The document summarizes a European project called "Adults Learn in Families" that brings together partners from across Europe to study family learning and intergenerational education. The project aims to observe how the family environment is changing across contexts, define themes for family learning, exchange experiences and evaluate models for joint parent-child learning using new technologies. By working with diverse European partners and sharing results, the project hopes to provide a wider perspective on family education to inform adult learning policies and identify transferable methods.

1. Project Title: Adults Learn in Families (ALFA): EU Lifelong Learning Grundtvig Programme (2009-2011) PRESENTED BY: Mercy Maclean-UK Lead on the Project Health Psychology Management Org. services E-mail: mercy maclean@hp-mos.org.uk (August 2009)

3. Only transnational mobility (i.e. travel abroad) counts for the calculation of the minimum mobility numbers2

5. This is a completely new form of mobility offered to adult learners through the Lifelong Learning Programme to improve their knowledge, health and well-being.

6. Grundtvig partnerships bring together individuals or small groups of learners and staff from several countries for an innovative multinational learning experience relevant for their personal development and learning needs.3

8. To define a specific theme in each context and analysis of how it is presented in the family environment.

9. Each partner organisation , based on its own experience and specific National Agency’s requirement, choose a theme and determine how family learning can be an answer to the learner’s training needs. 4

11. Exchange of competences on the specific themes developed by each partner organisation

12. The results of the studies carried out by each partner will also be directed to the institutional subjects involved in the laying out of the strategies for adult education. 5

14. The main objective of the partnership is to observe the family environment, define and evaluate its educative potential in connection with the specific themes defined by each partner organisation.

15. Each partner organisation will choose a theme according to his/her experience and to the need of his or her countries’ priority defined by their National Agency’s requirement6

18. Dissemination of project experience and outcomes7

20. The proposed model is the development of an educational system for the exchange of competences and “know how” between parents and children as well as teaching methods based on cooperation.

21. Open source tools will be used as strategic resources to encourage de-personalisation and the giving up of traditional roles in order to minimise generational conflicts.

22. The methodology is based on practice sharing. The proposed didactic model intends to prove through experimentation how the development of a web environment may encourage dialogue, exchange of views and debate between peers. 8

24. Is based on the concept that the acquisition of new knowledge is determined by the dialogue/cognitive activity, by the language and by relationship and debate (also generational).

25. Is based on the framework that learning process is based on cooperation and interaction between subjects/parents, tutor, teacher or peer. Through dialogue, actors go through an active knowledge building process, therefore the theory framework in which the learning path is developed is the “constructivist” paradigm .

26. Is based on the guidelines that considers interaction, negotiation and verbal activity as the basis for the development of superior mental processes, thus assigning to “symbolic/language” activities are the key function in joint knowledge building and in the interpretation, of the external world.9

28. An in-depth and multidimensional view on family learning and on the changes occurring in the family environment and in its specific characteristics

29. The use of a parents/children learning method transferable and repeatable in different geographical area and contexts; - The research of methods and contents that can be experimented at European level; - Promotion of interaction and cooperation among different communities working together in project analysis and exchange of good practices for the pursuit of a common method and the development of new tools for intra-generation learning. 10

32. Support the development of innovative ICT-based content, services, pedagogical methods and practices for lifelong learning (GRU-OpObj-5) 11

34. The results of the work, as being published by local, national and European networks, may offer interesting clues for the institutional subjects called upon to define the contents and strategic guidelines of adult education giving new elements of debate about the importance of family learning and on the role of new technologies in the educational system and in Lifelong Learning 12

36. 2ndmeeting/activity -Rzesów, Poland

37. 3rd meeting/activity -- Geelen, The Netherlands

38. 4th meeting/activity - Pitesti, Romania

39. 5th meeting/activity - HP-MOS, UK

40. 6 th meeting/activity - Sastamala, Finland13

41. Adults Learn in Families (ALFA) Partners 14

42. 15