Building a Vocational Building a Vocational Community OnlineCommunity Online

Lorraine LaveryLorraine Lavery

llavery@belfastinstitute.ac.ukllavery@belfastinstitute.ac.uk

BIFHEBIFHE

BackgroundBackground– 19911991

IncorporationIncorporation 20002000

– Virtual Learning EnvironmentVirtual Learning Environment– ILT ChampionsILT Champions– Level 2 and 3 OCN qualificationsLevel 2 and 3 OCN qualifications

2003 onwards2003 onwards– Online CommunitiesOnline Communities

BackgroundBackground

BTEC QualificationsBTEC Qualifications– National and Higher NationalNational and Higher National– Estate Management, Town Planning and Estate Management, Town Planning and

ConstructionConstruction Dispersed learnersDispersed learners Vocational learnersVocational learners Time constrained learnersTime constrained learners Recruitment issuesRecruitment issues Basic or no IT skillsBasic or no IT skills

Lessons LearnedLessons Learned

Induction: “Learning to E-learn”Induction: “Learning to E-learn” Navigation/use in classNavigation/use in class Listen to studentsListen to students Digital DivideDigital Divide The Sunday learnerThe Sunday learner Integrate with Library staffIntegrate with Library staff Log in as student viewLog in as student view

Independent learnersIndependent learners

Discussion BoardsDiscussion Boards

Summer ModuleSummer Module

Student baseStudent base– ReturnersReturners– Long distanceLong distance– Additional burdensAdditional burdens

Economics ModuleEconomics Module Own siteOwn site Face to face sessionsFace to face sessions E-learning toolsE-learning tools

Student responsesStudent responses

Good informal feedback in course Good informal feedback in course reviewsreviews

No formal reporting mechanism on E-No formal reporting mechanism on E-learninglearning

Questionnaire: n=60Questionnaire: n=60

Q: Access online material for Q: Access online material for support outside college/weeksupport outside college/week

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

Once a week 2 - 5 / wk 6 - 10 / wk More than 10 / wk

Q: Development & Q: Development & Improvement of Your IT skills?Improvement of Your IT skills?

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

Yes No

Q: You see yourself as a more Q: You see yourself as a more “Independent Learner”?“Independent Learner”?

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Yes No

Student feedbackStudent feedback

““Blackboard material allows me to Blackboard material allows me to research information at home as well research information at home as well as in college”as in college”

““Additional reading opportunities Additional reading opportunities allows me to share work related allows me to share work related resources with my employees”resources with my employees”

““I now possesss IT skills I never had I now possesss IT skills I never had before and am continually improving before and am continually improving on these”on these”

BIFHE benefitsBIFHE benefits

Improved retention and completionImproved retention and completion Publicity that assists recruitment – Publicity that assists recruitment –

“value-added” dimension“value-added” dimension Improving grades in annual course Improving grades in annual course

reviewsreviews Targeted as good practice by ETITargeted as good practice by ETI Meets Institute’s ILT targetsMeets Institute’s ILT targets

Future ChallengesFuture Challenges

Additional Interactivity and E-Additional Interactivity and E-maturitymaturity

Further engagement with rest of Further engagement with rest of InstituteInstitute

EvaluationEvaluation E-booksE-books Collaboration across sector Collaboration across sector