Excellence Gateway
Published: 08 April 2010
This case study was produced by JISC Regional Support Centre for Yorkshire & Humber on behalf of the Excellence Gateway.
Sector relevance: Work-based learning
Keywords: Teaching training and learning; planning and resources; blended learning; e-learning materials (creating and adapting); e-learning materials (using); learning resources; teaching resources; teaching and learning; enrichment activities; evaluation of own practice (staff); formative assessment; giving feedback to learners; motivating learners; practical work; summative assessment; curriculum good practice; assessment; giving feedback to learners; motivating learners; reflective practice; achievement; enjoying and achieving; curriculum development (14–19); curriculum planning; development of teaching and learning; meeting employers' needs; sharing/using good practice; leadership; business planning; managing change; mission; strategic plan; sustainable development; coaching staff; efficiency and effectiveness; mentoring staff; quality management; staff development; evidence gathering; evaluation of own practice; learners' feedback; observation of assessments; observation of teaching and learning; self-assessment; actions and outcomes; management and training; health, public services and care; child development and well being health and social care; Entry to Employment; Train to Gain; Apprenticeships; 3D software
Executive Director, Jo North, has created a dynamic, successful organisation at In Touch Care, based around embedding e-learning into core operations. Staff and learners work in an environment that encourages and inspires exploration and development. A developed e-strategy was implemented that encompasses all aspects of the organisation, from the structure of the business itself to staff development and providing an inspirational and engaging environment for learners.
In Touch Care (ITC) is a leading training provider in the Care Sector, based in Sheffield. It delivers programmes to schoolchildren, apprenticeships and adult programmes in Health and Social Care, Child Care, Oral Health and Customer Services. ITC also provides assessor and teacher training programmes in the Lifelong Learning Sector, from Preparing to Teach (PTLLS) through to Diploma in Teaching (DTLLS).
In a recent Ofsted inspection, the company achieved 13 Grade One results. ITC has also been successful in a number of awards.
The challenge for Jo North, Executive Director, was to build a market-leading organisation with a strong strategic focus and where both staff and learners would experience a positive culture for learning.
Jo established a 17-page e-Strategy Action Plan to embed e-learning into the organisation.
To help deliver the plan, Jo undertook an organisational structure review in October 2009 to delegate responsibilities to newly-created manager positions. She created five new teams within the organisation:
All staff were involved in the restructure, undertaking a self-assessment. No positions were externally recruited into and unsuccessful applicants for new positions were given six month staff development action plans.
The managers for each section are given more freedom and responsibilities. They work to monthly targets and have a team of staff they can develop. They are encouraged to research and write funding proposals and are exploring new ways to inspire both staff and learners.
Another major part of the E-Strategy Action Plan is to procure new technologies to engage learners. Jo applied to various funding streams in order to purchase equipment that helps both staff and learners. She was successful in various rounds of LIG funding and was able to buy technology such as 3D hardware and software, 4D, laptops with webcams, e-portfolio tablets, these resources complimented the existing resources including human simulators and voting pods.
About LIG funding The Learning Innovation Grant (LIG) funding is provided by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) and administered by the Association of Learning Providers (ALP). LIG funding supports the innovative development and application of ICT technologies and e-learning within the work-based learning (WBL)/skills sector. Access LIG exemplars on the ALP website.
Strategic responsibilities
Staff are given more freedom and responsibility as a result of the restructure. This enables them to research new technological developments and identify further sources of funding. Responsibility for development is now with a team of managers and not just Jo, ensuring an organisation-wide approach.
Staff development
The restructuring process provided Jo's team with staff development action plans to encourage further development. It also created a culture of continuous improvement.
Jo outlines:
“I've tried to devolve responsibility. We explored how we could work SMARTer in relation to efficiency and effectiveness. “All staff had interview feedback during the re-structure and everyone had an Action Plan to move forward. The self assessment within the interview process was a good start for appraisal and staff felt really comfortable about it. “Staff knew they had other opportunities if they were not successful.”
“I've tried to devolve responsibility. We explored how we could work SMARTer in relation to efficiency and effectiveness.
“All staff had interview feedback during the re-structure and everyone had an Action Plan to move forward. The self assessment within the interview process was a good start for appraisal and staff felt really comfortable about it.
“Staff knew they had other opportunities if they were not successful.”
Procurement of new technologies
Jo's energetic approach to gaining funding for technology has resulted in a variety of technology available to her staff and learners, including:
Jo's approach to embedding e-learning has had a major impact on both learners and staff.
Impact on learners
Visual learning 3D software and the human simulators allow learners to learn in a visual way. A programme on the 3D system allows viewers to enter the body and ‘see' the effects of various illnesses, such as asthma or Alzheimer's disease. The tutor can pause and focus on certain areas.
Jeni Liversidge, Teaching and Learning Manager, outlines the benefits:
“You're learning by process. You're starting off from the head and zoning in. I learn better that way. You've got the big picture, then take another layer off and go another layer deeper. You could never get that in your head from a textbook.”
Similarly, “Stan”, the “Standard Man” (Stan D Ardman) simulator, runs on compressed air and bags of coloured water fed via tubes, enabling him to breathe, blink, cry, sweat and bleed. Stan is programmed to reflect the condition of a variety of people, from a soldier at peak fitness to an older person with a terminal illness. Learners observe symptoms such as pulse, blood pressure, and breathing. Jeni has also used Stan to teach the impact of drugs or smoking on the body. She says:
“We set it up like it's a theatrical piece. We build scenarios. We do a lot of prep. [The simulator has] got a name and a case history. The impact that it has is remarkable – to the point where you have to debrief after. I'd got them looking and feeling the pulse and telling me what they see because half of care is observation. They were so drawn in that they started to panic [at the deteriorating condition]. I actually got two kids to stop smoking. They listened to their chest in five years' time. That's learning.”
Assessment Video equipment and using a one-way mirror is less intrusive for assessment. Jeni outlines how “one-way glass can relieve the pressure” on learners. “Stan” can also simulate emergency situations, which could never be assessed in real life.
Evidence and giving feedback ITC has three mounted video cameras controlled in a recording room behind the one-way glass. Recorded footage can be used as evidence in a learner's e-portfolio. Video editing software aids feedback by being able to tag certain sections of the footage when criteria have been met.
Jeni explains:
“With PTLLS qualification, we've programmed the standards in. When I see the feedback, I hit the button and it marks the DVD where the feedback is. When I'm giving my feedback to the learner, instead of going through feet of tape, I can show exactly where feedback was to standard. As long as you programme the computer to know what it's looking for, it just tags it.”
Impact on staff
As well as providing the independence to carry out their own research, the technological approach has helped staff in practical ways.
Learner feedback A new teacher has used the voting system to provide feedback on lessons and inform future planning. Learners can vote using the voting pads and the results are collated into a results table for the tutor.
Kris Dean, Skills for Life Teacher, says:
“It's completely anonymous so they can be as honest as they want. I'm still learning. It's good for my evaluation. I can ask about different parts of the lesson and see if they found it useful and if they didn't I scrap it and rewrite it. If they found it interesting I can use it again and build on it.”
Quality assurance and reflective practice Jeni says:
“You can use filming as quality assurance for teaching standards. [Tutors] can use that as reflective practice to look back on their teaching for their own development. You've got CPD in there as well.”
Importance of “playtime” Jeni explains the benefits of working in an environment that encourages independence and exploration in staff:
“I sometimes think we'll never get to the bottom to what all this can do. The playtime is crucial.”
The future
In the spirit of continual improvement, ITC want to share their good practice and work with partners to develop further. They plan to take part in the developing JISC Regional Support Centre 3D forum to let others see what they are doing and to learn from other providers in the region. They are also exploring widening partnerships. For example, the local Fire Service is interested in using Stan in their training.
Jo explains that the nature of the work-based learning environment means that her e-strategy is essential in order to continually improve both organisational efficiency and the learner experience:
“We're looking at the smartest ways. We're looking at what we've done so far. We're not just a LSC funded provider. Look at all the diversifying that we've done. We have the resources and the awards because of it.&rdquo
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