A dynamic community of discovery: Planning, learning, and change

Authors

  • Michelle Gordon Ryerson University, The G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education
  • Martha Ireland Ryerson University, The G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education
  • Mina Wong Ryerson University, The G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.19173/irrodl.v12i1.887

Keywords:

online learning, internationally educated professionals, adult education

Abstract

Ryerson University’s Prior Learning and Competency Evaluation and Documentation (PLACED) program is funded by the Government of Ontario to engage internationally educated professionals (IEPs), employers, and regulatory/occupational bodies in the use of competency-based practices. In 2008, the authors created a self-assessment tool for IEPs that would build a portfolio reflecting an individual’s knowledge and skills while introducing him or her to aspects of the Canadian workplace and labour market. The authors felt that this tool would be useful to assist IEPs in considering their career options and wanted to create an online workshop that would provide flexibility to users whose priorities were most likely work and family obligations. This short project description will capture a) why the self-assessment tool was developed; (b) how we fostered participants’ self-efficacy; c) how we used Blackboard; (d) what the participants gained from the workshop; and (e) how the workshop has evolved based on facilitators’ observations, participants’ feedback, and an external organization’s request for customizing the workshop. In working together to design the online workshop, IEPs’ Self-Assessment and Planning, we focused on two main concepts: self-assessment and career planning. With that in mind, we set out in the workshop to bolster self-discovery, self-efficacy, individualized research skills, action planning, and ongoing professional development. The learning platform was Blackboard, which is used across Ryerson University in both classroom and online learning.

Author Biographies

Michelle Gordon, Ryerson University, The G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education

Michelle Gordon, B.Comm., B.Ed., has been working with internationally educated professionals for the past five years in The G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education, Ryerson University. She co-developed and facilitated the workshop ‘Self-Assessment and Planning for IEPs’.

Martha Ireland, Ryerson University, The G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education

Martha Ireland, M.Ed., is a Program Manager at The Chang School, Ryerson University. She has been working in the field of continuing education for over 20 years.

Mina Wong, Ryerson University, The G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education

Mina Wong, M.S.W., is a teacher, course lead, and curriculum developer of Adult Education at Durham College. She also co-presented with colleagues from The Chang School at two 2009 conferences on Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition.

Published

2011-01-31

How to Cite

Gordon, M., Ireland, M., & Wong, M. (2011). A dynamic community of discovery: Planning, learning, and change. The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 12(1), 124–127. https://doi.org/10.19173/irrodl.v12i1.887