On the 18th July 2019 took place at the Institute of Education of the University of Lisbon the Seminar on Digital Technologies on Adult Education. The aims of this seminar included the divulging of outcomes of the StepUp 2ICT project, funded by the ERASMUS+ of the European Union. This project included the analysis of the profile of adult educators in Portugal, after a national survey developed in 2018 that allowed more than 960 answers of adult educators and the discussion of contemporary challenges faced by adult educators in activities and programs under development.
In this seminar registered more than 100 adult educators that joined the discussion held from quite different institutions implementing adult education activities and programs, namely these of formal education and continuing vocational education and training.
Apart from the team members of the project developed in Portugal, such as Fernando Albuquerque Costa, Joana Viana and Paula Guimarães, who presented the main developments and outcomes of the project, this seminar included the participation of representatives from the Instituto de Emprego e Formação Profissional (Employment and Vocational Education and Training Institute) such as Paulo Feliciano and João Lourenço, and from the Agência Nacional para a Qualification e Ensino Profissional (National Agency for Qualification and Vocational Education and Training) Ana Claúdia Valente.
From the Associação Nacional da Formação e Ensino Professional (National Association of Vocational Education and Training) Mário Martins also joined and commented adult educators use of information and communication technologies in activities and programs. Additionally, the Dean of the Institute of Education joined and Mariana Gaio Alves, from the same Institute, spoke about the importance of lifelong learning in present times and the roles of adult educators in existing State and non-State funded programs.
During this seminar, the discussion allowed also some conclusions referring to the use of only some digital technologies by educators and learners and the need for implementing continuing education courses directed at adult educators for favoring the use of digital tools in adult education activities and programs.
