The MIGRANTS project is coming to a close, the project which developed a software tool to detect learning needs and basic skills such as numeracy, ict, use of the internet, communication skills, human relations, occupational health, human rights, employment law, intercultural issues and English language. This has been a big success and we would like to thank everyone who took part in the pilot application of the exciting personal development software tool, called SAOS.

The MIGRANTS+ project was financed by the Lifelong Learning Program of the European Commission that aims at training trainers, mediators and support staff on how to assess the basic skills and competencies of adult migrants and their learning needs by using a software tool and also at developing life long learning opportunities for adult migrants.

SAOS is software that can assess the basic skills of the interested person in various occupations and proposes an individualised training course curriculum. The tool is based on a self-assessment model that takes into consideration different parameters.

We are pleased to announce that we will be giving away a free demo of this software for anyone who took part in the pilot and anyone who is interested in self assessment.  The software allows you to test yourself using a multiple l choice methods on a range of topics. The demo will include 3 of the 10 topics for testing.  The full use of the software is also available. 

The pilot applications of the software tool has been executed in 6 countries (Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Poland, Turkey and UK). The target groups of the pilot applications were migrants aged between 24 - 65 years old. The overall aim of the pilot was to test 180 migrants (an average of 30 people per country) and evaluate the materials developed in the framework of the project (SAOS).

The pilot applications started in June 2010 and lasted until the end of September 2010.  The users were asked to use as many tests as possible. As a result of this, some skills were able to be tested more than others. For example in Turkey where the immigrants are mostly illegal and unemployed, none of those tested picked occupational health; they were more interested in Human Rights (additionally, they were hesitant or unwilling to take the test due to their unstable status in the country, they were afraid that they would be sent out of country, so they could be persuaded to take one or two tests at the most).

In general, language was the skill that attracted the most interest, with 86% (97% excluding Turkey), followed closely by Human Rights. Users were satisfied with over 80% about the menus and the navigation of the software tool.

If you are working with people who would benefit from self assessment in these areas and would benefit from the signposting that is generated from the assessment, please contact us for a free copy on 01279 877902 or email emma@academyoflearning.co.uk.

For more information please visit our web site:

http://www.migrantsplus.info/

Issued by:  Academy of Learning Ltd.    01279 877902       30.11.2010