of dramatization, comment is made and a lesson related to reality is summed up. [applied Classification of training methods (Valentina Vassileva)]

DALEC (Donaubüro Ulm/Neu-Ulm)

Online-Lecture

Lectures are more or less one way communication to present information and knowledge to an audience. It is more or less a one way communication. Online-lectures will be sent from one place to another via telecommunication or internet with audio and sometimes also video. Obligatory to this Online lectures we discussed the thesis of the lectures between the different places.

Name

Type

Keywords

Applied in projects