Educational series helps ‘elegant age’ Ukrainians develop their digital skills
Date: 10/07/23
Ukraine’s older citizens are improving their digital skills thanks to a new educational series. The Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine together with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) launched the series on the Osvita.diia platform in June 2023. Covering the fundamentals of computer literacy, the ‘Basic digital skills for the elegant age’ training is helping to reduce the digital divide within the country, making the results and benefits of digitalisation available to all citizens.
44% of Ukrainians aged 18-70 wanted to improve their digital skills, according to a 2021 study
65% of Ukrainians who said lack of skills was the main reason why they did not use e-services in 2022 were in an older age group
60+ year-olds are the main audience for Ukraine’s library digital education hubs.
How the programme is helping
As Ukraine’s digital transformation progresses, the use of digital technologies in everyday life is becoming increasingly prevalent. This means that it is important for everyone in society to feel confident in accessing and using digital tools and services, including educational material.
A 2021 study showed that 44% of Ukrainians aged 18 to 70 wanted to improve their digital skills. However, in 2022, among people who cited lack of skills as the main reason why they did not use e-services, 65% were from an older age group. This form of digital divide between those who can and can’t benefit from digitalisation can be narrowed by supporting the development of digital skills in the older population.
At the same time, people over the age of 60 are the main audience for library digital education hubs, according to the Ukrainian Library Association. They require significant help from library staff to understand and access government digital services in the national Diia portal.
The new educational series is supporting both sides of this equation: senior citizens are mastering new digital tools to improve their quality of life; and consulting librarians working in digital education hubs are gaining insights to improve the consultations and training they can offer to people seeking help.
How the programme works
The ‘Basic digital skills for the elegant age’ series consists of 10 short videos in which grandchildren tell older relatives how to use digital technologies. Topics include how to install messenger applications on a smartphone, use search engines, make an appointment with a doctor in the eHealth system, top up a mobile account and use digital education hubs.
After completing the course, participants receive 0.2 European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) points, which can be used as continued professional education (CPE) credits.
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