SW Region – Involving Learners Enhancement of Learning Support Involving learners in shaping their...
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Transcript of SW Region – Involving Learners Enhancement of Learning Support Involving learners in shaping their...
SW Region – Involving LearnersEnhancement of Learning Support
Involving learners in shaping their own support
SW Regional event – Involving Learners
Enhancement of Learning SupportBackground to project
Enhancement of Learning Support Project
Phase 1 : January – April 2010
Natspec commissioned by LSIS to explore the training and development needs of LSAs and those who manage them
Talked to learners, LSAs, LSA managers and Tutors
Undertook a literature review
Desk based research
Survey
SW Regional event – Involving Learners
Enhancement of Learning SupportBackground to project
Terminology and Role
Project focussed on “Learning Support” as opposed to “Learner Support”
Changed project terminology from Learning Support Practitioner (NOS) to Learning Support Assistant (LSA) but in practice many titles used
Hugely important role but......
Shockingly under researchedViews of LSAs and learners particularly lacking in the literature
SW Regional event – Involving Learners
Enhancement of Learning SupportBackground to project
Key Findings
•A hugely diverse workforce
•Formal role most developed in FE sector
•Key role in supporting and promoting independence, but..
•Often a lack of clarity, at individual, organisational and system level about how to combine activity which is enables learning with that which is necessary for personal support
SW Regional event – Involving Learners
Enhancement of Learning SupportBackground to project
Key Findings (learners):
Learners have very clear views about what constitutes effective support, and how they want to be supported
They want a focus on enabling and more independence
The personal qualities of support staff are key – being listened to, included and treated with respect
Above all they want the right to be involved in defining their own support
SW Regional event – Involving Learners
Enhancement of Learning SupportBackground to project
Key Findings (CPD):
A lot of induction and training is compliance related
Often there is insufficient focus in training on the core competencies of the role in supporting learning
A wide variation in what is offered
Significant barriers to participation
Unlike schools the sector has no recognised career structure within which LSAs work and progress
SW Regional event – Involving Learners
Enhancement of Learning SupportBackground to project
There are lots of training resources available, but…..
No central point which stores and disseminates information effectively across the sector
There is a need for more joint training and specific training for teachers in relation to working effectively with LSAs
Training for Managers of LSAs is underdeveloped
An organisational culture whose values and ethos promotes inclusion at all levels is vital for effective
development of learning support
SW Regional event – Involving Learners
Enhancement of Learning SupportBackground to project
Phase 2 –September 2010- March 2011Programme of development activities based on the recommendations from the initial research
Natspec and AoC joint delivery partners
Nine regional partnerships, involving eighteen lead colleges – SW Weston College and National Star College
Additional partnerships with JISC Techdis, NAPTA and Lifelong Learning UK to support the project.
Key aim –to draw on practitioner expertise and experience to develop resources and materials that will have practical relevance and add value
SW Regional event – Involving Learners
Enhancement of Learning SupportBackground to project
Regional Activity
South West and North West – resources and approaches to enable learners to be involved in managing and directing their own support
London – A self assessment tool
Yorkshire and Humberside – Using technology to support greater independence for learners
South East – Developing an online tool to profile the CPD needs of Learning Support staff
SW Regional event – Involving Learners
Enhancement of Learning SupportBackground to project
Regional Activity
West Midlands – Resources to support alternative approaches to CPD
North East – The role of systems and structures in promoting or hindering learner independence
East Midlands – Organisational improvement tool
SW Regional event – Involving Learners
Enhancement of Learning SupportBackground to project
Other project related activity includeA web portal to host all information of relevance and interest to LSAs
A professional development network across the Doncaster and South Yorkshire region
A report on the effective management of learning support – West of England College
To find out more or contribute go to http://www.natspec.org.uk/enhancement-of-learning-support.html
SW Regional event – Involving Learners
Enhancement of Learning SupportBackground to project
South West Region:
Weston College and National Star College working with learner advisory panel
Aiming to establish a sustained community of practice to continuously enhance learning support across the region and to be leaders in effective practice in involving learners to identify and direct their own support
15 November - Regional event 1 – share effective practice and identify a range of resources and approaches to be trialled
November to February – trial range of resources and approaches
17 February - Regional event 2 – share findings and determine most effective resources and approaches to put forward for outcomes of project
Ongoing – network to develop a sustained community of practice taking forward outcomes from full project
SW Regional event – Involving Learners
Enhancement of Learning SupportBackground to project
How does what you are doing fit?
Our aims is to develop a range of resources and approaches that enable learners to be involved in identifying, planning, managing and directing their own learning support
SW Regional event – Involving Learners
Enhancement of Learning SupportBackground to project
Programme for the day
10.00am Welcome and programme overview
10.30am Aims of the day – Video of learner voice
11.00am Using activities to promote learner voice
11.30am Tea/Coffee
11.45am Workshop #1 - Swap Shop
12.45pm Using technology to engage learners
1.00pm Lunch
1.45pm Workshop # 2 – Modelling resources
2.45pm Trial and revelation! - What next...
3.45pm Evaluations