Projects are initiatives that U3A SA and related bodies have been or are currently engaged in
Risk Management Seminar July 15
[More information on this session shortly.]
This practical session for delegates and representatives of U3A management committees will explore how a prudent organisation systematically considers risks and takes steps to avoid and manage risks.
U3A Australia Online Think-tank
1st Meeting: This is a national initiative had its first meeting on March 12th to look into the potential of online U3A in 2024. Helen Elix and John Travers are SA representatives, and will report on developments here in Initiatives. The first meeting was impressive with delegates from across the country demonstrating strong experience and success with online classes. One proposal which seems quite possible is for a nation-wide online U3A to be established. In the introductory comments from delegates a two strong themes were that online classes do provided strong social links and that online classes complement face to face classes. Representatives from ‘U3A Online’ which was established many decades ago and provides pdf material rather than deliver classes, recognised that it must adapt to new technologies. The group will meet again in two weeks and is aiming at making recommendations by May.
2nd Meeting Mar 26
The hope is to work with support from COTA [Council on the Ageing] to provide a service linking a central site to online courses operated by MOs (member organisations) across the country. The focus needs to be on providing social engagement for members in an educational environment using software such as Zoom. In providing online courses there seems little point in operating just within one state or one location, since online communication hast little regard for location.
Statewide Online
Statewide Online was set up in 2022 to experiment with the provision of online courses across SA through cooperation between member organisations. You can see how Statewide is operating under the Statewide Onlne tab in the menu. Website: https://u3asouthaustralia.org.au/courses-2/
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Statewide has had limited success, currently (March ’24) having five courses in operation. Several these are thriving demonstrating that engaging learning can occur via Zooom, Meet etc. However there has been little growth over time. U3A Australia is setting up a national committee to look to developing online courses on a national basis. There may be significant funding available to support this initiative, in part because it has strong potential to support engagement of elderly people who lack mobility. And of course there is a wider group of people who find driving difficult. Others live in communities far from face to face U3As. 4/3/24
Meeting Owl
U3A SA won a grant in 2023 to explore the use of Meeting Owl devices which help a group join an online meeting more effectively. [Notice the Owl on the table] The ‘Owl’ sits on a table and its cameras automatically point to whoever is speaking so that it creates an almost seamless experience for a small group to talk to other groups or individuals online. A number of U3As have trialled the Owls to see how they might support online meetings and discussions.
More. information coming soon 8/3/24
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