“m-Com” Training Outcomes

10 persons participated in the pilot testing of the m-Com e-learning platform organized by the E-Seniors Institute in Paris on April 17, 2014 within the framework of the “m-Com” project, Grant Agreement No. 2012-1-CY1-LEO04-02370 (2012–2014), co-financed by the European Union under the Leonardo da Vinci Partnership Programme. Both learners and facilitators were asked to provide feedback on their overall experience with the programme and on the online e-learning platform (mcom-training.aimcy.eu). Below are the results and feedback.

Learner Feedback

How many respondents?

10 persons between 23 and 66 years old participated in the “m-Com” training programme organized by the E-Seniors Institute in Paris. All learners agreed to fill in the questionnaire designed for end users of the e-learning platform developed over the course of the project.

Profession:

- Photographer

- Manager

- English Teacher

- Entrepreneur

- Trainer

What were learner expectations?

By participating in the “m-Com” training programme, learners expected to:

· improve their computer literacy

· improve their digital and media literacy

· learn/improve blogging and social-media skills

· learn/improve editing and digital-storytelling skills

· produce video

· use photo-editing software

· perform practical exercises in the above-mentioned domains

· develop problem-solving and concentration skills

What kind of feedback was provided?

Generally, our learners warmly welcomed this initiative, feeling it both supported and encouraged acquisition and reinforcement of their ICT skills. One participant claimed that the training was essential to enhancing her computer skills, with positive effects both personally and professionally.

The e-learning platform

Overall, learners found the pedagogic design of the e-learning platform user-friendly: learning objectives are clearly stated; contents follow a clear strategy and are helpful for reflection and review.

The teaching model combining face-to-face with e-learning methods was appreciated. Several learners felt trainer explanations would be important before attempting the exercises on their own. The practical exercises seemed useful for many learners, as a way to help them to review and assimilate information introduced over the course of the training. Most learners felt this kind of e-learning platform is a valuable supplementary tool to traditional face-to-face training and would be very interested in using the platform at home.

Impact after training

Most learners said they would try to use the “m-Com” platform at home whenever they felt like reviewing what they had seen during the course. Learners have already made use of the media and video skills acquired during the training programme, both personally and professionally.

Facilitator Feedback

Facilitators feel the online e-learning platform is a rather rich and thorough contribution to innovative pedagogic efforts in the domain of community media. It is seen as a tool which offers a wealth of support and exercises useful in preparing, practicing and especially, reviewing, course content. They also say this online learning system is quite easy to use.

They also believe that this learning tool will help empower participants to more fully participate in their local communities. It will also lead to enhanced communication at a local and independent level with all forms of media and among family, friends and colleagues, i.e. in both personal and professional settings.

The French facilitators strongly believe that these positive outcomes will encourage further learning by participants and by all those interested in community media.