Fareham College ran a Reflective Exploration project in the use of educational technology (EdTech) funded by the Education and Training Foundation (ETF) during February and March 2021. The project was based in the Construction Department but engaged with staff in Media and Fashion through peer learning, pairing departments that did not usually work collaboratively.
The project was triggered by experience of supporting remote learning during the Covid-19 pandemic. Mark Beetlestone, the college’s Technology Enhanced Learning Manager, felt there had been a significant impact on staff in terms of developing and innovating teaching practice using EdTech. Lecturers who had previously had no engagement with EdTech were looking to expand their knowledge and skills and pushing the boundaries in some curriculum areas. However, confidence in some areas was still low and, overall, there was still a need to develop the practical, interactive elements of online delivery.
The selected theme for the project was ‘Learning from others and fostering practitioner networks’.
The staff involved were:
The participants were supported by ETF EdTech Mentor Sarah Simons.
Although brief, the project had a substantial impact in developing collaborative practice and introducing new approaches to learner engagement in online teaching:
“Huge impacts! We are rethinking the ways in which we conduct our CPD sessions in order to better strategise these closer inter-departmental links. We want all staff to have an increase in pedagogic dialogue as we’ve found such a positive impact from this small-scale project.”
Mark Beetlestone, Project Lead
“With cross-college encouragement in developing collaborative practice, and the creation of a peer-to-peer ‘buddy system’, the research will act as evidence contribution towards a wider change in the organisation’s observation model. I’m genuinely so excited about how this might improve things for everyone.”
Mark Beetlestone, Project Lead
Practitioners were asked to:
The Project Lead was responsible for:
The ETF EdTech mentor Sarah Simons supported the project through regular weekly meetings with the Project Lead and practitioners, helping to signpost relevant training on the Enhance platform mapped to each of the project participant’s specific interests.
Each of the three practitioners had different areas of interest where they wanted to improve their practice. Mark Beetlestone focused on facilitating the project and creating resources for all staff.
Tanya wanted to:
Jeff was interested in:
Ellie was interested in:
The project team selected modules on the Enhance platform that fitted with their interests and the areas of practice they wished to develop. In addition to completing modules, the team submitted reflections on the #EdTechSwap Awarded Practice Wall on the Enhance Digital Teaching Platform to gain two- and three-star EdTech award badges.
Mark Beetlestone as Project Lead also used the EnhanceDTP Management Dashboard facility to track and support staff progress in use of the EdTech and Essential Digital Skills CPD resources on the platform. The College was already using the Dashboard facility before the project started and there are now 36 college staff sharing their learning data with the Dashboard who, between them, have completed just under 200 modules and gained 80 EdTech award badges.
Tanya Richardson
Jeff Bettam
Ellie Price
#EdTechSwap Awarded Practice Wall
Management Dashboard
Encouraging reflective sharing between learners: In the video above, Tanya Richardson describes how she encouraged her learners to share how they had prepared their learning workspace.
Tanya, a Fashion Lecturer, was interested in the digital wellbeing of her learners during lockdown and set homework that was focused on something non-college related for her learners’ personal benefit. She also asked learners to think about preparing their home working space ready for online lessons. She then gave time in lessons for students to chat about these activities.
“Space was given in the lesson to talk about this activity and share and reflect. More focal point for conversation. Readiness for learning in a wellbeing sense rather than academic sense.”
She also wanted to create short how-to videos about aspects of digital practice for staff to refer to, in order to support their CPD.
“I need to create a ‘how-to’ on creating digital content before asking staff to get involved, breaking it down into simple steps explaining what would be expected of staff. This could work better as a staff development day activity where time is set aside to go through and complete some digital content.”
Jeff, who teaches Civil Engineering to apprentices, focused on use of speech to text tools to support one of his ESOL learners. This was really well received. One ESOL learner was able to engage more with the learning due to the use of live subtitles, something the practitioner had never used. Other practitioners in the curriculum area heard about this and it went “viral” in the department.
“Some of the learners can’t read and write and this is a barrier when teaching theory.”
A new approach to 1:1 reviews: In the video above, Ellie Price describes the benefits of introducing a Microsoft form to help students prepare for 1:1 reviews.
Ellie, who is a Success Coach in the Engineering Department, was interested in flipped learning and focused on creating a Microsoft form for learners to complete prior to a 1:1 progress review session. The form caused learners to pause and reflect and made the 1:1s more meaningful. This has since been modelled as best practice across the organisation.
“I created a Microsoft form that covers the topic areas we are required to oversee as part of our progress reviews. I worked with my colleague Martin to bounce some ideas off him during the creation, which really helped me think about things in different ways. The form covered BAKS, wellbeing, progression, SMART target setting, attendance. Students who took part were also able to fill out a feedback form on the process.
“I initially sent the form to approximately three students per class for me to complete 1:1s with them. I was able to look at their completed form and prepare for their 1:1 in advance. This enabled me to prepare deep dive information about a particular thing and get more value from what I was doing with them.
“I reflected on the practice with peers. One peer said some learners struggled with some of the questions, for example not knowing what behaviours are valued in industry. They said some options of behaviours as prompts might be useful.
“I am continuing to use the form but am using it to triage need in my learners for the remaining weeks of term. For those I do not need to see face to face, I will use the feedback submissions on the form to signpost the learners to areas for support if they need it.”
As Project Lead, Mark held weekly meetings with the team with Sarah Simons, the ETF EdTech Mentor, to understand the problems and restrictions placed on the practitioners and coach them through to the next steps. Mark also worked with the practitioners to create asynchronous resources for training for all staff cross-college based on learning from the project:
“Instead of relying on face-to-face or live sessions, we have worked collaboratively to share some of the findings of this project asynchronously on our central LMS. This activity is the first time we have produced something like this for staff and so we are keen to measure the result.”
Tanya Richardson
Jeff Bettam
Ellie Price
Mark Beetlestone
The impact that Mark Beetlestone was hoping to see included:
At the end of the project, Mark reported:
“The impact so far has been substantial. The practitioners have an increased awareness of the ways in which other departments have handled the swift adaptation to working online. The teaching and quality team, who work across college including multiple sites, have definitely noticed an increased appetite for more cross departmental links to be made. This is going to play a significant part of how we shape our CPD offer.”
Mark pointed to a number of specific impacts which were also described in the reflective diaries of the project team members [click on the right hand tabs for details].
Using the translation tool in PowerPoint: Jeff Bettam describes the benefits of using the PowerPoint translation tool for a learner whose first language was not English.
On encouraging students to review and share their workspace with other learners:
“Causing students to reflect upon their workspace, it allowed them to see other people’s set ups, giving people some inspiration about their workspaces. It ensured they were up and ready for learning, especially on Monday mornings!
“Students’ connectedness was improved, they were ready to learn as a group, it brought some people out of their shells a bit and made them realise that they are all in the same boat, regardless of what their home situation is like. All students were comfortable to post their home spaces and happy to share.”
Tanya Richardson
On giving time for sharing and reflection about non-course related items at the start of a lesson:
“Definitely worth doing – this was a more productive lesson as a result of sacrificing half an hour for wellbeing. It felt like getting to know each other again akin to September – a bit like an icebreaker, human contact all over again. Getting used to general chit chat in the classroom, laying down ground rules, learning how to be a student and a teacher all over again!”
Tanya Richardson
On introducing speech to text tools:
“Students felt inspired which made me want to try more. The student who was a native Hungarian speaker was able to read the subtitles on the board! Felt great and the students were really enjoying the experience. Delivering a mental health workshop next week and these tools will feature in that.”
Jeff Bettam
The value of giving teachers time to share: In the video above, Mark Beetlestone and Tanya Richardson talk about the value of giving teachers from different departments time to talk together.
Feedback from tutors about the benefit for staff of introducing a Microsoft form to gather learner input prior to 1:1 reviews:
“I think the form is a great way of collecting the usual information that we need to check on and then allows you to scan through and prioritise your time with the student on the issues that matter. So less time wasted on collecting information and more time on dealing with problems. Its structure allows you to tick off all the boxes for OFSTED and gives the 1:1 a little more structure. It also helps you to give the same level of 1:1 to all students.”
“Now when time is limited due to lots of other tasks etc, it also allows you to get a blanket feedback from all learners and then prioritise learners for follow ups and 1:1s based on the responses. It means you can filter those that require support but still make the others feel like they have had the opportunity to air their thoughts and opinions on their progress.”
On developing a pedagogic dialogue with peers:
“Having dialogue with colleagues has helped me consider other ways of doing things – even If it’s a completely different subject, it helps shape my way of thinking. I have learned more from them since having initial dialogues! Due to these dialogues, I have been able to form a deep dive approach around one specific area of online learning, one that can help my own practice and that I can identify the impact of more easily.”
Ellie Price
Impact for learners
Impact for tutors
Mark Beetlestone is now working to ensure that outcomes are shared at mid and senior management level meetings.
“The project has had a really positive impact and we need to ensure that message is spread. The change we have seen is sustainable, igniting passion in practitioners and letting them guide their own projects has been extremely beneficial.
“We also plan on sharing the outcomes of this specific project at our next development day. Each of the practitioners will be invited to share their project and findings across the entire college.”
Mark Beetlestone, Project Lead
Fareham College is a General Further Education College on the edge of Fareham, Hampshire, serving over 4,000 learners a year. Judged Outstanding by Ofsted in October 2017 and awarded The Times Educational Supplement College of the Year in 2018, it includes a £12 million Centre of Excellence in Engineering, Manufacturing and Advanced Skills Training and a new Civil Engineering Training Centre offering nationally pioneering civil engineering apprenticeship programmes and professional training.
Six Reflective Exploration projects were funded by the Education and Training Foundation (ETF) from February to March 2021. The aim of the projects was to help teachers and trainers in six organisations to develop their digital skills by engaging with the resources and communities of practice on the Enhance Digital Teaching Platform. The projects were focused, in particular, on the opportunities for skills development and pedagogic dialogue around submission and sharing of reflections and resources to gain digital badges.
Practitioners worked in groups of up to three supported by a Project Lead, who was also involved in the reflective CPD process. All projects were supported by an ETF EdTech Mentor. Projects were invited to focus on one of the following six themes:
Participants produced reflective diaries and short videos to record their CPD experience and the impact on their practice. Feedback from the project is being used to help refine and develop the badging and community of practice models on the Enhance Digital Teaching Platform.