Draft summary of ALT presentation on 11 September 2012 conference

1. Summary
Community Based Learning

2. Community Learning
• Always been innovative (e.g. Ashington
Pitmen Painters)
• Willing to try new ideas
• Often because funding and resources have
been extremely limited
• Learning Environments Challenging (e.g.
community locations)
• Trying to reach disadvantaged learners with
low self confidence and self-esteem

3. Technology Enhanced Learning
• Three case studies provide examples of the
potential of technology to reach people in the
community
• Technology can remove barriers such as
physical and social isolation
• Technology can offer new opportunities for
learning (e.g. Meeting people in others
countries)

4. Technology Enhanced Learning
• Technology can give ownership of learning
back to the learners which has traditionally
been an objective of adult community
learning
• Technology can allow local communities to
become independent of government control
of their learning

5. Technology Enhanced Learning
• Technology can solve practical problems (e.g.
Assessment)
• Technology can encourage mutual peer
support again a traditional objective of adult
community learning
• Technology can provide access to resources to
widen and enrich the curriculum for learners
again a traditional objective of adult
community learning

6. However
• The case studies show the potential of employing
technology but they also point to practical issues
that need to be overcome
• Learners often have poor study skills and so need
help to become independent learners
• Tutors sometimes lack confidence in using
technology to enhance learning
• Outreach often means that the availability of
technology depends on the tutor transporting it
to the learning location

7. Finally
• Technology offers great potential and a lot has
already been achieved
• Many advantages are fundamentally part of
the core of adult community learning
• Adult community learning is a challenging
area for technology enhanced learning
• More needs to be done

8. Questions
• Back to Alastair