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EPALE - Electronic Platform for Adult Learning in Europe

Discussion

EPALE Discussion: developing skills for a healthy life in the COVID era!

Take part to the discussion and be ready for the livestream!

As a consequence of COVID-19, health, financial literacy and resilience have all become significant themes in the discussion of how adult learning should reflect on our current challenges and prepare learners to become more resilient to disruptive change. Health literacy plays a significant role in equipping citizens with the necessary skills to make sense of health-related information and to be able to make informed decisions.

Take part to EPALE’s discussion that addresses health literacy from general and practical perspectives in adult learning.

Share your views and experiences on how adult learning programs should address health literacy in the times of pandemics. The discussion will take place on Thursday 20 May 2021 from 10:00 a.m. to 4 p.m. CEST.

The written discussion will be introduced by a livestream with invited experts:

The written discussion will be moderated by Graciela Sbertoli, Secretary-General of EBSN and Tamás Harangozó, Editor at European Basic Skills Network.

Share your views with regards to initiatives and needs on health literacy!

Comments are already open so you can start sharing your thoughts and suggestions.

Likeme (34)
Themes addressed
Social inclusion
Basic skills
Health literacy

Comments

 

Health literacy plays a significant role in equipping citizens with the necessary skills to make sense of health-related information and to be able to make informed decisions.

Likeme (0)

Viss ir atkarīgs no paša cilvēka, kā viņš uz šo visu covid laiku skatās, ja cilvēks sevi ir noskaņojis uz drūmo pusi, tad viņam būs grūtāk. Atkal, ja cilvēks sevi noskaņo pozitīvāk, seko sev līdzi gan emocionāli, psiholoģiski, tad būs vieglāk tikt galā ar šo visu, kas notiek tagad. 

 

 

 

Likeme (0)

Psihoemocionālie un sociālie faktori,ar kuriem šobrīd pastirpināti saskaramies, raisa stresu, depresiju, pārslodzi, izdegšanu, un tas  viss ietekmē kā fizisko, tā arī garīgo veselību. Savukārt veselība ir viens no būtiskākajiem dzīves kvalitātes rādītājiem. Būtiski to saglabāt un rūpēties, lai tomēr ir esam zināmā harmonijā ar sevi,  veselība un cilvēka labjutība ir cieši saistītas. Būšana dabā, dažādas aktivitātes dabā pozitīvi ietekmē cilvēka emocionālo un psihisko līdzsvaru.

Likeme (0)

Pilnībā piekrītu Ineses rakstītajam. Būšana dabā ir primārais, ko katrs varam darīt un kas neprasa papildu resursus. Sevišķi svarīgi tas ir bērniem, kas vēl tikai aug un attīstās. Un ja vēl apzinamies kur esam un kāpēc. Mani ļoti uzrunāja raksts par 5 iemesliem kādēl atrasties dabā: https://www.delfi.lv/calis/enciklopedija/emocionalajai-attistibai-un-zi…;

Lūk īss kopsavilkums:

1. Daba iemāca atbildību. "Nav vieglāka veida, kā iemācīt bērniem par dzīves ciklu, kā ļaujot viņiem spēlēties dubļos un rādot dažādus augus. Ļaujot bērniem eksperimentēt ar sēklām un skriet gar puķu dobēm, viņi sapratīs, ka ikvienai viņu darbībai ir sekas," norāda psihologs Ričs.

2. Atrašanās dabā dara gudrāku. Zāle, nezāles, kukaiņi, kas paslēpušies zem tām, dažādās koku lapas – tas viss motivē bērnus izzināt un uzdot jautājumus, atmodinot zinātkāri un radošumu. "Britu izglītības psiholoģijas žurnāls" (British Journal of Educational Psychology) publicējis pētījumu, kurā atklāts, ka bērnu uzturēšanās pie dabas sniedz labumu smadzeņu darbībai un sekmē telpisko atmiņu, kas ir cieši saistīta ar akadēmiskajiem panākumiem.

3. Būšana pie dabas sekmē attiecības ar draugiem un ģimeni. Regulāra došanās ārā iemāca bērniem socializēties, spēlēties un izzināt apkārtējo vidi. Pat vismazākie bērni, kas nesen iemācījušies staigāt, var tuvināties ar vecākiem, pavadot laiku parkā un mācoties sociālās normas, piemēram, vērojot, ko dara vecāki bērni un pieaugušie.

4. Garīgās veselības sekmēšana. Kad esam stresā vai emociju pārņemti, viens no labākajiem veidiem, kā atvilkt elpu, ir pieminētā pastaiga svaigā gaisā, kam ir tūlītējs efekts. Šo pašu dr. Džons Ričs iesaka arī bērniem. "Īstermiņā ilgstoša atrašanās telpās bērnos var raisīt aizkaitināmību, dusmu izpausmes un garlaicību. Ilgtermiņa ieguvumi no bērnu vešanas dabā ir ļoti nozīmīgi," norāda psihologs, atsaucoties uz Orhūsas universitātes Dānijā pētījumu, kurā secināts, ka bērni, kas uzauguši vietās, kur pakļauti zaļai apkārtnei un dabai, ir ar 55 procentus zemāku risku sirgt ar garīgās veselības problēmām tālākajā dzīvē

5. Bērni iemācās novērtēt dabu.  "Palīdzot bērniem novērtēt dabu jau no mazotnes, viņi bez šaubām iemācīties šo mīlestību pret visu zaļo nest līdzi tālākajā dzīvē, pieaugot par atbildīgiem pieaugušajiem," norāda psihologs. Vecāku uzdevums ir nenoslinkot un ļaut izzināt visu, kas ir ārpus pilsētas betona un stikla mūriem, ļaujot meklēt dabas stūrīšus bērniem pašiem. Vajag tikai izvest pastaigā un mudināt to saskatīt.

Likeme (0)

Piekrītu Inesei, ka lai cilvēks būtu veselīgs, ir jārūpējas gan par savu fizisko, gan emocionālo labizjūtu. Esot dabā mēs smeļamies spēku ikdienai un atdodam negatīvo, izelpojot ikdienas nomācošo dvašu. Fiziskas aktivitātes un domu sakārtošana dabā ir būtiski komponenti veselīgai ikdienai.

Svarīgi arī iemācīties distancēties (ne pa visam, jo tomēr lietas kursā par notiekošo ir jābūt) no negatīvām ziņām, jo gribot, negribot, tās ietekmē mūsu domas un to kā jūtamies. Tas atbrīvos vietu prātā, lai savu domu spēku varētu vērst uz labākām lietām.

Kovid laiks mani bieži ir iesprostojis mājās, kur netiekos ar draugiem, nav iespējas doties prom no pilsētas. Tad nu domāju par vēl vienu būtisku aspektu veselīgam dzīvesveidam: tas ir, dabai draudzīga dzīvošana. Jo kā gan mēs varam būt veselīgi, ja apkārtne ir kaitīga? Sēžot mājās, skatoties uz suvenīriem, šampūnu pudelītēm, nelietotajām drēbēm visādiem gadījumiem, aizdomājos par to, kur tas viss paliek? Mēs esam pieraduši visu izmest un aizmirst. To mēs sākam saistīt arī dzīvē, cenšamies izdzēst atmiņas un cilvēkus no mūsu dzīves, jo tik ļoti esam pieraduši, ka tas darbojas ar atkritumiem. Manuprāt, lietas ko izmantojam ikdienā vajadzētu salīdzināt ar šīm mūsu negatīvajām atmiņām, kuras traucē mūsu ikdienā spert soli uz priekšu. Atkritumiem nevajadzētu būt tik pašsaprotamiem. Tos vajag pārstrādāt tā, lai tie netraucētu mūs nākotnē. Gluži tā pat, kā mācamies pieņemt neveiksmes, tā arī ir jāiemācās pieņemt tas, ka lietas ko lietojam arī kaut kur paliek, ietekmē mūs, planētu, klimatu. 

Likeme (0)

Dear Colleagues,

Thank you very much for your active and valuable participation so far. The close moderation of the discussion is going to end at 16:00 CET, but the page remains open for your comments later on too, and we will check the page tomorrow and early next week too.

I would like to say thank you for your contribution in the name of Graciela Sbertoli, our moderator today! It has been a truly eventful day with great content shared here, we really appreciate it!

 

Likeme (4)

The last year has highlighted the importance of media literacy through an abundance of information: at a time when the world was gradually shifting from disbelief to adaptation to new circumstances, society was essentially divided into supporters and outright deniers. It was a peculiar and, in a sense, frightening, realization that at least some people trusted unverified and provocative posts on social media more than official information from health organizations. For us as adult educators, strengthening critical thinking and media literacy in our daily work is essential. 

If before many of us have felt that everyday life is dynamic and full of tasks, life in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic has probably provided a completely different perspective. The amount of time we spend online has increased dramatically - I think some of you have had a situation where you have to switch from one meeting or lesson to another within a few minutes, with constant effort to deal with pressure of work-home duties happening at the same time and at the end of the day realizing that there have not been any real break for stopping and letting your mind rest for a least a moment. Before "online life" we went to meetings or work and sometimes spent quite a lot of time in the transport or traffic (probably feeling a bit irritated at the time), now the meeting is one click away, taking away this imperceptible "pause" that helped to take a breath, prepare for the next task or simply change the environment around you. 

Anything about being outdoors is good idea at current situation and could help to deal with the fact that people are tired of being online and are increasingly trying to take the opportunity recharge in nature, socialize. At the moment, it is important to acquire the skill to stop the constant race at least for a while, to look at what is going on with a cool mind and not to forget about your physical and mental health. Stay healthy!

Likeme (4)

Several interesting topics were raised during this online discussion with regards to health literacy e.g. fake news, methodologies, digitalisation and mental health implications of COVID etc. Ingrid Stegeman mentioned that overcoming health inequalities is a social effort reached through wide multisectoral collaborations. I would like to raise one more question to you related to this idea:

 

Who in your context could be an important ally for you in launching health literacy programs? 

Some of the potential partners were mentioned today such as libraries, health insitutions, adult education institutions, but the range of partnership depends greatly on the actual context. Tell us what type of organisations or communities are in your professional network who could be involved in health literacy promotion? 

Likeme (2)

Hello everybody. Someone has already mentioned it here. Our divided societies have to face yet another flood of hoaxes and disinformation ant this time it is health-related and pandemic-related. We surely need an instrument to face this flood but the problem - as has been already mentined here - is that the target group (adults vulnerable to accept misinformation) is unlikely to attend any education courses ar traditional educations acitvities. Thus, we need some different, smart solution to the problem. Could it be targeted social media clips or elearning or youtube videos etc? Or could it be something else? What do you think?

There are things that complicate the issue further on. For example, here in the Czech Republic, even the health experts and epidemiologists are not unified in their opinions on certain pandemic-related issues and also, some countries have opted for slightly different solutions in dealing with the pandemic situation. Also, some media are favouring those more controversion opinions which than complicates the education process further on. 

Likeme (4)

Thank you so much for this, Martin!

Yes, we have a big issue to deal with. The fact that nobody knows too much about the corona virus, the different mutations, the efficiency of the vaccines or their effects, or what the near future can bring DOES indeed complicate matters.

But I feel it is important to differentiate between differences in expert opinions and difference between authentic expert information and fake news. 

We need to train ALL adults (not only those with poor basic skills or low levels of education, as I have mentioned somewhere else) to reject unreliable information. A daunting task, as fake news seem to be everywhere!

Likeme (4)

Thank you for your comment, Martin! I agree that fake news could be targetted by elearning and social media interventions too. It is especially important in times when COVID related information and research outcomes are being updated as time passes, and evidence accumulates. 

Likeme (3)

The issue is very sensitive and I think education plays a very important role.  Adult learners must be made aware to thoroughly double check the information they come across to be well informed about the reliability of the sources.  

Likeme (0)

Today, it is very easy to get different (conflicting) information, but we need to know how to filter this information according to different criteria. It is important to include knowledge in adult education that will enable us to recognize the credibility of this information and its importance for our lives and, of course, in the current difficult situation, also for our health. There are probably examples of good practice in this area and I am not familiar with them. I will be happy to look at your suggestions.

Likeme (5)

Thank you for this, Tanja, and welcome to the discussion! Yes, we have recently had reason to confirm the enormous importance of teaching adult learners to exercise their critical sense to be able to distinguish authentic or fake news, especially in regards to health. 

The trouble with this issue is that the uncritical acceptance of fake news can have many causes:

- lack of understanding of the context (in the case of Covid lack of general health knowledge)

- lack of critical training (often linked to low levels of education)

- lack of specific knowledge about how digital channels work.

I have lately often been surprised by the utter naivety of some of my friends (older generation, I am 68 :-) ), who - despite my continuous warnings - keep sharing "reliable information" in social media. Information that comes without documentable source, only introduced by something like "My friend's sister is a well-known doctor and tells me he says that..." :-)

The first step towards solving the problem of fake news, I think, is to teach people to

- identify the source and reject the news if there is no documentable source

- check the information by Googling and reading reliable sources

- avoid sharing information whose reliability they cannot document.

And we can all be part of a movement that implements such "teaching", within or without the educational system!

Likeme (4)

Thank you, Tanja for your comment!

  • You can find an interesting blog from 2019, outlining some examples of treating fake news from the UK.
  • I think it is also imperative, as Graciela also suggests, to focus on combatting fake news in teacher training. There are great resources and lesson plans that allow teachers to discuss fake news with their learners. You can find a lesson plan for EFL teachers that addresses fake news here. 
Likeme (3)

If we talk about vaccination against the COVID-19 virus, official data show that there are 25.5% of fully vaccinated people in Serbia.

However, the willingness of people to vaccinate is not so great, and the vaccination campaign lasts constantly.

One part of this campaign is conducted by public health institutes, one of which is the Institute of Public Health of Vojvodina.

Institute of Public Health of Vojvodina provides preventive health services to citizens and promotes the health of the population - they produce and distribute many promotional materials for health workers, teachers, parents, older people, and youth, on the topics of immunization and fight against fake news, mental health, parenting, healthy diet, active aging etc.

More information can be found on their internet site: http://izjzv.org.rs/?lng=eng&cir=0&link=9.

Likeme (4)

Thank you for this input, Uros, and welcome to the discussion!

Could you tell us. a bit about how you meet the need for making that information available to adults who have low levels of literacy and/or digital skills? The fight against fake news is also very interesting! Tell us more about how it is done, please!

Likeme (2)

Yes, of course Graciela.

For reaching those with low levels of digital literacy and technological equipment, the Institute publishes promotional material in the form of illustrated leaflets and brochures and disseminates it in health centers, schools and other institutions. They also produce some video material which is regularly published in the public health institution’s hallways and waiting rooms. They regularly organize a free public lectures and consultations in these institutions as well.

At this moment, we are preparing an interview with the Institute for EPALE, so we hope to have much more information about their activities soon (in English as well).

Likeme (0)

Dear colleagues,

Following the discussion during the live stream we would like share good practice from Slovakia. TheInstitute for Prevention and Intervention, which was established by top Slovak epidemiologists dealing with the Covid-19 pandemics, aims it activities to raising public awareness of the importance of prevention at various levels. A team of experts who have been working for years in the field of primary prevention and early in intervention has been involved.

They choose pandemic COVID-19 as priority area, and prepare conferences, seminars, videos, consulting activities for the public, as well as competitions, the possibility of participating in research, and many other activities. They combine their training activities with surveys and collection of data (e.g. on vaccination and people's attitudes towards it, on the course of the disease Covid-19, etc.) in order to perform research in this area.

These seminars are in Slovak language and they are free for public.

Team NSS Slovakia

Likeme (10)

Thank you very much for your input, Monika, and welcome to the discussion!

This is indeed an excellent example of good practice regarding governmental initiatives aimed at keeping the public well informed. I wonder, however, if you have studied what impact these information initiatives have had in the sector of the population that does not have sufficient levels of literacy or digital skills. Experience from other countries seems to show that this target group tends to be "left behind" because they cannot access the information with sufficient ease and understanding... 

Likeme (7)

It is important to make efforts to strengthen the skills, both formal and informal, of those who have lost their jobs due to the Covid-19 crisis to prevent an increase in the disability budget. According to Norwegian research, there is a “grey area” between unemployment and disability retirement: https://www.frisch.uio.no/publikasjoner/pdf/2013/Postprint/job%20loss%20and%20disability%20labec%20revision.pdf

https://www.kompetansenorge.no/contentassets/eb3cab1e398d47219842c9f34ff0b158/kompass2020.pdf

Many people who lost their job in Norway last year due to the Covid-19 crisis are back at work now. But many immigrants, persons with low income, persons without completed upper secondary school and young people are still unemployed:

https://www.nav.no/no/nav-og-samfunn/kunnskap/analyser-fra-nav/arbeid-og-velferd/arbeid-og-velferd/arbeid-og-velferd-nr.1-2021/ett-ar-med-korona-utvikling-og-utsikter-for-navs-ytelser-og-brukere

Likeme (7)

Indeed, unemployment, levels of basic skills and health are intimately related. 

Can you explain a bit more about how the Norwegian government is addressing health and welfare issues in the Covid era? Is there any study about the positive influence of lifelong learning on mental health, for instance?

Likeme (4)

Aging is a problem for everyone. It is very closely linked with health problems and development of health literacy.It would be interesting to have some discussions concerning EU Green book on Aging. It is important to view the development of health literacy through aging aspect.

 

Likeme (6)

Please find some links and materials that were mentioned during our talk below!

Ingrid Stegeman from EuroHealthNet

Orkan Okan from the Bielefeld University

Helen Ryan from the National Adult Literacy Agency

 

Likeme (8)

Thank you, Marlene for the comprehensive resource kit!

It discusses themes that are so important in health literacy. Everyday activities such as eating, drinking and movement have significance in times with no pandemics for sure, but now it is even more pressing to learn about how we can build healthy habits to preserve health through conscious and informed decisions in these areas. 

Another important and increasingly discussed element of health literacy is the digital component! Health literacy seems to be closely linked to digital skills, media consumption and so on, as it was explained by Orkan Okan during the livestream.

Great readings!

Likeme (4)

Welcome to the forum and thank you for watching the livestream with us!

All the links and marterials that were mentioned by our guest speakers will be shared in a comment here. Enjoy the discussion and feel free to share your thoughts on how health literacy and adult education could be linked for the benefit of people!

 

Likeme (7)

We cannot neglect informal learning today. It is of great importance in the development of health literacy.We have to keep in mind that everything starts and comes from families.

Likeme (8)

... is indeed a very important part of anything we do for health literacy in the future. The challenge will be how to link those initiatives to ALL other needed initiatives. Unfortunately, we all tend to work in silos, in our own little sector. We really need to start implementing a REAL pansectorial approach. Lots of challenges ahead! :-)

Likeme (3)

Dear Graciela

I completely agree with you.We are not alone in the world, different sectors have to be involved in  solving health problems in general,but at the same time we have to develop personal responsibility about health literacy.

 

Likeme (4)

I thoroughly agree with you, Ilze. We need to work individually and as part of a very wide transversal force. The first step, I guess, is raising the awareness of this in the whole population. For those of us working in adult learning the first challenge begins at home: integrating health literacy in all our adult learning programs.

Likeme (1)

And since literacy problems often have their roots in the family, too, we have to think how the whole family can be included in health education. Could be in the schools of the children, could be in community centers, could even be a part of work pharmacies do, maybe in collaboration with AE organisations. Otherwise, we will always only reach one part of the familiy. 

Likeme (3)

I absolutely agree with your proposition, Graciela!

Just as with any other basic skills programs, we have to see where people are, what they do and try to take up an integrative approach to join them in those activities and place where they are with a reasonable learning offer/opportunity. Learning together through games is definitely an opportunity.

An example could be Minecraft in schools: https://education.minecraft.net/. 

Likeme (1)

Minecraft is also being used in Norwegian schools now. I wonder, though, if there is any example of it being used in Adult Learning. It could be very interesting to test an approach to health literacy, encompassing all generations, using that type of virtual game.

Likeme (1)

I have met with guides that were targetting parents and helping them understand and elicit the educational potential of Minecraft when played together with children/students. This is something that calls for an innovative family literacy project, I believe!

Likeme (2)

This kind of project would make a connection between AE and the game development sector, completely new area of collaboration. But there are already some examples, but not from the area of health education:

https://epale.ec.europa.eu/de/blog/wieviel-game-braucht-education

 

This is from the perspective of someone who is involved in the gaming part. 

Likeme (1)

I know also that a wonderful computer game for adult literacy was developed in France some years ago. It cost a fortune, but it was really engaging, a sort of "quest" where you got coins whenever you wrote the commands right, and bonuses and all the usual gaming elements. I haven't been able to find any info about it lately, so I'm afraid it looks like it was discontinued...  

Likeme (0)

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