What is this ?

Grundtvig Workshops are an entiretly new form of European mobility offered to adult learners through the Lifelong Learning Programme.

The Workshops convene individuals and even small groups of learners from several countries for an innovative learning experience relevant to their personal development and learning needs.

SSL is a Grundvig Workshop entirely devoted to innovating the whole arena of adult education by the usage of video communication. We see this as a "bootstrap community" where people with several different experiences meet with the strong will to create an innovation together. We practise the bootstrap model since 1992 (*). GIVE, the convening organistation basically asks the question: how should the village of the 21st century look like - to balance the enormous attraction of cities? We soon identified a new type of education as a key factor to change the village to an active and attractive place. We experimented with new technologies in education and we seek to improve this process. Our ultimate goal, and we also hope yours, should be the strengthening and empowerment of local communities. We look into a very specific way to achieve this, and we seek for people who share the vision and are therefore willing to devote almost two winter weeks in Vienna to find the answer.

See more at: Background

who should attend the workshop ?

Our participants

• are elegible as adult learners for Life Long Learning Projects (27 EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Turkey
• come from different economical, social, institutional and cultural backgrounds but have a practical relation to education and training and are motivated on the topic of video communication.
• like to work and study in teams and have no problem with being a teacher and learner at the same time and are ready to fulfill an active and open role in the workshop
• are computer literate
• are fluent in English, active and passive

• Have experience with digital video and like to explore its possibilities.
• Have a strong interest in learning and adult education, especially in distance learning.
• Care about reaching out to marginalized and disadvantaged groups, especially people living in rural areas.
• Like to explore the possibilities of shared content and cooperative networks and preferably also present their own experience of working in networks.
• Have a passion for contributing to the cohesion and sustainability of rural areas, using education as an attractor to stay, to develop and to refine the local community.

Participants are requested

• To book their travel well in advance (costs!) most likely immediately after selection. We will cover any reasonable travel costs based on our own research and negociated with us. We ask to bring a copy of your travel booking bill and confirmation of payment which indicates travel dates, and also the boarding pass of your incoming flight.
• To book an insurance for travel cancellation by grave personal reasons; this insurance is refundeable by us.
• To make sure their health insurance is valid in Austria.
• To attend the full workshop from beginning to end, otherwise travel costs cannot be refunded.
• To bring a laptop computer with Skype capabilities (webcam) and WLAN connectivity. We will refund you for buying a webcam-
• To participate in preparatory online meetings (see MilestonesAndDeadlines)
• To participate in an online social network specifically designed for the Workshop community
• To prepare presentations and bring material im Multimedia form (especially videos)
• To actively participate in practical usage of video and computer and internet equipment on site
• To do a personal report and evaluation during and towards the end of the workshop.

Participants will be offered

• Accomodation from 17th to 28th of January in Hotel Karolinenhof Vienna, preferably in single rooms
• including breakfast and two meals a day
• Social events and evening programs according to our budgetary possibilities (whats left from overall allowed travel and accomodation costs) and sponsors generosity.
• A free weekend in the middle of the workshop to take a pause and have a look at Vienna.(A group excoursion might be offered, but is not mandatory)
• An intensive work program for the 8 other days.
• Internet access to keep up with their communication duties in the breaks (since we know this is a rather long stay away from home and you need to negociate with your employer, family etc.)
• We hope for some snow and winter fun, too.

Ready to go?

so....the next thing to do is to download the Registration Form to fill it out and send it to us.

here