Making the blend work – lessons learned in four years of cross college blended learning

Making the blend work – lessons learned in four years of cross college blended learning Peter KilcoyneILT Director Heart of Worcestershire College pkilcoyne@wortech.ac.uk

Why Blended Learning? • Make use of engaging learning opportunities offered through technology • Develop independent learning and digital literacy skills • Efficiency savings needed to deliver study programmes in challenging funding environment

FELTAG Recommendations “mandate the inclusion in every publicly-funded learning programme from 2015/16 of a 10% wholly-online component, with incentives to increase this to 50% by 2017/2018. This should apply to all programmes unless a good case is made for why this is not appropriate to a particular programme”

Model 1: PAL • 15% reduction in F2F teaching • Course teams to deliver 15% of curriculum online • No remission • Shared responsibility across course team • Support from ILT team • “Martini” - learning

PAL – Lessons Learnt • Partial success • Some excellent practice butMixed qualityMixed engagementMixed feedback • Resistance from some staff and some students

PAL – Lessons Learnt • Making blended learning work across a whole college is challenging • Active learning – Moodle a place to do stuff not just get stuff • Clear roles and responsibilities • Remission for co-ordinator on each course team • Sessions should be timetabled • Increased participation monitoring • Regular assessment tasks

Model 2: SOLA • All FT L2 and L3 vocational courses • Level 2: 30 hours per year • Level 3: 60 hours per year • Timetabled delivery – usually in Learning Centres – supervised by Learning Centre staff

Overview - Key Features of SOLA • Moodle course • Clear instructions and structure • Learning outcomes • Range of learning resources, text, interactive and video. Where possible save time by using what’s already out there (e.g. NLN, YouTube, slideshare, Open Educational Resources, planet e-stream etc) where appropriate buy in • Learning activities through Moodle tools (e.g. forums. glossaries, journals, databases etc) • Assessment through Moodle tools (quiz and assignment)

Examples of SOLA Modules • Beauty Gateway • Beauty SOLA • Art and Design SOLA • Activity Example • Database Assessment • Quiz Assessment

Roles and Responsibilities • SOLA Coordinator – plan scheme of work, agree SOLA outcomes with teachers, ensure assessments are marked, monitoring engagement, (given approx.18 hours per year for this per group) • Lecturers – plan, agree with coordinator, build SOLA with SOLA Team • Personal tutors – monitor engagement and follow up in individual and group tutorials • Learning Centre staff –support SOLA sessions in Learning Centres • CRQ (Curriculum) Managers and Leaders – lead and monitor implementation within their teams • SOLA Support Team (part of ILT team) – Provide templates, training, support teachers in developing SOLA Modules. Overall monitoring and reporting to SLT, supporting QA

Lessons learnt - Learner Engagement • Adult learners take far better to blended learning compared to 16 – 19 learners • Engaging content • Video, Interaction, Quizzes • Emphasised in F2F not stand alone • Monitoring • Non participation challenged

Lessons learnt - Lecturers Engagement • Clear positive message to lecturers as to how, what and why • Effective CPD • ILT support • Strong leadership and support from curriculum manager • Integration with F2F learning

Lessons Learnt – Staff Skills • Bespoke CPD for SOLA Co-ordinators, Teachers, Personal Tutors, Learning Centre Staff and Managers • Online and F2F CPD • Best practice sessions • Team sessions

Lessons Learnt - Quality • Quality framework • SOLA Observations • Learner feedback – QUISTS, Surveys, Observations • Sharing best practice

Lessons Learnt - Management • Implementing blended learning is challenging • Strong consistent message from Senior and Curriculum Managers • Planning – long lead in, pilot • Resourcing – learning centres, ILT support, abatement • Monitoring and challenging

Lessons Learnt - Support • HOW College - 4 FTE SOLA Advisors • Each with workload of specified courses • SOLA Advisor works in partnership with SOLA Co-ordinator to build SOLA courses

Impact of Implementing Blended Learning • 12% improvement in success rates in four years since blended learning started • Efficiency savings over £250K per annum • Improved digital literacy and online learning skills in staff and students • Improved independent learning skills in students

Support from Heart of Worcestershire College

CPD for your College • Half day planning meeting for College Management Teams • F2F CPD for lecturers and other staff • Online CPD for lecturers (BOLD) • Design eLearnDiploma • Bespoke CPD

Blended Learning Consortium • Membership organisation • Annual fee of £5K • Members propose content they would like developed • Members rate proposals out of 10 • Selected content co-developed by member colleges • Content shared across member colleges

Any Questions? pkilcoyne@wortech.ac.uk

Making the blend work – lessons learned in four years of cross college blended learning