DiBiWohn. Digital educational processes for older residents in assisted living arrangements and care facilities
A German joint interdisciplinary research project which involves disciplines such as educational science, gerontology and media education.
The interdisciplinary joint project DiBiWohn comprises basic and applied research in the areas of empirical educational research, gerontology, and media education. The project is aimed at older residents in assisted living arrangements and care facilities – a group which has not been adequately targeted by educational and digitalization offers so far.
The project partners are the Catholic University of Applied Sciences Freiburg (consortium lead), the Centre for General Scientific Continuing Education (ZAWiW) at Ulm University, the Media Competence Forum Southwest Foundation (MKFS) Ludwigshafen and the Evangelische Heimstiftung GmbH Stuttgart.
One focus of the project is on theoretical educational research. In this domain, fundamental questions concerning (digital) educational processes in advancing and old age are investigated, looking at effects and correlates among educational, media and technology biography, identity work, and living environment. Another focus is on research in educational practice, which addresses the development and design of informal and non-formal digital educational formats for older people.
Using participatory methods and a combination of a peer-to-peer concept and a train-the-trainer approach, the project aims to provide digital access (e.g. tablets and Internet) for this target group, which is typically unfamiliar with technology. In addition, educational and participation opportunities in the social space are developed. Finally, digital formats for networking and further education (e.g., online platforms) directed at older digital volunteers (technology and learning companions) are investigated and implemented.
The project is initially launched at well-developed sites of the practice partners in Baden-Württemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate and will primarily target assisted living facilities with integrated care services. On the basis of the research findings, concepts of education and action will be developed. The result (after three years) will be a transfer concept capable of being scaled nationwide to other living arrangements for older people (especially outpatient and inpatient care). The application will hopefully involve other educational providers (e.g. adult education centers and universities for older people).
The joint project DiBiWohn is set to run for five years (09/2020 - 08/2025), funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). It is part of the research priority on digitalization in education in the BMBF framework program for empirical educational research. In addition, the project is accompanied by the BMBF Meta-project “Digitalisation in education” .
Please note: The video (duration: 4 minutes) was produced in the spring of 2022. It presents the joint project DiBIWohn with its research and practice priorities.
Contact: Consortium Lead Prof. Dr. Michael Doh, Catholic University of Applied Sciences Freiburg: michael.doh@kh-freiburg.de
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