The diversity and complexity of students, fast pace of life, constant changes and huge amount of information place increasing demands on the teachers (who represent different generation) to provide effective pedagogy and instruction, validate and incorporate students’ knowledge and experience in the learning process (which differs from but also greatly contributes to the knowledge and experience of teachers) and thus create inclusive, healthy, welcoming, productive, collaborative, ‘making mistakes is ok’ climate in the classroom. To meet these demands teachers have to adopt new professional practices, skills and competences, as well as revisit their mindsets as personalities, professionals and citizens. At the same time learners have to assume more responsibility for their own learning, be more skillful and vocal in presenting their ideas. Both teachers and students have to improve their ability and motivation to collaborate in making the choices in terms of what, when and how to include in the teaching-learning process.Contemporary students are characterized by being autonomous, independent and self-confident, but at the same time they often lack collaboration and self-expression skills. The majority of schools still offer mostly traditional teaching where all students have the same tasks and work individually according to the teacher’s prescriptions. In order to make learning more effective, interesting and appealing to the learner we have to find answers to the questions “How to make students motivated and interested in what is happening in the classroom? How to incorporate students’ knowledge and skills in the learning process? How to promote student engagement and desire to be responsible for their own learning? What is the teachers’ role and what competences and characteristics should they possess in order to promote students’ and their own learning? How to connect learning in the classroom with the outside world – events and processes in local community and globally? How to move towards more meaningful and purposeful learning?”Aim: to explore the experience and best practice of partner countries in supporting active engagement of learners (both students and teachers) in planning, implementation and evaluation of the learning process at school and beyond in order for them to become co-creators of their own learning within collaborative learning process.Key aspects to be explored: self-led learning learning, an engaged classroom, collaboration with shared responsibility for decision making and results, providing open and immediate feedback, education technologies, Learning to learn and Cultural awareness and expression competences, interdisciplinary approach, Teacher as a learner, facilitator, supporter, guide, coach, mentor, nurturer, etc.Objectives:•To identify examples of learner engagement in co-creation of their own learning in partner countries;•To find out what are the obstacles to engaging learners in the creation and implementation of the learning process;•To collect examples of best practices where teachers are using new approaches/pedagogies, the latest technology, space, etc. to steer pupils/learners towards more meaningful and purposeful learning;•To explore what kind of support is required for teachers to be able to ensure student-led learning;•To elaborate a podcast series with instructional support materials for educators on how to implement new pedagogies in their practice. Target audiences:Direct: •Staff from project partner organisations who directly or indirectly work with schools;•Educators hosting learning visits in all partner countries;•Educators benefiting from the project results (i.e. Intellectual output, multiplier events, etc).Indirect:•Learners;•Educational community.Expected impact:•Increased capacity of partner institutions and their staff to provide professional development of educators;•Developed series of podcasts with supporting materials for school leaders and teachers on how to implement new pedagogies in their practice;•Raised educators’ awareness, increased knowledge and deepened understanding of multiple modes of instruction and learning that support active engagement of learners in all stages of the learning process and different contexts;•Presented practical applications of new approaches in teaching and learning;•Expanded partnerships and professional networks of educators and educational organisations in partner countries and across Europe.Nowadays all European countries face similar challenges in education systems and actively look for diverse solutions to react to fast changing situation in all spheres of life. Many school education systems struggle to respond to the profound and complex changes our societies and economies are undergoing. The need for innovative approaches and help for schools in adapting to the changing context, including the digital era and the increasing diversity among learners, is obvious.

The main goal of the Developing Strategic Cooperation in History and Human Rights Education and Youth Work in Estonia (HHRE-YW-EST) project is to improve history and human rights knowledge, skills and attitudes in the field of youth work. The project will build connections between national and international formal and non-formal history, human rights and youth work education providers, as well as provide youth leaders and trainers in Estonia the history and human rights educational tools, knowledge and skills relevant to their work.The main activities in the project are developing integrated history, human rights and youth work educational programmes and innovative learning tools, methods and materials; organizing thematic conferences, discussions, seminars and training courses; and carrying out awareness raising activities. The main target groups of these activities are present and future youth workers, trainers, educators and youth leaders in Estonia. The project will include around 1400 actively involved participants. The project activities are carried out on international, national and local levels, the bulk of the activities focus on involving target groups at the local level. A trans-national approach is necessary for the exchange of feedback, knowledge, experience and best practises, for building stronger relationships and for a stronger multiplying effect.The project partners are the Unitas Foundation (EST), a foundation dedicated to raising awareness of Europe’s totalitarian history and human rights; Tallinn University (EST), as the primary higher education provider in Estonia that provides pedagogical education in youth work and history, as well as media and communications education; Georg Eckert Institute (GER) as an internationally renown text book and educational media research institute; Education Development Centre (LAT) as the leading non-profit nongovernmental organization in Latvia in the field of teachers’ professional development; and EUROCLIO (European Association of History Educators, NL) as a far-reaching network of 44 member Associations and 15 associated members from 52 countries.As a result of the project, an interdisciplinary student programme and online platform are developed, which combine history and human rights education methods and materials. The online platform as the key interface between various educational activities and tools can be used in different educational settings (formal, non-formal and informal; general and higher education). A textbook on human rights in youth work will be developed, to serve as a high quality resource for practising and training youth workers in Estonia, providing necessary information, methods and tools for implementing and understanding human rights in the context of youth work and of Estonian history and society. As a result of the project, existing partnerships are stengthened and new connections are made across different sectors, contributing to the development of high quality youth work. The project will influence youth and educational policy makers, who will take into account the implications of local and regional socio-cultural and historical factors and the paradigm of human rights in the shaping of Estonian youth and educational policy. The resources and tools that are developed during the project are translated into multiple languages, reaching outside the Estonian national borders and engaging wider communities across the globe through various online and offline channels. The project activities engage a wider audience and raise awareness of history and human rights issues through international dissemination.

"The digital transformation is challenging the European citizens in multiple ways: As employees (workspace 4.0). As learners (lifelong learning, self-competencies) As citizens (acting as conscious, self-responsible, democratic citizen). Digital transformation in its effects relates to vast aspects of peoples everyday life in a fast and more and more disturbing ways, thus is also is a force generating unconsciousness and needs to be reasoned about. Digital transformation is challenging as well the infrastructures in cities, states, big data/multiple databases, social networks. Digital competence should enable people to approach these challenges.Adult education for Active Citizenship has a crucial role to play as it supports learners to develop competences to engage and participate in society as democratic and confident citizens. However the field of AE has to deal increasingly with an audience/target group which is more and more in a position of exposed to the transformation while not being sufficiently equipped to understand digital transformation in its aspects to democracy, and society. Such to develop digital competence goes far beyond media literacy and critical thinking development but pre-requires also a field of Adult education which itself is confident and able to understand and develop learning concepts that adress the democratic challenges and dimensions relating to digital transformation in its full range. In particular Education for Democratic Citizenship and Human Rights Education have a potential which tour project DIGIT-AL explores and aims to activate. In cross-sectoral collaboration we deliver two handbooks, an app and policy recommendations. The overall concept behind the project is to understand adult learning as a competency centered learning. Aiming to address the ability of adult learners to act consciously, self-responsible, aligned with their self-defined interests and self-explored needs, along democratic values and in cooperation with other citizens. The project is exploring and presenting approaches, practices and tools 1) how to involve digital competence into adult education. 2) How to support adult learners in understanding digital transformation and co-creating it as digitally competent citizens. 3) Furthermore we focus as well on the digital competence of adult educators. 4) The findings will be fed back to developers of digital competence frameworks and learning, as well as to the policy level. During the project we develop- A handbook on digital transformation as a specific and transversal topic in adult education: this publication explores the horizon of digital transformation and its connection to the practice of Adult learning for democratic citizenship- A handbook for educators: Digital competence: What is it? through what kind of approaches and practices adult learners might gain it and what kind of digital competence adult educators need to develop- Policy Recommendations targeting at premises of competence frameworks, AE policies in Europe related to digital transformation and Adult learning for democratic citizenship. - an App to support Adult educators in their learning settings with concrete and easy adaptable info and concepts for targeting digital transformation in their learning settingsA series of training activities tests and evaluates different concepts for educators to master digital transformation as a topic in their Adult learning settings. These trainings will involve a wider audience from the community of adult education practitioners and offer means to them to adapt suggested approaches and concepts into their educational work.The project itself builds a bridge between AE practitioners in Europe and the world of digitalisation research, digital competence development and digital transformation: it mutually ENGAGES stakeholders and experts from both ""spheres"", CONNECTS existing concepts of digital competence development within the wider horizons of digital transformation and the grassroots sphere of Adult Education, as being the level working with the group of citizens vastly affected by digital transformation. The project EMPOWERS adult educators and the field of adult education providers to better understand the transformative character of digitalisation to democracy and citizenship in all its different and difficult aspects, and supports them to develop adequate means and approaches to work with adult learners in an encouraging and positive way on these topics."