Community Media/CCMW/Materials/Discussion: What makes an effective learning programme.

What Makes an Effective Learning Programme

Defining a learning programme.

The group put together the following premises for beginning a definition of learning programmes:

1. A learning programme must have set educational outcomes.
2. A learning programme must be designed around a given curriculum.
3. A learning programme must provide opportunities for feedback and interaction.
4. A learning programme should tell you something that you did not know.

The following ideas were developed from discussion sessions on day one. This list is not exhaustive. Ideas may fall into more than one category.

Planning and design

1. Clearly defining the mission – make it specific to target audience, programme focus etc...
2. Must support national curricula (whether formal or informal)
3. Clearly defined objectives and operation terms.
4. Effective design of content and delivery
5. Interaction between facilitator and learning (let people talk)
6. Background knowledge of learners/listeners
7. Give them a bar to reach for

Delivery and Format

1. Radio to sensationalise (inspire, formalise) learning (as opposed to negative social issues) Community participation is vital to community learning
2. Should be appropriate use of music
3. Listen to the music- learning comes in different forms, formats, eg popular theatre, patois, music.
4. Drama is a good tool for learning
5. Storytelling is powerful
6. Students use ads integrated approach to be actively involved in production
7. Radio is a strong support for traditional classrooms
8. Broadcasters need to be more educated/informed
9. Advocate for what constitutes” acceptable media and codes of conduct
10. Stay true to the craft (media)

Access

1. Convenient access

Interactivity

1. Sharing is learning
2. Radio can support by providing real life experiences
3. Encourage diverse learning styles to accommodate different needs
4. Success stories
5. Radio can give a “frame of reference” for school content

Monitoring and Evaluation

1. Create benchmarks for learning programmes practioners
2. design and employ strategies for measuring the impact of programming
3. Identify the balance between learning and effective content creation
4. Radio learners need structure and support