THE 2IMINED PROJECT'S DIGITAL TOOLS FACILITATING IMMIGRANTS' INTEGRATION INTO THE HOST COUNTRY

Abstract

The article is based on the Improving the Initial Education of Adult Immigrants (2IMINED) project, a KA2 Strategic Partnership (2016-1-LT01-KA204-023223), as it is being implemented by EuroED Foundation, Iasi, Romania. The aim of the project is to develop innovative educational tools, which would improve and extend the offer of learning opportunities for immigrants. The article introduces the project’s objectives, target groups and activities. It also presents the findings of the research conducted through questionnaires and interviews and carried out in the north-east of Romania. The research analysis highlighted the specific characteristics (age, gender, marital status, education, reasons for coming to Romania, information received about Romania before their decision to leave their own country) and social educational needs of both immigrant educators and immigrants in this region. The research analysis was based on a number of 102 immigrants and 5 immigrants’ educators. The information received from this research served as the basis for the creation of digital innovative tools (mainly focused on the role of education in the first years of immigration), which will facilitate immigrants’ integration into the host society. The study gives useful insights into the creation process of the core materials, which will help immigrants to acquire basic knowledge and understanding about the host country’s sociocultural life. Two vital strands of the core digital materials, on language learning and health care, which EuroEd is in charge of, are analysed in detail. The access to the content and development of these materials benefits from state-of-the-art technology.