(first version) Manual – Learning Circles

How to facilitate a group of young people to learn through Internet?

Intro

Learning Circles Learning circles deal about a specific theme: a group of 15 people who follow the same e-course, and come together to discuss the course, motivate each other. A trainer or teacher in the ICT centre can facilitate the group.

Target group15 youngsters 16 - 25 years old

Time planning: a meeting of 3 hours every two weeks for 6 months. (Optional for participants to meet each other week)

Action plan for a learning circle

Step 2)

A learning scheme can be set up according to that, making use of what participants can find on the internet about it; what they already know and teach each other; the expertise and materials of the facilitator and facilitating organisation; support of RuralWeb team and content.

Steps 1)

Research the demands that are there within the group about the specific topic (e.g. ICT-education, entrepreneurship): What are their personal or professional aims? The facilitator helps out to get the questions to a realistic level: what is there to find & where to find it! RuralWeb can be the bridge between what the 'users' want and how to get there.

Tip: If available – use RuralWeb content

  

In case existed materials from RuralWeb will be used; participants can comment, adjust and improve the information.

Step 3)

Start the learning circle along the programme that you developed with input from the participants.

Tip: In a group you learn from each other

  

Make use of peer group activities, such as peer training, experience sharing and documentation (for example using video diaries, video filming and/or community dialogues*).*Barr Youth ICT Network has experience in this

Tip: One learns best by doing!

  

Trainings will be rather practical, than theoretical. The assignments, homework should be closely link to their personal or professional aim. E.g.: type an application letter; search for one job that you like; find your dream employer; talk with someone who already has your dream job or company, etc.

Tip: One learns best by trying and doing

him/herself!  

The facilitator knows that to help best, never take over (e.g. the keyboard and mouse) but instead show the participants what to do, and then let them do it themselves. (One learns from making

mistakes, and getting the chance to make mistakes!)

Step 4)The next step is to create content for the RuralWeb community about what you just learnt- Remember: One learn best by explaining it to some else! - , such as:

Explainer videos Explainer slide sharesA list of FAQs and answers; orA list of links to relevant e-resources

The manuals how to make an explainer video and an explainer slide share (including story telling) will give participants a clear framework. The facilitator will guide them further in making a slide share or 2-minute-video - with creativity! - in which they explain a certain topic they learnt about.

Every learning circle results in at least 15 videos or slide shares (1 per participant or one per topic).

NB:See RuralWeb for:– manual explainer video– Manual explainer slide shareand more!

Tip: Evaluate with the group regularly

  

Regularly check with the participants in a fun way, if the learning circle still provides them with what they want to learn, or that their questions might have changed.

Step 5)

Learning circles could also prepare an online meeting with two or more learning circles together, sharing experiences and questions on skype or a livestream like ustream.com. We really want to make this interactive, so that anyone can join the class to pose questions.

1 Activity leading to 2 Results :

The participants learn working with ICT in the meantime, and RuralWeb will grow the online library. Content that comes from the learning circles will be shared at Facebook and Wikiversity, where everyone can share, adjust and add on it. This will attract people around the globe.

Made by RuralWebInemarie Dekker, the Netherlandswww.facebook.com/inemarie.dekker

NB: this manual needs to be extendedDo you have comments, or anything that should really be in the manual too?! Please share & let us know. RuralWeb is meant to be a co-creation from all that we know together.Or can you do a better job when it comes to design? You might help us to make our videos, manuals and slide share look more nice!

Some more info:

Offline use

Want to copy the slide share to a flash drive or print the slideshare for offline use? Press the ‘save’ button & get the Powerpoint document.