Implementing blended

learning

Peter Kilcoyne

ILT Director

Heart of Worcestershire College

pkilcoyne@wortech.ac.uk

Why Blended Learning?

• Make use of engaging learning opportunities offered

through technology

• Develop independent learning and digital literacy skills

• Efficiency savings needed to deliver study programmes

in challenging funding environment

FELTAG Recommendations

“mandate 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 unless a

good case is made for why this is not appropriate to a

particular programme”

Model 1: PAL

• 15% reduction in F2F teaching

• Course teams to deliver 15%

of curriculum online

• No remission

• Shared responsibility across

course team

• Support from ILT team

• “Martini” - learning

PAL – Lessons Learnt

• Partial success

• Some excellent practice but

Mixed quality

Mixed engagement

Mixed feedback

• Resistance from some staff and some

students

PAL – Lessons Learnt

• Making blended learning work across a whole

college is challenging

• Active learning – Moodle a place to do stuff not

just get stuff

• Clear roles and responsibilities

• Remission for co-ordinator on each course team

• Sessions should be timetabled

• Increased participation monitoring

• Regular assessment tasks

Model 2: SOLA

• All FT L2 and L3 vocational

courses

• Level 2: 30 hours per year

• Level 3: 60 hours per year

• Timetabled delivery – usually in

Learning Centres – supervised

by Learning Centre staff

Overview - Key Features of SOLA

• Moodle course

• Clear instructions and structure

• Learning outcomes

• Range of learning resources, text, interactive and video.

Where possible save time by using what’s already out

there (e.g. NLN, YouTube, Open Educational Resources

etc)

• Learning activities through Moodle tools (e.g. forums.

glossaries, journals, databases etc)

• Assessment through Moodle tools (quiz and assignment)

Activity 1

• Discussion

How much blended learning will you do?

Will you phase it’s introduction?

Where will it take place?

Can you support with your present

infrastructure and staffing?

Examples of SOLA Modules

Go to

http://showcase.howcollege.ac.uk

Activity 2

Look at and evaluate some HOW

College blended learning

resources

Roles

• SOLA Coordinator – plan scheme of work, agree SOLA outcomes

with teachers, ensure assessments are marked, monitoring

engagement (given approx.18 hours per year for this per group)

• Teachers – plan, agree with coordinator, build SOLA with SOLA

Team

• Personal tutors – monitor engagement and follow up in individual

and group tutorials

• Learning Centre staff –support SOLA sessions in Learning

Centres

• CRQ (Curriculum) Managers and Leaders – lead and monitor

implementation within their teams

• SOLA Support Team (part of ILT team) – Provide templates,

training, support teachers in developing SOLA Modules. Overall

monitoring and reporting to SLT, supporting QA

Activity 3 - How will these roles map to your

College

• Management at

course level

• Co-ordinator at

course level

• Monitor engagement

• Challenge poor

engagement

• Timetabling

• Supervision

• Write content / build

courses

• Support online course

development

• Assessment

• SOLA CPD

• Quality Assurance

Lessons learnt - Learner

Engagement• Engaging content

• Video, Interaction,

Quizzes

• Emphasised in F2F not

stand alone

• Monitoring

• Non participation

challenged

Activity 4

• Group discussion.

What challenges will you face engaging

learners?

How will you manage these challenges?

Lessons learnt - Lecturers

Engagement

• Effective CPD

• ILT support

• Strong leadership and support

from curriculum manager

• Commitment to making blended

learning succeed

• Integration with F2F learning

Lessons Learnt – Staff Skills

• Bespoke CPD for SOLA Co-ordinators,

Teachers, Personal Tutors, Learning

Centre Staff and Managers

• Online and F2F CPD

• Best practice sessions

• Team sessions

Activity 4

• Discussion

What training and support will you need to

put in place for lecturers?

Will you face any resistance and if so how

will this be addressed?

Lessons Learnt - Quality

• Quality framework

• SOLA Observations

• Learner feedback – QUISTS, Surveys,

Observations

• Sharing best practice

Lessons Learnt - Management

• Implementing blended learning is

challenging

• Strong consistent message from Senior

and Curriculum Managers

• Planning – long lead in, pilot

• Resourcing – learning centres, ILT

support, abatement

• Monitoring and challenging

Lessons Learnt - Support

• HOW College - 3 FTE

SOLA Advisors

• Each with workload of

specified courses

• SOLA Advisor works

in partnership with

SOLA Co-ordinator to

build SOLA courses

Activity 5 – Supporting Blended

Learning• Discussion

What support will you need in place? Is

this already available or will new resource

be required?

Activity 6 – enabling a blended

learning curriculumIdentify three potential

barriers to embedding

blended learning in the

curriculum. How could

these barriers be

addressed?

Impact of Implementing Blended

Learning

• 11% Improvement in success rates

• Efficiency savings over £250K per annum

• Improved digital literacy and online

learning skills in staff and students

• Improved independent learning skills in

students

Working with HOW College

• Consultation and CPD in your organisation

• Using our SOLA content

• Online blended learning training for teachers

(BOLD)

• e-learning content (off the shelf or bespoke)

• Design e-learn L3 and L4 Diplomas

• Blended Learning Consortium

• Annual blended learning conference

Partners and external customers

Any Questions?

pkilcoyne@wortech.ac.uk