The Learning Exchange Volunteering Program

LX Corps and LX Mentor

Background

Online learning communities lead to experiential learning, engaging students and teachers alike. However, there are two important aspects essential for learning in such communities -

  • Human intervention for greater user engagement (as opposed to pure online learning where user interest decreases rapidly)
  • Moderation to main quality of interactions and provide directed learning opportunities

Learning Exchange volunteering program to address these two key requirements in its communities.

Purpose

The purpose is two-fold – 1) to create a pool of SMEs who can provide learning interventions 2) to offer community moderation resources

In the process, the volunteering program would aim towards-

  • Recognition tool for innovative and consistent users of LX
  • Build LX cheerleaders and champions
  • Derive testimonials and references
  • Create pools of volunteer resources who can offer content, moderation, and advisory services

Overview of LX Corps and LX Mentors

  • LX Corps – These would be volunteers from the corporate sector
  • LX Mentors – Would be volunteers from the academic sector

Criteria

LX Corp / LX Mentor
  • Trainer
  • Freelancing experts
  • Corporate L&D resources
  • Industry experts, professionals
  • Members of educational NGO’s
  • Skill agencies
  • Other external specialists such as writers, speakers on a case-to-case basis
/
  • Teachers
  • Principals/Administrators
  • HoDs/Deans
  • VCs
  • Independent educators who are renowned
  • Retired members of educational regulators
  • Teaching specialists/counselors

Mentors would preferably be drawn from LX clients. But there can be exceptions in case of renowned educationists, freelance teaching professionals and retired academicians and any other experts deemed suitable for the initiatives.

Levels

There would be two categories for both Corps and Mentors program

  • Fresh (“Spry” – Volunteers with less than 5 years of experience
  • Experienced(“Savvy”)– Volunteers with more than 5 years of experience

Based on their interactions in communities, the rating they get from users and their contribution to LX initiatives, the volunteers would progress in a rating scale. Volunteers would begin and continue to operate at a given category and level (Fresh or Experienced; Level - Coach). They would progress towards guide and guru based on the parameters defined below valid over a period of 6 months consistently:

Criteria to Move up from One level to Another over 6 months
Content Contribution / Offers content for 4 courses under CCL (approved by LX Product Team)
Has published at least 2 articles for LX blog
Has created institutional surveys/debates or used any of the enablers consistently for 6 months (defined as usage of at least one enabler in a week)
Moderation / Moderates institution community with at least 3 posts in a day over a period of 6 months. Replies to 50% of posts/queries
Usage / Drives LX adoption in the institution for at least one year, with proof of interactions and upward stats with 25% improvement
Training / Offers internal training for 6 months with proof of participation (participation logs)
Research / Provides inputs towards gaps in use cases - at least 4 new cases pointed out
Provides inputs to product improvements – at least 4 ideas over 6 months
Participation / Participates in at least 6 LX training/workshops as cheerleaders over a period of 1 year or 3 in 6 months
Testimonials / Offers and acquires testimonials from at least 2 of each stakeholders

Roles and Responsibilities

  • Review/rate CCL Content
  • Offer CCL and best practice content
  • Key note speaker at events
  • Guide and validate LX content/product initiatives
  • Act as moderator
  • Share testimonials and references
  • Share use cases
  • Provide training support
  • Write articles
  • Participate in workshops
  • Participate in LX Awards
  • Participate in research

Selection Process

  1. Collate requests through email/proactive identification by product,delivery, VBU teams
  2. Validate with client institutions
  3. Review from Product Team
  4. LX training and test (if required by Product) (applicable to Corps only)
  5. Final decision by John

Engaging LX Corps and Mentors

While LX Corps and Mentors essentially are volunteers, some tokens of their contribution would be designed and provided. Additionally, a series of activities are to be taken up to engage with them so they continue to participate and add value to LX as resources and experts.

Planned Tokens

Corps / Mentors
Certificates / Certificates
Merchandise / Merchandise
Annual calendar / Calendar with Mentors
Participation in select events / Spotlight as experts
Free sessions/workshop attendance / Invite as speaker in workshops
Chance to move upto LX Mentors / Publish as experts on LX Blog
Networking / Networking
Free community / Free community
Free courses / Free courses

Engagement Activities Planned

  • Free Community of LX Corps, LX Mentors
  • Free Training and first to know series of training for all new releases
  • Networking with educational leaders through client workshops
  • Ice breaker sessions among the volunteers leading to thought leadership
  • Participation in LX Innovation awards
  • Networking with TCS Management
  • Dedicated TCS SPOC
  • Participation in product research activities
  • Opportunity to run workshops
  • Opportunity to publish papers
  • Bootcamps