Presentation of KASA Swiss Humanitarian Foundation during UNBORDERING EDUCATION forum in Yerevan, Armenia, November 2014.

2. How de we try to “unborder”
education ?
KASA Swiss Humanitarian Foundation
Anahit Minassian
November 2, 2014

3. Who are we?

4. KASA = Komitas Action Suisse Arménie
Operating since 1997 committed to sustainable development of Armenia

5. • Social and material assistance to families in need
• After-school activities for kids and teenagers
• Scholarships to students
• Integration of refugees in cooperation with UNHCR
Humanitarian Actions
Construction
Management of about 40 constructions projects

6. Activities promoting active citizenship
• 12 weekly youth clubs held on civic and social themes
• Training of Trainers in Non-Formal Education
Training programs for professional development
• Professional orientation and consulting days
• Soft skills development modules
• Entrepreneurship program
• Tour guide training (beginners and advanced)
International Cooperation
• Sending and hosting volunteers (European Voluntary Service, Swiss Civil Service)
• Youth exchanges, study visits, seminars (Erasmus +)
• La Francophonie
Education and Training

7. Sustainable Tourism
Agriculture
• Sheep livestock, farming projects in Northern Armenia
• Solar fruit-driers set-up
• Hosting over 100 – 150 tourists yearly in Armenia
• A large tour guide community
• Modern BnB infrastructure in Yerevan and Gyumri
• Thematic publications

8. What is our connection to
e-Learning?

9. 2002 – getting started with digital literacy
establishment of 6 Community Internet Centers (Gyumri, Talin, Gogaran, Yerevan)
2008 – translation and adaptation of MOODLE learning management system into
Armenian in cooperation with Yerevan State University
2009 – contributing to the creation of content in Armenian on Wikipedia
publication of more than 100 articles
2010 – realising the importance of Free software philosophy
hosting Richard Stallman - the founder of free software movement in Armenia

10. 2012 – time to get it going!
our first e-learning course is released
2013 – enhancing further our educational activities
creation of 5 more E-learning components to enrich our educational activities
2014 – thoughts on today’s learning patterns and specifically e-learning
organisation of “UNBORDERING” EDUCATION Forum

11. WHY do we use e-Learning?

12. • It reduces travel time and travel costs and provides flexibility to study from
anywhere
• It accommodates different learning styles and facilitates learning through a
variety of activities
• It develops knowledge of the Internet and computer skills necessary for
career development
• It gives confidence and encourages participants to take responsibility for
their own learning
• It gives us – educators more space for creativity

13. Our main methodological approach
to learning process…

15. Some of the courses we have
created…

16. Duration: 7 months
Type: Blended (online + F2F)
Content: 15 subjects
Language: Armenian
Duration: 10 months
Type: E-learning element
Content: 10 thematic modules
Language: Armenian/English

17. Let’s have a look on them: www.elearning.kasa.am

18. Sharing some of our thoughts
with you…

19. • The costs of a quality e-learning course
• Combination of e-learning with other types of learning
• Various types of content and learning styles
• User-generated content
• Role of self-assessment and peer-assessment
• Various types of motivation and recognition

20. Thank you for your attention!