EPALE - Electronic Platform for Adult Learning in Europe

The AI4AL (Artificial Intelligence for Adult Learning) project, running from December 1, 2022 to October 31, 2024, is a project funded with support from the Erasmus+ Programme Partnership for Cooperation in the field of Education and Training – European NGOs and aimed to advance the meaningful application of artificial intelligence in adult learning. The European Association for the Education of Adults (EAEA), based in Brussels, a European umbrella NGO representing more than 100 organizations across more than 40 countries, coordinated the project, bringing its long-standing commitment to non-formal adult education focused on the learner, inclusivity and intentional social outcomes. ALL DIGITAL, also based in Brussels, was another key partner as a pan-European network of more than 70 organizations and over 20,000 digital competence centres, contributing its substantial experience in digital inclusion, influencing policies that promote online/digital inclusion, and providing frameworks for digital learning.

Edtech firm SkillLab BV of Netherlands executed the project online infrastructure, including the AI Matching Tool, using its experience with adult learning technologies and AI enabled skills mapping. EGInA Srl (European Grants International Academy) of Italy supported the project with its experience with European funded projects, providing consultancy, training and dissemination services to facilitate scaling pedagogic innovation.

Pro Arbeit - Kreis Offenbach (AöR), a regional public employment agency in Germany, served as a piloting partner, and recruited local adult educators to test the project’s tools for their practical training applications. In Romania, CPIP (Centrul Pentru Promovarea Invatarii Permanente) contributed the experience they gained related to lifelong learning, participatory education and inclusive approaches for engaged and underserved learners, which helped to ensure the project had enough flexibility. The Swiss Federation for Adult Learning (SVEB) represented Switzerland in the consortium, offering data and implementation perspectives on matters such as the adult learning policy context, quality assurance and professional development of adult educators. In combination, the seven organizations comprised a successful, strong and diverse consortium that creatively brought together advocacy, technology, education, and practice to the project across Europe. Together, they used AI to allow adult educators an empowered experience using new tools and training details, to bolster related adult education systems for the new world of digital transformation and inclusive needs.

The primary objective of the AI4AL (Artificial Intelligence for Adult Learning) project is to enable the intentional and effective use of artificial intelligence technologies in the adult learning (ALE) sector. To do this, the project consisted of these steps:

Creating a methodology and a digital toolkit that highlighted adult educators engagement (To access: https://www.ai4al.eu/matching-tool/ and https://www.ai4al.eu/results/engagement-kit/ );

Training and support for educators on the use of AI technologies within adult education (To access: https://www.ai4al.eu/results/the-self-paced-training-path/ )

Project Benefits

Tailored Learning Experience

The AI4AL Matching Tool assisted educators in taking stock of the skills and needs of adult learners, and guided educators toward the most appropriate learning pathways that enabled a personalized and effective learning experience.

Educator Guidance Based

The Engagement Kit - a set of methodological guides and a repository of scenarios developed with participating educators - provided concrete examples and clear guidance for ways to use AI tools thoughtfully in an educational context.

Self-Paced Online Learning Platform

Through the Self-Paced Training Path, educators were offered access to a modular 30-hour online course, designed to allow educators to engage with AI and its application to adult learning, at their own pace.

Knowledge Based, Ethical Approach

The project addressed the full spectrum of a broad understanding of AI, from definitions and history of AI to machine learning to ethical considerations. Educators had the breadth of understanding needed to question the quality of data, transparency of algorithms, and ethical principles of AI tools used in education.

To access more information please visti the Project website: 

https://www.ai4al.eu/