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New Horizons A New Approach
Overview
1. About One Family
2. Why we need this programme?
3. Why is Blended Learning a good idea?
4. New Horizons
5. It works!
About One Family
Our History Founded as Cherish in 1972, at a time when single pregnant women were often thrown out of their homes, lost their jobs and were rejected by their communities. It was extremely difficult for them to keep and raise their children themselves. Cherish was set up to provide such women and children with a voice, empowering women to help themselves and their families. Our Vision • One Family believes in an Ireland where every family is cherished equally and
enjoys the social, financial and legal equality to create their own positive futures.
Our Mission • One Family is working to ensure a positive and equal future for all members of
all one-parent families in Ireland – changing attitudes, services, policies and lives. Together with one-parent families and those working with them, we are committed to achieving equality and respect for all families.
Why do we need New Horizons? • Lone parents face a number of challenges in entering
education or employment • Internal barriers to progression include low confidence
and self esteem leading to social exclusion • Low educational attainment (less than 10% have a
Bachelor’s degree, Irish Census 2011) • Structural barriers such as lack of affordable and
accessible childcare, precarious and low paid employment, welfare traps, lack of in-work supports
• Lack of family friendly workplaces
The New Horizons blended learning programme has been developed with expert understanding of these challenges and barriers to participation
at its centre
What is Blended Learning?
– Combination of face to face learning, E-learning and mobile learning
• Delivery formats
• Different forms of communication
• Didactic models
A Good Definition
“The thoughtful integration of classroom face-to-face learning experiences with online learning experiences” (Garrison & Kanuka, 2004) It recognises strengths and weaknesses in both environments, and attempts to merge the strengths to provide more engaged learning experiences for learners.
New Horizons & the Blended Learning Programme
Modes of Engagement
• Self-study resources & extension reading
• Discussion space & peer support
Enabling learning Enhancing learning Transformative learning
Extending range of learning opportunities
active learning and engagement
Increasing flexibility & access to learning
Personalised learning pathways
Collaboration & communities of inquiry
Discovery-based learning
What is PCDP?
Personal and Career Development Planning (PCDP) is a process in which you...
– Reflect on your experiences and achievements
– Develop personal, transferable skills
– Plan your own progress to meet your goals
What will this programme do for the learner?
• It will help parents to:
– become aware of skills they already have
– identify and develop skills they need
– work out what they want to achieve and how to achieve it
– focus on potential career and personal development options and goals
– build a source of information
Why is blended learning a good idea?
- Flexibility
- Support
- Time
- Cost
- Farther reach
- Future Proofing IT Skills
The Benefits of Going Digital
• New Media: digital media surpass traditional media in their ability to meet diverse students' varied needs in a variety of instructional contexts. Eg. Different learning styles. Why read an article when you can benefit more from watching a video
• Networkability: “networkability” allows digital media to incorporate embedded hyperlinks to all kinds of learning supports—from direct access to dictionaries and thesauruses, to prompts that can support reading comprehension, to supplementary content that builds background knowledge
The Benefits of Group Meetings
• The facilitator can give extra guidance to individuals (navigating more serious topics that might need to be explored more deeply)
• Face time with other learners helps reduce the isolation that lone parents sometimes feel
• Group support helps keep the learner motivated
• Practical activates like mock interviews etc. are better suited here
Some References & Reading Donnelly, R & McSweeney, F. (2009) Applied eLearning and eTeaching in Higher Education. Hershey, PA: IGI Global.
Dziuban, C., Hartman, J., & Moskal, P. (2004, March 30). Blended learning . EDUCAUSE Center for Applied Research Research Bulletin.
Garrison, D. R. & Kanuka, H. (2004). Blended Learning: Uncovering its Transformative Potential in Higher Education. The Internet and Higher Education, 7(2), 95-105.
New Horizons
What is it?
The New Horizons programme comprises of 4 parts:
1. Your self-esteem
2. Your self-care
3. Your voice
4. Your future
The Aim
• The aim of this programme is introduce students to the
foundations of personal development that in turn leads to better professional development.
• Each session will build upon the last so that learners see their lives in context. As we know, it is useful to look back over our life’s journey so far and recognize what we have achieved. By asking ourselves to focus on our accomplishments, it starts a process of challenging ourselves to recognize our strengths and abilities.
The Approach
Inquiry Based Learning
• This is a learning process that is based on inquiry or asking questions. Through asking challenging questions learners get intrinsically motivated to start delving deeper to find answers for these questions, and in doing so they are exploring new avenues of knowledge and insight. Inquiry-based learning is a cyclical learning process composed of many different stages, starting with asking questions and results in asking more questions. Inquiry based learning is not just asking questions, but it is a way of converting data and information into useful knowledge.
The Structure of the Programme
Programme is divided into “bite-sized” units:
• In Class Units – With a group and facilitator - Activities/no preparation required
• Online Units – At home/Own schedule - Read ahead - Take home tasks
Types of Units
• Aims
• Theory & Learning
• Reflection (Which might involve a Quiz)
• Go Online
• Assignments
• Many of these units are a combination of several types.
Homework & Tasks
• Students will be given tasks or quizzes to complete at the end of many units.
• As this programme involves blended learning, tasks are tailored to fit into both online and classroom settings.
• Tasks are also catered to suit different types of adult learning e.g. visual, kinaesthetic, reflective etc.
• A Learner’s Journal is provided so learners can keep track of their progress
How we know it works
• From the survey data of the pilot in all four countries, we found significant attitudinal changes (in the participants)
• There was an increase in self-esteem and confidence
• Confidence increase in “speaking up”, and the participant’s ability to parent
• Increase in IT skills and developing new time management strategies
• Having a good quality of life seemed to become more of a priority
Ireland Evaluations
Pre Vs Post
Italy Evaluations
Pre Vs Post
Scotland & Czech Rep.
In the Scotland group, it seemed that they had become more forward thinking, and believed that they were better equipped to create a clear action plan. In the Czech Republic, the participants found the online portion of the programme convenient, easy to understand and complete.
A reminder of the challenges many lone parents face - Comments from the Scotland Group: • What is a day in your home like? • “It varies from day to day depending on my mood. I feel days where I have appointments are better
as I have structure and it also helps reduce my isolation.” • “Varies from day to day depending on my mental health.” • “I came along for the social side as well.” • “I enjoyed the course I met other fathers who all had the same issues as my self and we all worked
as a team the team leaders where all helpful and kind and patient.”
Technology Isn’t Everything
• We can never go 100% digital because the human element that group facilitation offers is vital to personal development.
• Not only does the facilitator offer empathy and support, but she or he inspires the group to offer that same empathy and support to themselves and to each other. “Technology is just a tool. In terms of getting…[people]
working together and motivating them, the teacher is the most important.”
- Bill Gates
