Skillful tutors of adults`and ageing population`s digital competences to Lapland

The Skillful Tutors of Adults’ and Aging Population’s Digital Competences to Lapland (OdigO) Project is funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) and Northern Ostrobothnia’s Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment (ELY) (2021–2023). The project is coordinated by the University of Lapland, Finland, and implemented in cooperation with the Lapland University of Applied Sciences and many stakeholders and experts who work with and for adults and aging populations in the public sector, non-governmental organizations, and adult education organizations.

The aim of this project is to find solutions to digital exclusion and its threats by developing the competencies of service providers to guide and support customers’ digital skills. The project also aims to increase Lapland residents’ awareness of supporting the digital skills of adults and aging populations. The project sets out three measures to achieve its goals:
1) Design, pilot, and further develop an online study module—jointly implemented with the University of Lapland and the Lapland University of Applied Sciences—that focuses on guidance for developing the digital skills of adults and aging populations (5 credits);
2) Design and implement a series of webinars and video briefings for the general public audience and educational, social, health, and cultural professionals who work with adults and aging populations; and
3) Design and implement a series of webinars for the teaching staff of the Lapland University Consortium (LUC), the topic of which is the pedagogically appropriate implementation of distance learning as a multi-professional inter-university and working life co-operation.

At the University of Lapland, the online study module is integrated into teachers’ pedagogical studies and the continuing education training offer, which university students in the field of education can also participate in. At the Lapland University of Applied Sciences, the online study module is being implemented as part of social and healthcare profiling and optional studies and as part of practical training in elderly care education. After the OdigO project has been implemented, the online study module that has been developed will become part of the partners’ curricula. The series of webinars and videos, including webinars for teaching staff, will not be implemented after the OdigO project has been completed, but will remain available on the Lapland University Consortium’s Intra after the end of the project.