Published June 2008

unionlearnTrades Union CongressCongress HouseGreat Russell StreetLondon WC1B 3LS

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www.unionlearn.org.uk

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TUC Education Online

The learners’ perspective

“Online learning isideal for many peoplewho need the skills forparticipating effectivelyin their union.” Quote from learner survey

Unionlearn is the TUC organisation thatsupports union-led strategies for learning

and skills. It helps unions open up learning andskills opportunities for their members anddevelop and deliver trade union education

for their representatives and officers.www.unionlearn.org.uk/tued

TUC Education, now part of unionlearn,offers an extensive programme of trade unioneducation for union reps and officers, workingin partnership with more than 70 colleges of

further education across the UK. With anunrivalled reputation for quality and innovation,the programme trains more than 50,000 union

reps each year, bringing benefits to workersand employers and helping raise national

levels of learning and skills.

AcknowledgementsThe survey and this report detailing its findings

were prepared for TUC Education by BrianCorrigan, Head of TU Education, Stow College,

Glasgow and Dr Steven Love, Brunel University.For the terms of the survey see page 6.

Special thanks to all the TUC tutors, colleaguesand learners who responded to the survey or

who were interviewed.

04 foreword

05 introduction

06 the survey

07 our online learners

08 learner stories

10 why choose online learning?

11 learner experience

12 tutor perspectives

13 improving online learning

14 conclusion

15 recommendations

5 The learners’ perspective

Unionlearn with TUC Education is at the forefront of developing innovative approachesto education and training. Its aim is to build workplace organisation through buildingthe skills, attitudes and knowledge of union reps and professionals. TUC Educationis committed to providing a high quality programme of online union representatives’courses suitable for reps who require an accessible and flexible approach to training.

“Although I enjoy classroom-based courses,I liked the idea of studying at my own pace,in my own time, at home or work.”The online courses allow union reps to network with other reps and study for nationallyrecognised qualifications that enhance their effectiveness in the workplace and withintheir unions.

TUC Education onlineAll online courses are delivered using a web-based learning environment. Activitiestake place using an online discussion board. Learners log on whenever it is convenientfor them to do so.

Courses are designed to replicate, in an online environment, the collective approachto learning that takes place in the trade union education classroom. Learnersparticipate in discussions, workplace tasks and individual project work. Discussionforums and bulletin boards shared by tutors and students are the main vehicle forco-operative and collaborative learning. In order to keep a record of their work studentssubmit an achievement file. Within the forums, learners receive support from tutorsspecially qualified in online delivery.

introduction

4 TUC Education Online

TUC Education is key to building effective workplace organisation, and has an unrivalledreputation for meeting the ever-changing needs of union reps and professionals in today’sworld of work. Classroom provision has been available since the 1970s and has receiveda good deal of positive feedback from reps, unions, professional organisations, evaluatorsand inspection agencies. It has also benefitted from regular consultation, formal andinformal, with reps and their unions over the years.

The prospect of building an online service which offers the same quality, collectivity andcurriculum, but with the flexibility to work in a virtual classroom is an exciting one andmuch has been achieved since the 2003 strategy was developed and rolled out. Centralto the vision has been the commitment to making the online service a service of first choice,not a second best alternative in areas where no classroom provision is available.

The time was right for a survey of student experience of learning online with TUC Education.More than 226,000 union reps have taken a course with us and the majority of the courseswe offer in the classroom are now available online. The survey results we describe here painta picture of who our learners are and what they want. It shows how far we’ve come since thefirst online courses were offered in 2000. Learner satisfaction is at very high levels, with 81per cent saying they had enjoyed their online learning experience, 89 per cent saying theywould be happy to enrol for another online course and 87 per cent happy to recommendthe courses to other reps.

The respondents to the survey have also given us an agenda. They would like to seequicker responses to course applications, more courses available and they would like usto take another look at the pace of courses and the underpinning methodology. We will alsobe looking at new and developing technologies to make sure we make the best and mostefficient use of them.

This report is the first time online learners have had their say about our offer to them.We are grateful to Brian Corrigan and Steve Love, who carried out the research for us; to SebSchmoller, who developed the strategy document and who continues to help and advise; tothe TUC tutors, who work so hard to ensure that reps get the best service; and to all the repswho took part in the survey and whose case studies enliven the statistics throughout.

Liz SmithDirector, unionlearn

foreword

7 The learners’ perspective

This research project set out to capture tradeunion representatives’ experience of TUC onlinecourses and to explore ways in which TUCEducation’s online offer could be improved.

To capture the experience of students learningonline, 1,140 students who applied for TUC onlinecourses during 2006-2007 were contacted andasked to complete a questionnaire. Of the initial1,140 learners targeted, 260 responded. This paperis based on the responses received from these260 participants.

In addition, a series of open-ended interviewswere conducted with a number of online learnersin order to explore issues in more depth and toprovide students with the opportunity to giveadditional feedback about their experiencesof online learning.

The survey focused on four main themes:The online learners: what makes a typical onlinelearner? Are online learners different to reps thatattend classroom-based courses?

Reasons for choosing online: why do repschoose online over more traditional modes ofdelivery? Are learners choosing online becauseit is more convenient, or are barriers to accessingclassroom training the main motivating factors?

The online experience: was the rep’s experienceof online learning a positive one? How does thestandard of online work compare with that of theclassroom? Are online courses and the methodof delivery effective forms of learning?

Improvements to online learning: whatdevelopments can be made to improve thedelivery of TUC Education’s online programme?Do learners have any preferences for othermodes of online delivery?

The research looked at age range, gender andethnicity. The respondents were also asked togive details of their employment, including sizeof employer and employment sector. Finally, theywere asked which TUC region they lived in andto which union they belong.

The research revealed the following:The age range of reps undertaking onlinecourses is predominantly 35 plus.

The gender breakdown of online learners issimilar to that found in traditional classroom-based learning. Online learners were 62 percent male and 38 per cent female.

The ethnicity of participants was again similarto that seen in the classroom. White Europeanscomprised 87 per cent of respondents. Learnerscame from all TUC regions.

The range of occupations from the surveyindicated a broad spectrum of employees,from unskilled/manual workers to highly skilledemployees. Most respondents came fromlarger workplaces.

the survey our online learners

Amicus 14%

BECTU 3%

CWU 1%

FBU 3%

GMB 8%

PCS 12%

Prospect 6%

RMT 3%

UCU 6%

UNISON 25%

TGWU 10%

USDAW 2%

Others 8%

Online learners by union

6 TUC Education Online

Midlands 18%

Northern 8%

Northern 2%Ireland

North West 16%

Scotland 10%

Southern 24%and Eastern

South West 7%

Wales 5%

Yorkshire 10%& the Humber

Online learners by TUC region

Size of employer bynumber of employees

Less than 50

Less than 250

More than 250

21%

18%

61%

9 The learners’ perspective8 TUC Education Online

learner stories

DHGMB Branch President, HullEnergy and Utilities Branch

DH completed a number of classroom-basedcourses. Recently she has used the onlineoption to complete a number of onlinecourses including Work/Life Balance andTUC Health and Safety Stage 1.

“Classroom-based courses can createproblems with the need for regular dedicatedtime. The difficulty comes with managingwork, social and family life when courses areat fixed times. Online learning provides mewith greater flexibility and the chance towork around work commitments.

“What I like about online learning isbeing able to work at my own pace withina structured course. However, you needto be self-motivated and of course interestedin the topic.

“The role of the tutor is vital. My tutorprompted me on a weekly basis which isextremely useful and when there were slighttechnical issues on the course they weredealt with by the tutor.

“The use of discussion forumsis very good. It can provide youwith an insight into the issues ofothers on the course and howthese problems can be tackled.”

DKUnite – Amicus SectionBranch Secretary and DeputyConvenor, Leamington Spa.

DK successfully completed a number ofclassroom-based courses with Amicusand the TUC including Stage 1 and shortcourses on employment law. He has recentlycompleted the TUC Health and Safety Stage1 online through East Riding College.

Before beginning the course DK completedthe Getting Ready for E-Learning (GREL)course which he found very useful. “GRELwas a big help. It showed me how to navigateand was very user-friendly.

“The TUC Health and Safety Stage 1 coursewas structured around group work. I reallylearned a lot from other reps on the course.I could empathise with the problems theyfaced. This meant that throughout thecourse I did not feel isolated at all.

“I chose online not because I haverelease problems but because I need tobe sensible about how much time off Itake off on union duties and activities.I want to do the online Tackling Racismcourse. I see this as additional learningand I don’t want to abuse the system.

“Online learning is excellent. It isnothing to be scared of. As longas reps are motivated, it is great.Sometimes in a classroom you canjust sit back and let others do thework. This course pushed me a lotand that’s how you learn.”

Robbie recently completed the TUC Healthand Safety Stage 1 course online. “Onlinelearning with TUC Education has been a reallygood experience for me,” she says. “In the firstinstance, I could choose when to do the courseand fit it in around my other commitments.It means I can make the best use of my time.When travelling to a face-to-face course thetime it takes to get there is always an issue.With online learning you can participate inthe course as soon as you switch on your PC.”

Robbie had previously completed two TUCcourses and a number of UNISON classroom-based courses, but a big attraction of theonline approach to learning has been theadded convenience and flexibility.

There has also been the added bonus ofmeeting other learners online. “The course Itook part in had members from all walks of lifeand from all over the UK. You can meet othersonline when it is convenient for you to talkover issues and complete collaborative work.

“I don’t have to compromisemy family or free time and oftenwomen have family responsibilitieswhich prevent us doing face-to-facecourses. I can fit online courses intomy daily life without having to taketime out from everything else.”

You never feel as though you are working inisolation.” Robbie’s overall experience of onlinelearning has been positive. “The health andsafety course didn’t feel like learning in isolationand the tutors pointed out further informationand resources at every opportunity. All in all, ithas been a more constructive way of learningfor me than many classroom-based courses.”

Since completing the Health and Safety onlinecourse, Robbie has started TUC Education’sUnion Learning Reps course online.

Robbie TaylorFull-time UNISON rep at the University of Cumbria

10 TUC Education Online

A better understanding of the reasons whyunion reps choose to learn online will allowTUC Education to develop its programmeand to improve its offer.

Students gave a wide variety of reasons forundertaking online courses. Of the 260respondents, 239 answers were given to thequestion “What were your reasons for choosingonline?” Flexibility was the most frequent responsegiven. In total 96 students mentioned convenienceand flexibility as their reason for choosing online.Thirty-six learners discussed specific aspects offlexibility as important considerations whenchoosing online courses.

Non-work commitmentsSeventeen learners identified home and familyissues as their overriding reason for choosingonline, nine students considered travel issuesto be an important factor, with ten learners statingthat the pace of an online course as opposed toclassroom courses was a major factor for choosingan online course.

“I attended a learning reps course in Londonlast year: car to station, two hours by train,plus underground, plus short walk each endof the day. An online course is much moretime-effective.” Quote from learner survey

“Because I could do the course at my own pace,and also in my own surroundings without thehassle associated with trying to get into citycentre, traffic, parking, carrying a thick portfolioand textbooks etc.” Quote from learner survey

Paid releaseAnother major reason given by reps for choosingonline courses was the inability to secure timeoff arrangements for training, even though thesame time-off rules apply to an online course asto classroom learning: “The law says trade unionreps are entitled to reasonable paid time off for

education and training. This also applies toonline courses, whether learning takes placeaway from work or in work, in your home,at a workstation or in a learning centre.”Online Learning with TUC Education – A Course Guide, 2007.

“Although I don’t have a problem gettingrelease I do have a problem with workloadredistribution” Quote from learner survey

Forty-nine learners encountered time off problemswith their employer, with many reps stating theyhad a direct refusal by the employer to grantpaid release.

Classroom accessA further reason stated was that they wereunable to access a classroom course. Low demand,particularly for specialist short courses, makesrecruiting a viable number for a classroom coursedifficult. Nationally offered online courses providea solution to the problem of low classroom takeup, transforming the possibilities for courses suchas Tackling Racism, which now run online withapplicants from across the country.

Shift patternsReps’ shift patterns not fitting in with classroomtimetables was another reason given. The datadoes not provide information on work patternsof online course applicants, although earliersurveys suggested as much as a quarter ofapplicants are shift workers.

PreferenceFinally, 7.5 per cent of respondents expresseda preference for this form of learning overclassroom-based courses.

“I have used distance and online learning formany years; I find it a very good way of learningbecause it allows flexibility to the student.”Quote from learner survey

why chooseonline learning?

learner experience

11 The learners’ perspective

The research shows that overall students’experience of online learning was a positive one.Eighty-one per cent agreed or strongly agreed thatthey had enjoyed their online learning experiencewith 89 per cent of students stating they wouldbe happy to enrol for another online course. Inaddition, 87 per cent stated that they would behappy to encourage others to enrol for anonline course.

The feedback suggests students are satisfiedwith the quality of the resources presented tothem online and with the ease of course access.

Students identified their own skills developmentas a major achievement of their online course,with 95 per cent feeling that the course haddeveloped their skills in the subject area.Online tutors identified skills development inproblem solving, report writing, research skills,communication and improved IT skills from usingthe online environment.

“The standard of work online is often superiorto classroom-based course work.” TUC tutor

This success is not only reflected in tutor attitudes,or the numbers of learners on courses but in theviews of online learners themselves. The findingsof the student survey show that the majority ofonline learners are impressed with the TUC’s onlineprogramme, with 86 per cent responding that thecourse was organised in a way that suited them.

“The course far exceeded my expectations,I learnt more than in a classroom.”Quote from learner survey

SatisfactionKey to successful online learning is to overcomeobstacles such as the feeling of isolation, lackof learner motivation and technical problems.

Specific questions were aimed at finding outlearners’ attitudes towards the collaborativeand co-operative learning aspects of the onlinelearning experience that underpin the TUCapproach to collective learning.

The results indicate that students benefitedfrom the collaborative and co-operative learningapproach, with 83 per cent agreeing or stronglyagreeing that they had learned a lot from onlinegroup discussions.

The research showed a high student satisfactionlevel with both tutor and student support on onlinecourses. Students felt they benefited from thesocial support provided by both their fellowstudents and course tutors. Nearly 90 per centwere satisfied with the support they received fromtheir course tutor with 74 per cent stating theyalso received support from their fellow students.

MotivationMotivation for the majority is not a problem.However, for a minority this is a factor. In relationto motivation 95 responses were given to thestatement “I do not need to motivate myself to usethis online environment”. Sixty-five per cent eitheragreed or strongly agreed with this statement.

Technical supportOf the respondents that completed their course,only nine had technical problems. Technicalsupport during the course was provided in themain by the tutors themselves (68 per cent).Others received technical support from their workor family. Many felt they had sufficient knowledgeto deal with their own technical problems.

Learners were asked to make recommendationsand suggestions for improvements to the onlinecourses and their delivery.

The majority of online learners identifiedthe application process as an area in needof improvement.

In addition, students who had completed acourse were asked to suggest one thing theywould improve about the online learning coursesthemselves. Of the 63 comments returned24 related to learning style or related issues.

Suggested changes to teaching and learningapproaches included shorter courses, courseswith smaller numbers and more individually pacedactivities: some felt it was too slow while others feltit was too fast. Increased use of discussion forumswas recommended.

An important issue raised by students andechoed by tutors is that of group work. Groupwork is central to TUC courses because collectiveworking is central to trade union practice in theworkplace and in the wider democracy of themovement. It has always been a tenet of coursedevelopment that the subject studied is reinforcedby the way it is studied. The challenge is to ensurethat this happens equally well in online courses.

For online learners some of the key frustrationswere related to problems with group work. Theseinclude waiting for others in the group to respondor post reports within agreed timetables. This canlead to difficulties relating to the pace of theactivity, the timescales to be achieved and theoverall time allocated for course completion.

Six students suggested improvements in layoutand ease of access. The remainder (five) suggestedmore use of additional technology, e.g. more useof web cameras or podcasts.

tutor perspectives improvingonline learning

improve thepace of thecourse

0

2

4

6

8

more groupactivities

more time forgroup work

morediscussionforums

more realtime chats

less groupwork

ensure nodrop out

Student suggestions for improvements to courses

12 TUC Education Online

TUC tutors have a first class reputation for thework they do – an earlier research report describedthem as “monuments to professionalism”1. TUCEducation has a strong commitment to tutordevelopment and support, and all tutors workingonline have completed Learning to Teach Online(LeTTOL) with The Sheffield College. Face-to-faceregional and national briefings are organised anddelivered and the online community for TUC tutors,www.tuctutors.org.uk provides further support.

Online courses are now delivered by a groupof trained TUC tutors through a small numberof institutions, with moderation and accreditationfor online learners integrated into the existingmoderation systems. Tutors see online teachingas enhancing their professional developmentand skills.

“The main success has been in changingthe perception of course providers. Therehas been a shift from the old perception thatonline learning is second best to one that

clearly sees that this form of learning meetsreal needs and tackles real problems in thetrade union movement. It is similar to the shiftin perceptions in the 1970s where tutors werewon over to the concepts of small group workand reporting back rather than lecturing.”Seb Schmoller, TUC Strategy Group.

“Where initially I thought that online courseswere only really for reps living in areas wherethere was no access to TUC Education, I havebeen surprised at the reasons reps chooseonline. Whether that be location, shift pattern,the flexibility online offers, family commitments,etc. I recognise that online is a valuableaddition to the TUC Education programme”.Quote from TUC tutor

1 Capizzi E, National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE)Learning that Works – Accrediting the TUC Programme

13 The learners’ perspective

conclusion recommendations

14 TUC Education Online

The survey has highlighted areasfor improvement.

Over the next two years TUC Education will:increase the range of online coursesavailable to reps

investigate more interactive and stimulatingcourse material to enhance the user experience– developments in Web 2.0 technology includingsocial networking tools and web-hosted videomake this possible

centralise and improve the applicationprocess and improve communication withapplicants to manage expectations

consult on and implement refinements tocourse methodology, including blended learning.

For more information on TUC EducationOnline, or a copy of the full reporton which this summary is based, seewww.unionlearn.org.uk/online or contactTUC Online Learning Officer Craig Hawkinschawkins@tuc.org.uk

For union reps, online learning has provedto be a positive learning experience andTUC Education’s online programme has clearlyestablished itself as a genuine alternative toclassroom-based courses. Demand for onlinelearning is strong and the flexibility andconvenience that this form of learning offersis a huge positive for trade union reps.

“A good experienceand an enjoyable wayto learn.” Quote from learner survey

Students themselves (85 per cent) clearlyfeel that knowledge and skills developmentis very strong, with 95 per cent stating that theonline courses have developed their proficiencyas union reps and increased their effectivenessin the workplace.

The survey shows that attitudes towards theconcept of online learning have changed markedlyand in a positive way. Reps value the benefit ofan accessible and convenient offer with highquality course materials and effective technicaland social support from tutors and fellow learnerswhen needed. In addition, learners respondedfavourably to the learning platform used by TUCEducation. Tutors now also see online teachingas complementary to their work in the classroom.

Preferred waysof learning

classroom

online

mixture of both

23%

19%

58%

15 The learners’ perspective