Post on 24-May-2020
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in conjunction with
On-the-ground experiential review
of colleges’ blended learning approaches
Research project summary for the academic year 2017-2018
Sasha Lipscombe
Neelma Patel
Joanne Schogger
Olga Vendrova
Watford, Hertfordshire, UK
June 2018
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Table of contents
1. Abstract ........................................................................................................................................... 2
2. Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 3
The problem with blended learning in the FE sector .......................................................................... 3
Current challenges in adopting and utilising blended learning in UK colleges .................................. 4
Research aims ..................................................................................................................................... 5
3. Method ............................................................................................................................................ 6
Co-creation and co-design .................................................................................................................. 6
College selection ................................................................................................................................. 8
Commitment from Global Vocational Skills ...................................................................................... 9
Commitment from colleges ................................................................................................................. 9
GVS research in numbers ................................................................................................................. 10
GVS research timeline ...................................................................................................................... 12
Materials used ................................................................................................................................... 13
Data analysis ..................................................................................................................................... 13
4. Results and discussion .................................................................................................................. 14
Digital teams and infrastructure ........................................................................................................ 14
The role of facilitators in blended learning ....................................................................................... 15
Blended learning models used in colleges ........................................................................................ 16
i-GVS product usage ......................................................................................................................... 20
Common trends in the use of digital content .................................................................................... 20
Observations and discussion ............................................................................................................. 23
Blended learning conference ............................................................................................................. 25
5. Conclusion .................................................................................................................................... 26
6. Further research work ................................................................................................................... 27
7. Testimonials and independent expertise ....................................................................................... 28
BCoT investment into digital content and infrastructure will save us thousands in the years to come
.......................................................................................................................................................... 28
Plumbing students are using an innovative online digital solution to support learning and
assessment at Uxbridge College ....................................................................................................... 29
8. Bibliography ................................................................................................................................. 30
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1. Abstract
In the academic year 2017-2018, Global
Vocational Skills (GVS) had the pleasure of
working closely with three leading UK
colleges who opened their doors to
demonstrate exactly what is happening in and
outside of their classrooms. They shared their
challenges, aspirations and strategies, from
both pedagogical and managerial
perspectives.
Through talking to many other colleges at the
same time, we found out that they also face
similar challenges and would like these
addressed.
With budgets constantly being squeezed
year-on-year, FE leadership and management
teams are facing a seemingly impossible task
to transform their organisations while
maintaining high levels of delivery and
learner success.
Contemporary 16 to18 year-old learners are
demanding a more technologically-led
education, one that provides an enhanced and
diversified path of learning using a variety of
interactive resources.
At the same time, the growing number of
apprenticeships means there is an increasing
need for development of independent
learning skills – another burden which is also
being placed on colleges, to provide evidence
that learning outside of the classroom is
actually taking place.
Ultimately, all these organisations are trying
to achieve the same things:
• effectively deliver the required
underpinning knowledge
• provide a workspace for practical skills
training
• help learners to succeed in their
vocational occupations
• promote job readiness
This Blended Learning Research Project
2017-2018 was designed to discover, and
expose acknowledged pedagogical practices
which:
• ensure successful learner outcomes
• deliver FE programmes in a
contemporary and progressive way
• address learner demands in the current
age of advancing digital technology
• ultimately result in an improved i-GVS
product solution
Some strategies and examples of different
blended learning practices were shared in an
open forum with delegates at a dedicated
conference “Exploring and Advancing
Technology Innovations in Skills”, compiled
by GVS and hosted at Basingstoke College of
Technology on 14 March 2018.
The results and feedback collected throughout
this year’s work are summarised in this report
and will be fed directly back to the
participating colleges, to help them better
understand which factors, approaches and
methodologies could help achieve desired and
optimum outcomes.
Overall, the research project highlighted some
interesting findings around the way digital
content is used within these colleges,
particularly that blended learning occurs more
outside the classroom as part of self-study
sessions, rather than in the classroom as an
active part of the teaching process. Very little
time was spent by the tutors in planning the
use of the digital resources, but in instances
where some did take the time, the learners
responded positively and seemed engaged and
motivated.
This report is intended to inform colleges and
contribute to an internal discussion of your
blended learning strategy.
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2. Introduction
The problem with blended learning in the FE sector
Blended learning helps to break down the
barriers many students face today with
traditional teaching methods.
Each and every learner is different, and as
such the way they learn will be very different
– from visual to auditory learners, and
kinaesthetic to linguistic learners, blended
learning offers a flexible and bespoke
approach to all of these different learning
styles, providing the opportunity to study and
learn in a way that best suits them.
i-GVS has been specifically designed to be
used as part of a blended learning
methodology, supporting the needs of each
learner and allowing differentiated learning to
take place.
It introduces a crucial element of independent
learning to the process, enabling learners to
take control over certain aspects of their
learning, such as the pace, place or time of
study.
Rotation model
Tutors can provide different
digital and non-digital
activities in sequence, to
deliver content and check
comprehension of a topic.
Flipped learning
Here, learners can study topics
at home and test their
knowledge prior to a lesson.
Independent learning
This is learning that is carried
out on an individual basis by
the learner outside of the
classroom, either pre- or post-
class learning.
Face-to-face driver model
Students can progress at their
own pace using
technology based in the
classroom.
Flex model
This model relies on online
instructional delivery. Learning
is primarily self-guided, as the
learner is left to independently
learn and engage with the
content in a digital
environment.
Online driver model
This model is when learners
work remotely on a flexible
timetable. Interaction is
supported by GVS PiLOT or
the Learning Management
System of the educational
institution.
Blended learning models1 recognised in the industry based on how EdTech can be used
What is not clear from the common
descriptions of blended learning from various
sources is the nature of the teachers’ role in
all of these models.
And that seems to reflect exactly where
teachers stand in terms of undertaking new
delivery approaches with the use of
technology – they feel confused and
apprehensive.
1 Thompson, J. (2016) ‘6 Blended Learning Models: When Blended Learning Is What’s Up For Successful
Students’, eLearning Industry, 12 February. Available at: https://elearningindustry.com/6-blended-learning-
models-blended-learning-successful-students (Accessed: 29.05.2018).
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Current challenges in adopting and utilising blended learning in UK colleges
Since opening in 2014, Global Vocational
Skills has been delivering digital content to
many colleges and training providers and has
exhibited at many sector-focussed events.
From working directly within the UK’s FE
sector for over four years, and over twenty
years globally, we have experienced first-
hand a significant resistance to change.
Most colleges acknowledge that they need to
incorporate new digital strategies in their
delivery, especially following the release of
the FELTAG report which refers to 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…”2.
However, currently this is merely a
recommendation rather than a requirement,
and so many colleges are still slow or even
reluctant to provide this.
This can be explained when taking into
account several factors, including:
• lack of funding to purchase new
equipment or build dedicated
infrastructure, e.g. ‘digital zones’
• lack of tutor training to bring teachers
up to date with use of technology,
which makes them feel nervous to use
it, choosing to avoid it all together
• insufficient amount of tutor time to
dedicate to bringing themselves up-to-
speed with technology options available
and benefits that it can offer
• teachers feeling threatened by
technology, and fearing that technology
will ‘make them redundant’
Teachers should be educated to understand
that digital can enhance their teaching, not
undermine it, and that by working with it
instead of fearing it they can bring their
teaching methods into the 21st century.
As for college management, they need to
allow teachers to develop their digital skills at
their own pace, by providing appropriate time
and space resources, just as the students would
be assigned regular time for blended learning
in their curriculum.
Moreover, making the initial steps towards
building the infrastructure and putting digital
teams in place appears to be insufficient for
effective blended learning to take place. ILT
staff and teachers still require additional
support and regular specialised training
dedicated to adopting new practices, and they
need to feel confident to embrace these
modern technologies. This is currently not
happening across many colleges.
2 Lambert, N. (2014) ‘Recommendations: Paths forward to a digital future for Further Education and Skills’, p.
23. Further Education Learning Technology Action Group (FELTAG), March. Available at:
http://feltag.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/FELTAG-REPORT-FINAL.pdf (Accessed: 15.03.2018).
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Research aims
Global Vocational Skills undertook this
research project and engaged in a number of
research activities, aimed at addressing the
following three areas:
Blended learning
• How does digital content, such as i-
GVS, help with the delivery of blended
learning, and what is the overall effect
on the teaching process?
• Which blended learning model works
best for which scenario?
• Is any given blended learning model
more beneficial/appropriate for a
particular course/subject area?
• Are there any other innovative ways
digital content can be used as part of
blended learning?
Teacher training and support in the use of
technology
• Support college staff in understanding
and gaining the full benefits of using
digital content, such as i-GVS
• Achieve high level of user satisfaction
which will lead to peer-to-peer
recommendation and sharing of
experience and methodologies
GVS solution
• How to improve the content of GVS
products to grow usage numbers and to
address user demands: Assessment,
Templates and Schemes of Work
• What actions are necessary to improve
delivery formats – GVS PiLOT, Reports,
Content Management System (CMS)
It was hoped that by focussing on these areas a
better understanding would be achieved of the
main issues surrounding blended learning
within the FE sector, thereby enabling further
development of the GVS solution so that it not
only meets the needs of all its users, but that it
also removes the digital hurdle from the path
of those who could most benefit from it.
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3. Method
The digital content created by Global
Vocational Skills is designed by tutors, with
tutors, for tutors. In order to further develop
the GVS solution so that it successfully
meets the needs and demands of its users, it
was felt that the research project should have
maximum involvement from those who use it
first-hand. This approach will provide a deep
insight into how digital content, such as i-
GVS, is used on the ground, and what we can
do to enhance it so that it fully reflects user
requirements.
As such, the project was built around the co-
creation and co-design3 technique.
Co-creation and co-design
Co-creation is a participatory design
technique that has been in use since the
1970s. Co-creation is not a new idea, yet it is
still underutilized, in part because it requires
organisations to develop a new mind-set, and
to accept three difficult truths:
• There is more than one expert
• Everyone can be creative
• We can all listen4
The practice of co-design allows users to
become an active part of the creative
development of a product by interacting
directly with production and research teams.
It is grounded in the belief that all people are
creative and that users, as experts of their own
experiences, bring different points of view that
inform design and innovation direction.
Co-design is a method that can be used in all
stages of the design process. Partnering with
users ensures their inclusion in knowledge
development, idea generation, and concept
development on products whose ultimate goal
is to best serve these same users5.
Co-creation and co-design is usually very
carefully planned, and the current research
facilitates this. It doesn't mean directly taking
users' ideas and implementing them as they
are. All feedback is carefully filtered, analysed
and interpreted, and the insights that underpin
the results are invaluable to the long-term
development of the GVS solution.
3 A number of FE sector leading organisations use co-creation and co-design as part of their product
development, for example: https://www.jisc.ac.uk/rd/how-we-innovate/co-design;
https://www.pearson.com/corporate/news/blogs/CompanyBlog/2016/12/designing-for-learning--pearsons-
learning-design-principles.html 4 Bertini, P., and Plumley, E. (2014) ‘Co-Creation: Designing with the User, for the User’, UX Booth, 2
December. Available at: http://www.uxbooth.com/articles/co-creation-designing-with-the-user-for-the-user/
(Accessed: 10.10.2017). 5 Naranjo-Bock, C. (2014) ‘Creativity-based Research: The Process of Co-Designing with Users’, UX
Magazine, 24 April. Available at: http://uxmag.com/articles/creativity-based-research-the-process-of-co-
designing-with-users (Accessed: 18.10.2017).
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i-GVS production stages
Almost 50% of the work done when producing i-GVS courses is achieved through co-creation where
GVS production staff work directly with tutors and Subject Matter Experts from FE (production
stages highlighted above).
More than 100 consultants have worked on the existing products, most are current teaching staff and
40% of them hold Internal Verifier and External Verifier qualifications.
FINAL PRODUCT SIGN OFF
BETA-TESTING
PROGRAMMING
AUDIO & IMAGE PRODUCTION
PROOFREADING
SCRIPT QUALITY CHECK
PRODUCTION MANAGER SIGN OFF
PROGRAMMING SCRIPT
MATERIAL QUALITY CHECK
CONTENT AUTHORING
SCHEMES OF WORK DEVELOPMENT
PRODUCT STRUCTURE DESIGN
AUTHOR & SME SEARCH AND SELECTION
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College selection
Prior to the initiation of the research project,
Global Vocational Skills already had a close
working relationship with three well-
established and successful British FE
colleges. Each college first started using i-GVS in 2016. Following discussions with
these colleges about the work we were
looking to carry out, all expressed an interest
in being part of this research. The three
colleges were:
• A dynamic college with a new training
centre in nearby Bordon and a newly
refurbished Construction department.
• Were rated ‘Good’ by Ofsted in their
latest inspection, with Outstanding
features.
• BCoT has a dedicated digital team, who
help to develop the digital and technical
skills of all staff and students. They
work with the latest online tools to
combine digital media and traditional
classroom techniques to create a new
method of teaching and learning. The
team also work directly with industry to
identify which digital tools are being
used in the workplace and bring these
back to the classroom.
• In 2018 BCoT has received the
prestigious TES Award and was
nominated as one of the top 50 EdTech
colleges
• HoW College pride themselves in
delivering job-related qualifications in
high quality environments.
• HoW College is also known for
establishing the Blended Learning
Consortium (BLC) that has been running
for over five years, providing digital
learning resources specifically developed
for the Further Education (FE) sector.
• Latest OFSTED inspection (Nov 2016)
graded Hopwood Hall College ‘Good
with Outstanding features', both in terms
of its learners' achievements and in its
leadership and management.
• In addition, the report also said learners
at Hopwood Hall College benefit from
the college’s significant investment in
industry standard equipment and
facilities, part of which is digital learning
technologies.
• HHC also beat 79 other colleges to win
the BLC’s Learning Impact Award
which demonstrates their leadership in
providing a high quality digital
experience for the learners.
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Such commitment from these colleges in
moving forward with the use of advanced
technology is actively being shown in a
number of ways:
• BCoT recently received the prestigious
TES FE Award 2018 for ‘Outstanding use of technology for improving teaching, learning and assessment’ and
was also named in The EdTech 50 list
• Hopwood Hall College gained a
Blended Learning Consortium award
for their innovative iLearn sessions
• HoW College is pioneering a new
strategy in using digital resources in
their SOLA (Self Organised Learning
Activity) sessions whilst working
closely with their tutors on their blended
learning Schemes of Work.
These colleges have also actively been using
i-GVS products for over two years now, and
we are proud to play a role in their new
blended learning strategies. As part of this
we provide termly staff training and focus-
group meetings, observations and
reporting which also help with further user-
driven product development. Our numerous
Sample Schemes of Work are designed to
inspire thinking in the direction of using
digital in further education.
Following agreement in principle by the
selected colleges to be involved in the
research project, Global Vocational Skills
signed partnership agreements with them,
detailing each party’s obligations for the
duration of the project. These obligations
were:
Commitment from Global Vocational
Skills
• Supply i-GVS products to the college
under GVS PiLOT user licence
• Support and train the college staff on the
management of GVS Solution, the use of
GVS PiLOT and i-GVS
• Provide access to CMS function,
allowing either the creation of bespoke
learning courses or its use for internal
purposes
Commitment from colleges
To aid in product development through:
• Regular use of at least three i-GVS
products by the college tutors throughout
the academic year 2017-2018
• Attendance by college tutors/IT staff at
regular training covering the use of i-
GVS, GVS PiLOT and CMS
• Providing access to lessons where digital
products are used through Observations
• Providing access to college tutors who, at
least once per month, will participate in
this research and feedback
• Providing learners’ anonymous progress
reports (pass rates, progress rates, marks,
etc.)
• Providing interview opportunities with
college tutors/IT staff
• Submitting reports, lesson plans and
other evidence of using i-GVS
• Regular meetings between GVS and the
college staff to discuss usage and issues
• Providing feedback and development
suggestions for GVS products/platform
improvement and LTI connection
• Support for GVS Production as Subject-
Matter Experts and Contributing Authors
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GVS research in numbers
HHC HoW BCoT Totals
College staff training statistics
Total attendees in GVS training:
Developers & ILT staff 5 3 2 10
Management staff 3 3 4 10
Tutors/Lecturers 7 8 4 19
Attendees subtotals 15 14 10 39
Training details:
Printed support materials 0 0 0 0
ILT Training length (minutes) 150 150 150 450
Tutor training length (minutes) 140 140 140 420
Delivery platform types of accounts 4 4 4 4
Products (including GVS Training) 13 13 13 13
Number of research participants:
Developers & ILT staff 5 3 2 10
Management staff 1 1 1 3
Tutors/Lecturers 3 3 3 9
Participants subtotals 9 7 6 22
College cooperation activities
Summer 2017 - paperwork 3 3 3 9
August-October 2017 - training and set up 4 4 4 12
October 2017-June 2018:
Observations (per tutor) 0 3 3 6
Interviews (per tutor) 3 3 3 9
Lesson plans (per tutor) 0 3 3 6
Termly Schemes of Work (per tutor) 3 3 3 9
ILT reports (per college) 3 3 3 9
Meetings (per college) 3 3 3 9
Questionnaires (per tutor) 3 9 9 21
College activities subtotals 22 34 34 90
Research data anticipated
Observation notes 0 9 9 18
Interview notes 9 9 9 27
Lesson plans 0 9 9 18
Termly Schemes of Work 9 9 9 27
ILT reports 3 3 3 9
Meetings 3 3 3 9
Questionnaires 9 27 27 63
GVS analysis and summary 1 1 1 3
Research data subtotals 34 70 70 174
The above table provides a breakdown of the numbers of people involved in the project and research
data that was collected throughout the academic year 2017-2018.
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15 types of data gathered
As a result, we have gathered and analysed 15 types of data that led to the findings described in this
report. The data gathered came from 7 different organisations, with the main sources being the
participating colleges.
1
2
3
3
3 7
5
9
13 14
15
16
21 49
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GVS research timeline
The following plan was compiled to enable us to conduct the research over the duration of one year,
with activities assessed on a termly basis and progress monitored throughout.
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Materials used
The following materials were provided for
the duration of the project:
Educational digital content provided by
GVS in 12 popular vocational areas
Delivery platform GVS PiLOT with the
following key features:
1. Metrics and reporting
2. Content access management (with
the new calendar feature)
3. User management
4. Surface-level content editing
function through Content
Management System (CMS)
Support materials
1. Schemes of Work6
2. Product structures
3. Staff training program
4. CMS User manual
5. GVS PiLOT User manual
Data analysis
The research aims were reviewed over three
termly cycles, which corresponded with the
beginning, middle and end of the research
project. These cycles were used to:
Analyse
• Evidence of i-GVS/PiLOT/CMS
usage
• Lesson plans
• SOWs
• Observations and interview notes
• Data from monthly questionnaires
Identify
• Blended learning techniques and
methodologies used by the tutors
• Challenges tutors are facing in in-
class delivery
• Challenges tutors are facing in other
blended learning techniques
• Assessment quality throughout all i-
GVS
• Differences in using i-GVS depending
on the industry/product
• How i-GVS actually helps in the real
process and what is the overall effect
of blended learning in colleges
Suggest
• Ways to resolve those challenges
• New ways of using i-GVS
6 GVS Schemes of Work are provided to support various models of material delivery. However, these serve
merely as samples with the view to encourage tutors to produce their own Schemes of Work and Lesson plans
with i-GVS modules and submit them to GVS as evidence of their methodologies.
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4. Results and discussion
This chart represents a generic summary outline of most digital teams we have worked with this year.
Digital teams and infrastructure
In order to deliver and manage the digital
journey, the structure of the digital teams
created to do this seems to vary slightly
across different organisations. However,
generally it appears that a two-pronged
approach is used, which is typically split into
two categories, those being:
• Front-facing roles – these are the
facilitators, who engage directly with
the learners to deliver the digital
content. • Back-office roles – this is the digital
support, provided by learning
technologists working with tutors and
external content suppliers. The following breakdown provides more
detailed information on what each type of
role consists of, and who would typically
carry out each role.
Back-office roles
• Learning technologists (ILT) – work
with tutors to create Schemes of Work
and worksheets for delivery of digital
content. Train the tutors in the use of
different types of digital technology and
support them in embedding it in their
teaching. • Digital leaders – provide digital support
to facilitators and tutors. They tend to be
general members of staff, apprentices or
even learners who are ‘progressive’ in
the use of technology and who can help
tutors ‘digitalise’. This is not necessarily
a paid role, but it usually has other non-
paid incentives. • eLearning content developers – work
with tutors or independently to develop
and tailor digital content for blended
learning sessions. Use free and purchased
development tools and content solutions. • VLE/LMS coordinators – set up free
and purchased Learning Management
Systems (LMS) or Virtual Learning
Environments (VLE), set up student
portfolios and groups, set up developed
or purchased digital content and provide
technical support.
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Front-facing roles
• Facilitators – learner-facing role,
involving behaviour management and
learner support. Reporting to tutors on
learner progress. No or very little back-
office work. • Blended learning advisors – learner-
facing role, which can also involve
working with tutors on blended learning
Schemes of Work and managing
platforms and content. Of course, the number of staff in each digital
team will be different across colleges,
depending on their ambitions and budgets.
Some roles we’ve come across involve both
back-office and learner-facing
responsibilities. However, we found that, in
general, both sides of the digital team must
be in place in order to be most effective and
should work concurrently together to ensure
positive outcomes.
In terms of infrastructure, the above relates to
the digital team required to deliver the digital
strategy, but there are also other key elements
that need to be considered. These are things
such as the need for some kind of ‘digital
learning zone’ where learners can go for their
self-study sessions, equipment for these areas
with the required level of technology, and the
purchasing of relevant software, learning
management systems and content etc. The
cost of all of these things needs to be taken
into account when planning the complete
blended learning strategy.
The role of facilitators in blended
learning
As part of their overall strategy, each college
we've worked with hosted its own, dedicated
self-study activities, which ran across all full-
time programmes and involved at least one-
hour session per week. Each college hosts
their own version of these sessions, those
being:
• SOLA (Self Organised Learning
Activity) sessions at HoW College
• Blended learning sessions at BCoT
• iLearn sessions at HHC
These sessions were run and monitored by
facilitators, and depending on the
organisational structure of the college, the
names given to the people carrying out this
role varies. However, the responsibilities were
very similar. In this report we refer to this role
as a ‘facilitator’, which is a definition
summarising the role. The facilitator’s duties
would typically include:
• Ensuring learners are present and logged
on
• Monitoring that they are doing the work
assigned in the current week
• Supporting them if they experience
difficulties in using software and
computer programs
• Help understand what is expected of
learners in the current session
• Remind learners of any additional
actions needed as per colleges'
procedures, e.g. taking screenshots,
updating learner portfolios
• Manage behaviour in class
• Provide student activity reports to tutors
• Communicate with tutors to choose the
content to put together for the lesson
plans and Schemes of Work
The benefits of having facilitator staff run the
blended learning sessions include the fact that
they do not necessarily have to be subject
specific and can look after multiple groups at
the same time, which makes the delivery a lot
more efficient and reduces the overall costs.
The downside of it is that facilitators aren't
always able to answer subject specific
questions if the learners are not sure why
some answers in their exercises are marked as
incorrect. Another struggle for the facilitators
is the low level of engagement and planning
support from the tutors, which makes the
facilitators' job challenging.
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Blended learning models used in
colleges
As set out by the aims of this report, the six
blended learning models widely recognised
in the industry were observed and some
conclusions were drawn on the ways blended
learning can be delivered through:
• Rotation model • Flipped learning • Independent learning • Face-to-face driver model • Flex model • Online driver model
When comparing the list above to the
different blended learning approaches we
witnessed across the colleges, it became
evident that there were distinct practices
being used by each college to manage the
blended learning delivery and create their
own unique ‘journey’.
The results of the observations showed that a
mix of different models was often used and
not one college was dedicated to a single
model. Also, every college was unique in the
combination of models used.
The following two diagrams represent a
generic overview of gathered practices across
the three colleges and demonstrates the
general process from the point of view of the
learner and the facilitator.
When looking at the journeys below, as well
as taking into account the observations made
during the self-study sessions, it is possible to
identify the three blended learning models that
are utilised more than others.
Independent learning – the main way that all
blended learning was delivered. Most learning
was carried out outside of the classroom,
either pre- or post-class learning.
Flipped learning – this seemed to be picking
up momentum, whereby learners were set
work to study outside of the college prior to
their lesson. This was also organised by
scheduling blended learning sessions just
before the tutor classes in some colleges,
which provided a valuable opportunity for
tutors to build on the information from the
blended learning sessions and turn it into
productive activities.
Face to face learning – another model that
appeared to be gaining more use, whereby
learners work through the content, at their
own pace, while based in the classroom.
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Learner journey
Learner journey example during blended learning lessons
(summarised and generalised diagram embedding gathered practices from the three colleges)
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Facilitator journey
Facilitator yearly journey example
(summarised and generalised diagram embedding gathered practices from the three colleges)
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Learner preference and satisfaction
Following observations of facilitator-led sessions at each of the colleges, all learners were
interviewed and asked a range of questions, the results of which are summarised above
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i-GVS product usage
The data capture system built into the content
delivery platform enabled full review of
usage figures across a range of areas,
including:
• Tutors/learners logged on - number of
tutors/learners actually using i-GVS • Total tutors/learners - number of
tutors/learners registered to use i-GVS
The following charts provide a breakdown
and comparison of content usage across each
college from the start of the project (October
2017) to the end of the project (April 2018).
Common trends in the use of digital
content
• The digital content was primarily used in
self-study/eLearning sessions, and rarely
used in a classroom setting as a part of a
blended learning approach. Instead it was
used primarily as a tool to enable self-
study, which was overseen by
facilitators.
• The blended learning element came
through merging with other activities,
such as Google Classroom, completing
Microsoft Office-based questionnaires
and worksheets provided by course tutors
and facilitators, as well as alternative
content developed by other providers,
e.g. such as the Blended Learning
Consortium.
• The use of digital content consistently
improved across all three colleges as the
project progressed, as shown on the
charts above.
• The low number of tutors seen logging
on, and the general decrease in this
number can be attributed to the fact that
tutors were not allocated regular time to
draw the maximum benefits that the
blended learning sessions can provide.
Instead, the emphasis was placed on self-
study sessions managed by the
facilitators and not the tutors.
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Usage comparison by term, October 2017 – April 2018 – June 2018 (Tutors)
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Usage comparison by term, October 2017 – April 2018 – June 2018 (Learners)
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Observations and discussion
Throughout the course of this project, several
self-study sessions were observed across the
colleges, and notes were taken as to how the
learners and the facilitators interacted and
engaged with the content. The following
general observations were made:
• Some learners mentioned that the hour
session is not enough time to go through
the modules – this can be addressed
through the content management feature
of releasing the topics in elements.
• Some mature learners were very happy
with the content and stated that they
used i-GVS out of their blended
learning sessions as they found it very
useful. It was clear and easy to follow,
and they would like to see it used more
in their class sessions. There is a
mixture of levels and abilities in the
group. The mature students had less
experience in using computers and
technology, however they were the ones
that found the product most useful for
learning and understanding topics.
Positive observations
• Learners were engaged once logged on
and went through sections at their own
pace
• Learners completed worksheet activity
set by facilitators after or alongside i-
GVS which they had to evidence to the
tutor
• Learners found i-GVS gave them
information necessary for course
• Facilitators found that the learners
worked well independently
• Reports helped to give information
about progress and previous marks to
facilitators
• Tutors used the results section to
encourage active competition between
the learners, to try to improve overall
test results
• On some occasions, learners have to
provide evidence (via screenshots, etc.)
to the tutor of the work they have done
during the session, which demonstrates
that learning has actually taken place
• i-GVS is used by learners not only in
blended learning sessions, but outside the
sessions too, including for exam revision
• A benchmark of 80% in assessments is
set by facilitators and tutors to ensure a
good understanding; learners use this to
improve on their marks
• Leaners like the fact that there is less text
to read, and they can find the definition
of words easier than looking through
Wikipedia
Negative observations
• Poor infrastructure – colleges suffered
from a slow internet connection, making
access difficult, as well a limited supply
of headsets (or none at all) to use for the
audio
• Short attention span – lengthier
animations and learning modules
containing a lot of text proved
troublesome, as learners appeared to
have relatively short attention spans, and
found it difficult to focus on the larger
modules
• Lack of staff training – facilitators were
not fully aware of all the features of the
digital content they are working with
• Behaviour issues – some learners were
seen to be watching football, swearing
and generally daydreaming while in the
sessions; this also appeared to be subject-
specific, as facilitators experienced less
of these issues with hospitality, beauty
and painting and decorating students
• Low usage numbers – number of
learners registered vs number of learners
who actually used the digital content
were different, which could be due to
many reasons, including double-
registering, or due to attendance issues
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Issues identified in the use of digital
content in the academic year 2017-2018
As the i-GVS digital content was used
mainly in the self-study sessions, it was
identified that it was primarily the facilitators
who managed the use of the content, not the
subject tutors as anticipated before the
research project.
Since the training focus in this academic year
was on teaching tutors and ILT staff how to
use the content and its features, the natural
consequence was that facilitators were not
fully familiar with the product and how to
use it.
However, the facilitators liked working with
the digital content and used the reports feature
to check on learners to see who had done what
and how long they had spent on it.
They generally then communicated any issues
or comments to the back-office staff rather
than to the tutors. This resulted in a low level
of tutor involvement.
This issue will be addressed in the next
academic year by adopting new college staff
training plans and the GVS support team
working closely with both back-office and
front-facing roles.
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Over 40 delegates from participating colleges and private companies within the FE sector attended
the GVS Blended learning conference at BCoT in March 2018.
Blended learning conference
The GVS conference was born from a desire
to discuss and share how different
establishments are tackling blended learning,
to highlight the work being carried out on the
research project and to inspire the use of
digital within the FE sector.
The main aim of the conference was to bring
together leaders and educators, keen to
advance the use of technology in their
teaching and learning, and to provide the
opportunity for discussion around:
• The power of digital technology in
learning
• Colleges’ digital agenda
• On-the-ground experience and the
journey towards embedding digital in
teaching and learning
• Thinking in broader terms about the
impact of technology on outcomes
• Working with employers
• Innovative ways to create bespoke
digital resources for teaching and
learning
The thought provoking presentations and
engaging workshops stimulated and provided
a platform for open discussion and the sharing
of experiences.
The day was a great success, with the talks
and workshops fully embraced by all those
who attended. It was fantastic to see such
active involvement and participation
throughout.
It became apparent that colleges need to
commit resources, time and training to ensure
that all staff are confident with embedding
digital within the curriculum.
This was a crucial demonstration of the
current state of the market, and something that
cemented our view, as eluded to in the
introduction section of this report: that there is
a very clear divide that exists between those
that see the introduction of digital as a
necessity, and those that see it as optional.
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5. Conclusion
In summary, this Blended Learning Research
Project has proved some, but not all, of our
initial thoughts to be correct about the use of
digital technology within the FE sector.
Digital content, specifically the i-GVS
solution, provides interactivity with metrics
and reporting which both the learners and
tutors found helpful.
It was not used by the tutors for classroom
delivery as we had anticipated, but instead
used primarily in dedicated self-study
blended learning sessions. These sessions are
still included in the Scheme of Work by the
tutors to accompany the curriculum, but they
are facilitated by dedicated members of staff
and not the tutors.
Tutors have limited involvement in the self-
study sessions, with the facilitators taking
responsibility for the sessions and feeding
back to the digital leaders rather than the
tutors. However, the tutors were still able to
see the work done during the session via the
progress reports available through the
delivery platform, and the learning
technologists also communicate back to the
tutors via email.
The traditional classroom and flex models of
blended learning do not appear to be widely
practised yet, whilst the use of flipped and
independent learning seem to be more widely
used in colleges.
In the sense of ‘true’ blended learning we
have only seen a handful of tutors who
embrace and utilise the approach, by
regularly dedicating sufficient time for
planning and resource research. However,
those tutors who did embrace blended
learning and the use of digital were very
successful and proud of their delivery
methods, with students appearing more
engaged and highly motivated.
Observations highlighted that learners were
happy to work independently and that they felt
working through the content helped with their
overall understanding of the course. However,
behaviour issues and a lack of understanding
of the content by the facilitators meant that the
sessions were not as successful as they could
have been.
The additional support of tutors utilising the
content in their lessons as well could help to
build on the positive experiences of using
digital technology.
More time needs to be spent working with the
self-study facilitators in order for them to have
a better understanding of how to work with
and deliver the complex and multi-layered
digital content, such as i-GVS, as they are the
ones who work with it more than the tutors.
As we progressed along the research journey
and taking into account the discussions that
took place at the GVS Blended learning
conference, it became very clear that there is
no ‘universal approach’ or ‘one-size-fits-all’
solution to embedding blended learning. What
is required is an investment in time and
resources, and an infrastructure in place to
support the tutors and facilitators.
Elements of blended learning should be tried
and tested to create a strategy that works for
each organisation, for each subject area and
for each course. Once it has been introduced,
the various models can be utilised to provide a
best fit, and more positive results can be
achieved.
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6. Further research work
There is much more work that can still be
done to further explore the research findings
and gain an even better understanding of
blended learning within the FE sector.
Primarily the intention for the project during
the academic year 2018-2019 is to work with
more colleges, to obtain a broader picture of
how they are using digital technology, and
which types of blended learning work best
for them. It will be useful to have a better
understanding of the organisational structures
of the many different digital teams, and to
see how each college is equipping their staff
with the technological skills and expertise
necessary to effectively manage digital
within the daily teaching process.
It would also be very interesting to bring in
to play the use of other forms of digital
content alongside the GVS solution, to see
how different types of content blend together
and where they fit into the overall framework
of digital within teaching.
As we’ve discovered throughout the past year,
the many types of content available are not
mutually exclusive, meaning that they don’t
have to be used independently. Therefore,
they can, and should be combined to create a
multi-faceted approach, providing a complete
offering that fully meets the needs of the
tutors and learners.
As part of our further work on this project, we
would also hope to share these findings to
help more tutors draw on the benefits of the
true blended learning practices.
We are already partnering up with more
colleges who, following the area reviews, are
really pushing forward their selected
departments and are taking on a more
advanced approach to using digital materials.
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7. Testimonials and independent expertise
Anthony Bravo Principal of Basingstoke
College of Technology
Anthony’s passion and vision
is to provide outstanding
experience for all BCoT’s learners to ensure they drive
economic growth and
prosperity in the region. He has initiated and overseen the
college’s e-confidence journey, including introducing
a state of the art IT
infrastructure, the development of digital
apprentices, and the blending and integration of commercial
and in-house resources.
Prior to moving to
Basingstoke, Anthony was
Principal at Crossways Academy, Lewisham which
became a CISCO world reference site for use of ICT in
education, as well as
providing a template for integrated smart building
technology. This is where his passion for use of technology
in learning started.
BCoT investment into digital content and
infrastructure will save us thousands in the years to
come
We want to share our journey to date. It’s not yet complete and
we still have a lot to learn. However, I’m very pleased with the
recognition that we’ve seen, such as winning the TES
Outstanding use of technology in teaching and learning award,
as well as being recognised as an EdTech 50 organisation this
year.
If I was to summarise the success of my team, I would say: to
deliver blended learning effectively requires support from the
top, local champions with a plan and the need for financial
investment.
Due to the early stages of our blended learning journey, and the
time it takes to optimise the process, the hourly rate is currently
higher than the traditional hourly tutor rate. However, the initial
investment into new equipment and software, designated spaces
or ‘blended learning zones’, and a team of dedicated digital staff
to support the tutors can be considered as a long-term
investment into the development of a new pedagogical
technology, which should cost much less per hour going
forward.
If we are able to utilise the full capacity of our digital team,
including increasing the number of hours the blended learning
facilitators deliver from 20 hours per week currently to 30 hours
per week, and if the output of the technological infrastructure is
fully maximised (all computers in use 8 hours per day), then the
hourly cost of implementing a complete blended learning
approach falls below the hourly rate for delivering traditional
teaching.
Additionally, if one facilitator is able to supervise multiple
groups at the same time, this would free up tutor time and so the
rate per hour would further be halved. This will save us
thousands in the years to come.
BCoT teachers are now able to use a wider range of blended
learning materials than ever before – some of these have been
developed by teachers themselves, some by our digital
apprentices, and some have been bought in, such as i-GVS. As a
result of our current input, there has been a continued increase
in our performance data, students’ independent learning skills
have improved, and teachers have been able to expand their
Continuous Professional Development.
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Uxbridge learner using i-GVS
Plumbing students are using an
innovative online digital solution to
support learning and assessment at
Uxbridge College
Peter Smith Plumbing lecturer at Uxbridge College
During the academic year of 2017-2018,
Uxbridge College has been using a number of
level 2 learning groups to trial i-GVS. We have
explored the market searching for digital
content to support the progression of our
learners, and i-GVS stood out as being a unique
product for a number of reasons. The content is
highly interactive and exceptionally well
aligned to our Scheme of Work used at
Uxbridge College.
The tracking tools provided were very useful in
allowing staff and learners to drill down and
see full details of progression. In particular, the
system was able to ‘grab’ the answer slide and
then show the exact answers given. This was
especially useful with distance learning for
some level 2 courses in plumbing, electrical
and building services engineering.
This eLearning product also provides more
than 100 hours of content giving individualised
learning support to promote theory and
practical cognitive skills for learners.
The pilot scheme has demonstrated a high
degree of usability both for learner-centred
learning and in the classroom, utilising
interactive touch screens.
Tracking data obtained from i-GVS indicates
learners are using this resource both inside and
outside the classroom.
The ability to create personal digital materials
was of particular interest to our team, since
meeting the demands of individual learners
continues to be a key priority. The GVS
Content Management System allowed our
staff to modify existing content to meet
localised needs and to create bespoke content
where necessary.
Additionally, since our awarding body uses
online assessment, using i-GVS has provided
a favourable route effectively giving learners
the practice they need to be comfortable and
successful in undertaking online assessments.
In particular, i-Check and i-Test have had a
most positive impact on providing our learners
with practice for conducting an online test.
One of our students commented: “I didn't
think much of online learning. But having
used it now and seeing how it helps me with
my tests, I like to practice with it now.”
In the future we hope to see more British
values and a focus on English and Maths
incorporated in the GVS products. In
particular, it would be useful to see reports on
developmental learning regarding a learner’s
progress with regards to the English and
Maths comprehension.
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8. Bibliography
Bertini, P., and Plumley, E. (2014) ‘Co-Creation: Designing with the User, for the User’, UX
Booth, 2 December. Available at: http://www.uxbooth.com/articles/co-creation-designing-with-
the-user-for-the-user/ (Accessed: 10.10.2017).
Lambert, N. (2014) ‘Recommendations: Paths forward to a digital future for Further Education
and Skills’, p. 23. Further Education Learning Technology Action Group (FELTAG), March.
Available at: http://feltag.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/FELTAG-REPORT-FINAL.pdf
(Accessed: 15.03.2018).
Naranjo-Bock, C. (2014) ‘Creativity-based Research: The Process of Co-Designing with Users’,
UX Magazine, 24 April. Available at: http://uxmag.com/articles/creativity-based-research-the-
process-of-co-designing-with-users (Accessed: 18.10.2017).
Rogers, C., and Leonard, J. (2018) ‘Blended learning needs to start with teachers’, Education
Technology, 20 May. Available at: https://edtechnology.co.uk/Article/blended-learning-needs-to-
start-with-teachers (Accessed: 21.05.2018).
Thompson, J. (2016) ‘6 Blended Learning Models: When Blended Learning Is What’s Up For
Successful Students’, eLearning Industry, 12 February. Available at:
https://elearningindustry.com/6-blended-learning-models-blended-learning-successful-students
(Accessed: 29.05.2018).
i-GVS (2018) Global Vocational Skills. Available at: https://i-gvs.com/ (Accessed: 10.06.2018).
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If you would like to participate in our Blended Learning Research in the next academic year
or request a free demo of our content, please get in touch
0208 004 2000 admin@i-gvs.com gvs-uk