Page 41 - Digital handbook - English

5. Community Engagement in Digital Education

Objective: Foster a community-wide approach (teachers, tutors, youth workers, social
workers etc.) to inclusive digital education by encouraging collaboration among all

stakeholders on all needed fields.
Actions:
▪ Create forums and collaborative platforms for the above mentioned stakeholders to
contribute to the design, delivery, and monitoring of inclusive digital education.
▪Encourage participatory decision-making processes that include voices from across the

educational community.
Hints:
▪eTwinning is a platform for teachers in Europe that fosters collaboration on educational

projects, including those focused on inclusive education. Teachers, youth workers,
educators, parents, and students can work together on projects that promote digital
learning: https://school-education.ec.europa.eu/en/etwinning

Suggestions for an effective implementation:

▪ Regularly review and update training programs and resources to ensure they remain

relevant and effective.
▪Establish partnerships with local and national stakeholders and educational organizations
to enhance the quality and accessibility of digital learning tools.
▪To only make digital technologies accessible will not ensure equal education by itself.
Teachers, parents and other stakeholders need to make sure children have adequate skills

for using digital resources and keep their motivation high.
▪ Try using social media platforms and other communication tools to raise awareness,
share ideas and build a supportive community for an effective inclusive digital education.

▪ Implement feedback mechanisms (questionnaires, reflections after each class etc.) to
continually assess the effectiveness of the inclusive practices that have been used and
make necessary adjustments.
▪Young individuals often struggle with verbal communication, so it's better to observe
their behavior instead of quickly attributing their actions to their condition. They could be

experiencing trauma or facing an unusually stressful period. Some people, when feeling
emotionally vulnerable, feel compelled to manage something in their physical
surroundings, and expecting them to express this verbally is unlikely to be effective.

▪When communicating with young people who have intellectual disabilities, be adaptable
and let them take the lead as often as they feel comfortable to foster their sense of
independence. Listening to, respecting, and validating their feelings can help them move
from a potential state of silent defense to one of progress.

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