Our DIGITAS - A Crash Course in Media Education for Parents and Grandparents aims at helping adult trainers to develop intergenerational and family education training courses or workshops for adults and older learners contributing to the widening of access to fundamental basic skills such as literacies as needed in a contemporary media-saturated environment, as well as basic digital competences, and equipping older adults with skills needed to cope with change. All types of (English-speaking) adult educators are welcome, including school teachers willing to work with their children's parents.

In this respect, the course objectives are:
* to equip participants with knowledge regarding ways in which the quick advance of the digital technologies is shaping learning;
* to improve participants´ skills to adapt new technologies in the learning process;
* to disseminate innovative and effective pedagogical methods and approaches.

So far, in 2010 we offer two sessions of the DIGITAS training course: 11-18 July in Palermo, Italy, and 10-17 October in Porto, Portugal. The course lasts 6 days and features 4 modules (Context & motivation, Fun and memories, Communication & production, E-participation) with an introductory session in the first day and an evaluation session in the last one. Full description and programme - here. Please pre-register to the course by checking our online pre-registration form.

Under the Lifelong Learning Programme / Grundtvig - In-Service Training Grants, the European Commission provides grants to enable teachers, mentors, trainers, managers, and other interested and relevant staff to undertake training activities taking place in a country other than the one in which the participant normally works, thereby broadening their understanding of lifelong learning in Europe and improving their practical teaching/learning-related skills.

For our session in Palermo, Italy (10-18 July 2010), the deadline for requesting such a grant was 15 January 2010, while for the session in Porto, Portugal (10-17 October 2010), the deadline is 30 April.

You can still join our DIGITAS training course in Porto, on 10-17 October 2010 AND get a grant from the European Commission's Lifelong Learning Programme to participate by following several rather simple steps:

Step 1. Check out our course in the Comenius-Grundtvig Training Database of the European Commission's DG Education and Culture, under code RO-2010-086-003 - or directly here.

Step 2. Check out the website of your National Agency managing the Lifelong Learning Programme, and verify your eligibility - that is, assuming you are from a Programme Country.

Step 3. Download a Lifelong Learning Programme / Grundtvig - In-Service Training Grants application (from the website of your National Agency) and fill it in. In case it looks terrifying, we'll happily assist you with clarifications.

Step 4. Check our online pre-registration form - and upon its receipt we will provide you a pre-registration confirmation that would have to be attached to your application.

Step 5. Submit your application in due time (deadline: 30 April 2010 - for the course in Porto, in October 2010) to your National Agency.

Step 6. Once your application is approved (usually no more than 8-10 weeks after the deadline), just e-mail us at digitas.course [at] gmail.com - and we'll promptly e-mail back registration instructions, user data for accessing our learning space, where you'll find preparatory materials...

Step 7. Get to the course by the fastest means of transportation available to you.

Soo, good luck, then - we are looking forward to meeting you in Romania, Italy or Portugal. And don't hesitate to write to us at digitas.course [at] gmail.com if anything digital or human behaves strangely in the whole process :)