Abstract:

In the dynamic landscape of adult education, the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative force, promising enhanced teaching practices and improved learning outcomes (Laupichler et al., 2022). This paper presents insights from the AI4AL project, aimed at empowering educators to effectively leverage AI in their teaching methodologies. Through desk research, qualitative surveys conducted within the Adult Learning and Education (ALE) sector, the project delves into educators' needs, attitudes towards AI, and perceptions of its potential impact. The study, co-design and piloting processes involved a diverse cohort of participants from various European countries, representing different roles and experiences within the ALE sector. Findings reveal a significant knowledge gap among educators regarding AI applications, coupled with apprehension and mistrust towards AI technologies (European Commission, 2021). However, there exists a shared aspiration to harness AI for personalised learning experiences and skills assessment.

The findings of the to-be-presented processes highlight how as educators, organisations, and learners we must collectively embark on a journey of demystification, understanding, and empowerment to navigate the complexities of AI integration. By demystifying AI through education and awareness initiatives, stakeholders can foster a culture of informed decision-making and proactive engagement with AI technologies, while taking control over the adoption process entails not only embracing AI's potential benefits but also acknowledging and addressing its ethical, social, and pedagogical implications.

In our efforts and in this paper we will stretch that through collaborative efforts, there can be AI integration in adult learning to align with educational goals, values, and priorities, thereby maximising its positive impact while mitigating potential risks and challenges. More specifically, the AI4AL consortium addresses these challenges through the development of an engagement kit, a matching tool, and a training toolkit tailored for adult educators. The engagement kit facilitates educators' direct involvement in adopting AI-based technologies, while the matching tool links skills assessment to new pathways in curriculum and learning design. Moreover, the project’s training toolkit and self-paced learning path aims to equip educators with the necessary skills to integrate AI into ALE effectively. Through the recruitment and training of 150 educators and the direct benefit to at least 1,000 learners, the project strives to foster a conscious acceptance of AI in the ALE sector.

The ERASMUS+ project AI4AL- Artificial Intelligence for Adult Learning, coordinated by EAEA- The European Association for the Education of Adults is a two year long strategic partnership with partners from all over Europe, and more specifically, All Digital, from Belgium representing a European network of partners, EGINA in Italy, CPIP in Romania, SkillLab from the Netherlands and ProArbeit from Germany.

Keywords:

Artificial intelligence, adult learning, critical media literacy, demystification, adult education.