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home banking or access to the social networks. But next to the direct needs to provide the digital
upskilling for basic, as well as more advanced skills, Portuguese educators recognise the strong need
to inspire engagement and inspire learners’ critical curiosity and help them understand the need for

change and deal with the change. High aversion to change is among key barriers to engagement in
this area. That refers to both, educators, and learners.

With the fast societal and technological changes engaging and supporting learners put educators in
the need to constantly analyse and adjust their role in the adult education process. That requires in
the first place changing the mindset of the educators to be able to help learners adapt their attitudes
and behaviours and spark acceptance of the technological transition and need for adaptation. For
that educators need to engage learners in discussion about the fact that change on its own is never

neutral, and that the digital transition in itself is neither bad nor good.

It depends on how it is managed, on the values engaged, objectives and priorities. It requires
working together on the capacity for proactively dealing with change, but also for positioning
oneself in a way that the change will turn to be good. That requires that educators have in the first-
place good understanding of the existing change that they can transfer to the learners, and then
that they master the skills that the learners will need as meta-skills or change-oriented adult
education. But access to solutions in these areas is currently limited in Portugal, for adult learners,

as well as for educators, especially those related within non-formal education.

Meanwhile, educators should start the dialog about change with the learners or potential learners,
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and help them understand the process and its consequences, but should help set specific objectives
that correspond to personal need for change to improve individual life of the learner and spark
motivation toward positive change. That also requires personal approach to the learning process
and empathy on the side of the educators.

4.3 GREECE

Greece is a country that is lagging in terms of digital literacy. According to the 2019 European
Commission Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI), Greece ranked 25th out of 28 EU countries
in terms of digital skills.

There are a number of reasons for Greece's low digital literacy rate, including a lack of access to
reliable broadband internet, a shortage of skilled digital teachers, and a cultural aversion to
technology. However, there are also several steps that can be taken to address these challenges and
to ensure that all Greeks have the skills they need to participate in the digital economy.

The Ministry of Education (MoE) and Ministry of Digital Governance (MDG) has launched several
programs to equip teachers and learners with the necessary digital literacy and pedagogical skills to

effectively integrate technology into the classroom. The National Program for Digital Literacy
Training for Teachers (E-PEDEIA) and the National Program for Professional Development of
Teachers are notable examples of these initiatives.