We have interviewed adult educator Ángel Martin Sánchez from CyL Digital in Spain from the ALL DIGITAL network about the use of AI in adult education and about his experience as one of the tutors involved in the development and testing of our project’s AI-based tool matching skills with training paths and job profiles. Have a good reading!
Please tell a bit about your daily work as an adult educator, your organisation and learners…
I am working for CyL Digital, a digital competence centre open to all citizens of the Castilla y León Region (9 provinces) offering awareness-raising and training activities to support citizens in the application of technologies in their daily lives. It is an initiative of the Regional Government of Castilla y León. We help people to adapt technologies to their needs through face-to-face and online trainings, as well as exchange of experiences with stakeholders.
As an adult educator, I try to bring ICT closer to our learners by helping them gain confidence in the use of digital devices and applications to improve their quality of life through workshops, courses, talks and webinars such as: “AI as a transformation engine”, “Google tools”, “Online procedures with local, regional and national administration”, “Security and privacy on the Internet. Protect yourself”, “Online banking. How to operate?”, “Protect yourself from fake news and don´t be fooled!”, “Internet of things and its applications”, “Smartphone and tablet”, “Excel: Spreadsheet”, “WhatsApp”, “Using email”, “LibreOffice Writer”.
I have a close collaboration with “La Casa Grande de Martiherrero”, an institution serving intellectually disabled people since 2016, and we have developed several workshops for this group and their families as “Tools of educational robotics for disability”, “AI tools for disabled people”, “Health and mobile devices”, “Safe use of the Internet”.
So I have a broad group of learners: Anybody who comes to my centre or contact me with a willingness to improve their digital skills.
Do you already use digital tools and/or AI in your daily work as an adult educator? How?
I used AutoDraw and Scroobly, two simple AI-based tools,, in several workshops for people with intellectual disabilities from our partner “La Casa Grande de Martiherrero”. These tools help our participants to enjoy an easy and funny way to work with IT in a comfortable way with awesome results.
What do you think about the use of AI in adult learning?
AI is an ongoing technology bringing new opportunities in adult learning. Why should not we make use of these tools? We should just try, test and be sure that it helps us in the right way.
I think AI will be helping educators in repetitive, administrative, assessment and grading tasks creating tailored learning paths and recommendations so trainers canfocus on human aspects with their learners.
On the other hand, we should make sure that AI practices are in line with human rights and ethical considerations, ensuring equitable and non-discriminatory results due to any bias (gender, racial, socioeconomic, age, disability,…) always taking into account privacy rights over personal information in the data management.
How was your experience of the AI4AL training of tutors in Amsterdam?
My experience during the training of tutors in Amsterdam was intense and very interesting because we shared our feelings, fears, difficulties, backgrounds, experiences, as well as insights about this new approach in adult education and learning during three days with many things to digest, prepare and think for the next steps of the AI4AL project.
What do you think about your involvement in AI4AL so far? What are your expectations for the future?
My involvement in AI4AL is very worthwhile so far, because it is a unique opportunity to meet adult trainers from project partners working with different target groups and to discover key points related to AI technologies. From now on, I am impatient for the next steps of the project and the evolution of the AI-based tool that will help in skills assessment and tailor-made learning recommendation process.
Interested in hearing more about alternative uses of AI in adult learning? Ángel will be sharing his experience of running digital workshops for people with intellectual and other disabilities using the Scroobly and AutoDraw AI tools in a webinar organised by ALL DIGITAL ACADEMY on 25th October 2023 (14:00 – 15:00 CET).
