[infobox style=’regular’ static=’1′]Call for Volunteers – Deadline January 31, 2014[/infobox]

Please see the Call for Volunteers for three pilot service-learning instructional design projects facilitated by Designers for Learning.  The focus of these pilot projects is the design of open educational resources and instruction for college and career readiness. Information about the projects and the application process is described below, as well as at the collaborative design space for the pilot projects.

The three pilot projects are targeted to college faculty and currently enrolled instructional design students in need of course, internship, or practicum projects for the upcoming semester. Please note that this is a 100% virtual volunteer opportunity that does not require any volunteer to be physically present at any location. If you are interested in applying as either a faculty sponsor and advisor or a student volunteer, please respond to the Call for Volunteers on or before the January 31, 2014 deadline. To fulfill the needs of the pilot projects, approximately 12 student volunteers will be selected from those who apply. Volunteers selected for the pilot projects will be announced on February 15, 2014. All project deliverables are due May 3, 2014. Each selected student must commit to volunteer a minimum of 30 hours from February 15, 2014 – May 3, 2014.

How to Apply

To complete the volunteer application:

• Ensure that you meet the expectations and requirements described below
• Review the project descriptions for the three project pilots
• Decide which pilot project you are interested in pursuing
• Complete the online volunteer application on or before the January 31, 2014 deadline at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/d4lpilot

Expectations and Requirements

To apply as a faculty member sponsor and advisor, you must:

• Be employed either full-time or part-time as college faculty within an instructional design program
• Be willing to advise the student(s) you sponsor through the duration of the project
• Be committed to helping your students complete all of their deliverables

To apply as a student volunteer, you must:

• Be a currently enrolled college student within an instructional design program
• Be sponsored by a college faculty member within an instructional design program who is willing to advise you through the duration of the project
• Be available to volunteer a minimum of 30 hours from February 15, 2014 – May 3, 2014
• Have relevant work and / or academic experience to contribute to the project

Project Overview

While the outcome of this project will support the missions of many organizations that offer adult basic education, those participating in these pilot projects will be volunteers of Grace Centers of Hope, a faith-based outreach to homeless and disadvantaged individuals and families. Grace Centers of Hope provides a full recovery and rehabilitation campus for homeless men, women, and children who have been abused or addicted to drugs and/or alcohol, including a one-year residency program for adult male and female clients recovering from drug, alcohol, or other challenging issues. As described in their most recent audited financial statements, Grace Centers of Hope is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit and is classified by the IRS as a public charity with $5.4 million in total revenue and support for the year ended 2012. Grace Centers of Hope’s goal is, “total rehabilitation by meeting all of the needs of the homeless, including food, clothing, shelter, educational courses, daycare, job training, and assistance in preparing resumes, substance abuse programs, medical care, and housing placement.” For additional information about Grace Centers of Hope:

• 501(c)(3) Nonprofit – IRS Form 990
• 4-star rating on Charity Navigator 
• Crain’s 2012 Best-Managed Nonprofit

Clients in the Grace Centers of Hope residency program who have not earned a high school diploma (or equivalent) are required to take in-house classes to prepare for the General Educational Development (GED) test in order to stay in the program. According to U.S. Census Bureau educational attainment data, over 30 million adults over the age of 18 have not attained a high school diploma (or equivalent). In 2014, the GED Testing Service amended the requirements for the GED test from the former 2002 version. The new GED test aligns with the College and Career Readiness standards released in 2013 by the U.S. Department of Education Office of Vocational and Adult Education as a guide for adult education programs that prepare learners for post-secondary college and career training.

Grace Centers of Hope has asked Designers for Learning to facilitate a volunteer service-learning project focused on the design of instructional materials and learning activities to meet the parameters of the College and Career Readiness standards. The request for help includes instructional resources for learners, as well as instructors and volunteers who work as tutors. In response to this request, three pilot projects (as described in the project description) have been developed to explore the design of open educational resources and instruction for college and career readiness, including:

• Pilot A – Mapping and Mining of Open Educational Resources
• Pilot B – Design and Development of Prototype Instructional Unit
• Pilot C – Design and Development of Computers for Learning Instructional Unit

Key Project Timeline Dates

• January 31, 2014: Deadline – Call for Volunteers
• February 15, 2014: Volunteer Selection for the Pilot Projects Announced
• May 3, 2014: Pilot Project Deliverables Due

Questions or Comments?

Thank you for your interest in volunteering your time, skills, and knowledge to this important need! Please forward this Call for Volunteers to other students or faculty, and contact us with any questions or comments.

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