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Exploring the Technological Synergy between Further and Higher Education Vocational Students.

Supporting Transition into Higher Education; Comparing Level 3 and Level 4 Vocational Student’s Experiences of Technology Enhanced Learning. Exploring the Technological Synergy between Further and Higher Education Vocational Students. Rachel Butterfield and James Wilson

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Exploring the Technological Synergy between Further and Higher Education Vocational Students.

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  1. Supporting Transition into Higher Education; Comparing Level 3 and Level 4 Vocational Student’s Experiences of Technology Enhanced Learning. Exploring the Technological Synergy between Further and Higher Education Vocational Students. Rachel Butterfield and James Wilson Writtle Agricultural College

  2. Project is part f the HEA E-Learning Research Observatory (ELRO). Lower than planned retention and progression levels throughout the College. Teaching, Learning and Assessment Strategy – incorporate the use of e-Learning. (HEFCE and Writtle) Project Objective

  3. Vocational College – Land-based Sector. Courses mainly around Equine, Horticulture, Conservation, Agriculture, Floristry. Small cohort of Business students. Both FE and HE Students. Majority of the estate is outside, and used for practical teaching. Not as technologically advanced as most HE institutions. Writtle Agricultural College

  4. Writtle College is unique in that it is a dual-sector (Garrod & MacFarlane, 2007) or “hybrid” (Smith, Bathmaker & Parry, 2007) land-based institution with some 50% of its total provision (2,650 FTEs) in each of the FE and HE sectors. • Seamless progression is a key institutional objective and student transition issues receive high priority. • Currently, FE level 3 success rates and transition are less successful than desired. • Current innovative pedagogies have been employed throughout modules – but now a need to link this into ‘Academic and Professional Development.’ Rationale

  5. Identify, through a comparative analysis of FE (level 3) and HE (level 4) students’ experiences with their studies, the key factors that may facilitate transition into HE through the application of technology-enhanced developments; • Shape the institutional pedagogic approach in line with student aspirations, experiences and satisfaction, so that a seamless transition to successful HE study can be effected; • Create a proactive CPD strategy that supports staff to develop appropriate innovative and dynamic e-learning spaces. Project Aims

  6. Interpretivist Approach adopted. Questionnaire open to all FE and HE students. Focus group. Card Sort Exercise. E-Portfolio Workshop sessions. Work with FE students developing electronic submission. methodology

  7. Principle’s Award Students – 5. • 1 mature student. • Top 5 topic’s raised by the students: • Students don’t feel satisfied with the technology offered by the institution. • Students overcompensate for lack of technology and provide their own. • Differing opinions on MOODLE. • Lack of Research skills (databases, references, and understanding to a specific level) – therefore overcompensated by the use of Wikipedia, and social networking to get a general idea. • Students seem keen to try new technology in an educational context, but out of exploration rather than practical advantages. Focus Group / Card Sort

  8. 126 responses – wide representation of both HE and FE courses across college. • Results still in analysis stage. • Male and Female divide. • Large age range represented. Questionnaire

  9. Card sort exercise highlighted that Word and Laptop (used for internet)were regarded as the most relevant educational tools. Word competency level of 4.6 Internet competency level of 4.7 HE and FE Comparison. Areas of competency

  10. Take up of sessions was ‘unexpected’. • Regular attendance as well as independent progression with e-portfolio’s. • Varying level of engagement. • Met with staff reservations. • Started with ≈ 20 students. • Completed portfolio’s ≈ 7 students. http://johnwinslow.wordpress.com/ http://magicram08.wordpress.com/ http://hlrichards.wordpress.com/ http://rshepherd.wordpress.com/ http://jojoyce.wordpress.com/ E-Portfolios

  11. Should retention of the vocational subject areas be any different from retention in ‘academic’ based subjects? Should we handle the process of this retention through different means? What part should technology take in retention of vocational based subjects where this is not the students main focus? Challenges and issues we face??

  12. Department for Education and Skills Report (2007). Online at www.dfes.gov.uk (Accessed 14/05/08) • Garrod, N. & Macfarlane, B. (2007) Scoping the duals: the structural challenges of combining further and higher education in post-compulsory institutions, Higher Education Quarterly, 61:4, pp. 578-596 • Smith, D., Bathmaker, A.M. & Parry, G. (2007) The institutionalisation of duality: (re)imagining culture, community and college in further and higher education. Working paper for the ESRC TLRP FurtherHigher project, online at http://www.shef.ac.uk/furtherhigher/ References

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