Technology and learners in the FESR sector

Becta Research Conference 2008

Giles Pepler – Sero Consulting

Nigel Ecclesfield - Becta

Reporting on technology and e-activity in the FESR sector

• In England:- annual FE college surveys since 2001 with additional separate surveys for ACL, WBL & OLASS from 2007 onwards- coverage has been around 30% of providers- outcomes summarised in Harnessing Technology

• In Scotland, Sero conducted a survey of college e-activity covering 90% of providers in 2007

• Considerable survey activity in Wales• In all surveys, the importance of effective

organisational leadership is key to success

What the English surveys have covered – and what they’ve been light on

Strengths• Lots of information on infrastructure and connectivity –

heavy investment in colleges and generally OK there, not bad in WBL, problematic in some parts of ACL and OLASS

• Identification and analysis of issues affecting the use of technology and national trends and issues for providers in their use of technology.

• Considerable information on the use made of technology by providers and staff

Relatively thin on• Relating the findings of each survey to priorities

identified in Harnessing Technology• Evidence on learner use of technology, their needs and

links with improved outcomes

Exemplars of learner research in the sector

• JISC – Learner experiences of e-learning• Marlene Morrison – E-learning 'Bites' for Adult Learners:

mixed messages from research• LSC – National learner satisfaction surveys• Gallacher et al - Expanding our understanding of the

learning cultures in community-based Further Education• James - Importance and impotence? Learning,

outcomes and research in further education • Becta NOP Survey of Learners in FE Colleges• Incidental evidence arising from Sero’s study of

Scotland’s colleges

The 2007 FE learner survey [NOP]

• 75% of learners had used computers at college, most of whom had been directed to do so by tutors. They used computers primarily for research and favoured a blended approach to learning

• Almost 90% had broadband access at home, though the number of older users with this was lower

• Over half felt that ICT had improved their learning experiences and outcomes

• 30% experienced more ICT use at college than they’d expected and the vast majority were satisfied with levels of access at college

NOP survey: ICT quality and barriers

• Nearly 80% of learners felt the quality of college ICT equipment, connectivity and teacher use of technology were good or very good

• Some barriers …- Female and older users were less enthusiastic- A quarter lacked confidence in their own ICT abilities –

typically the same groups- Learners reported that the use of ICT across different

courses was uneven

Case studies from Scotland

The 2007 Sero survey identified three especially interesting college case studies:

- West Lothian College

- Shetland College

- Forth Valley College

At Forth Valley College, the survey of e-activity was used as a collaborative exercise involving managers and lecturers to identify relative weaknesses in college technology use for development priorities – one of these was in the extent to which the college took learner views on board

Organisational Outputs• Students are informed of pedagogical rationale,

procedures and technologies (Policy and Planning)

• Institutional learning & teaching policy explicitly addresses e-learning (Policy, Delivery and Management)

Learning and Teaching Strategy – staff and learner consultation.

Let’s listen to learners, let’s talk about learning.

What our Learners Want

To be actively involved in the learning process

Lecturing limited to introduction and brief input on topics and

reinforcement

Learning that is contextualised and real-work related

Bit of everything – variety – blended approach

Ability to work at their own pace and in groups to agreed

deadlines

Work placements and/or visits in all courses

More use of ILT in all classes and list of useful websites for all

topics

Professionally produced notes which are accessible online

Learning materials which can be worked on at own pace

More online assessment and assessment on demand

FESR learner research for 2009 onwards

• Develop a learner voice survey instrument which triangulates with the instruments used in the Becta annual technology surveys for managers and practitioners

• Ensure that learner voice survey work is linked to the Harnessing Technology Performance Framework system outcomes in the same way

• Ensure that the learner voice work does not involve unnecessary duplication and is consistent with developments in schools and across FESR sectors

Staff and Learners

• Jephcote, Salisbury and Rees – ‘Being a teacher in further education in changing times’ - As with other sectors of education, further education seems to be locked in endless change with policy unable to resolve what have become to be regarded as intractable problems. In turn, much is expected of teachers who are left to resolve the competing pressures they are placed under. Evidence suggests that they expend much emotional labour and employ a range of strategies, but on the whole, while not ignoring the demands of other stakeholders, they privilege the needs and interests of learners in their adoption of an ethic of care.