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SMAT - Social Media & Adult Training

Project number: 2012-1-DE2-GRU06-11434 1

Duration: August 2012 to July 2014

SocialMedia-AdultTrainings

Our SocialMedia-AdultTrainings Guide has been just finished.

Within the framework of this learning partnership, eight European adult education institutions have shared their knowledge and experiences using social media elements in different areas of adult education and training. The initial stage of the project focused on research, analysis and evaluation of the existing foundations. Then the partners collaborated on creating and testing several concepts of application of social media in various adult education courses in different countries.

The final result of this project is an online handbook about social media elements in different areas of adult training in different countries. The handbook contains a summary of some of the units developed, the most relevant criteria and prerequisites needed for successful implementation of social media elements in teaching and a short glossary on social media applications.

During the first stage of the project, all partners first analyzed how social media was used in their countries focusing especially on learning, teaching, working and free time activities. Based on the results, all eight partners selected the most relevant social media applications to be used in their countries and chose target groups that would then test those applications. Once the social media elements and the target groups had been chosen, each partner selected the types of courses and units that would be most suitable for the implementation stage. Click here to see the results of the German questionnaires.

In the later stages of the project, different types of units and courses were developed, tested and presented by the partners before the final units were selected and gathered for publication in the final version of the online handbook. Special attention was given to the quality criteria for implementation of social medial applications in adult education. A list with a short summary of the criteria to be considered as well as the prerequisites for developing course units using social media elements have also been included in the final version of the online handbook of the SMAT project.

This project has definitely improved the quality of the training courses provided by the partners involved. We have not only learnt from each other’s experiences and expertise but also from our learners' expectations and needs. The partnership is now more conscious of the risks and advantages of some social media elements and more aware of what is needed before implementing those elements in adult training. The main and final objective of this project was to create an online handbook that helps adult education providers to improve their training courses by adapting their curricula to new teaching techniques. The project results also try to encourage learners to interact and to continue learning at a time and place convenient to them.

Some impressions of the project.

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of the authors. The Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained herein.