Digital Competences Development System (DCDS)

The Digital Competences Development System (DCDS) was an Erasmus+ co-funded project (2018-2019) delivered by a consortium including Fundacion Esplai, LIKTA, EOS, Centro Studi, the Hellenic Open University and EACA, coordinated by All Digital, responding to the fact that around a quarter of the European adult population struggles with reading, writing, numeracy and digital skills, putting them at high risk of social exclusion.

DCDS aimed to improve the basic digital and transversal competences of citizens aged 25 and over through an integrated system combining an online environment with face-to-face training support, mapped to the DigComp 2.1 framework; to support non-formal training providers in delivering flexible, modular training; to empower policy-makers in formulating integrated digital-competence policies; and to collect evidence through a field test in five countries.

The platform and methodology were piloted in Greece, Latvia, Italy, Romania and Spain by trainers and 150 beneficiaries, in a blended format totalling 60 hours: online self-assessment of digital skills, personalised learning pathways through game-like self-training, a flexible modular blended course with face-to-face support from e-facilitators, online/offline self-study, a final knowledge assessment, and certification through open badges and a Europass-like CV supplement.

The project produced the Digital Competences Development Methodology (DCDM), the online Digital Competences Development Environment (DCDE), personalised blended non-formal trainings composed of modules matched to individual learning needs, and handbooks and course guides to help trainers and training providers plan and deliver flexible, modular training offers.