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Online distance learning in FE

Online distance learning in FE. What are the critical success factors? (using the Learning To Teach On-Line course - LeTTOL - as the exemplar) Seb Schmoller The Sheffield College. Summary. About LeTTOL Main features Successes Management and organisation Content and technology Tutoring

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Online distance learning in FE

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  1. Online distance learning in FE What are the critical success factors? (using the Learning To Teach On-Line course - LeTTOL - as the exemplar) Seb Schmoller The Sheffield College The Sheffield College

  2. Summary • About LeTTOL • Main features • Successes • Management and organisation • Content and technology • Tutoring • Conclusions The Sheffield College

  3. 59% FE 15% HE 7% Private Sector 19% Other 4% non UK About LeTTOL • 1996 South Yorkshire FE Consortium initiative to train own staff in e-learning • Now delivered very widely • > 600 learners per year • ~20 tutors in the team (1 in Au and 1 in Ca) • Adapted by CIPD as its COL course • Identified by Ufi, TUC, Scottish Enterprise, as suitable training for online tutors The Sheffield College

  4. Main features • Wholly online – no face to face – not “blended” • 120 study hours over ~20 weeks • Thin, flat content, + asynchronous conferencing - not run in VLE • Collaborative in tone and content • Challenging • Accredited (only!) at Level 3 The Sheffield College

  5. Successes • 80% of learners obtain the qualification • External Moderation reports consistently positive • 42% of completers active in e-learning • 24% of completers attribute employment changes to LeTTOL • >15% of learners referred by friend or colleague • >15% referred by their employer The Sheffield College

  6. Management and organisation • Strong senior management commitment right from the start • Dedicated and trained administrative support • Cohorts and learning sets • Deadlines! • Pre-course assessment process • Learner and tutor guides The Sheffield College

  7. Content and technology • Simple, quick to load, cheap and quick to update • Easy to navigate • Challenging to the learners not our own or the learners’ infrastructure! • Content regularly updated and improved • Content owned and maintained by the tutor-team The Sheffield College

  8. Tutoring • Active and committed tutors – adequately paid in time or money • Tutors focused on individual and learning-set progress • Team managed/led with extensive support for • new tutors • the tutor team • “Tracking tools” to enable efficient handover between tutors The Sheffield College

  9. Conclusions • Separation of content creation from delivery is risky (but commonly advocated) • VLEs with good learner tracking tools will succeed • Learning at a time [yes], place [yes], and pace [NO!] to suit you • Thin flat content vs. media rich content – community and communication are more important than slick presentation • Managers (who have not experienced online learning) may have trouble getting to grips with it The Sheffield College

  10. References and contact details • seb.schmoller@sheffcol.ac.uk / 0114 2602686 • http://www.sheffcol.ac.uk/lettol/ • JISC Effective Online Tutoring Guidelines: by Julia Duggleby, Joanna Howard, Kate Butler, Les Williams, Martin Cooke, Carol Cotton, Seb Schmoller. • The University of Southampton's evaluation of the LeTTOL course, published in February 2001. • (Interim Evaluation Report by University of Sheffield School of Education on the GCSE English Online Course, Sheffield College - February 2002) The Sheffield College

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