EPALE Discussion: have your say on EPALE 2021 Thematic Focuses!
EPALE
Moderator
Welcome to the first online discussion of 2021!
This looks to be a very interesting year ahead for adult education. We have learnt a lot form the Covid-19 crisis. We were forced to reinvent our old ways. We realised that there were a lot of interesting things waiting for us to experience but also that certain inequalities became exacerbated as a result of the crisis.
With all this in mind, we intend to focus on three main themes:
- Life and work skills for empowering adults to learn and participate
- Digital Transition and the opportunities of blended learning
- Inclusive Social Change for Sustainability and Fairness
You can further explore the EPALE 2021 thematic focuses here. We will focus on all of them throughout the year, monitoring how things develop over the next few months and exploring each of them in our own time.
We invite you to enrich what is set to be an intense year ahead with your contributions and expertise!
Let's start by taking part in this online discussion. The online discussion will take place Tuesday 9 March 2021 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. CET.
The written discussion will be introduced by a livestream with an introduction to the 2021 Thematic Focuses, and will be hosted by Gina Ebner and Aleksandra Kozyra of the EAEA on the behalf of the EPALE Editorial Board.
Don’t miss the chance to have your say on what you would like to be addressed during the year!
Comments are open so you can already share your thoughts and suggestions.
Comments
Greater focus on FAKE-NEWS vaccine hostile strategies
It is time also for a greater focus on the quality of information. I suggest also to read and share this article COVID-19 VACCINES MISTRUST COMPOUNDED BY FAKE-NEWS, INEQUALITIES AND BIASES. By Guglielmo M. Trovato*, MD, PhD; Simon D. Taylor-Robinson**, MD, FRCP FWACP; Paulo Alberto De Souza Lopes***, BSc and Ahmed A. A. Suliman****, MD*The School of Medicine. University of Catania. Catania, Italy. **Dept Surgery and Cancer. Imperial College London. London. United Kingdom ***Department of Medicine, UAI Universidad Abierta Interameri Commentary in Annals of Internal Medicine 18 February 2021 https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/M21-0055
Greater focus on FAKE-NEWS vaccine hostile strategies
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Life and work skills
Thank you very much for an interesting conversation. Much of what you have discussed today can be attributed to things that are happening and developing here in Iceland today. It is certain that this discussion here today will be useful in various places in Iceland.
Everything that has to do with the labor market is evolving very fast and it becomes more and more important for each generation to maintain their skills, develop them even further and evolving new skills as well.
It is importand to empower adults, also older adults, to work further on there life and work skills.
You might say the same about life skills as they say about there body and muscles at the gym - "if you don´t use it, you loose it!"
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Many thanks for this vibrant discussion!
Many thanks for this vibrant discussion!
You have provided much food for thought and we will have plenty of interesting aspects to focus on this year.
The live discussion ends here, with a lot to chew on... but it doesn't really end here.
You're welcome to go on commenting and posting your suggestions and opinions... we'll take them into great consideration for developing future content. As already mentioned during the livestream, it's a co-creation process with the EPALE community.
...and, about that... also the video introduction by Gina and Aleksandra of the EAEA will remain available on this page.
See you at the next discussion!
Claudia and Sara (EPALE Moderators and Editorial Team members)
You have provided much food for thought and we will have plenty of interesting aspects to focus on this year.
The live discussion ends here, with a lot to chew on... but it doesn't really end here.
You're welcome to go on commenting and posting your suggestions and opinions... we'll take them into great consideration for developing future content. As already mentioned during the livestream, it's a co-creation process with the EPALE community.
...and, about that... also the video introduction by Gina and Aleksandra of the EAEA will remain available on this page.
See you at the next discussion!
Claudia and Sara (EPALE Moderators and Editorial Team members)
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Life Skills
All skills that are useful in your life can be considered a life skill. There are some life skills that almost every employer looks for when searching for new employees. Organisations look for candidates who are well - equipped for common challenges that arise at work, and life skills help them in that matter. People with strong life skills are more likely to be pro-change, and they are more self-aware. That is why I think the theme "Life and work skills" create a good opportunity to learn good parctices from all around Europe.
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Life skills frameworks
Thanks for your comment!
Here's a blogpost that goes - I think - in the same direction, providing examples on how to implement a life-skills approach in different contexts:
All the best,
Sara - EPALE Editorial team
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Inclusive Social Change and Life and work skills …
If adults and young adults are to play an active part in all dimensions of life, they will need to navigate through uncertainty, across a wide variety of contexts: in time (past, present, future), in social space (family, community, region, nation and world) and in digital space. They will also need to engage with the natural world, to appreciate its fragility, complexity and value. To be prepared for the future, individuals have to learn to think and act in a more integrated way, taking into account the interconnections and inter-relations between contradictory or incompatible ideas, logics and positions, from both short- and long-term perspectives. In other words, they have to learn to be systems thinkers, to be learned using a sequenced process of reflection, anticipation and action. Both reflection and anticipation are precursors to responsible actions.
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Digital skills
At the present, it is essential that we strive to develop digital skills in adults and seniors. It is becoming a necessary condition for life and well-being. Many systems and processes are being digitized, for example, the Census of Population, Homes, and Dwellings2021, is currently taking place in Slovakia online and many adults and seniors are unable to do it on their own and need help and support. Likewise, registration for COVID-19 testing, coronavirus vaccination orders are managed through online platforms, and the older generation cannot cope without the help of their family or friends. The question is, what support, regard does the company offer to seniors in this area? Is it sufficient?
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Digital inclusion of older people
Thanks for pointing that out, Erika.
We will for sure address these issues in EPALE throughout this year.
In the meanwhile, here's some food for thought, from some of our recently published contents:
Sara - EPALE Editorial team
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Digital skills
Interesting points as regards developing digital skills in adults and seniors and I agree that for some it is a very challenging scenario. Apart from offering training opportunities for those who would like to engage in adult learning, help must be provided by authorities in crucial services needed by this cohort through the local authorities.
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Reflecting thoughts on skills and transitions
Hi everybody! First of all let me say I am very pleased by the shift EPALE has done with the format of these discussions. The online video talk is a great boost, thanks Gina and Ola for taking it high :-)
To the topic: you already talked about who should determine what skills would be needed, no matter whether we talk about social skills or professional skills. As we have observed especially for the past few years, everything is changing so fast, also thanks to the COVID crisis, it is more and more difficult to foresee the directions and trends of labor market, advanced technologies and the skills that are connected to it. Even the smartest and most advanced technology companies have some trouble to foresee the future and the development or the speed of the rapid changes. It is more than likely the skills, both professional and social, that are needed and taught today, will be obsolete next year and further. What do you think we can do in this situation, apart from taking the magic crystal ball? Are we able to determine which skills will be relevant in a middle term period? Which should be a priority and vice versa? Should the adult education industry be more specialized in predicting the future skills? Should we be more active in coaching companies, educational institutions and industries in this? Thanks for your thoughts :-)
To the topic: you already talked about who should determine what skills would be needed, no matter whether we talk about social skills or professional skills. As we have observed especially for the past few years, everything is changing so fast, also thanks to the COVID crisis, it is more and more difficult to foresee the directions and trends of labor market, advanced technologies and the skills that are connected to it. Even the smartest and most advanced technology companies have some trouble to foresee the future and the development or the speed of the rapid changes. It is more than likely the skills, both professional and social, that are needed and taught today, will be obsolete next year and further. What do you think we can do in this situation, apart from taking the magic crystal ball? Are we able to determine which skills will be relevant in a middle term period? Which should be a priority and vice versa? Should the adult education industry be more specialized in predicting the future skills? Should we be more active in coaching companies, educational institutions and industries in this? Thanks for your thoughts :-)
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Learning to learn and keep learning
I think the most important objective is to learn how to learn and keep on learning, because openness to learning and the awareness that my learning is never finished is very important. In the short term I can learn what is necessary, and in the long run I know this will go on. Therefore, I need to be able to self-organize my learning and know where to find the right offers.
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Lifelong learning
I agree with this frame of thought. Recent experience has highlighted the importance of being able to adapt to the new norms brought by this pandemic and self-efficacy. When we reflect about the changes both education and the work force had to go through to overcome the challenges brought forward by the current pandemic, we quickly realise how lifelong learning is crucial in all stages of our lives and how past experiences pave the way for new learning opportunities.
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for the future skills
Martin, I'm EPALE France Ambassador. As I said earlier, I think that to think the new skills that we'll need in the future, we cannot trust in labour market alone, or trainers alone, or politicians alone, or researchers alone.
I think that we need to be more cooperative and create work groups with all the key actors together, including learners and grassroots profesionals. We need to reinforce the importance of the group knowledge. One of the actual difficulties is that each "expert" in different sectors thinks that he knows reality. We suffer in my opinion of blind experts in different sectors. We need just to talk together....
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Recovery and resilience plans / individual learning accounts
Unbelievable! Adult education and individual learning accounts, which the EC recommends, fell out of the Recovery and resilience plan for Slovakia.. Developed countries will invest in the education of its citizens, and Slovakia will retrain its citizens as construction workers for thermal insulation of buildings.. how sad. Our country has no oil or diamonds fields.. only citizens, and if it wants to have a future, it is necessary to invest in their education.. huge disappointment, we need to change it.
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digital inclusion of senior learners - Generation theory
I do agree with discussion participants that digital inclusion in adult education particularly for senior learners is essential as now-a-days we can observe great phenomenon of seniors joining adult education. The generation change happened and now even generation X (born around 1960-ties) is entering senior age if we reckon seniors as aged 55 plus. This generation is definitely having digital competences and they are willing to learn on-line. This is shift we now may notice in Latvia, particularly, working with Senior University students. I do hope EU adult education policy and agenda will more and more focus on different generations!
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Discussion on individual learning accounts
I agree with you KLAUDIUS. It's unbelievable ! But as you know, unfortunately Education is not a competence of European Union. Then, we assist to a paradox : on one hand, Union suggest recommandations to Member States, on another each government decide its own policy. For the common speach, Education and Lifelong Learning is central. But in reality we see that in general budgets of Education decreased those last years. I think that we, as educators we need first to be very present in our countries, and of course at European level to reinforce the need of changes of perspectives and the need of developing ambitious programs for Education : education to digital issues, education to development, Resilient education, processes for recognising prior learning, social inclusion,...
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different generations with different digital skills
It would be interesting to discuss how to work with learners from different generations with different digital skills and current education.
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Teaching skills in a digital transition
In the digital transition many teachers found that the teaching strategies that were successful in direct teaching are not necessarily as effective in an online version. In many cases interaction with learners have become too narrow due to the lack of teacher skills how to do this online, what methods and tools to use. Online teaching needs different skills from teachers and not just in terms of technology, but also in terms of pedagogy. Besides, not to focus only on technology, emotional intelligence skills are also crucial for teachers and managers in order to make learners and people in the online meetings feel human and seen as a person.
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It would also be interesting
It would also be interesting to make a comparison about the level of the digital alphabetization in different countries of the two hemispheres
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Teachers also need to be more creative
Teachers also need to be more creative, especially to be able to retain learners' attention in distance learning situations or in blended learning.
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Some ideas
Dear Elena and Dora,
Thanks for your inputs on these critical points.
Some ideas to improve online teaching and learning can be found on EPALE OER on Digital Skills & Competences for Adult Learners: https://epale.ec.europa.eu/en/blog/oer-digital-skills-competences-adult…
On emotional skills, you can have a look at this interesting Erasmus+ project: https://epale.ec.europa.eu/en/blog/improving-adult-education
Sara - EPALE Editorial Team
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That is true, but there is help
Dear Dora, you are right. but sometimes it can become tiring to always think of new and engaging ways to be creative and retain the interest of learners. Luckily, there is the EPALE Resource Kit 1-3, which you can find right here on EPALE. There are many ideas and hints what to do, all tested in real life in projects or similar.
is the link
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Training opportunities
Training opportunities are crucial to nurture experience and required competences to effectively engage in distance or in blended learning scenarios.
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I have been following the
I have been following the discussion throughout the day and I am happy with the topics EPALE has chosen this year - digital skills (skills relevant to the labor market in general), re-training opportunities, motivation of learners and the ability to return to the labor market are important - unfortunately, in some cases, these topics have been relevant only in the framework of strategic planning, thinking about future needs and future agenda, but the current situation has made them the top issue of the day. The current situation calls for a reassessment of resources and opportunities, finally showing how much of what we have planned, we can really put into practice today - it is easy to strategically prioritize digital skills, but putting them into practice in different groups can be challenging - previous comments already listed both technical support (computer availability, quality of internet connection), basic skills and people 's own motivation to adapt and learn new skills in a short period of time.
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Work skills for empowering adults to learn and participate
Hi all! I want to share the feedback of the "LinkedIn edition" workshop, EPALE Ireland ran a couple of weeks ago. Attendees, adult practitioners and educators, found it informative firstly for them to understand the possibilities of this tool and how to make the best out of it. Secondly, useful to implement with clients and learners. What is more, participants are seeking more workshops on how social media channels can be used for adult learners. This again underlines the hunger for knowledge and information relative to the tech world!
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Local solutions for global problems.
I have an example from a village in south of France. A social association notices that a lot of vegetables were drown. And they decided to take them and to transform in food for people in need. Starting from that point with a cooker, they organised training for people to learn to cook and use products that were considered "unuseful", and people with low skills. I will present this experience in EPALE France in few weeks.
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Our expert from the education
Our expert from the education sector, Ērika Pičukāne, would like to share her considerations.
"The majority of teachers already can work remotely, but the work's content oftentimes is lectures, question-answer sessions, etc. I believe that more attention should be drawn to the possibility of using various interactive tools in the learning process. In the meantime, keeping in mind that the distance learning we experience today due to the COVID-19 crisis is not the same as the remote-learning mode universities have always offered. Especially if we work with students who have not been studying for some time."
EPALE Latvia team
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support system and safety
It would be interesting to discuss support system for individual learners in this digitalization process and inclusion of people in digitalized world.At the same time an interesting topic could be safety problem in digitalization process.
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Life and work skills for empowering adults
This thematic focus is related to some important changes we are facing nowadays, as the emergence of a new industrial era, the digitalisation of all aspects of our daily life, and the robotization and connectivity in workplaces.
Thus, adults need new skills to tackle to news challenges, they need specific and technical competences as well as soft skills to deal with a new way of living and working.
In addition, the least qualified need to obtain basic skills quickly and to increase their interest in lifelong learning.
Education and training systems, in turn, also need to find a way to reach these low-qualified adults and provide them with the necessary qualifications so that these adults can succeed in their lives and in the labour market.
Demographic and climate change also requires considering a new approach to skills and learning. Currently, qualifications must be much more democratic, inclusive, green and digital.
Therefore, in addition to their curricular design, qualifications should be provided in a flexible way and adjusted to the needs of different audiences and also to the labour market which is changing too fast.
So, I think we need to discuss:
- How to teach and what to teach in response to changes resulting from industry 4.0. climate and demographic changes?
- What kind of curricular changes do we need in adult learning for adult upskilling and reskilling?
- How to make adult learning more flexible and how to adjust it to the specific needs of each citizen and, at the same time to the labour market?
- How to make adult learning more attractive, mainly for adults less qualified?
- How to ensure all adults are involved in adult learning?
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Totally agree with Ilze!
Totally agree with Ilze! Nowadays, when every activity is held remotely, digital inclusion and digital transition have became basic skills.
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The written discussion will go on until 4 p.m.
Thank you for watching the livestream and interacting with us. Your comments really kickstarted the discussion!
Many thanks to Gina and Aleksandra (Ola!) for the introduction.
The written discussion will go on until 4 p.m. to gather your suggestions and perspectives on the three themes.
To have a look at the 2021 Thematic Focuses: https://epale.ec.europa.eu/en/blog/epale-2021-thematic-focuses
If you want to have a look at some of the EPALE content mentioned during the introduction:
Older activists and volunteers: https://epale.ec.europa.eu/en/blog/older-citizens-older-learners-older-…
Podcast on Artificial intelligence: https://epale.ec.europa.eu/en/blog/epale-podcast-artificial-intelligenc…
Many thanks to Gina and Aleksandra (Ola!) for the introduction.
The written discussion will go on until 4 p.m. to gather your suggestions and perspectives on the three themes.
To have a look at the 2021 Thematic Focuses: https://epale.ec.europa.eu/en/blog/epale-2021-thematic-focuses
If you want to have a look at some of the EPALE content mentioned during the introduction:
Older activists and volunteers: https://epale.ec.europa.eu/en/blog/older-citizens-older-learners-older-…
Podcast on Artificial intelligence: https://epale.ec.europa.eu/en/blog/epale-podcast-artificial-intelligenc…
...and many many more.
We're looking forward to collect feedback to co-create this year's content on EPALE and to learn more about your experiences and projects!
Claudia (EPALE Moderator)
We're looking forward to collect feedback to co-create this year's content on EPALE and to learn more about your experiences and projects!
Claudia (EPALE Moderator)
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Digital skills and real life
I agree with Agnese and others that digital skills are important in everyday life. At a time when the world has been affected by the virus, I have also developed my digital skills to a very large extent, as it is forced on a daily basis.But on a daily basis, I am also involved in the education system and children's distance learning. And here we face both the lack of smart devices in families and the weakness of the Internet service. And very much so that parents are limited in their knowledge to help their child use existing smart device programs.I have understood that those who focus on lifelong learning at any age will find an opportunity to improve their knowledge, unless limited by financial resources. But there are many members of the society who are not interested in anything more than what they have already learned ... The most pressing problem is how to attract them to improve their knowledge? Because they would rather fall out of circulation than force themselves to learn new skills.
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How to ensure outreach
Very good point, Ērodeja: how to ensure a proper outreach is always a great challenge in adult education.
It might be interesting to have a look at this OER we have published on EPALE regarding outreach strategies, motivational learner support and strategies that can increase learner persistence:
It is focused on basic skills programs, but many suggestions can be adapted to many different areas.
Sara - EPALE Editorial team
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But I would like to ask how
But I would like to ask how to involve people who lack basic digital skills? Basic skills and digital skills have to be connected..it is a huge challenge in Slovakia.
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Basic skills, digital inclusion
During Covid we have experienced that many people, especially elderly, have been motivated to become acquainted with digital tools for meetings such as Teams and ZOOM. Not only to stay in touch with family and friends but also to be able to participate in all kind of activities ranging from knitting-groups to AA meetings, where friends or other participants or members of the group have given instructions and/provided assistance. An arena to learn by doing.
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You've asked a very important
You've asked a very important question! Determining how to build a bridge between digital skills and basic skills is beneficial because we need to adapt with the times.
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All of the main themes are connected and cross-cutting
The problem is, that not one of these themes can be fostered and improved without the others. There cannot be an increase in digital education without keeping in mind that no one should be excluded and that digitalization has an impact on our "green future". And with less digital skills people have fewer chances to take part in work related training. At least now...
So it can be a "vicious circle" and we have to make it an "holistic approach" :-))
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Workplace inclusion
I am delighted to see that EPALE focuses on the topic of Inclusive Social Change. In this context, it is important to promote inclusion in the workplace by promoting employees' understanding of an inclusive organization's culture and the socio-emotional security of each employee in the workplace. I would recommend expanding the offer to develop diversity competencies in the workplace to promote a positive career experience and inclusion.
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Thanks for this valuable suggestion.
Thanks for this valuable suggestion.
That's an interesting perspective and, at the same time, more and more needed skill.
That's an interesting perspective and, at the same time, more and more needed skill.
Sure in the "Life and Work Skills" we will try to focus also on that, and please feel free to share any experience on that side!
Best,
Claudia (EPALE Moderator)
Claudia (EPALE Moderator)
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I agree totally with you on
I agree totally with you on that interconnexion. The difficulty is to transform the vicious circle in "cercle vertueux" as we say in France
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Yes, I think you both had a
Yes, I think you both had a good point! The interconnection is there, it is up to us to see which are the weak links, the possible virtuous approaches and where we can transform the vicious circle!
That’s why we are trying to analyse the three topics through the lens of Democracy and Access – what do you think about this approach?
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The lense is important
Yes, Sara you are right that this "overall view" of democratic access adds a good layer and can ensure that the topics stay in connection to each other and at the same time are important on their own. But: there are areas where democracy does not come into the equation: e.g. in training within the companies. There, it is not for the governing bodies to decide who has access and who has not. In Germany, we still have a huge gap between workers with a low educational level and the ones with a high level regarding access to qualitatively relevant trainings within the companies. This cannot be changed. At the same time, participation in these trainings enhances your chances of promotion. How can we make this more equal?
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It is challenging!
You are right, there are many situations where there is not an easy solution. In the case of work skills, as also Gina was mentioning in the streaming, maybe a first step would be to involve different actors: workers, employers, trade unions…
Sara - EPALE Editorial team
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I would say teachers first.
I would say teachers first. Most of them still use obsolete methods. How can we evoke a digital scenario when the digital gap persists among teachers who are in charge of adults and future adults' education?
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Nag with knock off offensive amount pharmacopoeia