Case+Studies+approach

Here we'll post what Monica say about Case Studies and start integrating all the good information we've gathered elsewhere into a few example 'cases'

By Carolyn: Okay, I'm brainstorming here BUT here are three case studies that would cover the barrier and solutions that we have already gathered.... still waiting for details from Monica but from what she has said I think these can be shaped into something that looks 'real'. Each of these individuals are roughly based on mature students I have actually taught in my courses. (in progress) Case # 1 Yasmin Source: __@http://www.indypendent.org/2007/04/09/down-under-veil-australias-muslim-women-face-a-rising-tide-of-xenophobia/ __  Yasmin is a 33 years old.. She immigrated to Canada from Yemin with her husband when he came to study optometry at the the University of Waterloo four years ago. She has some bookkeeping experience from her home country but needs to take a few more courses before she is well qualified to work in Canada. She'd love to work as the bookkeeper when her husband graduates and starts his own optometry clinic. Yasmin has two young children, one in kindergarten and one who is just three years old. While she can speak enough English to get by, and learns lots more from her children each week, she still has a little trouble reading the language. She is embarrassed about how the difficulties she is having learning English. Yasmin really wants to take some courses but faces these barriers situational: childcare, Yasmin doesn't drive so she needs to find affordable childcare for both of her children. The childcare must offer Halal food and be close to her home because she doesn't drive. She must find courses that are easy to access because she doesn't drive. dispositional: Yasmin is a bit embarrassed about her trouble with English. She was a top student when she was growing up and finds working in a new language scary and intimidating. academic: Yasmin is not a native speaker of English and will need E SL suppo ﻿ rt <span style="color: #118cb9; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;"><span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;">institutional: Yasmin has credentials but they are from another country, she doesn't want to retake courses, she needs her school to give her credit for her previous experience Solutions for Yasmin: situational, help with finding childcare or online learning and transportation, dispositional, support from accessible learning and esl instructors and a learning environment that will not limit her because of her ESL; academic.... ESL support from her college, Institutional....recognition of the credits she has earned at university in Yemin Case #2 Barry source http://tomschreck.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/dennis-lehane-current1.jpg Barry is 45 years old and has worked at a factory for 20 years but was recently laid off. He wants to go back to school to train to be a certified electrician. Barry has run into some barriers. Situational: financial troubles, Barry has two kids and not a lot of money to spare, dispositional, Barry is afraid of doing poorly in his courses and wasting him time, Academic: Barry had trouble in college when he first tried it and has a bad academic record, Instutional: academic requirements may be a problem because Barry has a marred record. Solutions: financial assistance, apprenticeships; a good learning environment where courses are designed for every motivated student to succeed; an institution that is willing to accept Barry on probationary terms? Case # 3 Melanie Melanie is a 42 recently divorced woman who would like to train to be a medical office assistant. Melanie works full time on irregular shifts and has two teenagers and doesn't know if she has time to go back to school. Melanie has low self esteem following her divorce and was diagnosed with a learning disability as a child. Melanie feels a little strange going back to school when other students are so much younger. Solutions: online learning courses, lots of family support, reassurance that she is not the only mature student out there, direction towards accessible learning resources. The online environment will also help reduce this feeling of an 'age gap'.