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Description
EduSenior is an educational project which aims to improve quality of the senior education conducted at the neighborhood houses in the Tri-City (Gdańsk, Gdynia, Sopot).The aim of the project is to analyze the best practices of senior education in Poland and Norway, to develop and implement innovative methods and tools used at senior education, in particular the "study circles". We''ve planned 2 educational mobilities (jobshadowing and training on study circles) in Norway for 10 educators from neighborhood houses in Tri-City. Joint development of 2 results by the project partners - EduSenior educational materials (1. catalog of good practices in senior education in PL and NO and 2. guide on innovative methods and tools of senior education). This project responds to partners'' needs (increasing the quality and innovation of the senior education offer) as well as participants'' needs (educators representing the Gdańsk Neighborhood Houses Network) and end -users'' - the need to increase the participation of seniors in various forms of education. As part of the project, the educational method "study circles" (in 3 neighboring houses) will be tested with the end recipients - seniors, which is an inclusive and activating education for seniors. The project will be implemented by 3 partners - NOVA Foundation, which runs the neighborhood house in Gdańsk''s district Chełm on the daily basis and addresses its offer to large group of seniors; The Senior Citizens'' Club Hill of Joy from the Chełm district and the Norwegian organization Bjerkaker LearningLab, specializing in senior education. The project assums the organization of 6 project meetings and 1 dissemination seminar (for 30 people).
The results of the project will be long-lasting and will be implemented in the neighborhood house run by NOVA Foundation. The knowledge and competences of the senior educators (10 people) will also increase, and thus the quality of the offer of the neighborhood houses participating in the project.
Summary of project results
EduSenior is an innovative educational project that was created to improve the quality of senior education in neighborhood houses/clubs and organizations that deal with senior education in the Tri-City (Gdansk, Gdynia, Sopot).
The project was implemented due to the increasing elderly population and their evolving lifestyle, characterized by an active pursuit of education previously hindered by family and professional commitments. This trend underscores the rising demand for high-quality senior education and the necessity to embrace contemporary teaching approaches.
The main objective of the project was to identify and test good practices of senior education from Poland and Norway, as well as to develop and implement modern methods and tools for senior education, including the method of study circles in organizations participating in the project.
The project included two educational mobilities in Norway for a total of 12 educators from neighborhood houses/clubs and senior education organizations from the Tri-City area. Learning mobility 1 was in the form of a study visit combined with jobshadowing at various senior institutions in Norway. Learning mobility 2 was in the form of a training course on senior education methods used in Norway.
The project also created 2 intellectual outputs: a catalog of good practices in senior education and a guide to innovative methods and tools for senior education. The developed materials can serve as inspiration and provide specific tools and materials that can be used by senior educators to improve the quality of education for seniors.
The good practice guide is tally including innovating methods and educational tolls. There are using to work with seniors, verified in both Poland and Norway. This is a valuable resource of inspiration and knowledge for anyone, who is involved into senioral education. This guide helps improve the quality of educational services and adapt them to the individual needs of seniors.
The educational senior guide is a compendium of tips and best practices regarding conducting effective educational activities for older people. This guide include finished solutions and educational tools, which one helps taking effective actions in the area of senior education. The guide us practical support for educators, educational instituions and non-goverment organisations working for seniors, helping improving the quality of educational services provided and adapting them to the needs of seniors.
Summary of bilateral results
Cooperation with an institution from the Donor States - the Bjerkaker Learning LAB (BLL) has brought several benefits to the EduSenior project. It enabled the exchange of knowledge, experience and best practices between partners from Poland and Norway, which enriched the project with diverse perspectives and approaches. In addition, the financial support from the Donor States allowed the realization of educational mobility and the development of educational materials that contributed to improving the quality of senior education. The cooperation led to the improvement of the competencies and skills of senior educators and increased the involvement of seniors in educational processes. It contributed to an increase in knowledge and understanding of the issue of senior education on both the Polish and Norwegian sides. Main values:- Mobility - enabled direct experience of the Norwegian senior education system. By observing practices, methods and tools used in Norwegian institutions, educators were able to learn new approaches and techniques that can be used in working with seniors in Poland.- Testing the study circle method - allowed direct application of theory in practice, which enabled participants to better understand and evaluate the effectiveness of this method in the context of work with seniors.Partnering with institutions from Donor States allowed for the utilization of their expertise, significantly contributing to the project''s goals. This collaboration facilitated the establishment of enduring relationships and the exchange of experiences between countries, fostering potential long-term benefits for all parties involved.Ongoing bilateral cooperation includes a joint application for another senior citizen project, focusing on inter-school integration. Submitted in November 2023, the application received positive formal evaluation and is now undergoing substantive evaluation.