VIRCLASS

1. VIRCLASS The Virtual Classroom for social work in Europe Summary of the work 2002-2005 and future plans

2. The idea startet • In the first annual meeting in EUSW-TN in Parma in november 2002 • Then the idea about e-learning courses in addition to the summer school in Parma started HIB-AHS- Anne Karin Larsen

3. Several meetings have been held • In Kaunas – May 2003 • In Dornbirn – annual meeting EUSW - June 2003 • In Madrid - November 2003 • In Parma – February 2004 • In Hungary, annual meeting EUSW – MAy 2004 • In Bergen October 2004 • In Jønkøping February 2005 • In Amsterdam Sept. 2005 HIB-AHS- Anne Karin Larsen

4. A lot of travels, and always hard work HIB-AHS- Anne Karin Larsen

5. OBJECTIVES for VIRCLASS • To develop eLearning courses in Social Work in a comparative perspective for an international group of students with an • International group of teachers • A common curriculum plan and readings • To be integrated in studieplans in BA and MA programmes at the Universities • An be interesting for professional social workers who wish an international perspective on social work HIB-AHS- Anne Karin Larsen

6. The elements in the project • Curriculum co operation • Administration, organisation and coordination • Development of a virtual campus for social work in Europe • Dissemination of results HIB-AHS- Anne Karin Larsen

7. The VirClass project • The Partnerships in the Virclass project was established by the first Minerva application in 2003. • This application was not approved • The second application to SOFF/NUV resulted in financial support for 2004-2005 :400.000 NOK • HIB supported the project with the same amount of money each year. • Up till autumn 2004 the EUSW-TN programme made the group meetings possible by support for travel costs and accomodation. HIB-AHS- Anne Karin Larsen

8. What we have managed to do so far: • A common curriculum plan with 20ECTS • 3 modules – • 2-elearning, • 1 selfstudy and summer school • Administration of and running the studyprogramme • Dissemination of results • New applications HIB-AHS- Anne Karin Larsen

9. Let’s start with the educational programme • CURRICULUM PLAN And the overall objectives…….. HIB-AHS- Anne Karin Larsen

10. Gain knowledge and understanding about: • Commonalities and differences in social work as subject and profession in Europe • Anti-oppressive practice in social work • Social situation by comparing and analyse situations in different countries • Welfare systems and social policies in different countries and the implication this may have for social work • Social work education and methodical and theoretical input to professional practice HIB-AHS- Anne Karin Larsen

11. Social Work in EuropeCommonalities and Differences • Module 1 gives an introduction to European social work • This Module is based on the first book production of EUSW-TN • Students can do this as self-study or as an e-learning student. • 5 ECTS HIB-AHS- Anne Karin Larsen

12. If you can’t go abroad.. 2.1: Anti-oppressive social work. Ethics, theories, methods and working principles 2.2: The Welfare Systems in Europe 2.3: Social Work Education. Skill training and professional competence HIB-AHS- Anne Karin Larsen

13. Module 2.1 include 3 possible options 2.1:Anti-oppressive social work. Ethics, theories, methods and working principles A.Discrimination and oppression as phenomenon in Europe B.Poverty as phenomenon in Europe C.Ethnic Diversity as phenomenon in Europe HIB-AHS- Anne Karin Larsen

14. ECTS • 5 ects = 7 weeks part time study • 10 ects =14 weeks part time study • 1 ects = 1 week full time study (40 hours) • As par time student 1ects=1,4 week HIB-AHS- Anne Karin Larsen

15. Applications from students • The study programme was adverticed by posters sent to all Universities • And by advertising on web-sites • Deadline for application 1.November 2004 HIB-AHS- Anne Karin Larsen

16. The target groups are • Professional social workers • Social work students undertaking bachelor’s programmes or • post-graduate programmes/MA/PhD HIB-AHS- Anne Karin Larsen

17. Running the study programme • Handling 120 applications from students from all over Europe HIB-AHS- Anne Karin Larsen

18. Nationalities: Finland Germany Greece Iceland Italy Lithuania Norway Nationalities: Romania Sweden Turkey Macedonia Spain Estonia Poland Austria Who were the students in the Virclass project: • Age:19-50 – majority under 25 year of age HIB-AHS- Anne Karin Larsen

19. EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND • *The total percentage amount to more than 100%. This is because some of the MA andPhD students also were working as professional social workers in addition to their studies HIB-AHS- Anne Karin Larsen

20. 120 applications from students HIB-AHS- Anne Karin Larsen

21. Reasons for reductions • Students were: • Not well enough informed about the curriculum plan and the time schedule, the demand about exam/final assignments • Did not have time to do the course in addition to other educational programme, family life and job • Wanted to join the summer school, without doing the work before • Some students who did not need the credits skiped the final assignment • Some students started with module 1 selfstudy at the same time as module 2 started resulted in too much work at the same time HIB-AHS- Anne Karin Larsen

22. Reasons for reductions • Students were not fully aware of the demand and extend of co operation needed due to the taskoriented method in the courses • Some student had too limited access to computeres and internet • Some technical problems in the begining of the courses HIB-AHS- Anne Karin Larsen

23. Teachers experience • Most of the teachers did eLearning courses for the first time • Difficulties with planning the progress and amount of work every week and during the courses. • eLearning pedagogy demands some new skills in teaching • Takes some time to learn how to work on the It:s Learning platform HIB-AHS- Anne Karin Larsen

24. Dissemination of results • NUV-conferences in Oslo – 2004 (The Norwegian Opening University) • NSHK – Nordic Socialwork education committee, 21.st conference in Copenhagen, August 2005 • Home-page: http://home.hib.no/ahs/virclass • EUSW-TN annual meetings HIB-AHS- Anne Karin Larsen

25. Partners in the project period2003-2005 9 partners have been involved in the Virclass project: • Kjell Henriksbø – Bergen University College • Anne Karin Larsen – Bergen University College (coordinator) • Bob Sanders – University of Wales, Swansea • Klas-Göran Olsson – School of health and Social Sciences, Jønkøping, Sweden • Julija Eidukeviciute – University of Kaunas, Lithuania • Annamaria Campanini – University of Parma, Italy • Andres Arias Astray – University of Complutense, Madrid, Spain • Commune di Parma, Parma, Italy • Magne Ervik - City of Bergen, Bergen, Norway • Joni Kylmälä - Polytechnic Helsinki, Finland HIB-AHS- Anne Karin Larsen

26. Participants in developing the educational programme and running the courses • Eduardo de Marques – Instituto Superior Miquel Torga, Coimbra, Portugal (new partner) • University of Warminsko-Mazurski W, Olztyn, Poland (new partner) • Answin Weissenborn - Hochschule Vorarlberg, Austria (new partner) • Morten Fahlvik - Mediacentre – HIB (new partner) • Carsten Otte, Mannheim, Germany • NEW PARTNERS from 2006: • Remmelt Veenkamp, INHOLLAND, Haarlem (new partner) • Frank Weber – Hochschule Vorarlberg, Austria (new partner) • Lisbeth Thomassen – Mediacentre Bergen • Grete Oline Hole - HIB • Olav Hauken - HIB HIB-AHS- Anne Karin Larsen

27. The future financial situation ? • We hope that the eLearning application/EU will be approved (result in October/November) • We hope that we will be funded once more from NUV • We know there will be some support from HIB for the next year. HIB-AHS- Anne Karin Larsen

28. Main objectives for the next project period • A model for didactical approach to eLearning courses in Social Work education • Creation of a Virtual Book • A model for administration and finance for international eLearning courses in Social Work in Europe HIB-AHS- Anne Karin Larsen

29. Plans for future • Adjustments of curriculumplan and modules - ects • Develop a new administrative and financial modell • Development of a didactical model and a Virtual Book about social work in Europe • Increase the flexibility in the study programme • Make the study available for use in other LMS programmes HIB-AHS- Anne Karin Larsen

30. HIB-AHS- Anne Karin Larsen

31. It:s learning – a LMS system • This Learning Management System consists of: • Bulletin Board • Tutorials • Links • Organising the material in folders and files • Discussion area • Syncronic • Non syncronic • Possibilities to • Upload files • Pictures • Video • To administrate exam • To upload tasks and use the portfolio method • Includes a register for participants in courses • Internal/external messages • Statistics of progress • Calender function HIB-AHS- Anne Karin Larsen