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.
If we put targets to the side, it’s obvious that the use of technology in education must be embraced in the fast-paced, digitally driven world we live in. However, with little guidance or support, many are struggling with embedding this into their curriculum and qualification delivery. 2014 research showed that 60% of Further Education and skills providers rated their teaching staff’s digital literacy as weak, with significant knowledge gaps. Further, only 15% of those surveyed felt they were equipped to deal with those skills gaps.
As advocates of lifelong learning, we believe that you can’t stand still when it comes to learning, especially in relation to technological advances. We’ve made more progress digitally in the last 50 years than in the previous 500, and it can be difficult to keep up. That’s why we’ve created a qualification to help you upskill teachers and tutors when it comes to blending technology with education. The NCFE Level 4 Award for Technology Enabled Educators (601/4775/1) , developed in conjunction with Coralesce, inspires and enables educators from schools, colleges, employers or training providers to embed technology into the learning process and gives them the confidence they need when doing this.
Those who take the course are encouraged to evaluate their own and their organisation’s use of technology in teaching, learning and assessment. Through this course they’ll be able to identify where digital means can be used to improve delivery and learner experience.
Wendy Beckett, Learning Technology Coordinator at North Warwickshire and Hinckley College, was encouraged to take the qualification by the college’s Deputy Chief Executive with the aim of further improving her knowledge around learning and assessment technologies, and allowing her to pass on this knowledge to colleagues as part of her role. Wendy studied the qualification online, of course.
Wendy feels she greatly benefited from the course; not only did this allow her to support the college in embedding technology across all learning, but she also found the opportunity to share best practice useful. “It’s been good to see how others tackle barriers to learning and find out about other software available,” she said.
So what’s next for Wendy? She’s planning on holding training sessions at the college to pass on her knowledge to teaching and training staff. We have some upcoming events on our Technology Enabled Educators course in May – watch this space!
When technology is spoken about, not just in education but in a wider context, many people think of brand new devices or technologies. In a sector that’s seen severe budget cuts this can be a worrying thought, with many colleges, training providers and schools unable to dedicate funds to new supplies. Retired Headteacher Gerald Haigh argues, however, that in cases like this educators must focus on maximising existing resources. While new technology can be both useful and exciting to learners, educators haven’t necessarily harnessed the power of their existing technology, he argues.
The Technology Enabled Educators qualification takes this into account; while it introduces new software and technology and ways to embed these into a curriculum, it also challenges participants to look at their own delivery models and identify gaps or better ways of using them.
Technology is here to stay, and it’s essential to be digitally literate in this day and age. But despite the fact that technology moves at a lightning pace, it’s worth remembering that maximising the resources you already have at your disposal can be just as effective.
