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BRinging STEM into Active agINg (BRAIN)

“BRinging STEM into Active agINg” (BRAIN) is a Strategic Partnership aimed at training Scientific Researchers to convey scientific knowledge and skills to elder Adults engaging them in an active aging process as well as taking an active educational role towards their peers and the other population bands which will foster their social inclusion.

Start: 01-09-2020 – End: 31-08-2022

Project Reference: 2020-1-PL01-KA204-081805

EU Grant: 160.179,00

Programme: Erasmus+

Key Action: KA2 – Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Action Type: Strategic Partnership for Adult Education

 

Project TOPICs:

·         Natural sciences

·         Intercultural/intergenerational education and (lifelong)learning

·         Civic engagement / responsible citizenship

 

TARGET GROUPs

·         Scientific Researchers aged 35+ yo with at least

5 years of experience in the field (Joint Staff)

·         Elder adults aged 60+ yo in retirement (Local Programme)

·         Youth (13-17 yo), young adults (18-30 yo), adults (30-50 yo)

and elder adults (50+ yo) population bands (Local Workshops)

 

APPROACH / METHODOLOGY

Consortium of partners will produce a Research Report which will contain the educational needs of Scientific Researchers in matter of competences and methodologies to foster their knowledge to individuals not belonging to their sector of expertise, the educational need of elder Adults in matter of scientific subjects learning and existing educational offer in the frame of Citizen Science. The Report will set the base for the development of the “From the Laboratory to the City” Training Format (TF) based on NFE, Mentoring, Co-design and Systems Thinking modules as well as being used for the development of the IO2 “Science for Active Aging” Toolkit. The TF will be tested through an international Piloting JS involving Scientific Researchers. The Toolkit will be tested through a Local Programme implemented in partner country, that will be leaded by researchers and partner organizations’ Trainers, involving elder adults aged 60+ in retirement. Afterwards, elder adults will be deliver the “Science for All” workshops implemented in each partner country with the participation of representative of each population band, in which they will replicate the educational workshops previously learnt. Lastly, in order to strengthen the long-term impact of the project, Consortium partner will develop the “Science in your Life” game APP targeted to a wider audience of users.

 

Project ACTIVITIES

Transnational Project Meetings:

 Kick-off Meeting in Lublin, Poland, 09.2020

Hosting Organization: WSEI

Participants: 12, 1 Project Manager and 1 Trainer per partner organization.

Goal: To set the organizational layout of the strategic partnership.

 

Mid-Term Meeting in Sassari, Italy, 07.2021

Hosting Organization: Mine Vaganti NGO

Participants: 12, 1 Project Manager and 1 Trainer per partner organization.

Goal: To produce a mid-term evaluation of the project.

 

Final Evaluation Meeting in Lublin, Poland, 07.2022

Hosting Organization: WSEI

Participants: 12, 1 Project Manager and 1 Trainer per partner organization.

Goal: To carry out the final evaluation of the project and to plan the project follow-up.

 

Joint Staff Training Event in Spain:

N° of participants 3+1 Trainer

Age +35

Profile   Scientific Researchers from partner countries aged 35+ interested in developing competences (knowledge, skills and attitudes) to foster science learning among elder Adults.

 

Local Phase:

N° of participants

Age +60

Profile elder

 

Multiplier Event:

N° of participants 75

Age +18

 

IO 1: “From the Laboratory to the City” Training Format

The Output will be a Training Format based on Non Formal Education applied to Science fields targeted at Scientific Researchers aged 35+ and conceived for an audience of educational institutions and professionals interested in conveying specific sectoral knowledge and skills towards a target group of learners that is not experienced in the topic. The format will be focused on three main areas: Non Formal Education, Mentoring and Co-design. Each one of them comprise both theoretical and practical aspects.

The creation of the Format will be initiated through:

– a focus group with 10 Researchers (1 focus group per each country) focused on gathering information regarding the missing skills and competences of the researchers in leading sessions with not-sectoral learners.

– the analysis and selection of the best existing offer regarding the educational methodologies aimed at bringing science closer to the people outside this sector, issued by the Research Report.

Research of good practices will be coordinated by WSEI, with its performance being delivered nationally by each partner.

The findings of the research will be included in a final Research Report produced at the level of the Consortium, existing educational needs of elder Adults and methodological offers will find identification.

 IO 2: “Science for Active Aging” Toolkit

The Manual will be a tangible result issued from the Co-design process between Researchers and partner organizations Trainers, providing an efficient and concrete instrument targeted at elder adult learners which will be framed and structured in order for its contents to be usable and understandable for the target of Adult learners.

 IO 3: “Science in your Life” game APP

The game APP is one of project main educational elements and mean of sustainability and is expected to have a great impact towards a wide range of target groups.

Target: citizens from different population bands.

Access: open access.

Languages: All Consortium partners national languages and English.

The game will permit the simulation of different scenarios regarding the use of science in a person daily life.