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

An Cosán Virtual Community College Patron Lord David Puttnam

Our Origins Our Co-Founders Our first home 1986 Mid- 1990’s 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 our 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 offers 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 HEA Report highlights disparity in to third-level progress to third-level education ‘Education Authority finds level of college between affluent and poorer areas entrants down to 15% in other parts of Dublin’ RTÉ: 20 August, 2014 (Irish Times: 17 July, 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 19 th 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 Community Development Waterford Area Partnership, 2017 People Living in Direct Provision, Galway 2017 Transformative Community Education Introduction to Social Enterprise Development Leadership & Social Enterprise Programme Aontas Community Education Network, 2017 Donegal / Derry, 2017

How we do it…Online Live Sessions  Weekly online sessions  Tutor lead discussion  Camera, mic, keyboard  Interactive tools  Exciting technology

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

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

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

Achievements to Date ➢ 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 organisations in 22 counties across Ireland * Counties shaded in purple indicates where we have engaged with a local community partner

Scaling Social Impact VCC Growth Number of Number of Community Number of Learner Year programmes Partners Places Registered ➢ 2014 1 3 30 ➢ 2015 3 4 50 ➢ 2016 9 12 194 ➢ 2017 22 34 429

Positive Outcomes ➢ 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

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

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