Virtual Community College Patron Lord David Puttnam Our Origins - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

An Cosán Virtual Community College Patron Lord David Puttnam

Our Origins

Our first home 1986 Mid-1990’s Our Co-Founders Education is the fast track out of poverty for individuals, families and communities.

An Cosán in West Tallaght since mid 1990’s

❖ Education is the fast track out of poverty for individuals, families and communities. ❖ Over 16,000 students have accessed

• ur courses and accessed further

education or employment. ❖ Over 300 students have successfully accessed our higher education courses.

An Cosán Virtual Community College (VCC) 2014

An Cosán Virtual Community College

• ffers basic, professional and higher

education courses to adults across Ireland through virtual blended learning, supported by the unique culture of personalised ‘scaffolding’ or supports for each learner.

WHY WE EXIST? Educational inequality is entrenched in Third Level Education

Social class of school a key factor in third level attendance

Creating ‘high expectations’ in working class schools key to boosting equality – ESRI Report’

(Irish Times: 12 August, 2014)

Some 99% of Dublin 6 students go on to third-level

‘Education Authority finds level of college entrants down to 15% in other parts of Dublin’

(Irish Times: 17 July, 2014)

HEA Report highlights disparity in progress to third-level education between affluent and poorer areas

RTÉ: 20 August, 2014

The ‘one generation’ solution – ensuring equality of outcomes

The VCC model

 Learner-centred  Blended Online (Face-to-face workshops & online seminars)  Flipped Classroom approach  Online technology supports  Unaccredited and accredited high quality education  Community Partner Hubs  Education Bursary

Collaborative Partnerships

Corporate & Philanthropic Partners

Community Partnerships

How we do it…Induction Day

Technology Enhanced Learning September 2017 in An Cosán VCC

How we do it…Induction Day

Building a Collaborative learning community:  Face to face context  Introductions to: one another, tutors and moderators  Introductions to: content and technology

Transformative Community Education 19th November 2016 in An Cosán VCC

How we do it…The Flipped Classroom

Directed Learning:  Learners Log in…  Study in their own time  Access readings  Watch videos  Join the forums  Work together on tasks

How we do it…Midway Workshop

Introduction to Social Enterprise Development Leadership & Social Enterprise Programme Donegal / Derry, 2017 Transformative Community Education Aontas Community Education Network, 2017 Community Development People Living in Direct Provision, Galway 2017 Introduction to Social Enterprise Development Waterford Area Partnership, 2017

How we do it…Online Live Sessions

 Weekly online sessions  Tutor lead discussion  Camera, mic, keyboard  Interactive tools  Exciting technology

Community Partners Hubs

An Cosán, Tallaght Southend Family Resource Centre, Wexford Lus na Gréine Family Resource Centre, Granard, Longford The Clubhouse, Dublin 8

Community of Learners

 Learning collaboratively  Sharing the journey  Students learn from tutors  Tutors learn from students  Motivating each other  Support each other  Actively learning together!  Co-creating knowledge

 Community Education context  Bursaries  Tutor and tutorials  Technology expert on hand throughout  One-to-one e-Mentor  Virtual space  Each other

A student support culture and ethos

➢ VCC Pilot 2014-2016 ➢ VCC Officially launched October 2016 ➢ Delivered 36 programmes ranging from unaccredited to higher education QQI Level 6 & 7 programmes ➢ Over 700 learner places enrolled ➢ Engaged over 60 community

• rganisations in 22 counties across

Ireland

* Counties shaded in purple indicates where we have engaged with a local community partner

Achievements to Date

Year

Number of programmes Number of Community Partners Number of Learner Places Registered

➢ 2014 1 3 30 ➢ 2015 3 4 50 ➢ 2016 9 12 194 ➢ 2017 22 34 429

Scaling Social Impact VCC Growth

➢ Developed a new way of learning ➢ Acquired new transferrable knowledge and skills ➢ Shared Best Practice from local to an national audience ➢ Benefited from peer-to-peer learning ➢ Have become more networked which encourages engagement ➢ More aware of opportunities available through EU funding ➢ 80% of learners agreed that participating as a group from a community hub was very beneficial

Positive Outcomes

A Social Action Model of Education Our Programmes

Introductory Programmes

 Introduction to Community Drugs Work  Introduction to Community Development  Introduction to Community Leadership  Introduction to Gender Studies  Introduction to Climate Change

Higher Education (QQI Level 6)

 Learning to Learn at Third level  Community Leadership  Citizenship and Social Action  An Introduction to Social Enterprise Development  Community Development  Group Work and facilitation Skills  Social Analysis

Continuous Professional Development (QQI Level 7)

 Transformative Community Education  Technology Enhanced Teaching and Learning

Certificate* (Minor Award, QQI Level 6)

 Certificate in Leadership & Community Development  Certificate in Applied Addiction Studies & Community Development

Certificates are equivalent to completing the first year of a BA Degree in Leadership & Community Development or of a BA Degree in Applied Addiction Studies & Community Development.

Click above to watch a short video ‘A Learners Voice’

OUR TEAM

We will welcome a new team member in February 2018

Project Manager, Skills to Succeed Academy

People working together create change

Belief

Integrit y

Go Raibh Míle Maith Agat