Numeric[All] Project – Digital skills and non-formal education for illiterate adults

Digital skills and non-formal education for illiterate adults

Nowadays, the technological advancement has provoked a radical change in the field of adult education. The introduction of technologically upgraded methods has ameliorated the quality of the educational provision, as well as the transformation of the educational procedure into a more flexible experience, tailored to the needs of the learners[i]. Upskilling learners through the development of digital competencies is supposed to be a prerequisite for the reforming of the educational methodology.

Despite the fact that numeracy and literacy are considered to be basic skills for achieving social and labor success, Information and Communication Technology has been the third most important skill, along with the before-mentioned capacities[ii] that enables the personal growth. According to Jeannette Wing and Peter J. Denning,” computational thinking is a way of thinking about processes and solutions to problems that can be solved with the help of computers”[iii].  

When it comes to illiterate adults, the process of education demands the exploitation of formal and non-formal methods. There is a numerous list of existing programmes that have attempted to educate adults lacking numeracy and literacy skills, through the use of information and communication technologies. For instance, National Education Programme for Illiterate Youth and Adults through Information and Communication Technologies (or PNEBJA-TIC, its abbreviation from French), launched in 2012 by the Government of Senegal is a programme that enables the provision of literacy and everyday life skills for people who have never been to school or who have left early[iv]. Digitalization has been proved as one of the most important technological trend that enables societal transition and development. The transformative potentials of digitalization in the field of education offer many opportunities to people that seek better educational perspectives.

With exception to digitals skills, non-formal education may be defined as a learning methodology that promotes the organization of activities outside of the formal educational context. The main objective of providing non-formal means of education is the introduction of new ways of living as well as the acquisition of upgraded potentials that can stimulate the obtaining of individual skills and personal growth in general.

Based on the above, ‘Numeric[All]’ mainly prioritizes the strengthening of illiterate adults’ inclusion and the improvement and extension of the supply of high-quality learning opportunities tailored to them through the development of gamified, non-formal mathematical tools, consisting components of a mobile museum, with the ultimate aim of cultivating and bolstering basic educational and professional skills of illiterate adult learners. Our project sets as a priority the achievement of transformation through developing innovative digital tools to support the fast-changing needs of our digital society.

[i]Shala, Arif & Grajcevci, Albulene. (2016). Formal and Non-Formal Education in the New Era. 119-130.

[ii]Jimoyiannis, Athanassios & Gravani, Maria. (2010). Digital Literacy in a Lifelong Learning Programme for Adults: Educators’ Experiences and Perceptions on Teaching Practices. IJDLDC. 1. 40-60. 10.4018/jdldc.2010101903.

[iii] ”Digital illiteracy: a phenomenon that can only be fought at school”, worl.edu. Retrieved from: Digital illiteracy: a phenomenon that can only be fought at school – World leading higher education information and services

[iv] ”National Education Programme for Illiterate Youth and Adults through Information and Communication Technologies, Senegal” (2017), UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning. Retrieved from: National Education Programme for Illiterate Youth and Adults through Information and Communication Technologies, Senegal | UIL (unesco.org)



 

 

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Eirini has recently completed her MA in Creative Writing, she holds a BA in Philosophy, Pedagogy and Psychology, and she has a Translation and Interpretation of EU terms Certification in French. She has been a volunteer for environmental programs and she has participated as a leader and/or trainer in 14 Erasmus+ youth exchanges before she chooses the EU project running world as her career path. She loves travelling and she started her career as a cabin crew. So if you ever happen to travel for a project meeting with her you can make sure that you travel safely. She has also worked in an aquarium, developing educational projects for young learners – did you know that Nemo, the clown fish, finds their own anemone at the bottom of the sea and recognises it as their “home”? She has also lived in the Netherlands where she was working as a mobility project manager for French schools, practising her bicycle riding skills in winter conditions. She enjoys buying books – not always reading them, cooking Asian food, walking in Athens in August, discussing philosophical theories with friends and learning new hobbies. She loves her peace, and her headphones and she cannot imagine a life without her Spotify subscription.
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Fenia holds a BSc in Psychology and a MSc in Clinical and Community Psychology. At a younger age she was living in Athens, but now she resides in Thessaloniki. Volunteering has been in her life for the last three years, in which she has been involved in providing palliative care as a psychologist and also in the context of supporting older people experiencing loneliness. Her favorite season is winter, as she is crazy about the Christmas season. She enjoys spending her weekends with friends playing board games, in which she can become very competitive. Her friends characterize her as a great communicator but they often complain that she talks a lot. Fenia has two cats that she adores even though they often bother her during zoom meetings and important phone calls. She especially likes Asian cuisine and every time she has a hard day, she orders sushi. Fenia is a native Greek speaker and fluent in English. In her spare time, she tries to learn Italian and has recently developed the habit of making candles.

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Victoria Topalidi

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Victoria is a BA and MSc holder of International and European studies from University of Piraeus. Since her late school years, she has been an advocate of human rights. Her first contact with the European Union was on her last class of High School when she participated in a Youth Solidarity Day in Brussels. She has worked for International Non-Governmental Organizations and other companies of the private sector, before entering in AKMI International. Victoria speaks Greek (mother tongue), English, French and basic Turkish. She is a passionate traveller and a keen learner of new things. She loves travelling, reading literature – mostly historical fiction and detective stories – and attending theatrical plays. She also enjoys operas, ballet and tango performances as well as escape rooms. During the years, she has developed a great interest in sustainable and accessible fashion and hand-made accessories, especially huts, gloves and jewelery.

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Marilida, with a background in Economics, as well as in Leadership and Management, is currently working as a Project Manager of EU Funded Projects. She is a musician and a piano player, with a soft spot for the music of the Romantic Era. As a volunteer, she coordinates the United Nations SDSN Hub of the University of Athens, wishing to raise awareness about the 17 SDG among young people, while also making the Campus more green and sustainable, through simple yet practical solutions. Since the first time she boarded a plane, she became a passionate traveler, having landed on three out of five continents. She loves visiting new places and seeking out new experiences, especially food-related ones, as well as getting to know people from all over the world. She is fluent in Greek (mother tongue), English and French.

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Katerina holds a Bachelor in political science and history from Panteion University. She is currently working as a Project Manager for EU-funded projects at AKMI, and she is also involved with office management. Katerina is fluent in Greek (mother tongue) and English, but you’ll hear her laughing more than talking. In addition, she has taken French lessons in the past, most of which she has forgotten. She has experience in writing papers and in her free time, she offers volunteer work in various humanitarian organizations. Her interests lie among human rights, political communication, sociology, and International Relations. Katerina is interested in constantly learning new things and exploring new countries. She hates being photographed but enjoys to photograph other people and places. She also loves food but doesn’t like cooking at all. She adores all types of art but holds a special interest for cinema, literature, and summer concerts.

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Aspasia, with a background in policy analysis and sustainable development, is working as a EU Projects’ Manager. Since her late school years, she had participated in Model United Nations’ conferences, as an ambassador of sustainable development; She was involved also as a researcher in Student Association for International Affairs, as well as in National and Kapodistrian University of Athens’ annual journal of Political Science. For her an EU project is a policy response, targeted to people and communities that are left behind. Ever since she can remember herself, she was in a  dance and theater classroom. She adores pets, and especially cats. You will see her with her best friends in many artistic happenings in downtown. When summer is on the way, she is already in the airport, waiting to depart to a new place while listening to her favorite rock band “Pink Floyd”. She is fluent in Greek (mother tongue), English and German, and has a basic knowledge of Spanish and French.

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Marievi Gretsi

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Marievi is a graduate of International and European Studies (Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences) and is currently studying for her MSc in the scientific field of theology and the study of religion and culture. She is currently working at the European Department of AKMI Metropolitan College as a Project Manager in the context of skills anticipation and excellence in the tourism industry. What impressed her to become actively involved with the EU programmes is her desire to unlock future opportunities for young people in Europe. On account of this, she has gained extensive experience in project management of national, international and EU-funded projects focusing on skills development and career opportunities for young unemployed, entrepreneurs and socially vulnerable groups mainly in the blue economy sector. However, apart from the daily routine at AKMI Metropolitan College, she likes spending time with friends, usually cooking for them – yes, she is the chef of the crew – and taking care of her plants as she cherishes them. She likes to deal with everyday life with a sense of humour and to overcome all the challenges she encounters. She is a native Greek speaker, fluent in English and French. 

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Andreas, holds a BA in Business Administration MSc in International and European Economics studies. He is working as a Financial Manager of EU Funded Projects. Ηe is fluent in Greek (mother tongue) English. Since his early age he played volleyball in his neighborhood team. His love for volleyball triggered him to became a coach in his neighborhood team and impart all his knowledge to young children. As a volunteer in the post-graduate years, he was member in AISEC and he tried to find free accommodation in hostels and hotels for European youth exchange programs. He wants to inspire young people to get engaged in volunteering for a greener planet. He is a food lover, an expert in Italian cuisine and he wants to taste different cuisines around the world. Also, he is charmed for black Rhum. His favorite color is blue and the sea view gives him more power to imagine, to travel in magic places, and to continue being creative.

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George holds BA in International Relations and International Organizations with a specialization in the Mediterranean region and a MSc in Geopolitics, Defense, and Security. He is Ph.D. candidate in International Relations and Foreign Policy analysis in the Middle East. He has been studying the regions of the Middle East and North Africa for 10 years, and he is a researcher for 6 years in various academic institutes. He was an intern at the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and he has been researching immigration issues in Europe for two years. His favourite activities are cinema, literature, and extreme sports. His philosophy is not to be stressed and not to worry too much. He gave up his career as a model because the European programmes won him over, and he works on this sector since 2020. He speaks fluent English and supposedly knows some words in French, and Arabic

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Constantina Tsakalou

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Konstantina is a BA holder of International and European Studies from University of Piraeus, while she has recently completed her Master in International Relations and Strategic Studies from Panteion University of Athens. As an undergraduate and postgraduate student, she has volunteered in several Non – Governmental Organizations and Research Institutions, as well as she has participated in MuNs (Model United Nations) Simulations. She likes writing, and she has published many articles on websites. She enjoys spending her time with her family and her friends, watching movies, and attending theatrical plays. Her dream is to travel all over the world, and discover new places. She loves animals, and especially cats. She is a food lover, despite the fact that she doesn’t know anything about cooking. She is fluent in Greek (mother tongue), English and French.    

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Maria Kandilioti

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Maria holds a BA in Finance from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and an MSc in Spatial Development and Urban Policy from the University of Thessaly. Her passion for arts and culture leads her to an MSc in Cultural Management where she opened her mind to an appealing new world.
She has devoted a lot of time working for non-governmental organizations and that equipped her with social concern and a great sense of responsibility against humanity. Also, she has built a strong network of interesting people. Over the past few years, she is working as an EU Project Manager specialising in projects about innovation, social cohesion, urban development, tourism management and others.
She speaks Greek (her mother tongue), English and Spanish. She loves to be a traveller and not a tourist, she enjoys exploring nature and she is doing yoga for mental health, energy and vitality. She is in love with Athens and tries to take all the advantages this city has to offer, most of the time with company but sometimes on her own and without feeling lonely at all.

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Katerina Stergiopoulou

PROJECT MANAGER

Katerina holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Public Administration from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, and a MA degree in European Politics from Warwick University. She is fluent in English, Greek (native speaker) and regarding her French, she claims in a lousy accent “Je peux comprendre mieux que je peux parler”. She has also taken courses in Spanish and Arabic but these ambitious undertakings did not lead to any level of fluency. She is currently an EU Project Manager at AKMI International and has prior professional experience in both the non-governmental and the private sectors. Since her days as a student, she has been an active volunteer at student associations and multiple NGOs. Environmental causes hold a special place in her heart. She loves aeroplane food, learning new things, and gaining new experiences. Her hobbies include pottery, mushroom hunting, and harry potter trivia games.

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Katerina has a BA in Political Sciences from the Aristotle’s University of Thessaloniki. Before she joined AKMI International, Katerina was working in Non-Governmental Organization specializing in designing and implementing Corporate Social Responsibility Projects. She volunteered for 6 years at the YMCA of Thessaloniki as a Youth Worker. Katerina was born and raised in Thessaloniki but is totally in love with Athens’s boisterous cultural life, where she lives for the last 2 years. As a true example of Gen Z, she is up to date with all the music and art events, while she loves trying out new restaurants. She has a lovely cat that shows up at every Zoom Meeting she is in! 

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Ioannis Koutoudis

PROJECT MANAGER

Ioannis holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics and a Master’s Degree in Information Systems.
He has over six years of professional experience in designing and implementing humanitarian projects aiming to direct support or/and the development of skills for vulnerable groups. In 2018, he was certified as a non–formal educator for adults and has been enjoying teaching as a part-time educator since then.
Brainstorming, coming up with ideas, and analyzing problems/situations are among his favourite tasks at work, but nothing compares with the feeling of having something finished by the end of the day.
He loves cooking, he hates tidying up.
Among his somewhat many interests (from gardening to playing video games for hours), his true passion is consuming stories in any form; theatre, books, tv-series, movies, discussions, and every now and then by living them.

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Eva Vaiouli

Head of Development

Eva holds a BSc in International, European and Regional Studies, while she has recently completed her MSc in International and European Policy on Education, Training, and Research. She was born in Larisa, which is her “quiet place” and she often gets homesick, but she is secretly in love with Athens’ vibe, where she lives for the last 9 years. As a volunteer of the Hellenic Red Cross, where she has been a teacher for migrant children, and a hospitality aide for unaccompanied children, she has developed a great interest in Children’s Rights and Protection. Her friends and colleagues admire her for staying so calm in hard situations, while people on LinkedIn endorse her for teamwork and time management. However, she would prefer to be endorsed for her excellent performance in board games and her -not so excellent- vocal skills. She enjoys learning new things, visiting new places, tasting new flavors, and watching old TV series, and she cannot imagine a life without love, coffee and wine. She is fluent in Greek (mother tongue), English and French.