Digital Skills

Abstract: 3D4DEAF, an Erasmus+ project, promotes job inclusion and entrepreneurship for deaf individuals through 3D printing and digitization. It provides accessible resources and facilitates international networking to connect students, youth, trainers, and entrepreneurs.

The world of work is often selective and may not fully embrace alternative perspectives, particularly those of entrepreneurs with disabilities. Deaf individuals encounter numerous barriers in finding places where their entrepreneurial ideas can flourish. It is essential to establish accessible environments, offering the necessary tools and resources, so their unique perspective can enrich society.

The Project 

The Erasmus+ 3D4DEAF project is an initiative aimed at transforming the training and employment integration of deaf individuals through the use of 3D printing. Co-funded by the European Union, 3D4DEAF unites eight international partners to develop inclusive and accessible vocational training tools and programs, opening up new opportunities in the digitized labor market. 

3D printing represents transformative potential in various sectors, offering deaf entrepreneurs unique opportunities for innovation and business development. Using 3D technologies and digital tools, the project aims to enhance the digital skills of deaf students and youth, preparing them for the challenges of future careers. With 3D printing facilitating comprehensive management of the creative and production process within their startup or enterprise, deaf entrepreneurs can tailor the production and work environment to suit their needs and perspectives.

Our Partners:

Guided by Społeczna Akademia Nauk (SAN), project coordinators, the 3D4DEAF consortium worked collectively to develop accessible tools and courses. Each partner brought their expertise:

• Fondazione Istituto dei Sordi di Torino ONLUS - Italy: Specialized in accessible communication for the deaf.
• A & A Emphasys Interactive Solutions Ltd - Cyprus: Designers of educational programs.
• Instituto Hispano Americano de la Palabra - Colegio Gaudem - Spain: Experts in deaf education and inclusion.
• European Digital Learning Network ETS (DLEARN) - Italy: Network focusing on digital education.
• Aintek Symvouloi Epicheiriseon Efarmogesypsilis Technologias Ekpaidefsi Anonymietaireia (IDEC) - Greece: Consultants in training creation.
• Stowarzyszenie Rozwoju “Pitagoras” - Poland: Providers of training and services for the deaf and disabled.
• High School Deaf HoH Thessaloniki - Greece: Offering VET educational pathways for the deaf.

Project Activities:

The first step in enabling access to the world of work is to provide accessible information and tools. Through mixed-focus groups of deaf students and VET trainers, valuable insights are gathered. The 3D4DEAF platform offers complimentary guides and services, empowering entrepreneurs to become digital experts and fostering innovative ideas within the Industry 4.0 landscape. To foster international networking among deaf individuals, an interactive Mapping Tool of European deaf organizations, training institutions, and entrepreneurs has been developed, detailing relevant seminars and events. Moreover, the platform provides more resources, like a glossary and consulting services to streamline communication and idea presentation.

Upcoming open-source tools on the project website include:

• An accessible guide on social entrepreneurship and 3D printing, featuring practical examples.
• An e-Community connecting deaf entrepreneurs, students, youth and trainers across Europe.
• An augmented reality educational game immersing students in an AR environment to learn social enterprise creation in Industry 4.0 sectors.
• Workshops and seminars hosted in schools, preparatory for study visits to social enterprises and Industry 4.0 establishments in each country.

The 3D4DEAF project remains committed to reducing barriers and enhancing the entrepreneurial and job prospects of deaf individuals.

From October 3-5, the third Learning Teaching Training Activity (LTTA) of the EU-funded project "T4T - Tools4Teaching in Digital Education Settings" took place in Athens, Greece. The host organization for mobility was MYARTIST, an organization with background and expertise in various fields and topics related to arts, culture, accessibility and inclusion.

SIEMdig

“Social Inclusion and Emotional Maturity of the Society's youngest participants helped by digitally competent teachers”

SIEMdig, is a European project, co-funded by the European Commission under the Erasmus+ KA220-SCH Program, with an implementation period of two years (01 December 2023 to 30 November 2025). The project is coordinated by the University of the National Education Commission, Krakow (Poland) with the aim to redefine primary education through digital innovation, empathy cultivation and community engagement. 

The project embodies a multifaceted approach to address contemporary challenges in primary education. At its core, it seeks to empower primary school teachers with the digital tools and resources necessary to enhance their digital competency and become integrators of digital content. The project’s main objectives are threefold:

1. Supporting Primary School Teachers: SIEMdig will equip educators with digital tools and resources, along with comprehensive instructions, to strengthen their digital competence, enabling them to better navigate the digital landscape of modern education.

2. Fostering Acceptance and Empathy Among Pupils: Through an interactive digital storytelling platform, SIEMdig aims to cultivate empathy and acceptance among young pupils by presenting real-life challenges faced by disadvantaged individuals. These stories, coupled with resources to support students and teachers, rubrics designed to provoke awareness and empathy, seek to break down social barriers and promote inclusivity.

3. Promoting Community Engagement: SIEMdig plans to bridge the gap between schools and communities by facilitating dialogue and understanding of children's challenges. By engaging the broader community, the project aims to foster inclusion beyond the school environment, creating a supportive ecosystem for all children to thrive.

The planned main results of the project include:

1. Repository of Digital Resourcesto support teachers in becoming integrators of digital content, enabling them to deliver dynamic and engaging lessons.

2. Interactive Digital Storytelling Platformfeaturing narratives that highlight real-life challenges faced by disadvantaged pupils. Accompanied by rubrics for teachers, these stories will serve as catalysts for empathy and understanding.

3. Guide for Social Inclusion: A guide targeting teachers, pupils, and the community will be developed to promote social inclusion and foster a culture of acceptance and empathy within schools and beyond.

4. Training Programto educators to familiarise them with the interactive digital storytelling platform, empowering them to leverage its potential in the classroom effectively.

In addition to the coordinating institution, the consortium includes 7 partner organisations: Zdruzhenie za evropska edukacija i mobilnost AMETA Veles (North Macedonia), Douka Ekpaideftiria AE – Palladion Lykeion Ekpaideftiria Douka (Greece), Associació de Programes Educatius Open Europe (Spain), Fondazione Istituto dei Sordi di Torino ONLUS (Italy), Thales Foundation (Cyprus), Centre for Development of the Vardar Planning Region (North Macedonia) and Liceul Teoretic "Tudor Arghezi" (Romania).

Per maggiori informazioni sul progetto SIEMdig, visita il sito web ufficiale all'indirizzo https://siemdig.uken.krakow.pl/ 

We are excited to introduce the Erasmus+ project SkillsMatch which aim is to provide capacity building to adult educators through the acquisition of essential digital skills. The project addresses the knowledge gap of adult educators regarding e-learning offers.  
Nowadays, the quantity of online courses available online keeps increasing. Such an educational offer can be a considerable asset for adult educators who can use online courses as resources in their own curricula. And yet, and such a large online educational offer can be destabilizing for adult educators with basic digital skills who may not be able to search and find the appropriate e-course(s) for their teaching.

For this reason, the SkillsMatch project will help adult educators develop their digital skills to better answer the needs of their target groups. It will tackle the gap between the plethoric e-learning offer and the current skills of European adults educators. The project targets two specific groups: adult educators willing to upgrade their digital skills and designers of e-learning courses for adult educators (course providers).


To do so, the project will develop 3 results:

1. An Online/mobile matching tool to match adult educators’ skill gaps with the available e-learning offer. This app will be based on a smart search engine able to search through the Internet and to analyze online information.
2. A Guide for course providers, an educational tool to make e-learning providers better understand the needs and abilities of  adult educators.
3. Learning Nuggets, or micro e-learning units regarding essential soft skills identified by the European Framework for Digital Competencies of Adult Educators (DigiComEdu). These modules will further upskill adult educators to obtain soft skills needed to use e-learning courses in their teaching activities

The project started in November 2020 and will last until October 2022. Our partnership gathers 7 partners from 6 different countries:

-    Middlesex University, United Kingdom (coordinator)
-    IDEC S.A., Greece
-    Emphasys Ltd, Cyprus
-    Pontydysgu SL, Spain
-    P & W Project GMHB, Germany
-    Eurocrea Merchant SRL, Italy
-    Oracel TES Ltd, United Kingdom


The SkillsMatch team brings together experts in education, adult training and digital solutions development. We will soon release our first project result, the Online/mobile app designed for selecting the most appropriate e-learning courses, based on the MUSKET tool developed in Middlesex University. The overall objective of SkillsMatch is to enable adult educators to make the most out of digital educational resources and to further develop innovative practices in education in the EU.