This catalogue of free digital learning initiatives has been finalised as of July 2021. The project team continued to receive requests for new initiatives until November 2022. The catalogue is open and freely accessible to all interested parties
Use the filters on the right to search for specific initiatives in the Catalogue. To find out more about this project, the catalogue and the way it was categorized click here. To download a PDF version of the catalogue, click hereIf you would like more information, please contact michaela.protopapa@cardet.org.
Catalogue of Initiatives
Jesuit Worldwide Learning – Higher Education at the Margins (JWL)
Purpose
- Higher Ed (formal)
Jesuit Worldwide Learning (JWL) provides equitable, high quality tertiary learning to people and communities at the margins of societies - be it through poverty, location, lack of opportunity, conflict or forced displacement - so all can contribute their knowledge and voices to the global community of learners and together foster hope to create a more peaceful and humane world.
JWL overcomes barriers to provide refugees and other youth at the margins with quality, higher education programmes that are accredited/certified by universities, through blended eLearning – combining both online and onsite support.
Through our very own Learning Management System – JWL HeLP (Humanitarian eLearning Platform) which has an online/offline component, students are able to study anytime, anywhere, with a wealth of resources at their fingertips.
Students from different cultural backgrounds come together at the local and global level through the global virtual classroom, engaging in discussions which promote tolerance and open minds. They become leaders that also give back to their communities, and inspire others to do the same, fostering a more peaceful and equitable world.
Students are organised into virtual global classrooms, with 25 students for each course. Each global classroom encompasses students from 8 to 10 countries with diverse backgrounds (Muslim, Christian, Buddhist, and other religions represented). As students learn together in the virtual classroom, the curriculum transformation integrates authors and literature representative of middle-eastern thought, western ideas, African theories, Asian principles, Latin American wisdom, etc. Two academic programmes were initially developed to serve students: The Diploma of Liberal Studies and Community Service Learning Tracks (CSLTs). These programmes were developed through input from refugees and host community members, and with input from faculty and partnering universities. Starting in 2010 these courses were piloted in the Dzaleka refugee camp in Malawi, Kakuma refugee camp in Northwest Kenya, and in the city of Amman, Jordan . As of 2021, JWL is present in 54 Community Learning Centers in 19 countries
JWL overcomes barriers to provide refugees and other youth at the margins with quality, higher education programmes that are accredited/certified by universities, through blended eLearning – combining both online and onsite support.
Through our very own Learning Management System – JWL HeLP (Humanitarian eLearning Platform) which has an online/offline component, students are able to study anytime, anywhere, with a wealth of resources at their fingertips.
Students from different cultural backgrounds come together at the local and global level through the global virtual classroom, engaging in discussions which promote tolerance and open minds. They become leaders that also give back to their communities, and inspire others to do the same, fostering a more peaceful and equitable world.
Students are organised into virtual global classrooms, with 25 students for each course. Each global classroom encompasses students from 8 to 10 countries with diverse backgrounds (Muslim, Christian, Buddhist, and other religions represented). As students learn together in the virtual classroom, the curriculum transformation integrates authors and literature representative of middle-eastern thought, western ideas, African theories, Asian principles, Latin American wisdom, etc. Two academic programmes were initially developed to serve students: The Diploma of Liberal Studies and Community Service Learning Tracks (CSLTs). These programmes were developed through input from refugees and host community members, and with input from faculty and partnering universities. Starting in 2010 these courses were piloted in the Dzaleka refugee camp in Malawi, Kakuma refugee camp in Northwest Kenya, and in the city of Amman, Jordan . As of 2021, JWL is present in 54 Community Learning Centers in 19 countries
| Title | Jesuit Worldwide Learning – Higher Education at the Margins (JWL) |
|---|---|
| Date launched | 2010 |
| Status (Ongoing, forthcoming) | Ongoing |
| Type of Resource | Online course Digital Learning Platform |
| Purpose | Higher education (formal) Higher Education preparedness – English Language |
| Online or Blended | Blended |
| Learning outcomes | To support students in their journey of life-long learning and the realisation of their goals, JWL offers a stackable learning path. All programmes have been developed within the framework of Jesuit education which seeks to develop the whole person and with learning structured around the concept of personal/community context and experience, reflection, action and evaluation. JWL programmes includes a BA in Sustainable Development, a foundational (first year of university) Certificate in Liberal Studies, professional certificate programmes (Learning Facilitator, Peace Leader, Youth Sports Facilitator, Creative Writing and Design, E-Commerce and Entrepreneurship, Ecotourism, eEducation Tools), and a Global English Language programme which serves as a steppingstone to access these and other academic programmes. |
| Target group | Refugees and other potential higher education learners ‘at the margins’ |
| Evaluation results/ monitoring plan | Since 2010, JWL has grown to over 54 learning centres across 19 countries, and reached more than 10,000 students. In 2021, JWL has enrolled 4,000 students, 58 % of whom are female, in more than 8,000 courses which are accredited by academic institutes from around the world. The goal is to ensure retention and completion rates of 80% or above with less than 10% attrition due to reasons other than resettlement. An alumni programme is established, and the alumni activities, employment and further learning are reported on in the annual report. End of course evaluations are embedded into each JWL course for feedback from students and faculty. Course evaluation is one part of the JWL research agenda. |
| Recognition or certification of learning | JWL academic programmes include both credit-bearing and certificate level courses. Credit-bearing courses are offered with XIM University (India), for the BA in Sustainable Development and Certificate in Liberal Studies, with Regis University (USA) for the Diploma in Liberal Studies. JWL also works with partnering universities to develop vocational curricula that are awarded certificates based on the UNESCO standard of Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET). |
| Europass | Aligned with basic Europass fields |
| Financing and sustainability model | Most JWL are supported by private funding (European Foundations) and to a lesser extent government funding and UNHCR. Annual reports are published online and financial reports can be requested. |
| Leading Organization | Jesuit Worldwide Learning – Higher Education at the Margins (JWL) |
| Contact Person | E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. |
| Website | www.jwl.org |
| Is this initiative country-specific? If yes, please specify the country | No |
