Abstract:

Digital Competences Recognition Framework for Adult Education (DigiComPass) is an innovative EU co-funded program that employs a Flipped Learning (FL) 3.0 instructional design in order to develop, implement and evaluate a 5-module training course on Digital Competencies for Adult Education. Meaningful, real-life tasks, autonomy, targeted support and increased learner engagement are but a few of the many advantages of FL designs.

In this paper the modules that comprise the course and their respective units are presented. Individual and group learning spaces are essential aspects, providing the foundations for effectively implementing the FL 3.0 approach in this work. Furthermore, activities that could be designed in these two spaces to support and enhance the learning process, making use of Bloom’s taxonomy, are likewise introduced.

The DigiComPass course will be administered via Moodle, a Learning Management System (LMS) that is also ideal for competency-based training and adaptable in its flexibility for FL 3.0, addressing the needs of both learners and instructors. Moodle is also open source and carries multiple benefits for learners and instructors, including multimedia and community support, as well as a range of assessment tools. Moreover, it is easy to operate and aims to be fully accessible and usable for everyone, including users with special needs and disabilities, further promoting two of FL’s main building blocks, namely inclusion and diversity.

An accompanying Recognition Framework Model (RFM) will subsequently be developed, in alignment with good practices on validation in non-formal and informal learning. Current skills are identified and documented, progress is assessed via formative and summative means, and certification is awarded as per learner success. Assessment employs numerous tasks both individual and collaborative, including self-reflection, games and simulations, presentations, interviews and observations. As part of this accreditation system, open badges will be issued upon successful completion of each module, supporting a gamification element to engage the adult learners, while an online certificate will be awarded upon collection of all badges. In targeting sustained excellence and improvement, there is a need for the recognition criteria and the outlining RFM to be reviewed at regular intervals, resulting in revisions if needed. This will serve the purpose of keeping these updated and aligned with industry standards, emerging trends and changing needs. Recognition of learner achievements in such a verifiable manner, elevates motivation, enhances professional prospects and raises participation numbers for similar life-long learning courses.

Keywords:

Flipped learning, adult learners, recognition framework.