I am very appreciative of the time and effort that my classmates took to evaluate my course module. The feedback that I received from them was very encouraging and allowed for self-reflection. After reading through the feedback that they provided me, I was relieved that my classmates understood the ideas and goals behind my course profile and module. The fact that my online counselling course allows no room for formative assessment and is mainly for self-help purposes, strays away from the traditional school-based programs that we are used to teaching our students. Through the exploration of my course idea, I have learned that this is both good and bad. On one hand, (as one of my evaluators’ states), “the voluntary workshop design of the course is a unique way to have students ‘opt-in’ to the content.” However, this voluntary component of the workshop may also (very likely) deter high-risk participants who are simply in survival mode rather than a self-help frame of mind. This reality was confirmed to me when meeting with a Regina non-profit agency last week. The program coordinator voiced her interest in my proposed course but stated, “I am not sure if accessing online counselling modules would be a priority for many of our moms who feel overwhelmed, live in lower-socioeconomic situations, struggle with addictions or those faced with other challenges.” Although a disappointing reality, I agree and am left with the question: “How would this type of course logistically and functionally work for high-risk individuals?”
While considering this question, my first thought was to try and make these online counselling modules integrated into a health curriculum for teenage mothers. In Regina, the Shirly Schneider Support Center could potentially be one of these said places where my modules could be used in a health curriculum. It was encouraging to read the feedback from one of my evaluators as he/she states, “The first thing that came to mind when reading through (Kelsey’s) course profile and the first content module was that this would align perfectly with Special Project Credits that are developed to help support teenage pregnancy. Most of those credits work to connect the mother with prenatal supports and planning, but this type of workshop would be extremely helpful.” This statement allowed me to consider how my course modules could be used as a Special Project Credit. I am not familiar with the high school curriculum and credit system and thus, hope to explore this option further as I continue to develop this course and my ideas to support this target audience.
Another aspect of my course modules that I will continue to consider is the privacy of each participant. The importance of privacy was stated in the feedback/comments from my peers and something that I take very seriously. Although I am still learning about Google Classroom and Flipgrid, I question whether these online tools would be appropriate for the delivery of my course. At this point, I am still unsure. Although I want this course to be engaging for participants and one that is easily accessible, I would not want to compromise the privacy of those involved. Any input on this topic is always welcomed, along with any other comments!
Thanks for reading. 🙂