Evaluation of a Videoconferencing Pilot Project: Training for Volunteer Literacy Tutors for Speakers of English as an Additional Language (EAL). An iCCAN Pilot Project in Collaboration with the Rural Routes Initiative. Final Report
Author: Hare, Courtney
Date: 2010-01-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Literacy,Pilot Projects,Foreign Countries,Tutors,Educational Opportunities,Professional Development,Volunteers,Program Evaluation,Teleconferencing,English (Second Language),Participant Satisfaction,Interviews,Observation,Program Effectiveness

Background: iCCAN (Innovative Communities Connecting and Networking) is a not-for-profit provincial network of videoconferencing sites creating unprecedented learning opportunities and greater access to training and professional development for all Albertans, regardless of where they live. Led by a partnership of Community Learning Network, Literacy Alberta, and Volunteer Alberta, iCCAN has funding from the Alberta Government's Access to the Future Fund until March 31, 2010. iCCAN's numerous partnerships, technical expertise and training programs ensure that simultaneous educational programming is delivered to multiple communities as seamlessly as possible and that interaction among learners, and between learners and instructors, is properly facilitated. Through iCCAN, collaboration and resource sharing among community adult learning councils, literacy organizations, volunteer centres, and other non-profit organizations is creating efficiencies and expanding programming in ways not previously possible. Purpose: This pilot project intended to explore how video conferencing can provide timely, responsive, cost-effective, convenient, safer and innovative professional development training opportunities for EAL literacy tutors via desktop and classroom-sized videoconferencing units supported through the iCCAN project. Research Design: Participatory. Setting: 4 videoconference sites in Alberta, Canada. Study Sample: 2 groups each received 2 sessions of VC professional development. Each session was 2 hours long. So each group received 4 hours of PD. As there were two groups who received a total of 4 hours of PD each, this pilot project encompassed 8 hours of training, plus preparations and evaluation of the pilot. Data Collection and Analysis: Written evaluations conducted by participants, as well as observations, interviews and participatory involvement. Impact: This pilot project was, as far as we know, was the first of its kind in Canada, possibly in North Ama. This pilot also demonstrated the feasibility of the concept, particularly in regards to programming goals of iCCAN, which is to bring educational and professional development opportunities to all areas of rural and remote Alberta at the community level. Finally, we learned that as participants gain experience with video conferencing, they feel more comfortable with it. Those who had previous exposure to VC through informal or other training or meetings were much more comfortable in the environment than those who were experiencing it for the first time. Conclusions: This pilot provided some people with the opportunity to try it for the first time and gave others the chance to continue to gain experience with it. In summary, this project intended to explore how video conferencing can provide timely, responsive, cost-effective, convenient, safer and innovative training opportunities for literacy tutors via desktop and classroom-size videoconferencing offered through iCCAN. Citation: Hare, Courtney M. &amp; Eaton, Sarah E. (2010). Evaluation of a Videoconferencing Pilot Project: Training for Volunteer Literacy Tutors for speakers of  English as an Additional Language (EAL) - An iCCAN Pilot Project, in Collaboration with Rural Routes. Calgary, Canada.