Case study Organisation: North Lincolnshire County Council Type of provider: Adult and Community Learning Focus on: Technology
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“Tutors now use email to share and exchange information that supports learning.� Background
Use of technology
Andy is Head of Service for North Lincolnshire County Council Adult Education Service based in Scunthorpe, which operates out of four centres. The first of these centres was built in 2000 and was the first purpose built adult education centre in the country for over 60 years. This was followed by two others in 2004, and a refurbished centre in 2006. The service also uses venues in the local community such as church halls, community centres and schools.
Andy is able to access his email and the internet remotely via his 3G network card and wireless enabled PDA, which he says is a great help when he is on train journeys or away from the office. For his own delivery of staff development for example, he uses an interactive whiteboard, and Moodle (Moodle is a free and open source web based e-learning software platform) to which he contributes.
Andy originally worked for a water authority before going into university research working as a careers officer specialising in working with young people with special needs. He then moved into FE to run a training scheme for people with special needs and to teach in health, science and social care. Andy moved into adult education services to manage one of the new centres and subsequently became the head of service, managing adult and community learning provision across the whole of North Lincolnshire (both the safeguarded learning and the FE funded provision). The majority of his ICT skills are self-taught, although he does have the European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL), and because of his background in science has always kept well informed on new technology.
Over 90 per cent of staff, including casual, have been set up with an email address to ensure they have access to information as soon as it becomes available and to facilitate rapid communications within the service. Tutors now use email to share and exchange information that supports learning.
The service has received Capital Motivating e-Learning (CaMeL) funding to buy interactive whiteboards, laptops and to develop the Moodle which many of the tutors are enthusiastic about using. They are looking at ways to further utilise the use of Moodle so that people in the community can access learning remotely – this is particularly important as many communities across the region are rural and people find it difficult to get access to centres. With this in mind, the service uses a satellite van which provides access to the internet anywhere in the authority so adult and community learning can deliver courses in basic IT, and introduction to the internet through Moodle, to some of the most remote areas in the region. Additionally, refurbished machines are put into the centres by a computer recycling company along with broadband connections supplied by a local communications company. The service has an updated Management Information System (MIS) to enable effective management of data and programme planning. The service has supported the development of technology and seen growth in the following areas: • Video production is delivered as part of a learning programme, but also captures the learner voice. The service has previously had some of its programmes broadcasted on Channel 7 through Image 2000 Studios in Grimsby • Existing and potential learners are increasingly using the website for course searches and enquiries, as well as a recently launched common prospectus platform (the Links2 e-prospectus) that enables anyone interested in undertaking education and training across North and North East Lincolnshire to access information and submit an application • Learners in art/craft groups make good use of the computers within the classroom, accessing articles on art history and searching for ideas from around the world that helps to inspire and build confidence • Digital cameras are also used to record learner’s work which is then stored on removable media storage devices enabling learners to review and reflect on progress
Staff continuing professional development Staff development across the service includes:
Training needs are identified by: • Tutor request after identifying gaps in their own knowledge • E-guides within their cascade work • A staff skills audit conducted each year, where staff are encouraged to take up training to increase their skills.
Impact/key lessons There is still a strong cohort of people coming into the centres to do beginners’ courses in computing. Andy states that the use of a range of technology within these courses has led to: “An improvement of skills among learners and an increase in their self confidence.” The service has been able to use technology in the community to enable learners to access provisions where they may not previously have been able to, giving them access to critical online services, particularly for those who are in retirement or rural areas. There are many adult learners who want to stay with adult learning, and to continue to be a part of the life of the learning centres – some of these learners are not necessarily looking to get qualified for work, but instead get a great deal from the social and emotional benefits of learning and provide support to new learners. A problem with this is that, as Andy put it: “They can create a block in the system so that we can’t get new learners in.”
Future plans To alleviate the problem of learners wanting to stay around and ‘blocking’ the intake of new learners, the service is planning to introduce a programme where people can volunteer to become helpers and use their skills to support other learners. There is also a plan to integrate the MIS, Moodle and other systems to improve the effectiveness of provision and the monitoring of quality. There is a huge potential for the use of technology in the area, particularly where learners are remote, by using new technology to engage learners via mobile devices such as SMS messages on phones, by using the satellite van, and by using the local link service where people can access computers via the ‘people’s network’.
• Training in the use of interactive whiteboards • Introductory and advanced training in Moodle • Training in multimedia equipment used to enhance the learning experience and the learner voice. RW09/09/CS011
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