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2.4 STATE-OF-THE-ART FINDINGS FROM POLAND

2.4.1 STATE-OF-THE-ART OF NATIONAL DIGITALIZATION AND DIGITAL
COMPETENCE LEVEL IN THE POPULATION
Poland is one of the least developed European countries in terms of digital literacy,
especially when it comes to people in age above 40. This issue needs to be addressed,
but there are not many initiatives that can allow this situation to be changed. It is very
hard to find any courses that could possibly improve educators’ competences in teach-
ing digital skills in general, and it’s even worse when it comes to adult education.

THE NATIONAL DIGITAL STRATEGY
There is no national strategy implanter to improve the educators’ competencies and as
a result to improve digital literacy skills of people.

2.4.2 VARIOUS CPD PROGRAMMES AND NETWORKS AVAILABLE FOR
TEACHERS
Most of the available courses are provided by non-profit organizations or private com-
panies. Just a few of them are provided by national institutions. If so, those are re-
gional agencies. Also, in many cases those courses are related to improving skills in
using specific software, like for example Microsoft Office, and how to implement it in
educator work in order to make it easier and more effective.

The competencies related to educating others about digital technologies are usually
somehow omitted, but not totally. There are few courses aiming to help educators to
provide the higher level of teaching to their learners.

GOOD PRACTICE IN TEACHERS´ DIGITAL EDUCATION
There are very few national good practices but one of the examples is provided by Lu-
blin Self-Government Center for Teachers' Improvement. They implemented a pro-
gram that is called ‘Use of multimedia educational resources in vocational education’
which is specifically directed at adult educators. It is designed to help them understand
how to prepare a proper education program, legal issues related to it, important stag-
es or how and where to look for useful resources.

In general the term ‘digital literacy’ is well known in Poland but it is not understood
properly. The national strategies do not help to change that as there are no such thing
implemented and only several courses are addressing the issue, and they are usually
hard to find. The educational institution also does not encourage the educators to im-
prove in that field.

2.4.3 UNMET NEEDS

There is a huge need to promote the ideas related to digitalization, what does it mean
and what advantages are coming with acquiring this skill. Also, the educators have to
understand that digital technologies are rapidly evolving and there is a constant need