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How to Conduct a Study Circle 2024 Course outline

Language: English

Kind of delivery: Fully Online

Number of hours:
12 hours

Course duration:
1 month

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COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course primarily aims to introduce foundational popular education principles through the study circle methodology and further how these principles can be incorporated into online study circles. The course will explore the unique challenges online education presents and some of the available platforms and methods aimed at participatory, interactive, and creative forms of online education. The course also forms part of the Popular Online Pedagogy (POP) Certificate courses.

WHO THIS COURSE IS FOR?

The course is for prospective study circle leaders and members to conduct their online study circles with a firm understanding of the methodology.

PRE-REQUISITES: WHAT ARE THE REQUIRED CRITERIA FOR ATTENDING THIS COURSE?

  • Participants need to know how to operate a smartphone, tablet or computer.
  • Participants should be able to connect to and communicate using a smartphone, tablet or computer.
  • Participants should be able to open applications such as an internet browser, Whatsapp, PDF reader, Google Docs, Microsoft Word or similar applications and different websites, such as Youtube.com.

COURSE DURATION, NUMBER OF SESSIONS AND MODE OF DELIVERY

This is a facilitated course that will run for approximately one month, with 3 live Zoom sessions. The first live session is an orientation of the course and how to use OLA, the second live session is to check-in with participants and do a review of what they have learned so far; and the third session is for final reflections and to close off the course. Most of the activities will be self-paced on OLA, in-between the live sessions. The course provides opportunities for interaction with fellow learners and offers participatory and interactive activities on OLA.

Resources for the course and recordings of live sessions will be found on the OLA course.

WHAT WILL YOU LEARN?

At the end of the course, you will be able to:

  1. Articulate what a study circle is, its principles, and framework.
  2. Articulate the roles of a study circle leader and member.
  3. Articulate the basic steps in conducting a study circle.
  4. Reflect on the effectiveness of the study circle methodology in fostering solidarity and pursuing collective action.
  5. Discuss the different considerations and unique challenges in doing online study circles.
  6. Explore the different platforms that may be used in conducting online study circles.
  7. Explore the different online tools that may be used in conducting online study circles.

 

SESSION OVERVIEW

Orientation session

ONLINE LEARNING MODE: Live Zoom session & introductory self-paced activities on the IFWEA Online Labour Academy
DESCRIPTION AND TOPICS: In this session, the participants will get to know each other and learn how to access the course on OLA.
DURATION (minutes): 1 hour 30 minutes for the session 10 minutes for activities on OLA

Session 1: What is a study circle?

ONLINE LEARNING MODE: Self-paced activities on the IFWEA Online Labour Academy
DESCRIPTION AND TOPICS: In this session, participants will learn about the fundamentals of the study circle methodology.
DURATION (minutes): 2 hours for learning and activities on OLA

Session 2: Phases of conducting a study circle

ONLINE LEARNING MODE: Self-paced activities on the IFWEA Online Labour Academy
DESCRIPTION AND TOPICS: In this session, participants will discuss the different phases of conducting a study circle, which includes preparing for the study circle, doing or conducting a study circle meetings, and following up in between study circle meetings and doing collective action activities after the meetings.
DURATION (minutes): 2 hours for learning and activities on OLA

Session 3: Roles of a study circle facilitator and member

ONLINE LEARNING MODE: Self-paced activities on the IFWEA Online Labour Academy
DESCRIPTION AND TOPICS: In this session, we will discuss the different roles of a study circle facilitator and member.
DURATION (minutes): 1 hour for learning and activities on OLA

Check-in session

ONLINE LEARNING MODE: Live Zoom session
DESCRIPTION AND TOPICS: In this session, participants will go through a recap and review of what they have learned on OLA so far, and an open session to ask about anything that is unclear.
DURATION (minutes): 1 hour 30 minutes

Session 4: Considerations and unique challenges in conducting online study circles

ONLINE LEARNING MODE: Self-paced activities on the IFWEA Online Labour Academy
DESCRIPTION AND TOPICS: In this session, participants will discuss and address their worries in conducting online study circles.
DURATION (minutes): 2 hours for learning and activities on OLA

Session 5: Platforms that can be used in doing online study circles

ONLINE LEARNING MODE: Self-paced activities on the IFWEA Online Labour Academy
DESCRIPTION AND TOPICS: In this session, participants will learn about the different online meeting platforms they can use to conduct online study circles like Zoom, Google Meet, Whatsapp, and Microsoft Teams.
DURATION (minutes): 30 minutes

Session 6: Different tools that can be used in conducting online study circles

ONLINE LEARNING MODE: Self-paced activities on the IFWEA Online Labour Academy
DESCRIPTION AND TOPICS: In this session, participants will learn about the different online tools they can utilize to make learning and collective action in their study circles fun, engaging, and effective, like IFWEA Online Labor Academy, Google Workspace, among others.
DURATION (minutes): 30 minutes

Closing session

ONLINE LEARNING MODE: Live Zoom session
DESCRIPTION AND TOPICS: In this session, participants will do another review of the things learned in the second half of the course, share their reflections after taking up the course, and do a short assessment session.
DURATION (minutes): 1 hour 30 minutes