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European year for active ageing and solidarity between generations   GOOD PRACTICES IN ACTIVE AGEING
Name of project CLUB EUCONET Area/areas covered by the project
Start and end dates Every Academic Year from October to June. Aims The
aim of this initiative is to help other UPUA students learn how to use
computers and acquire some basic skills to carry out smoothly their
studies in the Permanent University (e.g. handling with the Virtual
Campus platform) and lose their fear to computers. On the other hand,
the EuCoNet Club also promotes contact between students and establishes
a culture of technological volunteers.
Description When facing the challenge of easing the Internet access to most of the Europeans, it was thought to leave aside of this technological development a great number of older European citizens. Age was a clear factor of exclusion at the end of the last century. Aiming to solve this problem, the European project EuCoNet (European Computer Network) arose in the year 2003. As a direct result of this project came the innovative initiative implemented in 2003-2004, THE EUCONET CLUB. This enterprise was boosted by a group of volunteer students from the Permanent University of the University of Alicante, members of the EuCoNet international working and research group. At the beginning of each academic year and once they are enrolled in the Permanent University, each student that showed interest in being a member of the aforesaid club will be requested for a briefing. There, a registration form will be filled in and the following will be established:
Level of implementation (significant aspects and results in figures) Born
in 2003 in the Permanent University of the University of Alicante, the
initiative is backed by Senior Diploma teachers as academic
coordinators, although the main characters of the EuCoNet Club are
student tutors and participating students. The Computing Service and the Alicante Town University Venue have provided new technology classrooms for this initiative, as well as a tracking and support system for the EuCoNet Club. This system helps with maintenance and update, and also enhancement of the software and hardware required. Registration is free, but it is a prerequisite to be a Permanent University student in the current academic year or be a member of the UPUA Student Alumni Association. The own learning style of the initiative includes an active self-learning basis, such as support from tutors. The participants, over 100 in each academic year, are between 50 and 92 years. Hence, students work in an intergenerational environment. Brief explanation of the reasons why this is considered to be a good practice A
web has been developed in Spanish, English and Catalonian, and various
workshops and seminars have been addressed to ease the acquisition and
internalization of computer skills. It is a better way of learning
compared to other courses, because the students are the protagonists of
their own learning process and follow their personal pace. The growing
amount of participants reflects the success of this initiative. This
enterprise has resulted in a series of materials at the service of
other older students and partners of the CLUB that ease broadcasting.
A proposal for improvement suggested increasing the amount of working hours (currently four hours a week) and tutors, as well as undertaking intergenerational activities. The Permanent University of the University of Alicante has organized local meetings with other institutions and associations to transfer this knowledge to other interested organizations. The materials developed by the EuCoNet Club are available through the webpage linked below so that the initiative can be exported. Contact data Country: ESPAÑA
Entity: UNIVERSIDAD PERMANENTE DE LA UNIVERSIDAD DE ALICANTE Phone number: 00 34 965 90 97 93 / 00 34 965 90 94 54 E-mail: a.lopez@ua.es; upua.internacional@ua.es Contact person: Antonio López Blanes Related Links Link to the European Year for Active Ageing and Solidarity between Generations’ web |
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