The development of STEAM skills, mainly related to highly skilled work, is already one of the main priorities of the formal and non-formal education sectors in all European countries and beyond. However, the emerging offer of technological education is still limited for adults, especially those with fewer opportunities due to economic, social, geographic or migrant background barriers. Local community learning centers can fill this gap as they are already established as providers of non-formal digital education.
Taking into account the above-mentioned context and the lack of relevant skills in all three partner countries, Lithuania, Poland and Italy, the Consortium set itself the goal of developing 3D printing and design-based thinking skills of adults and strengthening the competences of adult educators. performing innovative informal activities.
Project tasks:
- To create an innovative set of methodological tools for the development of 3D printing, design thinking and andragogic skills.
- To provide competence development of adult educators as key players in the implementation and sustainable implementation of the prepared methodology in partner and associated organizations.
- To engage adult learners with fewer opportunities due to social, economic, geographical or migrant background barriers in interesting technological activities based on non-formal learning principles in their community/town/city.
- Disseminate the results of the project in various fields of education, governmental and non-governmental sectors.
The project partners planned the following activities:
- Creation of a set of methodological tools that includes learning content for adult design activities together with methodological material for adult educators.
- Organization of international trainings for employees of partner organizations in order to provide them with the necessary knowledge about the application of design thinking principles in 3D education.
- Methodology testing and validation with target group learners in partner organizations.
- Implementation of a product quality study in order to collect feedback from piloting, in order to improve methodological material and collect examples of good practice.
- Implementation of an ex-post study to assess the development of adult learners’ digital, technological, creative, personal, social and employment-related skills.
- Dissemination of project results at local, regional, national and European level.
Results
– The main result of the project will be ADaPT4Future: Methodological Toolkit (Design Thinking, 3D, Adult Education). It will consist of: 1) methodological material for adults for applying the design thinking method to 3D printing; 2) methodological guidelines for educators about 3D, design thinking and adult learning; 3) product approval phase research report together with examples of good practice; 4) ex-post study report of a group of adult learners.
– At least 200 adults, half of whom are from disadvantaged groups, and 20 adult educators will benefit from international and local learning activities.
– Adult learners will develop skills such as 3D modeling and printing, creativity, innovation, teamwork, critical thinking, resilience, environmental literacy. They will gain real-world experience in a design cycle where ideas can be prototyped, tested and refined based on reflection and feedback.
– Adult educators will develop skills related to design-based learning in 3D education, andragogy, course design and delivery, research skills and practice.
– After the end of the project, 500 virtual learners will be registered on the learning platform play.gaminu.eu.
– Dissemination events will attract at least 90 participants in the three partner countries.