Hoenderloo College (Gangelschool) in The Netherlands Facilitates Unique
e-Learning Projects in Europe and Asia
Leersum, 8th June 2006. At the Hoenderloo Group in the Netherlands, youngsters who are temporarily unable to live at home are offered a sanctuary (youth care with the necessary schooling for pupils from 10 1/2 years and older). For those children who are placed in "guest families" living outside the Netherlands (Germany and France), the Hoenderloo College remains legally responsible for their schooling under Dutch law. In order to meet their obligations and bridge the distance between the pupils and their teachers, a unique e-Learning project was initiated in 2004 to enable the students to participate "live" via internet (iLinc) in the relevant schooling programmes of the Hoenderloo Group.
Gangelschool: Making use of iLinc software to set-up the virtual classrooms, teachers and students communicate via audio/video and interact making use of synchronized whiteboards, web browsers and shared applications. An interesting aspect is that at locations where there was no internet connection available via the phone line, a two-way satellite broadband internet connection was successfully implemented. This e-Learning project, won the 1st prize for innovation in education within the group in 2006. The e-Learning project made a positive contribution to the successful schooling of the students while they stayed with their guest families. Just as important, it made the step to their reintegration on their return more easy. The project is completing it's 2nd school year with student numbers rising.
The VALOR-project: Due to the successful implementation and results achieved by students participating in the e-Learning project, the Hoenderloo Group extended it's reach, in the context of the VALOR-project, to liberate young victims of "lover boys" from their criminal activities. VALOR offers girls the opportunity to go to Asia for six months, far away from the temptation and threats from the "lover boy". In April 2006 four supervisors/carers were sent for two years to India; each of them lives with two of the girls and supervisors them intensely. The Gangelschool hopes to retrieve 32 under-aged girls from illegal prostitution. During their stay in India, the girls will carry out tasks in orphanages for young children. In addition, they will continue their schooling in the Netherlands via iLinc and thereby participate "live" in the relevant schooling programmes of the Hoenderloo Group. In The Netherlands the parents are prepared for the home-coming of their daughter by a staff member (carer).The VALOR-project was made possible by the financial support of the Province South Holland.
Ilinc hosting (ASP model), technical support and training is provided for both projects by Parsec Infotech.
For further information please contact Jimmy Georgiades at +31 343 460 532 or email jimmyg@parsecinfo.nl. |
