E-Mail conversations: 'Blended learning' between Phil and KCT:

[Meble Birengo]

As added informaiton for those interested and following the 'discussions on 'blended learning' the e-mail exchange below might be helpful as well.

 

Thanks

 

Meble

On Wed, Mar 3, 2010 at 9:03 PM, Meble Birengo <[e-mail]> wrote:

 

Dear Phil,

 

Greetings from a cold Nairobi - hope that you and family are well.  I have just put a little summary of the process that took place with us here in Nairobi on our Ning page.  I have also downloaded photos of how we worked through all the modules.  The advantage with our team is that we have experiences that add value to the blended learning CD/ material that has been put together and it was rich to utilize our experiences and the communities we work in - as we went through each module and how they are interconnected!

 

There are reflections and comments on each module from the photos if you are able to see, but the CD and the flow of the materials, is excellent, its user-friendly and very clear - its a job well done!  A few reflections we had on each module as we assisted each other for our own learning and application

 

• Module 1: We explored the local response progression as part of the power of the local response in addition to the way it is shaped.

 

• Module 2: way of thinking since most of the communities we work with are faith based, we reflected on how to facilitate from : belief, behaviour and key theological reflections especially when we reflect on SALT

 

• Module 3: The need for strategic discussions to assist groups, organizations or communities as they think through their dream.  Organizations will want to go more structural hence the need to stimulate strategic conversations to influence process.  It was also noted from experience that sometimes, when we do the dream once ( especially as communities) its helpful to do it again after a few moments of reflection - the second time round gives rich reflections.

 

• Module 4: The issues raised while building the dream become key areas of focus for the self assessment, but this was very straight forward and the experiences vary - the concept of the self assessment can be modified to fit several arenas and contexts.

 

• Module 5: Key lesson learnt that we need to apply while talking about this module, is not to wait for 'applications and action planning to take place at the end of a workshop/seminar, but it needs to be built throughout the process to enable participants to give it the needed attention.

 

• Module 6: the AAR questions I think are very basic -  We usually add on a few questions  after an exposure visit -  ieWhat strengths did we see? what concerns did we hear?  What homes/vision/dreams did we hear? what did we learn? How did we behave as a team?

 

We also played the SALTiness quizz which was fun, we were so much into it you would have been shocked -  just a thought on question 10.  If the answer is acknowledgement, then there is an error on the boxes/numbers/letters you have on that page - just a thought, we might be wrong but you could check it out.

 

Otherwise, it was a great learning process and we hope to have a similar process with a wider team sometimes in May, it would be great if you can be on skype or if you were somewhere around Kenya to join.  Thank you for your hard work.

 

I haven't seen you in ages Phil - how are you?

 

Regards

 

Meble

 

________________________

On Thu, Mar 11, 2010 at 2:37 PM, Meble Birengo <[e-mail]> wrote:

Hey Phil,

 

Its been great to be in touch and in conversation for the last while - I have some reflections in your email below:

 

Thanks

 

Meble

 

 

On Tue, Mar 9, 2010 at 5:38 PM, PHILIP FORTH a href="mailto:[e-mail]" target="_blank">[e-mail]> wrote:

 

Hi Meble, 

 

I've just posted a reply on Ning so perhaps I will get some discussion on the issues raised. 

 

Some thoughts/questions on your comments for which I am very grateful. 

 

PHIL: 1. I am interested in the idea of 'Local Response Progression'. Can you explain some more? 

 

MEBLE:

 

• This is a next level probably from the Local response ( in the four sphere of the response) - Please read on my blog http://significantbeyond.blogspot.com/  click on steps: local response progression.  From our experience and the communities we work in, this is a significant part of the process to go through the process systematically but its flexible, depending on the entry points and invitations for the response in a community.  Local responses, generate and influence policy in deeper levels when the progression is mentored by a facilitation team.

 

PHIL: 2. The faith based aspect of SALT is very important. And for many in the Constellation, it is crucial. We decided to build the content without introducing the faith based aspect. My hope is that the current work going on around the issue will provide us with some content, but I suspect that what comes out of it will be too abstract for the programme. What would be the best way to deal with the issue in Blended Learning?  Do you think that we could deal adequately with the issue with a sub-module around the SALT within faith based communities? -

 

MEBLE:

 

• This could be something for discussion - others could comment on this as well; its how we all apply it in our context that actually matters, everyone originates from a different faith background, but if there is an FBO ground on NIng??? it could be an added discussion on the meaning of SALT and the theological perspective that influences how we work or behave

 

• The blended learning tools are better if they stay neutral, since the target market/team is wide and not specific in faith - however, if there was a Christian team/partners organization that was interested or targeted a sub-module could be a helpful step in their own application for the ACP process because they will automatically associate with it; but for us here in Kenya and the communities we have worked with, its been necessary to blend that part as part of the process - its who we are.

 

• When working with Non FBO, though, we have spent enough time exploring the 'who are we' question, to give everyone a chance to reflect deeper on issues of 'identity' that also influences how we behave with others. 

 

PHIL:3. Farellia and I discussed this a lot. My experience is that you can use the dream to build up a detailed picture of what a community wants and this leads to outcomes in the planning process. Farellia's point was that just arriving at a shared picture of a dream is a powerful incentive to take an action...ANY action...that this is where the emphasis should lie. Certainly I have been shocked by the power of the image to bring people together. 

 

MEBLE:

 

• I think the dream idea is fantastic - and definitely agree with Farellia's point, the experiences will always be positively different - which is still great. 

 

PHIL:4. Would be interested to hear how SA is modified to 'different arenas and contexts'. Do you mean to malaria, TB etc or something more subtle than that? 

 

MEBLE

 

• We have adopted it to use for Church and Mission responses with its own areas of practice and still using level 1 - 5.  We have also used it with the work with Youth and children with different areas of practice that apply to young people.  It can still be modified to give communities a chance to select their own practices and use it as part of a strategic implementation plan.  Its a fantastic tool  to use in different ways.  The facilitator however needs to be clear to understand what context they want to use the 'concept of the self assessment'.

 

PHIL: Yes. I know exactly what you mean. When we update that will go in. 

 

PHIL: AARs are an issue that we should work on. For me, the aim of the AAR is to learn from our action. How do we do this better next time? My concern is that it becomes a bureaucratic task at the end of the day. Do you have a different/additional objective with your questions?

 

MEBLES resonse:

• The added questions are an added layer to reflecting more closer to the issues, when you ask someone what strengths they saw or what concerns they heard, what they learnt or how they worked as a team in the exposure visit, either in a home or clinic - it gives everyone a chance to reflect personally. Again this is from our experiences, it helps people not to give open ended responses, but assists in the thinking and application process of the whole experience.   
• What we have done in most time so that it doesn't become tiring at the end of the day, is making it as part of the next days first reflective moments. Its shaped differently as well, cant say there is only one way in facilitating reflections or AAR at the end of a visit.  The AAR questions are still applicable but from our experience's especially if you try to accompany a team through the local response progression - the added questions we do are a strength and important

 

 

PHIL:I am DELIGHTED that you like the quiz. So far everyone does. Farellia had to work very hard to convince me that they were important. It has taken lots of effort to make them work to the level that we now have them. I will look at question 10 and I am sure that I will need to update the answer. Thanks for letting me know. 

 

MEBLE

• Thanks Farellia for putting this together, we had alot of fun doing that quiz! 

 

PHIL: I would be delighted to hear your thoughts to my questions via Skype if that is easier for you. 

MEBLE

• A SKYPE at some point would be great -

 

It is wonderful to hear from you again. 

 

Phil

 

 

 

 

  

[Gaston]

Thank you Meble. Very very useful. Answers a lot of questions I had in my mind as well. I like the description of the Local Response Progression. It clarifies it a lot. Would you see this as a 'sine quo non' or an additional experience that can be used? I mean is it a 'good practice' that certainly works with some organisations to go step by step towards facilitating local responses and that we can share OR should it be an integral, non-negotiable part of the transfer of the process?

The reason I am asking this is that it seems 'a way of putting SALT and the process in practice'. And my experience is that each organization has the capacity to see HOW they will integrate it and thus facilitate local responses. And this diversity in strategies is something rich I think. The Red Cross in Togo, World Vision in Sierra Leone, a CBO in Guyana, CARITAS in DRC, UNAIDS in India. They all have different ways of putting CLCP into practice. Some use elements of the local response progression, but some don't, also depending on their normal activities. Should we appreciate this, or stimulate the following of the progression.

Phil, on the AARs I see here with RDCCompetence the incredible usefulness of the exercise. They use the 'old 4 questions', but very easily and short with good outcomes, often 4-6 lessons learnt. The facilitation is essential to not make it a bureaucratic exercise I think. One more thing they do here: they ask the first question of the AAR BEFORE the visit or meeting. So what are our expectations? Then the AAR after the experience starts with question 2 and the expectations are not influenced by the actual visit. Works really well and forces a team to think through what will happen.

What do you think?