Embedding learner voice

Throughout the last months, we have talked about how different technological tools can facilitate learner engagement and participation.  Today I’d like to take a step back and reflect on how we can embed learner voice in our institutional ICT development and implementation.

Why is learner voice important?

As the “navigator” of the learning journey, learners play a crucial role in the process – Sir Andrew Foster has spelt out the importance of learner voice  in the report Realising the Potential in 2005.  By having learners’ input in shaping the provision, their learning needs will be better met, hence education quality can be enhanced.  When learners have a say and truly get heard, they’d also feel a sense of ownership, which is beneficial for both the learners and the institutions.  This’s particularly relevant to technological development, as emerging technology is simply part of their lives.

Many might think learners would put forth demands which are not feasible or pragmatic.  From my personal observations, however, this doesn’t necessary be the case.  Learners, ranging from 17 year-old doing their A-Levels or apprenticeship, to adult learners doing their basic skills courses, do understand the dilemma institutions facing.  Embedding learner voice is about maintaining the ongoing dialogue, and having learners as co-partners in the process.

How to involve learners?

Traditionally, learners’ view is mainly collected through survey.  It’s an effective way to take stock of the current situation and generate ideas for improvement.  Lots of colleges now have the “you-say-we-do” response to learners’ feedback, which is a good practice to encourage continued participation (who want to see their opinions sinking into the deep ocean?).  At the national level, LSC has been collecting learner satisfaction, which briefly touches on technology access; Becta also conducts FE survey specifically looking at learner experience, and the last survey can be found here.  These surveys give us a good overview on what learners think about their ICT experience.  In the last four years, JISC has also carried a series of research studies on learner experience, covering 200 learners in FE and HE sector.  Their recent publication, Responding to Learners Pack, is a very informative package for those of you who are looking at learner voice development at your institution.  Some of the suggested research methods, such as Interview Plus and Technology Prompt Cards, are very helpful to mix with traditional focus group method.

What’s next? Empowering learners!

While it’s encouraging to see learners’ view is taken into consideration, our effort to embed learner voice can’t stop here.  For example, when you receive a figure saying “80% of our students think that they have sufficient access to computers”, what does the figure actually mean?  When you talk to your learners and they don’t come back with negative feedbacks, does it necessary mean the current experience is excellent? 

To truly embed learner voice and empower learners to shape their own learning experience, we’ve to go beyond feedback collection, dig deeper on various issues together with our learners.  This, however, doesn’t come easy.  Besides issues such as cultural change and resources limitation, we also need to put much effort in supporting our learners as co-partners!  Support with appropriate channels, information and training is essential for their participation in the process.  It is true that not every learner is interested in talking about technology, but it could also be the case where they’re not conscious about how much difference they can make with their participation.  If we believe learner voice is important, empowerment is the key to move forward!

Next time I’d like to share some initial thoughts on how learners can contribute to the institutional ICT development and implementation.  As for now, it’s your turn for sharing:  Do you have experience, ideas or tips on engaging your learners at your institutions?  If so please do let us know, your comments are welcomed, as always.

FEstival

Two days ago, NUS hosted the first annual networking event for FE student officers and learner voice professionals.  We had altogether 80 participants joining us to share experience and ideas on various campaigns and issues in the FE sector.  Becta is also very pleased to support the event as sole sponsor.

As this blog is about using technology to strengthen learner voice, I’m sure you already expected something about technology!  Yes technology played an important role in facilitating the whole event - We’ve built a social networking site using Ning, for delegates to check out agenda, discuss different issues and share thoughts before, during and after events (Ning is a good platform if you wish to have more customised and secure environment for a specific target community).  Some delegates volunteered to use flip cameras to record their fellows’ actions and feedbacks throughout the day.  We also had a breakout area with laptops, so delegate could comment, blog or upload files onto the Ning website real time.  Besides, we also had a Twitter hashtag (#nusfestival), and invited delegates to text us feedbacks at the end of the day.  As some delegates mentioned, technology was everywhere and it proved to be very effective in creating and facilitating the dynamic!

We’ve also held a workshop on how technology could help engage students.  Delegates shared how they currently used technology at their colleges, and what more they would like to see in the coming year.  Many students’ unions are now looking at setting up their own websites, using online registration for their activities and events, introducing online forum and blogs, installing video conferencing and texting system, as well as improving the use of their virtual learning environment.  It’s encouraging to see more and more officers seeking technological solutions to better support their students in multiple campuses, with various engagement alongside their learning journey.

The best quote I heard about technology during the day was – It’s about finding a solution, even simple things like a phone call can be very useful! - It’s not about making life fancy, but making good use of technology to get the right things done!

Blog – Online presence with a voice

In the last few blog entries, we have discussed how an online presence can be established through social networking sites and independent websites; while these tools are powerful and can effectively disseminate information and maintain a searchable platform, there is one single tool I’d highly recommend on top of them – Blog.

Why blogging?

Unlike other formal communications, blogging enables a mixture of formal and informal communication approaches: Company CEOs talking about their ambition, travellers sharing their experience, students’ union presidents expressing their ideas and thoughts… the unqiue “voice” in between the lines is more engaging and reflective, just like our old friends telling their stories.  At the same time, blog is also a very good tool to provide information and collect feedbacks.  It’s therefore a very popular tool in this social media era.

If you don’t want to spend a lot of time maintain an independent website, and you don’t want to use social networking tools such as Facebook and MySpace, blogging tools can also help you establish an online presence quickly.  For more information on how blog can be used as an alternative to a website, check out information 1 and 2.

What to blog?

The essence of a blog is its update – so you can keep your audience informed anything that you think they’d be be interested in.  For example:

• Event information
• Call for campaign support
• Policy updates
• Meeing highlight
• Discussion of learning issues

Want some ideas on the content and the tone of communication?  Why not checking out some excellent examples from various government and political organisations?

 

 

 

How to blog?

Exisiting blogging tools are pretty user-friendly, so you won’t need a long time to pick the skills up.  However, there’re other issues you need to consider.  Resource planning is very important:

• How often do you plan to blog? (If it’s left in the cold for too long, your audience might lose interest!)
• How many people are involving? (Bringing in different voices is brilliant, but that needs a bit of coordination.)
• Who is responsible for what?
• What kind of tone of language would you adopt?
• Do you have other tools to help you create content? (E.g. Camcorders, audio recorders, etc.)
• Should your blog be hosted externally (E.g. with WordPress or Blogger)? Within your organisation’s website? Or within VLE (Most VLE supports blogging function)?
• How would you integrate your blog to your wider communication strategy?

Need more ideas?  Check them out:
Imperial College Union Blog
Your Lewisham College (This blog is establised by college members, but open for individual students to submit entries for publication. This idea is quite interesting and has made good use of the “collaborative power” in the social media era.)

Engaging students by videos

A while ago, we have discussed how videos can spice up your communication with your students.  Lancaster and Morecambe College Students’ Union has just finished their new promotion video, which is really informative and with a great sense of humour!  Here is the video:

We have invited their Student Liaison Officer (SLO), Adele Burrow, and Film & TV Tutor, Janine Bebbington, to share their experience:

What are you planning to use this video for?
The film was primarily made to be used in the Induction Talks to new students this September so it will be seen by all new students to the college. It is also on Facebook and U-tube, and was shown on a TV by Main Reception throughout the Summer Term 2009.

How did you start the planning and preparation?
The SLO contacted the tutor on the Film and TV course and asked if it was possible for her students to put together a promotional film for the SU. This fitted in well with one of the modules on the course so she asked the SU to put together a brief for her students (first year National Diploma Film and TV). The SLO presented the brief to the students as ‘an external client’ to give them real-life experience.

How much did it cost?
The SU decided that they would contribute £200 towards the film so that the students could purchase a new group tripod and individual mini-disks.

Who decided the content and presentation of ideas?
The students on the course split into groups and came up with ideas, which were then pitched to the SLO over an afternoon (unfortunately the SU officers couldn’t make the time of this session – hopefully they will be able to do the judging next year). The winning group was selected and the other groups then fed their ideas into the idea for “SU TV”. None of us was too prescriptive – that way everyone was allowed to gain from the project – the SLO and tutor were open to suggestions from students and willing to trust their ideas. Projects like this could become unstuck if too many “directors” emerge

How was the production process?  Did you encounter any difficulties?
The filming was made over just a few weeks and there were a few challenges along the way – e.g. the module fell in the Autumn Term and thus the SU volunteers were new in their roles – some didn’t want to be filmed and some couldn’t meet at the times the film students were available.  In spite of the challenges and the short turn around, the students put together a fantastic film with the support of their tutor. We also had a fairly tight structure that the students operated within, so that things did not run away with themselves. 

What do you think are the advantages of using videos?
It’s a fantastic medium that reaches a wider audience. Student feedback is always to cut down text on flyers and that many don’t read lots of text information. Creating a vibrant and amusing short film captures the imagination and represents the opportunities much more clearly.

If you were to give one advice to others who are interested to use videos, what would you say to them?
Make links with departments with the expertise e.g. Film/ TV courses! The tutors can then look at where it could fit into the curriculum and choose motivated groups who are interested and up for the project.

Engaging adult learners

A little ago, JISC Regional Support Centre Yorkshire & Humber has published a case study on how Facebook can be used to engage learners and improve retention.  Many people tend to link Facebook, or technology in general to young people studying at colleges or universities, but Theresa Rowland from the Hull City Council Adult and Community Learning Service (Hull ACL) has shared her experience with us and said it was not necessary the case.

Technology is also part of adults’ lives

According to Theresa, technological tools such as Facebook and texting are really useful to help them stay in touch with their learners.  They use Facebook instant message function, in a specific timeslot in the evening, to support learners who are undertaking NVQ courses.  Most of these learners are in their 20s and 30s, they have their own Facebook profiles.  It is, therefore, easy for tutors to answer learners’ questions, discuss their learning progress, etc. outside the “normal learning hours”.  It’s really helpful for learners with family and other obligations, as it gives them timely support without them juggling to meet their tutors face-to-face. 

Is technology only for younger people?  Theresa does not think so: their learners, who are aged 60 or 70, also use tools such as Skype to keep in touch with their grandchildren in Australia or New Zealand.  Therefore technology does have a role to play to support learners in all ages, when the right tools are chosen – tools that can be easily accessed by learners. 

Adult learners’ access to technology

Accessibility is one of the key criteria for choosing “the right tools”.  As not all adult learners have time to sit in front of the computers, Theresa pointed out the potentials of mobile technology, as most of their learners use mobiles everyday.  Not only can learners access to internet via their mobiles (therefore contacting their tutors via Facebook, for example, is possible), they can also keep them informed and collect feedback through texting. 

Besides mobiles, she also believes that access to computers and internet service is no longer a problem, as learners can get access in their local libraries, BBC Learning Centre, or their children’s schools which make their facilities available.  To maximise the benefit of the reosurce sharing, Hull ACL also actively listens to learners’ need, e.g. to open their own learning facilities in the evenings besides normal day time opening hours, so that learners can drop-in and use their computers.

Listening to learners

Hull ACL’s experience once again reminds us the importance of listening to our learners – it’s wonderful to make e-learning and other technological facilities available; to truly benefit our learners, however, it’s essential to plan according to the learners’ needs.  We’ve to consider how they access to computers, when it fits their daily engagement the best, or which tools they find most user-friendly.  With the improvement of technology accessibility and our increasing awareness of learners’ needs, together with some creativity and flexibility, we can for sure harness technology and make better learning experience for our learners.

Reference: LSIS Excellence Gateway – Hull City Council Adult and Community Learning: Facebook your learners for engagement and retention
Special thanks to: Theresa Rowland, Learning Development Officer and e-CPD Advisor

Engage learners in ICT Policy Development

“Why do students from another college can access to YouTube on campus, but we can’t?”
“Have college staff members ever used Facebook?  Have they tried to understand what it is about?  They shouldn’t ban it when they don’t know what it really is.”

I’m sure you’ve heard that from your students.  ICT policy, especially the Acceptable Use Policy (AUP), is a hot potato for many.  As John Sewell from JISC TechDis explained:
“It is apparent that a lot of colleges are finding it difficult to implement an effective policy in this area; in some colleges filtering is so aggressive as to prevent staff from doing their job, whilst some college managements are unfamiliar with the issues and seek to play safe by relying on the default ‘lockdown’ state of network filtering.” (Quoted from: Excellence Gateway)

We had a good conversation about that with students attending the Becta and NUS training and consultation events a while ago.   From the discussion, it is apparent that students are well aware of the complex association of college ICT polocy with safety, security and college network capacity.  However, they would like to see a fairer, more flexible and transparent policy which enables the best use of college IT facilities.  Now the question is – how can our sector achieve that, at the same time to ensure students are properly safeguarded?

One essential step is to engage students in the ICT policy development, so as to ensure the policy in place truly meet their needs.  As suggested by the “Becta PIES model” for limiting e-safety risks, “policies and practices” is the backbone of effective safeguarding strategy:

Students, being on the cutting edge of technological development, can contribute to a more transparent and flexible policy.  However, many students said that their colleges had not consulted them during the process.  This clearly has room for improvement.

Does your College/Organisation engage your learners in your ICT policy development, let it be AUP, new equipment purchase or new physical space usage?  If yes, do let us know.  If not, please also let us know why not. Your experience will help us form the best practices of engaging learners!

Some useful references on e-safety:
Ofcom- Get Safe Online
Excellence Gateway – E-safety

Welcome!

Welcome everyone!

Serving as a channel of communication for a project on technology and learner voice under Becta and National Union of Students (NUS), this blog aims to act as a platform to provide relevant information, share experience and disseminate good practices across the further education and skills sector. We are particularly interested in looking at the following two key areas from learners’ perspective:
- What our learners think about the current use of technology
- How technology can help our learners to voice out and get involved

As the famous American philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “Our best thoughts come from others”. No matter you are individual learners, student representatives, practitioners working in the sector or simply interested in this topic, you are cordially invited to leave comments and share your experience here.