BACKGROUND Did you know crowdfunding first gained popularity as a way to fund grassroots social endeavours? The flagship Crowdfunding for Development (CF4Dev) MOOC is an exciting and innovative training course that combines unconventional approaches in development financing with an innovative online learning platform. Massive Open Online Courses or MOOCs provide a free open access web-based learning platform to a large number of participants around the world. MOOCs platforms such as Coursera, EdX, and Stanford Venture Lab are democratizing education, promoting lifelong learning internationally, and transforming learning. Meanwhile, crowdfunding is a relatively new approach to financing development projects that uses the power of the ‘crowd’ to collect small contributions from a number of supporters to help finance start-ups, nonprofit initiatives and social enterprises. Around the world, national and international institutions, such as the GIZ, DFID, EU and World Bank are paying greater attention to the impacts of crowdfunding on local economic development. Crowdfunding is democratizing access to capital and bringing greater financial inclusion and economic development to traditionally “bottom of the market” segments of the population that were previously considered “unbankable,” or unprofitable. Crowdfunding has the potential to unlock much needed early-stage financing for entrepreneurs in developing countries. By 2013, crowdfunding had become a US$ 5.1 billion market globally.
Crowdfunding is democratizing access to capital and bringing greater financial inclusion and economic development The CF4Dev MOOC leverages on ITC-ILO’s recent work on crowdfunding for a mobile learning product, e-learning platform, and our previous experience in collaborating in MOOCs. An 8-weeks online MOOC with 7 modules on the fundamentals of crowdfunding for development projects, methodologies and tools. In each of the modules we will discuss and exchange knowledge through a variety of learner-centred action activities. The centrepiece of the CF4Dev MOOC is the capstone project at the end of the course, where participants will have the chance to exhibit and share their ideas with others. The course starts with basic concepts of CF4Dev, and with each learning module, we will provide you the know-how, tools, templates, and build the peer support system for you to build and launch your own CF4Dev campaign.
DID YOU KNOW CROWDFUNDING FIRST GAINED POPULARITY AS A WAY TO FUND GRASSROOTS SOCIAL ENDEAVOURS?
WHY A MOOC? Since 2013, a number of the world’s leading higher education and development organization including the World Bank and the University of Pennsylvania’s MOOCs4Development (MOOCS4D) initiative examine into MOOCs and their impact on development and capacity building. MOOCs are greatly expanding the capacity of development organizations to meet the growing demand for educational and learning content worldwide. MOOCs are offering greater accessibility, adaptability, affordability, and scalability of high quality education to large number of learners around the world, including in developing countries and under-served communities. At the same, MOOCs are a new online education model that is flexible and facilitates lifelong learning. Due to the ‘massive’, ‘open’ and ‘online’ nature of MOOCs, they are a new and powerful marketing mechanism for our institutional partners and ITC-ILO to strategically communicate and showcase our expertise and strengths. The MOOC can also be used to attract and pull-in a broad range of new learners who are not the traditional target constituents.
OBJECTIVES By the end of CF4Dev MOOC, learners will be able to plan, apply the proper tools and execute their own CF4Dev campaign. The learning objectives of this MOOC are to: • • • • •
Recognize the role of crowdfunding and its impact on development Plan the main steps in developing a crowdfunding communication plan Identify the social media tools to build networks and promote campaigns Use metrics and social data to improve outreach and engagement Build CF4Dev campaigns for institutional purposes and projects
CONTENT The training could cover the following topics: • • • • • •
Crowdfunding and its impact on development; Crowdfunding benefits, challenges, modalities and services; How to identify a crowdfunding target community and supporters; Crowdfunding campaign tools and strategy Working with social data for crowdfunding Capstone project: Creating a tailor-made crowdfunding for development strategy
MOOCS ARE GREATLY EXPANDING THE CAPACITY OF DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS TO MEET THE GROWING DEMAND FOR EDUCATIONAL AND LEARNING CONTENT WORLDWIDE.
METHODOLOGY The CF4Dev MOOC is consisted of an 8-weeks online open learning course, facilitated by two expert trainers and several other international experts on crowdfunding and development. To fine tune the needs of the participants and the design of the MOOC a preliminary needs analysis will be conducted through an on-line survey.
The centrepiece of the CF4Dev MOOC is the capstone project. From modules 1 to 6, learners will design and plan their own CF4Dev idea and campaign. The last module is the capstone project, it will display participants’ CF4Dev campaign plan and design in a course gallery. The CF4Dev MOOC will build new and connect existing online communities of learners and practitioners and help deliver technical knowledge as well as foster the exchange of very practical skills among practitioners on how to tackle specific development challenges. Participants will co-create and exchange their own experiences and knowledge meanwhile crowdsource for solutions, network, and promote their own CF4Dev projects. Furthermore, considering the objectives of the MOOC, it will focus on participatory activity-oriented learning augmented by audio-visuals, videos, webinars, easy-to-follow templates, peer-to-peer work groups, group evaluation, strategic mapping and checklists of best practice. The MOOC will be supported by learning material (articles, links, multimedia) and tools that will be made available to each participant. Webinars & Discussion Forums
Videos
Collaborative & Activities
Strategic Planning Exercises
Readings & Online Resources
Quizzes
LEARNERS WILL DESIGN AND PLAN THEIR OWN CROWDFUNDING FOR DEVELOPMENT IDEA AND CAMPAIGN
COURSE OUTLINE MODULES MODULE 1 Introduction & Brainstorming Ideas
MODULE 2 Models & Websites
MODULE LEARNING OBJECTIVES • • • • • • • •
LEARNING ACTIVITIES
Introductions, meet & greet, and FAQs. Familiarize with MOOCs and becoming comfortable online learner. Articulate the basic concepts of crowdfunding4dev. Learn the Myths and Realities of crowdfunding. Share your CFDev idea with peers in this MOOC.
What is crowdfunding webinar
Understand fixed vs. flexible funding models. Understand the 5 major categories crowdfunding models. Recognize the basic services and fees of major crowdfunding platforms and find one that works for you.
All-or-Nothing vs. Flexible Discussion
Myths and realities of crowdfunding CFDev Idea Template
Selecting a Crowdfunding Model Selecting a Crowdfunding Site Stakeholder Mapping with 3 Cs
MODULE 3 Target Audience & Community
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Know how to map your social community and their distance from you. Know how to identify your target audience. Learn who is your target audiences/supporter.
Empathy Mapping Market Segmentation
MODULE 4 Crafting Your Campaign Message
MODULE 5 Crowdfunding Campaign Tools
Create your CF4Dev campaign message.
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Use practical tools of online storytelling.
Craft Your CF4Dev Story
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Learn tips of what works and what does not work in crowdfunding campaigns Recognize and know the basics of commonly used campaign tools. Learn the essentials of planning CF4Dev campaign communications strategy
Top 100 Lists of What Works
Understand the basics of results management and indicators Learn what is social data and how it applies to your campaign Know how to use Google Analytics to analyze indicators for results
From Indicators to Results Webinar
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MODULE 6 Crowdfunding Web Analytics
CAPSTONE PROJECT Course Gallery
Perfecting Your Campaign Message
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Synthesize and reflect on key learning objectives Emerging Trends in CF4Dev Share and exhibit participants CF4Dev campaign plan Feedback on the course and highlights.
CFDev Campaigning Tools Webinar Communication Plan Template
Deciphering Social Data Google Analytics Step-by-Step Top 100 Lists of What We Learned Emerging Trends in CF4Dev Trend CF4Dev MOOC Project Exhibition Feedback and Highlights
CONTACT
International Training Centre of the ILO Delta Programme Viale Maestri del Lavoro, 10 10127 Turin – Italy
supportecampus@itcilo.org www.itcilo.org/cf4devmooc