Adult Education Centre Chemnitz: Learn German online
Due to the corona-related closure of the adult education centre, all ongoing integration and vocational language courses have been interrupted. In order to offer participants the opportunity to continue learning, the adult education centre is now providing online formats in the vhs learning portal for all German course participants.
The learning groups must have at least eight participants so that they can be registered with and funded by the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF). With the help of the vhs learning portal(www.vhs-lernportal.de), the free learning platform of the German Adult Education Association, course instructors can supervise participants online.
The first five groups with a total of 50 participants from integration and vocational language courses have been online in the vhs learning portal since 20 April. Participation is voluntary. The motivation to continue learning is high among the Chemnitz participants. Due to the high demand, further learning groups will start in the coming weeks.
The head of the adult education centre, Grit Bochmann, explains how these online lessons work: "These are not traditional lessons. Participants work independently on blocks of tasks in the vhs learning portal. They receive tutorial support from the VHS course instructors for several hours each day. Participants and instructors meet regularly in a virtual learning group to discuss topics and questions. This allows participants to practise and consolidate the language skills they have learnt in the face-to-face course."
In recent weeks, the adult education centre has been working intensively on the implementation of digital German learning. In particular, the focus has been on familiarising staff and course instructors with the online learning platforms. The federal and state associations of adult education centres provided webinars for this purpose to familiarise them with and work with the learning platforms. In addition to focussing on technical aspects, the training courses placed particular emphasis on methodological and didactic considerations for online learning and teaching.
The rapid and comprehensive familiarisation was facilitated by the close exchange between the course instructors and the adult education centre staff. For freelance course instructors, the support provided by the VHS Chemnitz is also of decisive importance. For example, one course instructor wrote in an email about "prompt, competent and committed support despite the limited communication options in this difficult phase".
The course participants also need special support. "We contact each and every one of them individually and explain the online learning programme," says Grit Bochmann. The VHS staff introduce the participants to this often unfamiliar form of learning. They provide daily support by phone and email, for example when dialling into the online course. In addition, they always have an open ear for personal concerns and questions such as "How is my teacher?" or "When will my course continue?".
Initial hurdles due to changes in communication channels were quickly overcome. The chat function of the vhs learning portal makes it much easier for participants and instructors to communicate. This in turn increases motivation to learn, even for course instructors. "The daily learning progress and the wide range of questions in the chat motivate me immensely as a tutor," reports a VHS course instructor.
VHS director Bochmann: "However, learning here on site at the adult education centre is and remains our most important concern. We hope to be able to welcome our course instructors and participants back to the adult education centre in person soon." However, the coronavirus crisis is fundamentally changing learning and teaching. Chemnitz Adult Education Centre is using the time when face-to-face teaching is not possible to develop alternatives. With its digital offerings, it is enabling further education from home. Grit Bochmann summarises: "All of us, participants, course instructors and staff, learn something new every day. We gain experience that will also be reflected in the future course programme. And this shows that VHS Chemnitz itself is a learning organisation."