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Birkbeck Institute for Lifelong Learning: Innovations in Lifelong Learning, 29th June 2007, Birkbeck College
“I Feel Like A Human Being And, Most Of All, I Feel In Control Of My Life”: Raising Knowledge, Skills, Confidence and
Aspirations Through Teaching Citizenship in the Community
Adrian Lee & Lesley C Booth, Centre for Lifelong Learning, University of York
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Presentation Aims
To highlight how innovations in adult community education (ACE) have tapped and sustained students’ academic skills, knowledge, and transferable skills.
To highlight the importance of ‘softer outcomes’ in ACE outreach – especially aspiration raising.
To explore some of the challenges that HE outreach can pose – short-term and longer-term.
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Background
Funded by ESF ‘Higher Learning in Communities’ and York Settlement Trust
An Aim Higher North Yorkshire Outcome 3 project
Partnership with City of York Council Family Learning Service (FLS)
20 Credits at Level 4 (UG level 1) with optional 10 credit top-up
Specific Citizenship subject strand
Delivery in 3 community learning centres in low-participation/ social ‘disadvantaged’ neighbourhoods
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Student Profile
46 starters (15 Sep. 06, 31 Jan. 07) 44 women and 2 men Aged 20–69: mean– 35, median– 37, mode– 39.
17 leavers (29 remaining) 4 into employment 3 into another positive outcome 10 no data
Range of prior educational achievements (L2 at least) Range of employment status, largely under-employed Largely low expectations and self-confidence
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Course Content
Citizenship in the Community – 22 weeks
Top-loaded with study skills training
Confidence building – NIACE Catching Confidence
Learning about and for citizenship
Content tailored to students’ life experiences & interests
What is Crime?Our Population
Multi-culturalism
Parliament & Politicians
Social Justice & InclusionDefining Social Need
Volunteering
The Purpose of Education
CITIZENSHIP
The Local Council
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Student Stories
Distance travelled
‘Added Value’ – achieving softer outcomes
Gendered stories
In the students’ words…
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From Essays on Study Skills…
‘Liz’ (38):
When I enrolled I felt that my self-esteem was really low. I only existed as the mother of my two children and not the person that I am, that in the last 7 years my life has been put on hold for the children, that I almost disappeared…
[then talked of lack of confidence to find work]
…Through doing the exercises, realising that I am a confident person, that unless I actually try to send the [application] forms off then I’ll never get anywhere… I started working two weeks ago… and after a week I have been offered a slightly better job within the company. This has given me an amazing boost in confidence…
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Erika (45):
‘I have spent the last 10 years living in Germany and became quite depressed and isolated not being able to express myself fully or on any deep level in either German or English. This has really affected the way I think and I am able to use my intellect and brain power.
‘I realised how little I am actually involved in current affairs or even aware of what’s going on around me in the world. For a long time I stopped reading newspapers or ever watching the news, but have started to push myself to take an interest in all things around me’.
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‘Jack’ (39):
‘The course has given me the opportunity to set challenges for myself, which I aim to achieve. The friendly and relaxed atmosphere in the classroom has certainly helped to boost my confidence in speaking out and giving an opinion…
‘Wanting to achieve something has become an attitude I would like to take to all aspects of my life. Hopefully I can take the confidence gained from these classes and use it to achieve greater success socially and academically’.
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Innovations
Taster sessions and curriculum consultation
Collaborative working
Catching confidence and interactive skills development
Classroom assistant
Local link to national issues
Quizzes, current affairs analysis, activities to empower and discuss issues
Variety of teaching methods and learning tools
Conscious of progression opportunities throughout
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Challenges
Professional Quality assurance, parity of delivery, informality Marking student work ‘Different’ students?? Collaboration internally and externally
Practical Developing a classroom etiquette Logistics Ownership of space Finance
Ethical Propaganda
versus education Over-raising
aspirations
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Next Steps
Secured further ESF monies
Opportunity to provide variations on a theme in 3 new sites
Developing progression pathways in LLN
VLE and online enhancement to academic activity and student support
Action research evaluation
Using community outreach model in new disciplines
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Conclusions
Raised Centre profile INTERNALLY & EXTERNALLY
Sound way to realise WP aspirations of HEI
Hostage to fortune – funding and ‘political’ support
Time consuming practicalities
Important means to foster respect among ‘non-traditional’ learners and about WP/outreach work
Delivered what it set out to achieve
Offered progression from FLS provision
Offered return to learning opportunity
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