Overview of papers on enhancement of European Higher Education as presented during the Online, Open and Flexible Higher Education Conference in Rome, October 2016

InZone, a research centre at the University of Geneva, recently launched the “Rapid Response Module for Humanitarian Interpreting” (RRM). This open educational resource (OER) leverages the potential of elearning technology to provide a rapid orientation for staff deployed on short notice to work as interpreters for humanitarian organisations. In about one hour, the curriculum covers the knowledge and interpreting skills needed in disaster zones and other humanitarian contexts. The RRM includes readily achievable learning objectives and is geared towards target audiences including internally displaced people (IDPs) and refugees. After completing this initial module, learners are encouraged to pursue formal interpreting training opportunities.
The course is divided into sections that present, exemplify, and consolidate basic interpreting concepts, methods and tools; their cultural and ethical implications; interpreting-specific psychosocial stressors, potential health issues; and self-care strategies. It is structured around a series of realistic interpreting assignments that prompt learner choices, and is framed by an orientation and a debriefing.

This paper presents the RRM as an example of how to successfully design and develop this type of short elearning course. It discusses how learning technologies, networks, and distribution channels can be leveraged to quickly provide mission-critical concepts and information to large audiences, and concludes that in addition to short, introductory rapid response OERs, more comprehensive higher education offerings must also be made available to empower IDPs, refugees, and migrants in emergency settings.

Keywords

empowerment · flexible and large-scale e-learning courses · higher education in emergency settings · IDPs · interpreting · InZone · migrants · OERs · refugees · social inclusion