This project builds on the work of the highly successful Fit for Digital Linguistic Education Erasmus+ project (2020-2023: https://www.fit4digiline.eu/). The same group of dedicated project partners from Finland, Austria, Italy, Greece and Spain are keen to help language teachers in the adult education sector further develop their digital competences, and to make use of new technologies in their teaching work. Many of the project results will be of value to teachers in other areas and at other levels too.
The main aims of the new EMPOWER project are:
- to expand the use of digital assessment and feedback tools in language teaching;
- to increase inclusion and accessibility, with a particular focus on differentiation and supporting learners with special needs;
- to promote digital resilience and media literacy for both teachers and learners: and
- to promote the uptake of new technologies, such as AI, in language education.
We will first consult with end-user groups, to find out more about their current teaching experiences and their perceived training needs. This information will allow us to make sure that the other resources we create are of maximum benefit to teachers. The project will produce 4 main results:
1. A policy report on the current language teaching situation in Europe and the challenges that language educators face in target areas;
2. an online train-the- trainer course to help educators learn about new technology and the use of digital tools for feedback and assessment;
3. An online game to help language learners and teachers build digital resilience and develop their own digital competences;
4. A video-based MOOC giving practical examples of how digital tools can be used to help empower learners and to promote inclusion of minority groups.
We will also produce quick-reference summaries of the report and the main content of the training courses, as well as a teacher guide to using the online game with their classes.
To follow the project, please check out the project webpage (coming soon) and the project’s Facebook page.
More here in Finnish: Link