We believe that there is unlimited potential for web-based learning communities to play a significant role in improving family quality of life as well as training those who provide support to families. Technology and the internet alone are not sufficient as sole resources for overwhelmed families or over-worked family helpers. To tap into this potential we have developed a world wide virtual community of practice on a macro level that descends to a one-on-one relationship between client and professional. In this way we are living a community of practice, discovering, guiding and learning together.
We want this community to be a place where involved community professionals along with parents, consultants can easily participate as team members and access what is happening at any time. The Learning Support Community provides a pathway beginning at each users level of readiness, gradually helping them to become more competent. As members demonstrate increased competence and make greater contributions, they take on an active voice and more effectively learn from the wisdom and input of their peers. The community provides for the unique language, learning style and cultural needs of each user as well as for members divergent goals.
How does it work?
The Learning Support Community is a self-paced online education system accessible anywhere and any time. Every participant–child, adult, parent, teacher, consultant-in-training, supervisor–is a member of the community of learners and contributors. Professionals and clients alike are involved in a process of growth and discovery, obtaining peer-support from a world-wide community, through video-conferencing, forums, chats and regular webinars.
Regular on-line webinars are offered by experts on topics of interest and need. Multi-media e-learning courses and tutorials are dynamically configured to meet members needs. The community is staffed with different experts available at specific times for chats, discussions, webinars and to respond to inappropriate use.
Features that allow members to connect include: user initiated private and public messaging, multiple public and private multi-media resource libraries, user initiated video chats, access to multiple specialized groups and subgroups and a personalized calendar of external and internal community events.
All community members can share in the role of learner, with his or her own customized objectives, even while simultaneously serving as guides to other learners. Users create new community resources and give feedback from their personal and professional experience, while participating in topic-specific, Wiki's, forums and public blogs. Groups formed within the community can post their own group-specific news and announcements. Members are able to rate the effectiveness of all community resources.
Who is it for?