Online courses have become a natural part of adult education. But what does it actually take to make them work? As part of the Erasmus+ project SEFOC – Scientific Evidence for Online Courses, Prios, Asociación Aprendizaje Activo (Spain) and NIKANOR (Bulgaria) asked the people who know best: adult educators themselves.
Our Needs Analysis combined 25 questionnaire responses and 10 teacher interviews from Bulgaria, Norway and Spain. The participants had on average 12 years of experience in adult education, working in fields such as vocational training, employability, language learning, career guidance and digital skills.
The findings point to one clear conclusion:
The main challenge in online adult education is not the technology itself, but how learning is designed around it.
Digital confidence is not the same as engagement
Most participants felt confident using digital tools, with an average score of 4.2 out of 5. Yet only 5 of 25 described learner interaction in their online courses as high.
Trainers told us they struggle to keep learners participating, collaborating and connecting with each other online. In other words, digital competence alone does not guarantee effective online learning. What educators need is not more tools, but better ways of using them pedagogically.
Course completion is also a design question
Adult learners often combine education with work, family and other responsibilities, so lack of time and motivation are real barriers. But trainers also linked disengagement to how courses are built:
long, theoretical content
unclear instructions and expectations
limited feedback
low practical relevance
The good news is that these are things we can change. Shorter learning units, clear milestones, regular support and visible progress all help learners stay engaged and motivated.
Learning has to matter in real life
Across all three countries, trainers emphasised that adults engage more when learning connects with real professional or personal situations. Cases, simulations and authentic problems work better than long theoretical explanations.
This also changes what we mean by "interactive". Real interactivity is not about clicking through a digital tool; it is about asking learners to:
discuss
reflect
solve problems
apply knowledge in practice
Evidence, yes – but in a usable form
Most participants were familiar with evidence-based teaching and value research. The problem is turning it into practice. Academic language, lack of time and a weak link to everyday teaching make research hard to use.
Trainers want evidence translated into resources they can use directly, such as:
video tutorials
templates
checklists
practical examples
clear recommendations
What does this mean for SEFOC?
The Needs Analysis confirms that SEFOC should follow a pedagogy-before-technology approach. Digital tools should always serve a clear educational purpose, not be presented as solutions in themselves.
The project will focus on helping educators design online learning that is:
Engaging and manageable
Practical and relevant
Interactive and inclusive
Supported by meaningful assessment and feedback
Grounded in evidence, but easy to apply
Our goal is simple: to help adult educators move from using digital tools to designing better online learning experiences.
Read the full report
Want to dive deeper into the findings? Read the full SEFOC Needs Analysis Report here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1y62xBnva1V0LcD_j5r_Wn4BCB2VD8vNk/view?usp=sharing