Smart Horizons Independent Living Skills Program

Tracking Learning Outcomes for Youth in Transition

As any hard working caseworker, foster trainer, or volunteer will tell you, one of the biggest obstacles to tracking the education of youth in transition is their constant mobility.  Each move is not only a life adjustment for the child or youth, it may mean a transition to a different caseworker, different training options, and perhaps even different methods of tracking outcomes.  In the era of internet cloud computing, an online learning management system could solve many of the problems that arise in these situations with regard to records and education plans. 

Online learning provides portability: regardless of placement or changes in housing, youth in transition can access a learning portal with any computer and an internet connection 24/7.  This connection can occur at home, at school, a public library, or even from a laptop or mobile device.  A good online educational program will be housed within a learning management system to track student records, progress, and transcripts no matter where that child is located.  The learning management system will show if the student has completed certain courses and how they are progressing. User privileges can be established by the learning provider, so that the child’s records can be accessed with login permissions.  If the child moves to a new municipality or state, complete access can be granted to the new caseworker.  This creates a seamless transfer of records without unnecessary delay. The juvenile court system and court appointed advocates can use these transcripts as proof that the youth has completed all required training to emancipate out of the system.  For those serving foster youth who are receiving educational training vouchers, copies of transcripts, grades, and schedules can be stored and easily accessed within a secure learning management system.

Online training programs can reduce the number of required instructors, thus allowing caseworkers to focus their time on critical skills development while simultaneously providing them with a better tool for tracking student progress.  A good learning management tool can upload traditional course materials, such as workbooks, assessments, or PowerPoint presentations.  This allows for the online training to be coordinated with traditional training programs. 

The goal for every jurisdiction is to prepare youth in transition with critical life skills before they age out of the system.  However, given the current economic climate, most municipalities struggle to maintain budget while not sacrificing care.  An online training program with a robust learning management function can be a much more cost-effective method of delivering quality instruction.  Classroom space is not required, as training can be done from the comfort of the youth’s home or school.  The training is self-paced and progress is recorded in real time, making it more convenient for both the student and the caseworker.  A learning management tool allows caseworkers to focus on problem areas and therefore more efficiently allocate resources for the child.  Finally, for students who have difficulty with traditional classroom settings, an online program may better fit their educational needs.