Writing up Your Action Research and Development Project

TACC Learning Zone Report:

‘Creating a virtual learning environment for adult learners’

Project Title: Creating a virtual learning environment for adult learners at TACC

Summary:

TACC is establishing a virtual learning environment (VLE) for its adult learners for the first time. We are developing the themes content and overall design and architecture from scratch, in house, using staff who have volunteered to be involved in the project and aim to develop capacity and understanding that can be shared. The development of the VLE or TACC Learning Zone (TLZ) represents a strategic step forward. TACC has been considering a VLE for some time but with little progress. The recent invitation to participate in a BIS research project looking at the teaching of English and maths using traditional and blended learning approaches has been a spur to get the learning zone up and running. This report is an evaluation of this effort and the lessons learned.

Context:

Thurrock Adult Community College (TACC) is the adult and community learning service for the local authority. Based in Grays at the main campus TACC also delivers learning across Thurrock using a range of community venues, children’s centres, schools and partners. TACC is funded by the Skills Funding Agency for Community Learning (including NLDC and Family Learning)and classroom based learner responsive delivery mainly for English, maths, ESOL and some vocational learning. TACC has established a good reputation in Thurrock with strong loyalty ties from learners and staff (many of whom have also been learners and volunteers). TACC’s learner support and learner satisfaction are particular strengths (matrix standard assessment report, June 2014). The college is traditional in its approach to teaching and learning and has underdeveloped Information Learning Technology, relying on individual support and communities of practice and learning. The strategic direction the College has taken is to boost learning and learning opportunities by promoting ‘Independent Learning’. This is a college wide initiative designed to change the way tutors and learners interact and to encourage learners to be pro-active and self-directing. The TLZ is one of the platforms for achieving this, other efforts involve changing the Scheme of Work Templates to encourage greater use of ‘out of classroom’ activities and to further develop the ‘communities of practice’ amongst tutors and learners.

Aims and objectives:

The aims at the outset of the project were:

create a VLE for TACC for use by learners and staff to provide unrestricted access to learning and professional development opportunities
adapt and develop content to support learners across a wide range of subjects and levels
develop the staff skills across the college to promote and exploit the advantages offered by ILT

The intended outcomes of the project are:

to create a working VLE
establish standards and work practice for the VLE and its content
develop staff capacity and raise awareness of virtual and blended learning across the college

The achievements and outcomes of the project will be sustained by:

continuing the development of the staff capacity to utilise blended and distance learning techniques
raising learner expectations for ILT and blended learning
continuing professional development for staff through the medium of the VLE and blended learning approaches

There are two drivers for the TLZ initiative. Firstly TACC has already made a strategic decision to promote ‘Independent Learning’ to improve learners’ experience, progress and achievement. This is the theme of this year’s Staff Conference in early September the traditional introduction to the new academic year for staff. The second is TACC’s participation in the BIS sponsored Randomised Control Test Research Project into the teaching of maths and English for adults comparing traditional classroom based delivery with ILT/blended learning approaches. To effectively take part we wanted to establish a working VLE piloted by maths and English in the first instance. Then based on the experience and knowledge of using the platform we would roll out the TLZ to all curriculum areas.

Strategies:

The theme for the next academic year is to be ‘Independent Learning’ and will be launched at the whole Staff Conference on 3rd September 2014. The TLZ is a key part of this initiative together with an updated approach to RARPA (The measure of success for non-accredited learning applied to all course at TACC) and a revised scheme of work to encourage tutors to think about their learners outside of the classroom (See Section 9.1 for the guide to the new scheme of work.)

In the first instance TACC wanted to gain access to the Thurrock Learning Zone gain access to the management and branding of the site.

The second step was to survey the staff of the college to ascertain their experience of using a VLE/Moodle environment. This was undertaken in the first part of July. The results of the survey have been used to identify the training needs and to guide the further implementation and roll-out of the TLZ. The results of the survey can be found in Section 9.2

The third step was to understand and the platform and create the infrastructure needed to meet the needs of the different users (staff and learners). An editing administrator role was created for the IT Technician to allow for upload and permissions, accounts etc. in the TACC area of the Zone. This is a vital part of the infrastructure that was identified early on as this defines the access rights of users and ensures students and staff have appropriate information and resources available to them. Students will have access to their specific course and to generic information and resources, links etc. for the subject plus general information about the College.

The fourth step was to identify and train individual staff members in the use of ‘SCORM’ software to create and upload learning materials to the TLZ. Training was planned and supported by Thurrock and 4 licenses for ‘Composica’, a powerful training/learning material authoring package, were granted to the College for this purpose. A larger group of staff have been trained as the licences will be passed on and re-assigned once the initial content and layout, themes and templates have been designed.

The fifth step is the implementation, creating the underpinning infrastructure, layout and appearance, and content for the pilot areas of maths and English. It is likely that ESOL and IT will also pilot use of the TLZ – this is a reflection of the staff’s enthusiasm and commitment to innovation rather than any directive. The collaborative nature of staff working and experimenting reflects the ‘Community of Practice‘ that is being developed in the College that has grown out of and Education and Training Foundation funded joint project with Southend Adult Community College to develop Communities of Practice.

At the time of writing this report the implementation phase is under way.

Outcomes and impact on learners and staff:

The short time span of the project – project awarded 26th June 2014 – Final Report submitted 31st July 2014 – has allowed little if any opportunity for measurable impact on learners. The impact on learning will be felt in the autumn when teaching resumes and staff are embracing and using the TLZ and adapting the teaching and learning strategies to turn classroom learners into independent learners.

The impact on staff is more measurable. There is a limited staff experience of working with or use of a VLE. 20% of staff have used a VLE/Moodle to support teaching and learning. 56% of staff have no prior experience of a VLE/Moodle either as a learner or in any other capacity. This presents a significant challenge to the College to raise awareness and capacity and is one of the most important findings of the project.

60% of staff have stated they intend to use the TLZ in their role. This rises to 68% for teaching staff. This is a significant indicator showing that almost a third of teaching staff are unaware of or unprepared to use the TLZ to enhance learners experience and progress. This is seen as a challenge for management to raise the staff capacity, understanding and commitment to independent learning. 76% of the teaching staff have no experience of creating online content for a VLE/Moodle. The clear challenge is to raise the capacity of the teaching workforce to be able to create and utilise online resources and tools to enhance teaching and learning and to extend learners’ experience.

Another indicator that raises a challenge for the College is that none of the non-teaching staff (excluding managers) have worked with or used a VLE/Moodle and only 12% of the non-teaching staff expected to use the TLZ in their role. As part of the drive to be a ‘learning organisation’ it is important that non-teaching staff, who are frequent points of contact for learners, are aware of the benefits and purpose of the TLZ and are able to direct learners to the resources and information they may need – including the TLZ.

Only 25% of the managers have experience of using a VLE/Moodle for teaching purposes. This is another challenge to raise the awareness and understanding of the potential of the TLZ and the ability and capacity to promote independent and blended learning techniques.

The clear picture emerging for the College is one of capacity building. There is a commitment and a broad intention to use the TLZ and this can be further stimulated. The primary issue for the College is that there is very little experience to build on or a base capacity for sharing practice from.

This sets the agenda for the College and the College management to give impetus to the ‘Independent Learning’ initiative and to ensure that the training and skillset required to make effective use of the TLZ is developed during the coming year. The planned strategy of piloting in the College is appropriate with a view to establishing a body of practice that can shared and rolled out over the coming academic year.

Learning points:

A cultural change in the College is going to be necessary to shift the focus of learning from the classroom to the learner. This is no small task and requires a consistent strategic effort to achieve the vision for independent learning to be the ‘norm’ at TACC.

Key points that need to be addressed are:

general lack of understanding, awareness and experience of using VLE/Moodle across the College staff.
the limited experience of teaching staff in using/creating online content
the absence of experience of VLE/Moodle amongst the non-teaching staff
the need for a cultural shift in the nature of teaching and learning
the need to progress the independent learning and TLZ initiatives carefully and in a managed and resourced way to build staff capacity and develop a body of practice. The current capacity is too thinly spread to take the weight of a hasty whole college roll-out that would be ‘skating on thin ice’.
the need to create the infrastructure and mechanisms to drive the development and implementation of the TLZ and ‘Independent Learning’ by establishing the platform and the facilities ready to be populated and used; secondly by changing the requirements for staff in schemes of work to include TLZ and Independent learning in their course and lesson planning
the importance of having the technical capacity to take on a new platform and integrate it with existing data to create the infrastructure for learner and staff accounts for the TLZ
the commitment and involvement of senior management is essential for a whole college initiative that will address the teaching and learning culture of the College.

Next steps;

To consolidate the progress made and the increased understanding of the challenges and issues the project and this evaluation has provided there are a number of actions that need to be taken:

Ensure the TLZ platform and infrastructure are in place as soon as possible
Continue with the staff training and the development of content and templates for content
Plan to deliver the ‘big messages’ to all staff at the staff conference 3rd September 2014
monitor the schemes of work and lesson plans to ensure that ‘Independent Learning’ is being actively promoted and included in delivery
plan and monitor the roll-out of the TLZ beyond the pilot areas in a managed way to not overstretch staff
develop ‘communities of practice‘ amongst staff and resource and facilitate workshops to share practice and knowledge

Resources:Please list and attach things which will be of use to others

9.1Guide – revised scheme of work (TACC) (PDF attached)

9.2 Summary of Survey results

Contact Details: Please supply the contact details for this project

Name:Nick Bailey, Assistant Principal

Organisation:Thurrock Adult Community College

Commissioned and Funded by

TACC Learning Zone Report:

‘Creating a virtual learning environment for adult learners’