TinkeringEU3, Tinkering EU: Addressing Adults
This Erasmus+ project aims to develop Tinkering activities and resources for adults and to foster a Europe-wide community of practice.
The project will address adults who are not familiar with Science and Technology and have a low science capital. The project will develop activities, workshops and resources for adults that support them in their self-confidence, stimulate lifelong learning, contribute to development of 21st-century skills (creativity, innovation, entrepreneurship, critical thinking), build on existing communities, encourage exchange of expertise and practice between formal and informal learning institutions, and create a Europe-wide community of practice.
This project aims to foster the socio-educational and personal development of adults, as well as their participation in civic and social life, focusing on:
- Stronger science engagement. We live in a world where our lives are directly impacted by science and technology. The new generation is growing up with a larger exposure to S&T than their parents. This project addresses this generation gap in interest/relevance with science and technology.
- Need for 21st-century skills. Adults today need a broad set of personal skills in order to be professionally successful and to be better citizens in our society. Among others: self-directed learning, self-management, personal responsibility, effective communication and everyday problem-solving. The project aims to support adults in building their 21st-century skills.
- Low science capital. Low science capital is particularly problematic for people with learning difficulties, from ethnic minorities or social and culturally marginalised groups. Low science capital contributes to a person’s social exclusion and non-participation and combines with them to reproduce disadvantages.
Basic information
The project will develop workshops and resources for adults that support them in their self-confidence, stimulate lifelong learning, contribute to development of 21st-century skills, and encourage exchange of expertise and practice across the community’s development and informal learning sectors.
The theoretical framework of adult participation will set out the current landscape of adult participation in STEM in Europe in relation to underserved and disadvantaged adults, and will outline the theoretical rationale for understanding the relationship between:
- Tinkering as a pedagogical approach
- Equity and inclusion in STEM
- Creating more inclusive STEM adult education and learning opportunities for underserved adult audiences
The project will develop tinkering resources that can be used by community development and informal learning practitioners working with adult groups. These will be developed from already existing and tested activities. Special focus will be placed on activities suitable for adults from different backgrounds, taking into account different needs, interests and motivations.