Case studies presentation: "MOOCs with language learning components addressed to refugees". Seminar "How Relevant is Open Education for Refugees?", EDEN 2017 annual conference http://www.eden-online.org/2017_jonkoping/

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Case Studies:
MOOCS with language learning components
Dr. Tatiana Codreanu – Web2Learn

2. Overview
• The Institute of Educational Technology, UK
• Université Catholique de Louvain, Belgium
• Kiron
• ‘Language learning is a first-priority intervention for the general migrant and
refugee community.” (Colucci, Castaño Muñoz, Devaux, 2017)
26th
EDEN ANNUAL CONFEENCE - Jönköping University

3. The Institute of Educational Technology
Vision
•To increase immigrants' ability to function in an unfamiliar society by facilitating
communication and learning, and by structuring technological supports according to
user needs.
•To change in a positive way immigrants' attitudes and behaviours through technology-
mediated persuasion and social networking influence.
•To take advantage of situation and context to capture user motivation and extend
immediate assistance into more structured learning, game-playing, and interaction with
other immigrants and the wider community
26th
EDEN ANNUAL CONFEENCE - Jönköping University

4. The Institute of Educational Technology
Implications
•Achieving inclusion
•Recordings
•IT skills
Practical skills
•Find a job, open a bank account etc.
26th
EDEN ANNUAL CONFEENCE - Jönköping University

5. Université Catholique de Louvain
(UCL) and the NGO Croix-Rouge
• Fixed day and time for online activities as a potential time pressure
• MOOC with CLIL content for refugees in collaboration with the NGO Croix-
Rouge, Belgium. It aims to re-connect refugees with universities.
– English (for the online course)
– English or French (for the on-campus activities)
https://uclouvain.be/fr/universite-numerique/moocs/moocs-pour-refugies.html
26th
EDEN ANNUAL CONFEENCE - Jönköping University

6. UCL: International Human Rights Law
Implications
Learn about the Law of the International Community, including how
International Law is created, applied and upheld in today's world.
Certification: Master’s
26th
EDEN ANNUAL CONFEENCE - Jönköping University

7. UCL: Paradigms of Computer
Programming – Fundamentals
Project description
‘The course covers functional, object-oriented, and declarative dataflow
programming in a unified framework, with practical code fragments and a
simple semantics.’
Certification: BA
26th
EDEN ANNUAL CONFEENCE - Jönköping University

8. UCL: Communicating Corporate
Social Responsibility (CSR)
Project description
•‘Understand the multidimensional nature and content of corporate social responsibility.
•Adopt a critical perspective on managerial practices related to societal issues. Stimulate
and manage impactful changes in organizations, toward more responsible postures.’
•‘Reconcile multiple stakeholders’ interests (and understand the importance of doing so),
into a clear, persuasive, smart action and communication plan.’
•‘Recognize the risks of CSR washing, as well as the opportunities related to a strong
CSR communication strategy.’
Certification: Master’s
26th
EDEN ANNUAL CONFEENCE - Jönköping University

9. Kiron
• Kiron (“ray of light” in Sanskrit) - venture capital backed start-up
• Learning hubs- users in Turkey, Jordan and Sri Lanka
• Backed by Schoepflin (the largest individual contributor), Bertelsmann,
Vodafone Group Plc., Akzo Nobel NV, Capgemini SA., Google Inc., BMW and
German government funding
• The VC firms and donors commited to a non-profit business model
• Twitter: @KironEducation
26th
EDEN ANNUAL CONFEENCE - Jönköping University

10. Kiron
• Kiron start-up was created by 3 German co-founders helping refugees
access HEI and labour market (LM)
• Scenario: issues refugees face  innovative solutions (backed by
crowdfunding and VCs) that enable refugees to access HEI and LM, and
also open such solutions to users worldwide.
• What new and innovative solutions have been implemented in contexts
where refugee needs are under served?
• This approach illustrates the principle of 'What Valuable Company Is
Nobody Building?' (Peter Thiel, 2014)
26th
EDEN ANNUAL CONFEENCE - Jönköping University

11. MOOC: Working in French (The French
Institute/ The Open University)
• MOOC aimed towards migrants in order to gain skills to be employed in a
Francophone country
• Directly linked migrant job seekers to employment agencies and recruiters
• Achieving inclusion, linking job seekers to recruitment agencies for training,
ongoing Facebook and Twitter communities
• Connectivist model (Siemens, 2004, Downes, 2005)
• Feedback from peers, recruiters and intercultural coach
26th
EDEN ANNUAL CONFEENCE - Jönköping University

12. Questions
• Have initiatives for refugees successfully connected the dots by
understanding refugees’ context and needs? (e.g. the real working world in
a country for job seekers)
• Do MOOCs offer products or services that refugees are looking for in terms
of language learning ?
26th
EDEN ANNUAL CONFEENCE - Jönköping University
References
• Colucci, E., Castaño Muñoz,J. Devaux,A. 2017.MOOCs and Free Digital Learning for the Inclusion of
migrants and refugees: A European policy study, Proceedings of EMOOCs 2017: Work in Progress Papers of
the Experience and Research Tracks and Position Papers of the Policy Track
• Peter Their, 2014. Zero to One. Notes on startups or how to build the future (with Blake Masters)