Starfstengt diplómunám fyrir fólk með þroskahömlun

Abstract

Haustið 2007 hófst tveggja ára starfstengt diplómanám fyrir fólk með þroskahömlun við Kennaraháskóla Íslands. Meginmarkmið námsins var tvíþætt. Annars vegar að undirbúa nemendur til afmarkaðra starfa á þeim vettvangi sem þroskaþjálfabraut menntar nemendur til. Um var að ræða störf á leikskólum, frístundaheimilum, bókasöfnum, í félagsmiðstöðvum og á vettvangi fatlaðs fólks. Hins vegar var að því stefnt að gera nemendum kleift að öðlast hagnýta þekkingu og félagslega færni í námsumhverfi án aðgreiningar í því skyni að greiða fyrir aukinni þátttöku þeirra í samfélaginu (Guðrún V. Stefánsdóttir og Vilborg Jóhannsdóttir, 2007). Námið var skilgreint sem rannsóknartengt tilraunaverkefni sem fylgt var eftir með eigindlegri rannsókn sem hér er til umfjöllunar. Meginmarkmið rannsóknarinnar var að þróa námið, stuðning við nemendur og stuðla að enn frekara námi án aðgreiningar. Í þeim tilgangi var reynt að öðlast skilning á upplifun nemenda í diplómanámi og að fá fram sýn aðstandenda, mentora (samnemendur í Kennaraháskóla Íslands og á Menntavísindasviði Háskóla Íslands eftir 1. júlí 2008 þegar Kennaraháskólinn og Háskóli Íslands sameinuðust), leiðbeinenda í starfsnámi og háskólakennara. Í þessari grein er ætlunin fyrst og fremst að kynna diplómanámið og skýra frá reynslu nemenda, aðstandenda og mentora af náminu. Sú gagnasöfnun sem hér er byggt á fór fram með einstaklingsviðtölum og samtölum í rýnihópum nemenda og aðstandenda þeirra. Þá skrifuðu mentorar skýrslur um reynslu sína og nemendur og aðstandendur þeirra gerðu skriflegt mat á náminu. Helstu niðurstöður benda til að hjá nemendum ríki almenn ánægja með námið. Flestir voru sammála um að stærsti ávinningurinn hafi verið félagsleg þátttaka og samvera með öðrum háskólanemendum. Jafnframt töldu flestir nemendur og aðstandendur þeirra að námið hefði aukið þeim sjálfstæði, sjálfsvirðingu og sjálfsöryggi.

A semi professional diploma program for people with intellectual disabilities was offered for the first time during the fall of 2007 at the Iceland University of Education now the School of Education, University of Iceland. The aim of the program was to enable students to graduate with the knowledge, skills and Netlavalues that would let them take their place confidently as assistants in various jobs within the field of social pedogogy. As well as to give each student the possibility to have an individual studium based on his or her strengths, interests and chosen workfield. The students could for i.e. prepare for jobs in an early childhood education setting, within leisure activity centers, libraries and in various other settings within the given field according to their interests. Such as to get training as peer counsellors with emphasis on the rights of people with intellectual disabillities. In this light the aim of the program was also to offer practical knowledge and social skills in an inclusive setting so the students would have better opportunity to participate fully in society.The diploma program was introduced as a research based developmental project with the emphasis on qualitative research tradition. The aim of the research was to cast a light on the quality and success of the program seen from the standpoint of all concerned such as the students, their families, peer counselors (university students within the Divison of Education), advisors at the practicum site and finally university instructors.The focus of this article is first and foremost on the structure of the diploma program as well as the students viewpoints of its success.This article discusses as well the viewpoints of families and peer counselors concerning expected outcomes, structure and work processes with further development in mind. Another article will be written where the views of the participating university instructors and advisors in the work related practicums will be in the foreground. The data introduced here was collected through individual interviews and focus groups consisting of students and their families.The data was also collected through participant observation during meetings with students, families and peer counselors. As well as from written outcome and process based evaluation forms and reports conducted by students, families and peer counselors.The findings show that students are on the whole very happy with the diploma program. Most of them were in an agreement that the social participation and cooperation with other students at the university were one of the greatest values of the study.The data indicates as well that students along with their families feel that they have become more independent in their daily lives and have developed a more positive self identity and self assurance.Guðrún V. Stefánsdóttir is associate professor and Vilborg Jóhannsdóttir assistant professor at The School of Education, University of Iceland.