2nd Meeting VENWOUDE, Netherlands – February 2010 – Content Analysis of the Material Available

“An enormous amount of material was being produced – creating first structures, methods and pedagogy.  I am I because of these others who gave me these experiences, softens and widens and builds trust to allow. Gratitude was an alchemical ingredient” Lisette Schuitemaker, Centre for Human Emergence, Netherlands

 

At Venwoude we agreed that the methodology used for the overall development will be based on the U-Theory Process.
 
Phase I: Initialisation & Specification
- Create Requirement Specifications for each objective
- Identify and test potential tools and suppliers for the 3 objectives, including interoperability between them.
- Create User Acceptance Test specification for the overall project.
Milestones: Requirement Specifications agreed; Appropriate tools & suppliers identified; User Acceptance Test Specification created.
 
Phase II: Design
- System Design for each objective
- System Test Specification for each objective
- Module Design for the customised manuals functionality.
- Module Test Specification
Milestones: System and Module Designs agreed; System and Module Test Specifications agreed.
 
Phase III: Development & Testing
- Custom functionality module coding and testing
- System configuration and testing
Milestones: Custom functionality passes Module Test Specification; Each system passes System Test Specification
 
Phase IV : Integration and Delivery
- User Acceptance Testing to check interoperability
- Initial content loaded into systems
- Systems migrated from test to production environment
Milestones: User Acceptance Testing passed; Content loaded; Deployment to production environment completed.
 
We agreed that the major objectives of the project were to deliver a:
 
1. Document Repository where facilitators can collaboratively develop new curriculum material, have it peer-reviewed for quality control, and then browse the approved material to create a customised facilitators manual and participants workbook for printing and/or electronic distribution. This will be linked to a…
 
2. Virtual Learning Environment to provide participants with access to materials for residential modules and online learning; a location where facilitators and participants can interact between residential modules, and where practitioners can continue to support each other and new participants after the completion of the residential courses. In addition, it will allow facilitators to gather feedback on courses, materials, venues and the overall curriculum, which will allow for continual review and improvement of the curriculum and its development as it adjusts to the changing needs of participants as the world situation changes. This will be linked from a…
 
3. Website designed to attract potential participants by promoting the curriculum, identifying venues and training dates and sources of further information. It will allow users to access sample material on the VLE to give them an insight into the curriculum and the online support on offer between modules.
 
Together, these objectives will support, and build upon, the work of the larger Learning Partnership.
 

Lena Huisman tells us about her reasons for joining the Learning Partnership and her experiences of being the host and a participant. Also how she came to be a part of the Venwoude Community.
 
10 Most Inspiring Outcomes from Venwoude
  • Understanding the ground we stand on and the thinking we work from: inquiring into the principles of resilience
  • Mapping out the key thematic areas for the curriculum
  • Gaining insights into different pedagogical approaches: understanding that an experiential action learning approach might serve our participants best
  • Experiencing collective wisdom emerging from the group: creating and facilitating a process together in which new insights and ways of approaching the curriculum arose. Cross-pollination of ideas.
  • Putting the journey of the learner and the learning community over time (instead of thematic content) at the centre of the curriculum design
  • Looking at possible flows for the learning journey that weave together certain thematic areas (e.g. social, economy, ecology, worldview, design principles, etc.)
  • Enquiring into the balance between the clear structure and flexibility needed in a course design that wishes to support and meet change agents on their journey – integration of complexity and simplicity
  • Field trip to a women’s centre for political  refugees:
    • A wonderful example of feminine leadership in action
    • A great application of the model of Spiral Dynamics
  • Deciding how to communicate what we are creating to our networks in an ongoing fashion
  • Decision on sharing training resources openly amongst participants of the LP with an agreement on asking each other for permission to include particular pieces in our individual trainings and on not sharing these materials publicly unless stated otherwise. We will explore a Creative Commons licence for our curriculum content.