Blog posts for tags:Technology, social media

How important is technology to learning, and how can you maximise the digital devices you already have and upskill staff so they can incorporate them into lesson delivery? The use of technology in education has been in and out of the news since the release of the Further Education Learning Technology Action Group (FELTAG) report which recommended that all publicly-funded courses should have 10% of the content delivered solely online by this academic year. Many saw this as an unrealistic target, arguing educational institutions wouldn’t be able to meet this milestone or the additional target of 50% online delivery by 2017-2018.

As some centres report that the number of learners taking their A Levels online has increased, are we finally accepting distance learning as a viable learning option? Interhigh Sixth Form College’s Director of Development, Jacqueline Daniell, has said that they offer A Level courses online because of funding cuts to sixth forms. The centre has actually increased its subject offering; “the supply has become less but the demand is just the same. We are looking to help those students out really,” stated Daniell.

The power of social media in today’s world cannot be underestimated. Social media is a tool used by people of all ages, but it’s something that young people especially have adopted and use day-to-day, around the clock.

Earlier this year, the Further Education Learning Technology Action Group (FELTAG), made a number of ambitious recommendations to then Skills Minister Matthew Hancock and the sector more broadly regarding the effective use of digital technology in learning, teaching and assessment in Further Education and Skills. At NCFE, we support new technology within education and believe that digital methods can provide a more flexible, learner-centric approach to education, helping us to fit learning to individual needs. What’s more, it can support and empower staff to further strengthen their teaching.

Here’s your weekly round-up summarising the top education stories from the sector’s press including FE Week and the TES. FE Week 16 June

It’s a well-known fact that the landscape of the education sector is growing ever more digital, with the recent Further Education Learning Technology Action Group (FELTAG) report advocating the use of technology in education, and the credibility and viability of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) and Vocational Open Online Courses (VOOCs) growing. Alongside this, social media is gaining ground across all areas and professions. No longer just a channel for personal updates and anecdotes, large brands and corporations such as Tesco, politicians including the leaders of the three major parties in the UK, and a plethora of educational institutions are taking to platforms such as Twitter to reach their audience, both current and new, in a different and engaging fashion.

The use of technology in education and distance learning are the hot topics on everyone’s lips at the moment. With outcomes of the recent Further Education Learning Technology Action Group (FELTAG) report insisting 10% of the content of all publically funded courses should be solely online by the 2015/16, digital methods of teaching and learning have never looked more appealing. Opinion on the delivery of qualifications via digital means is divided, however. Some have suggested that distance learning opens doors to learners who don’t have the financial means or physical ability to attend courses at educational institutions, such as Ruth Womak, a learner with physical and mental conditions that made it difficult to take on a full educational course without additional help.

Each week I’ll be sharing my summary of what’s been reported in the education media (looking at publications such as FE Week and the TES). Would very much welcome your thoughts and comments on any of the news stories mentioned! Traineeship figures ‘deeply disappointing’

Looking to the future, the landscape of educational delivery is far from clear, particularly with regards to the use of technology in education – a hot topic on everyone’s lips at the moment. This month, a report was published by the Further Education Learning Technology Action Group (FELTAG), making a number of interesting recommendations to Skills Minister Matthew Hancock regarding their vision of a digital future.

A Cambridge University professor, Mary Beard, has expressed concern that online open courses are in "danger" of creating divisions in society. Professor Beard has said that these courses risk setting apart the "privileged few", who receive face-to-face teaching from the "unprivileged mass" who learn via a screen. At NCFE, we’re committed to providing learning opportunities to individuals from all backgrounds and we feel that the option of online and blended learning actually helps us to do this by granting a wider access to education and a more flexible approach. That's why we offer distance learning solutions.