DiARC Course: learning outcomes and syllabus

Course objectives

The objective of this training course will be to enable art professionals to deliver online creative trainings. We see three areas of competence that would need to be covered to reach this goal:

– Youth trainer’s competences: while some of the art professionals might have practical experience with training, they have never undergone a professional qualification course how to effectively train and support young learners. We would try to help them acquire fundamental trainer competence. We would use as a reference framework the one developed by the Council of Europe in an attempt to harmonise youth work provision in Europe. Furthermore, partners experienced in delivering train the trainer modules, will add their know-how. 

– Online trainer’s competences: these will provide learning on how to be effective trainer in online learning environment; how to operate with online learning platforms; how to ensure engagement through the use of wide range of digital tools. In designing this element of the course, we would use internationally recognized frameworks for online education such as Google for Educators, which emphasizes on the use of open source instruments.

– Creativity training competences: while art professionals will bring in the process their proven creativity as representatives of different forms of art, in order to be able to deliver our youth training course in creativity they would need to embrace the extended notion of creativity our partnership is associated with. As part of their training they would pass through all modules of IO1, so that we are sure they have experienced the whole process from the perspective of their trainees and have acquired the necessary knowledge, skills and mindset in this area.

The whole train the trainer course will be designed for online delivery. We have decided to use our Mighty Creatives online platform, which has already been launched as an alternative to traditional training provision and communicated widely among youth learners.

Course duration

The initial training duration is planned for 2 months. We have decided since the learners will be adult to make it a more intensive format, compared to the youth training. 

The training design envisages 7 modules per 4 hours with practical assignments and peer learning groups in between. Each module will take place once a week including practical tasks. Our estimate for total duration: 28 hours module training including practical work and peer learning.

Learning outcomes

Understand and facilitate individual and group learning processes is about and includes:

Learning outcome 1

Teaching and Learning Pedagogy: 

  1. choosing, adapting or delivering appropriate methods of learning. 
  2. Identifying learning objectives and pursue them pro-actively; 
  3. Developing an educational approach based on the principles and values of non-formal learning;
  4. Creating an inspiring and safe learning environment; 
  5. Supporting learners in identifying and pursuing their learning needs and overcoming barriers in their learning process; 
  6. Stimulating active participation, motivating and empowering learners;
  7. Transferring knowledge or values related to the activity to the group of learners;

This would be assessed by peer evaluation from team work practical assignments and summative report from the trainer, providing feedback to the learner with emphasis on strengths and areas of improvement.

Learning outcome 2

Enhancing Creative Practice in the Digital Domain:

  1. Encouraging creativity, problem-solving and thinking ‘out-of-the-box’;
  2. Adapting educational programms for the digital invironment, integrating ICT, e-learning and related tools and methods into the educational activity;

This would be assessed by trainer’s evaluation of learner’s practical assignments implementation.

Learning outcome 3

Personal Reflection:

  1. Effectively managing one’s own emotions in training situations and keeping ethical boundaries with the group of learners;
  2. Demonstrating an understanding of group dynamics and conflict resolution
  3. Demonstrating an understanding of inclusion and diversity

This would be assessed by Self-evaluation of the learner through online self-assessment form.

Course desciption

Lesson plans for the 7 (4-hour) modules. They will cover the following main categories of topics, which will be further refined in the development process.

Module 1:

Module name: Fundamentals of online youth training

Topics covered:

  • Training strategies and tools
  • Principles for training in the youth field 
  • Pedagogic approach and methodology 
  • Facilitation Tips (http://actforyouth.net/youth_development/professionals/facilitation.cfm ) 
  • Adapting educational programms for the digital invironment, integrating ICT, e-learning and related tools and methods into the educational activity.

Duration: 4 hours with 2 15 minutes breaks and one half- hour lunch break

Module 2:

Module name: Discovering the Power of Creativity

Topics covered:

Mirror the modules from the youth courses with added elements of:

  • METHODOLOGICAL EXPLENATION:
  • DEBRIEFING QUESTIONS:
  • TIPS AND TRICKS FOR TRAINERS:
  • POTENTIAL PITFALLS:
  • POTENTIAL ADDAPTATION FOR FACE-TO-FACE LEARNING
  • LEARNING MATERIALS (TEMPLATES, VIDEOS)
  • DESCRIPTION OF PRACTICAL ASSIGNMENTS
  • GUIDELINES FOR PEER LEARNING

Duration: 4 hours with 2 15 minutes breaks and one half- hour lunch break

Module 3:

Module name: Exploring Ways of Developing Your Creative Practice (Part 1)

Topics covered:

Mirror the modules from the youth courses with added elements of:

  • METHODOLOGICAL EXPLENATION:
  • DEBRIEFING QUESTIONS:
  • TIPS AND TRICKS FOR TRAINERS:
  • POTENTIAL PITFALLS:
  • POTENTIAL ADDAPTATION FOR FACE-TO-FACE LEARNING
  • LEARNING MATERIALS (TEMPLATES, VIDEOS)
  • DESCRIPTION OF PRACTICAL ASSIGNMENTS
  • GUIDELINES FOR PEER LEARNING

Duration: 4 hours with 2 15 minutes breaks and one half- hour lunch break

Module 4:

Module name: Exploring Ways of Developing Your Creative Practices (Part 2

Topics covered:

Mirror the modules from the youth courses with added elements of:

  • METHODOLOGICAL EXPLENATION:
  • DEBRIEFING QUESTIONS:
  • TIPS AND TRICKS FOR TRAINERS:
  • POTENTIAL PITFALLS:
  • POTENTIAL ADDAPTATION FOR FACE-TO-FACE LEARNING
  • LEARNING MATERIALS (TEMPLATES, VIDEOS)
  • DESCRIPTION OF PRACTICAL ASSIGNMENTS
  • GUIDELINES FOR PEER LEARNING

Duration: 4 hours with 2 15 minutes breaks and one half- hour lunch break

Module 5:

Module name: Applying Your Creative Practice for Solving Community Challenges (part 1)

Topics covered:

Mirror the modules from the youth courses with added elements of:

  • METHODOLOGICAL EXPLENATION:
  • DEBRIEFING QUESTIONS:
  • TIPS AND TRICKS FOR TRAINERS:
  • POTENTIAL PITFALLS:
  • POTENTIAL ADDAPTATION FOR FACE-TO-FACE LEARNING
  • LEARNING MATERIALS (TEMPLATES, VIDEOS)
  • DESCRIPTION OF PRACTICAL ASSIGNMENTS
  • GUIDELINES FOR PEER LEARNING

Duration: 

4 hours with 2 15 minutes breaks and one half- hour lunch break

Module 6:

Module name: : Applying Your Creative Practice for Solving Community Challenges (part 2)

Topics covered:

Mirror the modules from the youth courses with added elements of:

  • METHODOLOGICAL EXPLENATION:
  • DEBRIEFING QUESTIONS:
  • TIPS AND TRICKS FOR TRAINERS:
  • POTENTIAL PITFALLS:
  • POTENTIAL ADDAPTATION FOR FACE-TO-FACE LEARNING
  • LEARNING MATERIALS (TEMPLATES, VIDEOS)
  • DESCRIPTION OF PRACTICAL ASSIGNMENTS
  • GUIDELINES FOR PEER LEARNING

Duration: 4 hours with 2 15 minutes breaks and one half- hour lunch break

Module 7:

Module name: Key steps to building your practice as youth worker

Topics covered:

  • Self assessment tools for trainers in connection with Competence profile for trainers

(What skills, knowledge, and attributes do youth workers need in order to be effective?”)

http://www.niost.org/pdf/Core_Competencies_Review_October_2009.pdf

  • Pedagogic approaches and principles for your specific art profession
  • Relationship between trainers and learners
  • Working in teams 

Course delivery

The course is designed to be delivered online with very active teamwork in between the different modules. 

The initial idea is to use the Mighty Creatives platform for launching the course, but since there is a large amount of synchronous learning planned and work in virtual rooms, this should be combined with the utilization of online platform such as ZOOM, MS Teams, Google Meet. 

The optimal group of learners for one course edition is: 4  to ensure engagement and adequate mentoring.

Learning outcomes assessment

The assessment procedure is based on a multilevel and multistage evaluation process, which can be summarized as follows:

Ongoing assessment: it will be carried out on the basis of course’s trainers observation on the level of engagement of the learner and participation in the different practical activities offered. 

Final: 1. Self-evaluation of the learner through online self-assessment form. 

2. Peer evaluation from team work practical assignments. 

3. Trainer’s evaluation of learner’s practical assignments implementation.

Summative report from the trainer, providing feedback to the learner with emphasis on strengths and areas of improvement.

You can download the course modules here

DIARC-Learning-Outcomes-and-SyllabusDownload