Small Group for FE

[KimLesley]

In answer to the questions with an FE focus:

What can we tell about the range of experiences and preferences among ocTEL participants? Is FE similar?  There seem to be a huge range of experience amongst the participants, including teachers and trainers and we all face the similar challenges. There are challenges that both sectors face such as encouraging staff  (and student) engagement with TEL and getting support from senior management and budget holders. HE are probably better financed and resourced though. Both levels need to find ways of using technology effectively to increase retention and achievement and both are facing financial cuts so need to deliver more cost effectively and technology provides one way to do this.
Can we transfer lessons to FE from HE – does this challenge the course?  I don’t see why it would challenge the course – pedagogy remains the same.  How technology is changing teaching and learning theory is the same and at FE we are also preparing students for HE, so we need to know what it is they need to prepared for.
How is the MOOC suited to the challenge? Would FE participants engage? Not sure yet.  I’m certainly not new to distance learning and I’m currently doing an MA totally online with the, but at the moment I’m waiting to see how social learning in the MOOC gains more structure.  Seems a bit chaotic at the moment. But I don’t see why FE participants should feel in any way excluded

[jamesclay]

Thanks for responding and posting.

I have been for the past few years wary of the “lets encourage practitioners” approach as we’ve been doing it for years with little success.

The research about embedding TEL I have seen says that small scale projects work, but never scale or get embedded into mainstream practice (as a result of the project).

Where I do agree with is your statement “Both levels need to find ways of using technology effectively to increase retention and achievement and both are facing financial cuts so need to deliver more cost effectively and technology provides one way to do this.” this is certainly a good way to engage senior managers as it demonstrates how TEL can be used to solve problems or facilitate solutions.

Research from the LSDA back in the 1990s said that one way to increase retention, was to provide detailed information to learners about the structure of their course, show them what they had done, what they were doing and where they were going. Technologies such as the VLE and an e-portfolio can be used to provide that information quickly, efficiently and when a learner wants it.

In terms of But I don’t see why FE participants should feel in any way excluded would we need to change the language?

[jamesclay]

Some more thoughts from my blog.

[KimLesley]

I thought you made a very good point about reluctancy as being seen as something to be overcome.  It’s also true that there are many reasons not to get involved with TEL and so there won’t be a single solution.  Perhaps we should take more time investigating why teachers or students are reluctant to use technology and then address those barriers.  Lack of training and fear of giving up what are seen as tried and tested teaching methods are a couple of reasons.

However, as you say, technology does get taken up in time but not fast enough for those at the front end.  By the time it’s taken up at the rear it’s seen as old and outdated at the front!

 

 

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