JISC

Start date: 1 March 2007

End date: 31 March 2009

Funding programme: e-Learning Capital programme

Project website: http://spacefd.bradfordcollege.ac.uk/

JISC theme(s): e-Learning

Committees: JISC Learning and Teaching committee

Bradford College has a thirty year record of creating opportunities for groups tending to suffer from social exclusion including middle grade workers who lack formal certification for their skills, knowledge and experience. This proposal seeks principally to significantly improve opportunities for Foundation Degree students to achieve formal qualifications through the further development of blended learning approaches. Such approaches will allow them to develop their skills and knowledge and to gain formal accreditation for this through a personalised learning experience (PLE). The proposal also seeks to establish a more seamless link between students, college tutors, and work-based mentors (WBMs), and to open up opportunities for greater collaboration in learning. It recognises that within Foundation Degrees the role of work-based mentors can be crucial to individual student development and seeks to facilitate effective sharing of experiences and materials between college based tutors, students and the WBMs themselves. The proposal also seeks to establish and embed portable e-portfolios for students. These e-portfolios will meet the requirements not only for the course but also for continuing lifelong learning. This project will seek to change the dynamics in the way students, tutors and work-based mentors communicate and facilitate greater sharing of ideas on the development of best practice. 

Aims and objectives

The aims of the programme include the delivery of a personalised learning experience (PLE) within selected Foundation Degrees, through the use of blogs, discussion fora and collaborative tools; personal workspaces and tools for reflection, presentation and shared learning. This process will include the identification, evaluation and implementation of e-portfolio, personal development planning (PDP), and e-assessment within selected Foundation Degrees.

Objectives

• develop the use of reflective logs and diaries
• develop the use of online Learning Contracts (LC)
• evaluate and re-purpose a range of generic Work Based Learning materials for use by tutors, students and work-based mentors
• make more effective use of the workplace as a learning environment, by encouraging Employer / Supervisor / Mentor engagement in WBL though the use of Learning Contracts (LC) and e-Assessment
• re-design the criteria associated with the role of Work Based Mentors; design an online credit bearing module which could be used as a 'stand alone' continuing professional development module for WBMs
• introduce an e-portfolio as part of a web-based APL / APEL process
• create a credit bearing PDP learning program in an e-Learning format
• develop a web-based mutual learner support network, produced for learners by learners and staff student liaison committees

Project methodology

This project will make use of the ELGG platform. ELGG is an open source software platform designed to allow students, tutors and work-based mentors to connect and share resources and create social networks. ELGG also allows learners to create learner experiences and an electronic portfolio that can be both personal and / or shared according to the needs of each learner. We have chosen ELGG as it is a convenient open source platform suited to develop student personalised learning landscapes. An associated second methodology is to draw upon the support materials developed as part of the SURF WBL (JISC X4L funded) initiative. We will do this by identifying appropriate SURF WBL materials, and then integrate the support objects located in the JORUM repository to suit the needs of all stakeholders associated with our programmes.

Anticipated impact

The values of the outcomes, deliverables and the impact on the wider JISC community are:

• SURF WBL (JORUM) student support materials and industrial mentor support materials will be identified for seamless use within a web based learning landscape that can be personalised, and used collaboratively. The case study, and associated ‘shadowing’ FD programmes will provide case studies for other colleges to learn from and follow.
• The project will demonstrate how college tutors, students and work-based mentors can establish spaces to support effective communication channels, as well as an integrated learning and assessment environment.
• Lessons will be learnt by utilising the ELGG platform and evaluating how the tools in such a platform can contribute to collaborative learning, and also offer opportunities for personalised learning experiences.
• Direct access to employers and learners, to carry out action research within the life time of the project and beyond, linking to 1 to 3 above.

Lead institution 

• Bradford College

Project partners

• Craven College
• Leeds College of Technology
• Leeds Metropolitan University
• Newcastle College