DIGI--TAAL
YEAR: 2016 – 2018
NATIONAL
PARTNER: Gemeente Schouwen-Duiveland, Stichting Lezen & Schrijven, Stichting Maatschappelijk Werk Oosterschelde regio, Taalhuis Goes, Taalambassadeurs Zeeland, Stichting Kenniscentrum Pro Work,
MOTIVATION: It appears that the Municipality of Schouwen-Duiveland currently has no active policy on tackling low literacy within the Municipality, but they only use on regional plans (language courses within VET college Scalda on Walcheren, language courses of the 'Language House' in Goes and computer classes in libraries in North / South Beveland and Zeeuws Vlaanderen – non of them are located on Schouwen-Duiveland!).
PURPOSE: The instrument to be developed is | DIGI - TAAL | and this is an instrument that make digital skills easy to learn, let increase the social participation and tackles literacy problems. It is an online platform where through simple icons, explanation through the "flipped classroom" method (whereby classical instructions are offered online by the use of videos with voice interpretation) and through assignments the target group (s) will be introduced to the digital world (including increasing their literacy skills!). Such a complete offer, where literacy is associated with social relevant themes, available in one platform for the specific audience as illiterate (young) adults with a distance to society, is not offered yet. To establish a platform like this, offers a new form of literacy training and is the perfect opportunity for involvement, participation and inclusion of vulnerable citizens in all walks of life. After all, we live in an information society, which mainly is shaped in a digital way (read: the Internet, mobile phones and other modern applications). And the digitization of all public services take place in 2017, making the lack of practical knowledge of this medium regarding social affairs or socially relevant issues (mainly with low literate audience) means a lack in the social participation. When there is also low literacy, you can talk about an additional impediment to participate fully in society.
RESULTS: The platform | DIGI - TAAL | provides a connection between language and IT skills within a social framework. | DIGI - TAAL | is a web-based learning environment, where by means of 8 to 10 icons, the target audience - primarily citizens - will be introduced to the digital services or the so-called "(digital) language" of all public services including government, healthcare, housing associations, energy suppliers, educational institutions and tax authorities. In addition, the focus will be on teaching language skills. The results can be divided into 4 elements;
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Increasing the language skills can first be identified as part of the platform (through (existing) digital exercises to improve language skills and literacy learning concepts in the audio-visual i-Flips' designed by topic).
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The second element is to increase IT skills (using the 'i-Flip "to be interpreted digital (public) services (combine hearing, seeing and reading) to the illiterate – for example to make online requests, logging in, searching for information, insight information into their healthcare, subsidies, education, government, etc.).
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Thirdly the knowledge of public services will be increased, as also named above (the target group comes into contact with the "(digital) language" among other government services, healthcare, social housing associations, energy suppliers, educational institutions and tax authorities etc.).
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Finally, it can be argued that the social participation of the audience through this platform will be improved, because not only the level of language skills, but also the computer skills and the notion of public services will be improved.