National Training

AGCAS E-InductionLinda Byrne

www.agcas.org.uk©

National Training

AGCAS E-Induction• What is it?• Why have we done it?• Who is it for?• What does it contain?• How do users rate it?• Underlying principles• What did I learn from it?• How is it accessed?• When is it available?

www.agcas.org.uk©

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Thanks!• Becka Currant• Christine Tompkinson• Steve Hanson• Steve Norman• Clare Riding• Mark Watts• Marina Matosic• Rose Mortenson• Cherry Douglas• Irena Jennings• Sarah Mallen• Suzanne Tucker• Julia Mitchell• Yasmina Mallam Hassam• Joan Cartledge• Sharon Bolton

• Disability Task Group• CISG• ELSG• Age Discrimination• Internationalisation• ….. plus everyone else who

contributed

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What is it?

• Comprehensive Induction Programme• Designed for new AGCAS and HECSU members• Providing an induction into their roles in HE careers

services

• Moodle is a Course Management System (CMS), – also known as a Learning Management System (LMS) – or a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE).

• It is a free web application, easy to use, creating quick, effective online learning sites.

www.agcas.org.uk©

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What is it?

• Comprises of 8 courses– Introductory course– The HE Sector– Careers Work in HE– Professional Roles in Careers Services– Internationalisation– AGCAS support for HE Careers Services– HECSU/GP support for HE Careers Services– Diversity

• Plus a jargon buster which is available from all courses

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Why create it?

Survey of HOS– New recruits from outside of HE– Approx 350 p.a.– Increase of non traditional roles

• Needed an induction to HE & Careers Work– Always & immediately available– On own terms– Underpinning not replacing own induction procedures– No expense

• Successful bid to HECSU

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Who is it for?

Primary audience

• New AGCAS and HECSU members– Academia, Connexions, FE– Trainee career staff with HE experience

Secondary audience

• Members requiring a refresher

• Members taking on new responsibilities or new job roles

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Content

• Grew like topsy!

• http://moodle.agcas.org.uk/index.php

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Notice Board

Set up in forum style:

• Find a buddy

• Maintenance schedules

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Course style

• Clear learning outcomes for the course• Clear setting out of the modules covered within the

course• Each module

– Learning outcomes for the module– Introductory text – Resources

• Existing information• Specially created information• AGCAS web, external websites

– Exercises to test understanding• All courses

– Reflection module– Evaluation module

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Introductory Course

• Precourse– Using Moodle– Introductory notes– Programme checklist for printing out

• Introductory course– What is e-learning?– IT skills check– Agreeing the ground rules– Intro to Jargon Buster– Reflection– Evaluation

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The HE Sector

• Primarily designed for those with no HE experience

• Facts & Figures about HE• How HE differs from other sectors• Current issues & initiatives in HE• What do graduates do?• National reports• Reflection• Evaluation

www.agcas.org.uk©

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Careers Work in HE

• Primarily designed for those with HE experience but moving into careers for the first time– Strategic aims and directions of services– Core activities of services– Interacting within the institution– Matrix and the quality agenda– optional modules

• Working in a customer facing role• Making referrals• Beginners guide to research

– Reflection– Evaluation

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Professional Roles in Careers Services

• Professional Roles– A day in the life of………..

• Information Specialist• Employer Liaison Specialist• Careers Adviser

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Professional Roles in Careers Services

• Employer Liaison specialists– DLHE– Legislation– Jobshops– Recruitment agencies

• Careers Information Specialists– Methods of Information provision– Occupational Classification– CISG “Survival Guide”– Qualifications & CPD– Other Information specialists in HE

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Professional Roles in Careers Services

• Careers Advisers– Theory– Careers Education Benchmarking statement– Guidance Skills

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Internationalisation

• Created with PMI2 funding• Sits within the e-induction

– Cultural Awareness & Internationalisation– The political context – International students in your institution– Issues faced by International students– A day in the life of an international (careers) adviser– The legal context– How AGCAS can help you

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AGCAS Support

• What is AGCAS?

• What’s in it for me?

• Family and friends

• Products and Services for members

www.agcas.org.uk©

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HECSU/GP Support

• Intro to HECSU & GP

• HECSU membership

• HECSU provision for AGCAS and Careers Services

• GP Products and Services

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Diversity

• Models of disability

• The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA)

• Disability etiquette

• Age diversity

• Race and cultural diversity

• Diversity in practice

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Pilot & Evaluation

• Piloted on new members very early on – Liked the concept– Younger users immediately faster, but more mature also took to

it well– Confirmed that intended materials would be of value to them

• Piloted on existing members over the last 6 months– Excellent evaluations – Some courses more valued than others– Seen as a benefit to current members looking to change roles

within careers or simply as a refresher– Universally welcomed

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Availability

• Available on the AGCAS website from 1st August 2009

• Send me the names and email addresses for your new employees– I will send them an introductory email

and arrange their access the VLE

• Accessed via the AGCAS web

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Underpinning Principles • Won’t be time limited• Available to all new AGCAS and HECSU members• Available to all members once we are sure it can take the

strain• No reporting back to services what their employees are

doing or not doing – up to services to manage their people through it

• None of the exercises or quiz results are revealed to anyone, including line managers

• Not to be used as a probationary measure• Line manager and colleagues have involvement throughout

– Users are frequently asked to refer to Line Manager within usual service meeting structure (groundrules)

– Users are frequently advised to chat to their colleagues for their views on the resources (groundrules)

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What I learnt the hard way! General• Double (or even triple) the time you expect to spend developing it• The “project” will develop into a full time additional job role for eternity• It is never “finished”• Ensure your evaluation and updating is embedded into your normal processes• Everyone has amazing ideas!Less general• Frequent reminders of Learning Outcomes are required Moodle specific• It’s almost indestructible!• Create as much as possible within the VLE

– More easy to access for everyone– More easy to update for the administrator

• Always copy and paste to notepad not directly into the VLE• Always open resources in a new window• Moodle works best in Outlook• Quiz’s are a bit “clunky”

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