on the ground experiential review of colleges’ blended learning approaches · 2018-06-27 ·...

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in conjunction with

On-the-ground experiential review

of colleges’ blended learning approaches

Research project summary for the academic year 2017-2018

Sasha Lipscombe

Neelma Patel

Joanne Schogger

Olga Vendrova

Watford, Hertfordshire, UK

June 2018

1

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Table of contents

1. Abstract ........................................................................................................................................... 2

2. Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 3

The problem with blended learning in the FE sector .......................................................................... 3

Current challenges in adopting and utilising blended learning in UK colleges .................................. 4

Research aims ..................................................................................................................................... 5

3. Method ............................................................................................................................................ 6

Co-creation and co-design .................................................................................................................. 6

College selection ................................................................................................................................. 8

Commitment from Global Vocational Skills ...................................................................................... 9

Commitment from colleges ................................................................................................................. 9

GVS research in numbers ................................................................................................................. 10

GVS research timeline ...................................................................................................................... 12

Materials used ................................................................................................................................... 13

Data analysis ..................................................................................................................................... 13

4. Results and discussion .................................................................................................................. 14

Digital teams and infrastructure ........................................................................................................ 14

The role of facilitators in blended learning ....................................................................................... 15

Blended learning models used in colleges ........................................................................................ 16

i-GVS product usage ......................................................................................................................... 20

Common trends in the use of digital content .................................................................................... 20

Observations and discussion ............................................................................................................. 23

Blended learning conference ............................................................................................................. 25

5. Conclusion .................................................................................................................................... 26

6. Further research work ................................................................................................................... 27

7. Testimonials and independent expertise ....................................................................................... 28

BCoT investment into digital content and infrastructure will save us thousands in the years to come

.......................................................................................................................................................... 28

Plumbing students are using an innovative online digital solution to support learning and

assessment at Uxbridge College ....................................................................................................... 29

8. Bibliography ................................................................................................................................. 30

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1. Abstract

In the academic year 2017-2018, Global

Vocational Skills (GVS) had the pleasure of

working closely with three leading UK

colleges who opened their doors to

demonstrate exactly what is happening in and

outside of their classrooms. They shared their

challenges, aspirations and strategies, from

both pedagogical and managerial

perspectives.

Through talking to many other colleges at the

same time, we found out that they also face

similar challenges and would like these

addressed.

With budgets constantly being squeezed

year-on-year, FE leadership and management

teams are facing a seemingly impossible task

to transform their organisations while

maintaining high levels of delivery and

learner success.

Contemporary 16 to18 year-old learners are

demanding a more technologically-led

education, one that provides an enhanced and

diversified path of learning using a variety of

interactive resources.

At the same time, the growing number of

apprenticeships means there is an increasing

need for development of independent

learning skills – another burden which is also

being placed on colleges, to provide evidence

that learning outside of the classroom is

actually taking place.

Ultimately, all these organisations are trying

to achieve the same things:

• effectively deliver the required

underpinning knowledge

• provide a workspace for practical skills

training

• help learners to succeed in their

vocational occupations

• promote job readiness

This Blended Learning Research Project

2017-2018 was designed to discover, and

expose acknowledged pedagogical practices

which:

• ensure successful learner outcomes

• deliver FE programmes in a

contemporary and progressive way

• address learner demands in the current

age of advancing digital technology

• ultimately result in an improved i-GVS

product solution

Some strategies and examples of different

blended learning practices were shared in an

open forum with delegates at a dedicated

conference “Exploring and Advancing

Technology Innovations in Skills”, compiled

by GVS and hosted at Basingstoke College of

Technology on 14 March 2018.

The results and feedback collected throughout

this year’s work are summarised in this report

and will be fed directly back to the

participating colleges, to help them better

understand which factors, approaches and

methodologies could help achieve desired and

optimum outcomes.

Overall, the research project highlighted some

interesting findings around the way digital

content is used within these colleges,

particularly that blended learning occurs more

outside the classroom as part of self-study

sessions, rather than in the classroom as an

active part of the teaching process. Very little

time was spent by the tutors in planning the

use of the digital resources, but in instances

where some did take the time, the learners

responded positively and seemed engaged and

motivated.

This report is intended to inform colleges and

contribute to an internal discussion of your

blended learning strategy.

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2. Introduction

The problem with blended learning in the FE sector

Blended learning helps to break down the

barriers many students face today with

traditional teaching methods.

Each and every learner is different, and as

such the way they learn will be very different

– from visual to auditory learners, and

kinaesthetic to linguistic learners, blended

learning offers a flexible and bespoke

approach to all of these different learning

styles, providing the opportunity to study and

learn in a way that best suits them.

i-GVS has been specifically designed to be

used as part of a blended learning

methodology, supporting the needs of each

learner and allowing differentiated learning to

take place.

It introduces a crucial element of independent

learning to the process, enabling learners to

take control over certain aspects of their

learning, such as the pace, place or time of

study.

Rotation model

Tutors can provide different

digital and non-digital

activities in sequence, to

deliver content and check

comprehension of a topic.

Flipped learning

Here, learners can study topics

at home and test their

knowledge prior to a lesson.

Independent learning

This is learning that is carried

out on an individual basis by

the learner outside of the

classroom, either pre- or post-

class learning.

Face-to-face driver model

Students can progress at their

own pace using

technology based in the

classroom.

Flex model

This model relies on online

instructional delivery. Learning

is primarily self-guided, as the

learner is left to independently

learn and engage with the

content in a digital

environment.

Online driver model

This model is when learners

work remotely on a flexible

timetable. Interaction is

supported by GVS PiLOT or

the Learning Management

System of the educational

institution.

Blended learning models1 recognised in the industry based on how EdTech can be used

What is not clear from the common

descriptions of blended learning from various

sources is the nature of the teachers’ role in

all of these models.

And that seems to reflect exactly where

teachers stand in terms of undertaking new

delivery approaches with the use of

technology – they feel confused and

apprehensive.

1 Thompson, J. (2016) ‘6 Blended Learning Models: When Blended Learning Is What’s Up For Successful

Students’, eLearning Industry, 12 February. Available at: https://elearningindustry.com/6-blended-learning-

models-blended-learning-successful-students (Accessed: 29.05.2018).

https://elearningindustry.com/6-blended-learning-models-blended-learning-successful-students


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Current challenges in adopting and utilising blended learning in UK colleges

Since opening in 2014, Global Vocational

Skills has been delivering digital content to

many colleges and training providers and has

exhibited at many sector-focussed events.

From working directly within the UK’s FE

sector for over four years, and over twenty

years globally, we have experienced first-

hand a significant resistance to change.

Most colleges acknowledge that they need to

incorporate new digital strategies in their

delivery, especially following the release of

the FELTAG report which refers to the

“…inclusion in every publicly-funded

learning programme from 2015/16 of a 10%

wholly-online component, with incentives to

increase this to 50% by 2017/2018. This

should apply to all programmes…”2.

However, currently this is merely a

recommendation rather than a requirement,

and so many colleges are still slow or even

reluctant to provide this.

This can be explained when taking into

account several factors, including:

• lack of funding to purchase new

equipment or build dedicated

infrastructure, e.g. ‘digital zones’

• lack of tutor training to bring teachers

up to date with use of technology,

which makes them feel nervous to use

it, choosing to avoid it all together

• insufficient amount of tutor time to

dedicate to bringing themselves up-to-

speed with technology options available

and benefits that it can offer

• teachers feeling threatened by

technology, and fearing that technology

will ‘make them redundant’

Teachers should be educated to understand

that digital can enhance their teaching, not

undermine it, and that by working with it

instead of fearing it they can bring their

teaching methods into the 21st century.

As for college management, they need to

allow teachers to develop their digital skills at

their own pace, by providing appropriate time

and space resources, just as the students would

be assigned regular time for blended learning

in their curriculum.

Moreover, making the initial steps towards

building the infrastructure and putting digital

teams in place appears to be insufficient for

effective blended learning to take place. ILT

staff and teachers still require additional

support and regular specialised training

dedicated to adopting new practices, and they

need to feel confident to embrace these

modern technologies. This is currently not

happening across many colleges.

2 Lambert, N. (2014) ‘Recommendations: Paths forward to a digital future for Further Education and Skills’, p.

23. Further Education Learning Technology Action Group (FELTAG), March. Available at:

http://feltag.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/FELTAG-REPORT-FINAL.pdf (Accessed: 15.03.2018).

http://feltag.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/FELTAG-REPORT-FINAL.pdf

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Research aims

Global Vocational Skills undertook this

research project and engaged in a number of

research activities, aimed at addressing the

following three areas:

Blended learning

• How does digital content, such as i-

GVS, help with the delivery of blended

learning, and what is the overall effect

on the teaching process?

• Which blended learning model works

best for which scenario?

• Is any given blended learning model

more beneficial/appropriate for a

particular course/subject area?

• Are there any other innovative ways

digital content can be used as part of

blended learning?

Teacher training and support in the use of

technology

• Support college staff in understanding

and gaining the full benefits of using

digital content, such as i-GVS

• Achieve high level of user satisfaction

which will lead to peer-to-peer

recommendation and sharing of

experience and methodologies

GVS solution

• How to improve the content of GVS

products to grow usage numbers and to

address user demands: Assessment,

Templates and Schemes of Work

• What actions are necessary to improve

delivery formats – GVS PiLOT, Reports,

Content Management System (CMS)

It was hoped that by focussing on these areas a

better understanding would be achieved of the

main issues surrounding blended learning

within the FE sector, thereby enabling further

development of the GVS solution so that it not

only meets the needs of all its users, but that it

also removes the digital hurdle from the path

of those who could most benefit from it.

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3. Method

The digital content created by Global

Vocational Skills is designed by tutors, with

tutors, for tutors. In order to further develop

the GVS solution so that it successfully

meets the needs and demands of its users, it

was felt that the research project should have

maximum involvement from those who use it

first-hand. This approach will provide a deep

insight into how digital content, such as i-

GVS, is used on the ground, and what we can

do to enhance it so that it fully reflects user

requirements.

As such, the project was built around the co-

creation and co-design3 technique.

Co-creation and co-design

Co-creation is a participatory design

technique that has been in use since the

1970s. Co-creation is not a new idea, yet it is

still underutilized, in part because it requires

organisations to develop a new mind-set, and

to accept three difficult truths:

• There is more than one expert

• Everyone can be creative

• We can all listen4

The practice of co-design allows users to

become an active part of the creative

development of a product by interacting

directly with production and research teams.

It is grounded in the belief that all people are

creative and that users, as experts of their own

experiences, bring different points of view that

inform design and innovation direction.

Co-design is a method that can be used in all

stages of the design process. Partnering with

users ensures their inclusion in knowledge

development, idea generation, and concept

development on products whose ultimate goal

is to best serve these same users5.

Co-creation and co-design is usually very

carefully planned, and the current research

facilitates this. It doesn't mean directly taking

users' ideas and implementing them as they

are. All feedback is carefully filtered, analysed

and interpreted, and the insights that underpin

the results are invaluable to the long-term

development of the GVS solution.

3 A number of FE sector leading organisations use co-creation and co-design as part of their product

development, for example: https://www.jisc.ac.uk/rd/how-we-innovate/co-design;

https://www.pearson.com/corporate/news/blogs/CompanyBlog/2016/12/designing-for-learning--pearsons-

learning-design-principles.html 4 Bertini, P., and Plumley, E. (2014) ‘Co-Creation: Designing with the User, for the User’, UX Booth, 2

December. Available at: http://www.uxbooth.com/articles/co-creation-designing-with-the-user-for-the-user/

(Accessed: 10.10.2017). 5 Naranjo-Bock, C. (2014) ‘Creativity-based Research: The Process of Co-Designing with Users’, UX

Magazine, 24 April. Available at: http://uxmag.com/articles/creativity-based-research-the-process-of-co-

designing-with-users (Accessed: 18.10.2017).

https://www.jisc.ac.uk/rd/how-we-innovate/co-design

https://www.pearson.com/corporate/news/blogs/CompanyBlog/2016/12/designing-for-learning--pearsons-learning-design-principles.html

https://www.pearson.com/corporate/news/blogs/CompanyBlog/2016/12/designing-for-learning--pearsons-learning-design-principles.html

http://www.uxbooth.com/articles/co-creation-designing-with-the-user-for-the-user/

http://uxmag.com/articles/creativity-based-research-the-process-of-co-designing-with-users


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i-GVS production stages

Almost 50% of the work done when producing i-GVS courses is achieved through co-creation where

GVS production staff work directly with tutors and Subject Matter Experts from FE (production

stages highlighted above).

More than 100 consultants have worked on the existing products, most are current teaching staff and

40% of them hold Internal Verifier and External Verifier qualifications.

FINAL PRODUCT SIGN OFF

BETA-TESTING

PROGRAMMING

AUDIO & IMAGE PRODUCTION

PROOFREADING

SCRIPT QUALITY CHECK

PRODUCTION MANAGER SIGN OFF

PROGRAMMING SCRIPT

MATERIAL QUALITY CHECK

CONTENT AUTHORING

SCHEMES OF WORK DEVELOPMENT

PRODUCT STRUCTURE DESIGN

AUTHOR & SME SEARCH AND SELECTION

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College selection

Prior to the initiation of the research project,

Global Vocational Skills already had a close

working relationship with three well-

established and successful British FE

colleges. Each college first started using i-GVS in 2016. Following discussions with

these colleges about the work we were

looking to carry out, all expressed an interest

in being part of this research. The three

colleges were:

• A dynamic college with a new training

centre in nearby Bordon and a newly

refurbished Construction department.

• Were rated ‘Good’ by Ofsted in their

latest inspection, with Outstanding

features.

• BCoT has a dedicated digital team, who

help to develop the digital and technical

skills of all staff and students. They

work with the latest online tools to

combine digital media and traditional

classroom techniques to create a new

method of teaching and learning. The

team also work directly with industry to

identify which digital tools are being

used in the workplace and bring these

back to the classroom.

• In 2018 BCoT has received the

prestigious TES Award and was

nominated as one of the top 50 EdTech

colleges

• HoW College pride themselves in

delivering job-related qualifications in

high quality environments.

• HoW College is also known for

establishing the Blended Learning

Consortium (BLC) that has been running

for over five years, providing digital

learning resources specifically developed

for the Further Education (FE) sector.

• Latest OFSTED inspection (Nov 2016)

graded Hopwood Hall College ‘Good

with Outstanding features', both in terms

of its learners' achievements and in its

leadership and management.

• In addition, the report also said learners

at Hopwood Hall College benefit from

the college’s significant investment in

industry standard equipment and

facilities, part of which is digital learning

technologies.

• HHC also beat 79 other colleges to win

the BLC’s Learning Impact Award

which demonstrates their leadership in

providing a high quality digital

experience for the learners.

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Such commitment from these colleges in

moving forward with the use of advanced

technology is actively being shown in a

number of ways:

• BCoT recently received the prestigious

TES FE Award 2018 for ‘Outstanding use of technology for improving teaching, learning and assessment’ and

was also named in The EdTech 50 list

• Hopwood Hall College gained a

Blended Learning Consortium award

for their innovative iLearn sessions

• HoW College is pioneering a new

strategy in using digital resources in

their SOLA (Self Organised Learning

Activity) sessions whilst working

closely with their tutors on their blended

learning Schemes of Work.

These colleges have also actively been using

i-GVS products for over two years now, and

we are proud to play a role in their new

blended learning strategies. As part of this

we provide termly staff training and focus-

group meetings, observations and

reporting which also help with further user-

driven product development. Our numerous

Sample Schemes of Work are designed to

inspire thinking in the direction of using

digital in further education.

Following agreement in principle by the

selected colleges to be involved in the

research project, Global Vocational Skills

signed partnership agreements with them,

detailing each party’s obligations for the

duration of the project. These obligations

were:

Commitment from Global Vocational

Skills

• Supply i-GVS products to the college

under GVS PiLOT user licence

• Support and train the college staff on the

management of GVS Solution, the use of

GVS PiLOT and i-GVS

• Provide access to CMS function,

allowing either the creation of bespoke

learning courses or its use for internal

purposes

Commitment from colleges

To aid in product development through:

• Regular use of at least three i-GVS

products by the college tutors throughout

the academic year 2017-2018

• Attendance by college tutors/IT staff at

regular training covering the use of i-

GVS, GVS PiLOT and CMS

• Providing access to lessons where digital

products are used through Observations

• Providing access to college tutors who, at

least once per month, will participate in

this research and feedback

• Providing learners’ anonymous progress

reports (pass rates, progress rates, marks,

etc.)

• Providing interview opportunities with

college tutors/IT staff

• Submitting reports, lesson plans and

other evidence of using i-GVS

• Regular meetings between GVS and the

college staff to discuss usage and issues

• Providing feedback and development

suggestions for GVS products/platform

improvement and LTI connection

• Support for GVS Production as Subject-

Matter Experts and Contributing Authors

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GVS research in numbers

HHC HoW BCoT Totals

College staff training statistics

Total attendees in GVS training:

Developers & ILT staff 5 3 2 10

Management staff 3 3 4 10

Tutors/Lecturers 7 8 4 19

Attendees subtotals 15 14 10 39

Training details:

Printed support materials 0 0 0 0

ILT Training length (minutes) 150 150 150 450

Tutor training length (minutes) 140 140 140 420

Delivery platform types of accounts 4 4 4 4

Products (including GVS Training) 13 13 13 13

Number of research participants:

Developers & ILT staff 5 3 2 10

Management staff 1 1 1 3

Tutors/Lecturers 3 3 3 9

Participants subtotals 9 7 6 22

College cooperation activities

Summer 2017 - paperwork 3 3 3 9

August-October 2017 - training and set up 4 4 4 12

October 2017-June 2018:

Observations (per tutor) 0 3 3 6

Interviews (per tutor) 3 3 3 9

Lesson plans (per tutor) 0 3 3 6

Termly Schemes of Work (per tutor) 3 3 3 9

ILT reports (per college) 3 3 3 9

Meetings (per college) 3 3 3 9

Questionnaires (per tutor) 3 9 9 21

College activities subtotals 22 34 34 90

Research data anticipated

Observation notes 0 9 9 18

Interview notes 9 9 9 27

Lesson plans 0 9 9 18

Termly Schemes of Work 9 9 9 27

ILT reports 3 3 3 9

Meetings 3 3 3 9

Questionnaires 9 27 27 63

GVS analysis and summary 1 1 1 3

Research data subtotals 34 70 70 174

The above table provides a breakdown of the numbers of people involved in the project and research

data that was collected throughout the academic year 2017-2018.

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15 types of data gathered

As a result, we have gathered and analysed 15 types of data that led to the findings described in this

report. The data gathered came from 7 different organisations, with the main sources being the

participating colleges.

1

2

3

3

3 7

5

9

13 14

15

16

21 49

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GVS research timeline

The following plan was compiled to enable us to conduct the research over the duration of one year,

with activities assessed on a termly basis and progress monitored throughout.

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Materials used

The following materials were provided for

the duration of the project:

Educational digital content provided by

GVS in 12 popular vocational areas

Delivery platform GVS PiLOT with the

following key features:

1. Metrics and reporting

2. Content access management (with

the new calendar feature)

3. User management

4. Surface-level content editing

function through Content

Management System (CMS)

Support materials

1. Schemes of Work6

2. Product structures

3. Staff training program

4. CMS User manual

5. GVS PiLOT User manual

Data analysis

The research aims were reviewed over three

termly cycles, which corresponded with the

beginning, middle and end of the research

project. These cycles were used to:

Analyse

• Evidence of i-GVS/PiLOT/CMS

usage

• Lesson plans

• SOWs

• Observations and interview notes

• Data from monthly questionnaires

Identify

• Blended learning techniques and

methodologies used by the tutors

• Challenges tutors are facing in in-

class delivery

• Challenges tutors are facing in other

blended learning techniques

• Assessment quality throughout all i-

GVS

• Differences in using i-GVS depending

on the industry/product

• How i-GVS actually helps in the real

process and what is the overall effect

of blended learning in colleges

Suggest

• Ways to resolve those challenges

• New ways of using i-GVS

6 GVS Schemes of Work are provided to support various models of material delivery. However, these serve

merely as samples with the view to encourage tutors to produce their own Schemes of Work and Lesson plans

with i-GVS modules and submit them to GVS as evidence of their methodologies.

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4. Results and discussion

This chart represents a generic summary outline of most digital teams we have worked with this year.

Digital teams and infrastructure

In order to deliver and manage the digital

journey, the structure of the digital teams

created to do this seems to vary slightly

across different organisations. However,

generally it appears that a two-pronged

approach is used, which is typically split into

two categories, those being:

• Front-facing roles – these are the

facilitators, who engage directly with

the learners to deliver the digital

content. • Back-office roles – this is the digital

support, provided by learning

technologists working with tutors and

external content suppliers. The following breakdown provides more

detailed information on what each type of

role consists of, and who would typically

carry out each role.

Back-office roles

• Learning technologists (ILT) – work

with tutors to create Schemes of Work

and worksheets for delivery of digital

content. Train the tutors in the use of

different types of digital technology and

support them in embedding it in their

teaching. • Digital leaders – provide digital support

to facilitators and tutors. They tend to be

general members of staff, apprentices or

even learners who are ‘progressive’ in

the use of technology and who can help

tutors ‘digitalise’. This is not necessarily

a paid role, but it usually has other non-

paid incentives. • eLearning content developers – work

with tutors or independently to develop

and tailor digital content for blended

learning sessions. Use free and purchased

development tools and content solutions. • VLE/LMS coordinators – set up free

and purchased Learning Management

Systems (LMS) or Virtual Learning

Environments (VLE), set up student

portfolios and groups, set up developed

or purchased digital content and provide

technical support.

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Front-facing roles

• Facilitators – learner-facing role,

involving behaviour management and

learner support. Reporting to tutors on

learner progress. No or very little back-

office work. • Blended learning advisors – learner-

facing role, which can also involve

working with tutors on blended learning

Schemes of Work and managing

platforms and content. Of course, the number of staff in each digital

team will be different across colleges,

depending on their ambitions and budgets.

Some roles we’ve come across involve both

back-office and learner-facing

responsibilities. However, we found that, in

general, both sides of the digital team must

be in place in order to be most effective and

should work concurrently together to ensure

positive outcomes.

In terms of infrastructure, the above relates to

the digital team required to deliver the digital

strategy, but there are also other key elements

that need to be considered. These are things

such as the need for some kind of ‘digital

learning zone’ where learners can go for their

self-study sessions, equipment for these areas

with the required level of technology, and the

purchasing of relevant software, learning

management systems and content etc. The

cost of all of these things needs to be taken

into account when planning the complete

blended learning strategy.

The role of facilitators in blended

learning

As part of their overall strategy, each college

we've worked with hosted its own, dedicated

self-study activities, which ran across all full-

time programmes and involved at least one-

hour session per week. Each college hosts

their own version of these sessions, those

being:

• SOLA (Self Organised Learning

Activity) sessions at HoW College

• Blended learning sessions at BCoT

• iLearn sessions at HHC

These sessions were run and monitored by

facilitators, and depending on the

organisational structure of the college, the

names given to the people carrying out this

role varies. However, the responsibilities were

very similar. In this report we refer to this role

as a ‘facilitator’, which is a definition

summarising the role. The facilitator’s duties

would typically include:

• Ensuring learners are present and logged

on

• Monitoring that they are doing the work

assigned in the current week

• Supporting them if they experience

difficulties in using software and

computer programs

• Help understand what is expected of

learners in the current session

• Remind learners of any additional

actions needed as per colleges'

procedures, e.g. taking screenshots,

updating learner portfolios

• Manage behaviour in class

• Provide student activity reports to tutors

• Communicate with tutors to choose the

content to put together for the lesson

plans and Schemes of Work

The benefits of having facilitator staff run the

blended learning sessions include the fact that

they do not necessarily have to be subject

specific and can look after multiple groups at

the same time, which makes the delivery a lot

more efficient and reduces the overall costs.

The downside of it is that facilitators aren't

always able to answer subject specific

questions if the learners are not sure why

some answers in their exercises are marked as

incorrect. Another struggle for the facilitators

is the low level of engagement and planning

support from the tutors, which makes the

facilitators' job challenging.

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Blended learning models used in

colleges

As set out by the aims of this report, the six

blended learning models widely recognised

in the industry were observed and some

conclusions were drawn on the ways blended

learning can be delivered through:

• Rotation model • Flipped learning • Independent learning • Face-to-face driver model • Flex model • Online driver model

When comparing the list above to the

different blended learning approaches we

witnessed across the colleges, it became

evident that there were distinct practices

being used by each college to manage the

blended learning delivery and create their

own unique ‘journey’.

The results of the observations showed that a

mix of different models was often used and

not one college was dedicated to a single

model. Also, every college was unique in the

combination of models used.

The following two diagrams represent a

generic overview of gathered practices across

the three colleges and demonstrates the

general process from the point of view of the

learner and the facilitator.

When looking at the journeys below, as well

as taking into account the observations made

during the self-study sessions, it is possible to

identify the three blended learning models that

are utilised more than others.

Independent learning – the main way that all

blended learning was delivered. Most learning

was carried out outside of the classroom,

either pre- or post-class learning.

Flipped learning – this seemed to be picking

up momentum, whereby learners were set

work to study outside of the college prior to

their lesson. This was also organised by

scheduling blended learning sessions just

before the tutor classes in some colleges,

which provided a valuable opportunity for

tutors to build on the information from the

blended learning sessions and turn it into

productive activities.

Face to face learning – another model that

appeared to be gaining more use, whereby

learners work through the content, at their

own pace, while based in the classroom.

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Learner journey

Learner journey example during blended learning lessons

(summarised and generalised diagram embedding gathered practices from the three colleges)

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Facilitator journey

Facilitator yearly journey example

(summarised and generalised diagram embedding gathered practices from the three colleges)

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Learner preference and satisfaction

Following observations of facilitator-led sessions at each of the colleges, all learners were

interviewed and asked a range of questions, the results of which are summarised above

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i-GVS product usage

The data capture system built into the content

delivery platform enabled full review of

usage figures across a range of areas,

including:

• Tutors/learners logged on - number of

tutors/learners actually using i-GVS • Total tutors/learners - number of

tutors/learners registered to use i-GVS

The following charts provide a breakdown

and comparison of content usage across each

college from the start of the project (October

2017) to the end of the project (April 2018).

Common trends in the use of digital

content

• The digital content was primarily used in

self-study/eLearning sessions, and rarely

used in a classroom setting as a part of a

blended learning approach. Instead it was

used primarily as a tool to enable self-

study, which was overseen by

facilitators.

• The blended learning element came

through merging with other activities,

such as Google Classroom, completing

Microsoft Office-based questionnaires

and worksheets provided by course tutors

and facilitators, as well as alternative

content developed by other providers,

e.g. such as the Blended Learning

Consortium.

• The use of digital content consistently

improved across all three colleges as the

project progressed, as shown on the

charts above.

• The low number of tutors seen logging

on, and the general decrease in this

number can be attributed to the fact that

tutors were not allocated regular time to

draw the maximum benefits that the

blended learning sessions can provide.

Instead, the emphasis was placed on self-

study sessions managed by the

facilitators and not the tutors.

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Usage comparison by term, October 2017 – April 2018 – June 2018 (Tutors)

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Usage comparison by term, October 2017 – April 2018 – June 2018 (Learners)

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Observations and discussion

Throughout the course of this project, several

self-study sessions were observed across the

colleges, and notes were taken as to how the

learners and the facilitators interacted and

engaged with the content. The following

general observations were made:

• Some learners mentioned that the hour

session is not enough time to go through

the modules – this can be addressed

through the content management feature

of releasing the topics in elements.

• Some mature learners were very happy

with the content and stated that they

used i-GVS out of their blended

learning sessions as they found it very

useful. It was clear and easy to follow,

and they would like to see it used more

in their class sessions. There is a

mixture of levels and abilities in the

group. The mature students had less

experience in using computers and

technology, however they were the ones

that found the product most useful for

learning and understanding topics.

Positive observations

• Learners were engaged once logged on

and went through sections at their own

pace

• Learners completed worksheet activity

set by facilitators after or alongside i-

GVS which they had to evidence to the

tutor

• Learners found i-GVS gave them

information necessary for course

• Facilitators found that the learners

worked well independently

• Reports helped to give information

about progress and previous marks to

facilitators

• Tutors used the results section to

encourage active competition between

the learners, to try to improve overall

test results

• On some occasions, learners have to

provide evidence (via screenshots, etc.)

to the tutor of the work they have done

during the session, which demonstrates

that learning has actually taken place

• i-GVS is used by learners not only in

blended learning sessions, but outside the

sessions too, including for exam revision

• A benchmark of 80% in assessments is

set by facilitators and tutors to ensure a

good understanding; learners use this to

improve on their marks

• Leaners like the fact that there is less text

to read, and they can find the definition

of words easier than looking through

Wikipedia

Negative observations

• Poor infrastructure – colleges suffered

from a slow internet connection, making

access difficult, as well a limited supply

of headsets (or none at all) to use for the

audio

• Short attention span – lengthier

animations and learning modules

containing a lot of text proved

troublesome, as learners appeared to

have relatively short attention spans, and

found it difficult to focus on the larger

modules

• Lack of staff training – facilitators were

not fully aware of all the features of the

digital content they are working with

• Behaviour issues – some learners were

seen to be watching football, swearing

and generally daydreaming while in the

sessions; this also appeared to be subject-

specific, as facilitators experienced less

of these issues with hospitality, beauty

and painting and decorating students

• Low usage numbers – number of

learners registered vs number of learners

who actually used the digital content

were different, which could be due to

many reasons, including double-

registering, or due to attendance issues

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Issues identified in the use of digital

content in the academic year 2017-2018

As the i-GVS digital content was used

mainly in the self-study sessions, it was

identified that it was primarily the facilitators

who managed the use of the content, not the

subject tutors as anticipated before the

research project.

Since the training focus in this academic year

was on teaching tutors and ILT staff how to

use the content and its features, the natural

consequence was that facilitators were not

fully familiar with the product and how to

use it.

However, the facilitators liked working with

the digital content and used the reports feature

to check on learners to see who had done what

and how long they had spent on it.

They generally then communicated any issues

or comments to the back-office staff rather

than to the tutors. This resulted in a low level

of tutor involvement.

This issue will be addressed in the next

academic year by adopting new college staff

training plans and the GVS support team

working closely with both back-office and

front-facing roles.

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Over 40 delegates from participating colleges and private companies within the FE sector attended

the GVS Blended learning conference at BCoT in March 2018.

Blended learning conference

The GVS conference was born from a desire

to discuss and share how different

establishments are tackling blended learning,

to highlight the work being carried out on the

research project and to inspire the use of

digital within the FE sector.

The main aim of the conference was to bring

together leaders and educators, keen to

advance the use of technology in their

teaching and learning, and to provide the

opportunity for discussion around:

• The power of digital technology in

learning

• Colleges’ digital agenda

• On-the-ground experience and the

journey towards embedding digital in

teaching and learning

• Thinking in broader terms about the

impact of technology on outcomes

• Working with employers

• Innovative ways to create bespoke

digital resources for teaching and

learning

The thought provoking presentations and

engaging workshops stimulated and provided

a platform for open discussion and the sharing

of experiences.

The day was a great success, with the talks

and workshops fully embraced by all those

who attended. It was fantastic to see such

active involvement and participation

throughout.

It became apparent that colleges need to

commit resources, time and training to ensure

that all staff are confident with embedding

digital within the curriculum.

This was a crucial demonstration of the

current state of the market, and something that

cemented our view, as eluded to in the

introduction section of this report: that there is

a very clear divide that exists between those

that see the introduction of digital as a

necessity, and those that see it as optional.

https://i-gvs.com/news/events/200513/

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5. Conclusion

In summary, this Blended Learning Research

Project has proved some, but not all, of our

initial thoughts to be correct about the use of

digital technology within the FE sector.

Digital content, specifically the i-GVS

solution, provides interactivity with metrics

and reporting which both the learners and

tutors found helpful.

It was not used by the tutors for classroom

delivery as we had anticipated, but instead

used primarily in dedicated self-study

blended learning sessions. These sessions are

still included in the Scheme of Work by the

tutors to accompany the curriculum, but they

are facilitated by dedicated members of staff

and not the tutors.

Tutors have limited involvement in the self-

study sessions, with the facilitators taking

responsibility for the sessions and feeding

back to the digital leaders rather than the

tutors. However, the tutors were still able to

see the work done during the session via the

progress reports available through the

delivery platform, and the learning

technologists also communicate back to the

tutors via email.

The traditional classroom and flex models of

blended learning do not appear to be widely

practised yet, whilst the use of flipped and

independent learning seem to be more widely

used in colleges.

In the sense of ‘true’ blended learning we

have only seen a handful of tutors who

embrace and utilise the approach, by

regularly dedicating sufficient time for

planning and resource research. However,

those tutors who did embrace blended

learning and the use of digital were very

successful and proud of their delivery

methods, with students appearing more

engaged and highly motivated.

Observations highlighted that learners were

happy to work independently and that they felt

working through the content helped with their

overall understanding of the course. However,

behaviour issues and a lack of understanding

of the content by the facilitators meant that the

sessions were not as successful as they could

have been.

The additional support of tutors utilising the

content in their lessons as well could help to

build on the positive experiences of using

digital technology.

More time needs to be spent working with the

self-study facilitators in order for them to have

a better understanding of how to work with

and deliver the complex and multi-layered

digital content, such as i-GVS, as they are the

ones who work with it more than the tutors.

As we progressed along the research journey

and taking into account the discussions that

took place at the GVS Blended learning

conference, it became very clear that there is

no ‘universal approach’ or ‘one-size-fits-all’

solution to embedding blended learning. What

is required is an investment in time and

resources, and an infrastructure in place to

support the tutors and facilitators.

Elements of blended learning should be tried

and tested to create a strategy that works for

each organisation, for each subject area and

for each course. Once it has been introduced,

the various models can be utilised to provide a

best fit, and more positive results can be

achieved.

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6. Further research work

There is much more work that can still be

done to further explore the research findings

and gain an even better understanding of

blended learning within the FE sector.

Primarily the intention for the project during

the academic year 2018-2019 is to work with

more colleges, to obtain a broader picture of

how they are using digital technology, and

which types of blended learning work best

for them. It will be useful to have a better

understanding of the organisational structures

of the many different digital teams, and to

see how each college is equipping their staff

with the technological skills and expertise

necessary to effectively manage digital

within the daily teaching process.

It would also be very interesting to bring in

to play the use of other forms of digital

content alongside the GVS solution, to see

how different types of content blend together

and where they fit into the overall framework

of digital within teaching.

As we’ve discovered throughout the past year,

the many types of content available are not

mutually exclusive, meaning that they don’t

have to be used independently. Therefore,

they can, and should be combined to create a

multi-faceted approach, providing a complete

offering that fully meets the needs of the

tutors and learners.

As part of our further work on this project, we

would also hope to share these findings to

help more tutors draw on the benefits of the

true blended learning practices.

We are already partnering up with more

colleges who, following the area reviews, are

really pushing forward their selected

departments and are taking on a more

advanced approach to using digital materials.

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7. Testimonials and independent expertise

Anthony Bravo Principal of Basingstoke

College of Technology

Anthony’s passion and vision

is to provide outstanding

experience for all BCoT’s learners to ensure they drive

economic growth and

prosperity in the region. He has initiated and overseen the

college’s e-confidence journey, including introducing

a state of the art IT

infrastructure, the development of digital

apprentices, and the blending and integration of commercial

and in-house resources.

Prior to moving to

Basingstoke, Anthony was

Principal at Crossways Academy, Lewisham which

became a CISCO world reference site for use of ICT in

education, as well as

providing a template for integrated smart building

technology. This is where his passion for use of technology

in learning started.

BCoT investment into digital content and

infrastructure will save us thousands in the years to

come

We want to share our journey to date. It’s not yet complete and

we still have a lot to learn. However, I’m very pleased with the

recognition that we’ve seen, such as winning the TES

Outstanding use of technology in teaching and learning award,

as well as being recognised as an EdTech 50 organisation this

year.

If I was to summarise the success of my team, I would say: to

deliver blended learning effectively requires support from the

top, local champions with a plan and the need for financial

investment.

Due to the early stages of our blended learning journey, and the

time it takes to optimise the process, the hourly rate is currently

higher than the traditional hourly tutor rate. However, the initial

investment into new equipment and software, designated spaces

or ‘blended learning zones’, and a team of dedicated digital staff

to support the tutors can be considered as a long-term

investment into the development of a new pedagogical

technology, which should cost much less per hour going

forward.

If we are able to utilise the full capacity of our digital team,

including increasing the number of hours the blended learning

facilitators deliver from 20 hours per week currently to 30 hours

per week, and if the output of the technological infrastructure is

fully maximised (all computers in use 8 hours per day), then the

hourly cost of implementing a complete blended learning

approach falls below the hourly rate for delivering traditional

teaching.

Additionally, if one facilitator is able to supervise multiple

groups at the same time, this would free up tutor time and so the

rate per hour would further be halved. This will save us

thousands in the years to come.

BCoT teachers are now able to use a wider range of blended

learning materials than ever before – some of these have been

developed by teachers themselves, some by our digital

apprentices, and some have been bought in, such as i-GVS. As a

result of our current input, there has been a continued increase

in our performance data, students’ independent learning skills

have improved, and teachers have been able to expand their

Continuous Professional Development.

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Uxbridge learner using i-GVS

Plumbing students are using an

innovative online digital solution to

support learning and assessment at

Uxbridge College

Peter Smith Plumbing lecturer at Uxbridge College

During the academic year of 2017-2018,

Uxbridge College has been using a number of

level 2 learning groups to trial i-GVS. We have

explored the market searching for digital

content to support the progression of our

learners, and i-GVS stood out as being a unique

product for a number of reasons. The content is

highly interactive and exceptionally well

aligned to our Scheme of Work used at

Uxbridge College.

The tracking tools provided were very useful in

allowing staff and learners to drill down and

see full details of progression. In particular, the

system was able to ‘grab’ the answer slide and

then show the exact answers given. This was

especially useful with distance learning for

some level 2 courses in plumbing, electrical

and building services engineering.

This eLearning product also provides more

than 100 hours of content giving individualised

learning support to promote theory and

practical cognitive skills for learners.

The pilot scheme has demonstrated a high

degree of usability both for learner-centred

learning and in the classroom, utilising

interactive touch screens.

Tracking data obtained from i-GVS indicates

learners are using this resource both inside and

outside the classroom.

The ability to create personal digital materials

was of particular interest to our team, since

meeting the demands of individual learners

continues to be a key priority. The GVS

Content Management System allowed our

staff to modify existing content to meet

localised needs and to create bespoke content

where necessary.

Additionally, since our awarding body uses

online assessment, using i-GVS has provided

a favourable route effectively giving learners

the practice they need to be comfortable and

successful in undertaking online assessments.

In particular, i-Check and i-Test have had a

most positive impact on providing our learners

with practice for conducting an online test.

One of our students commented: “I didn't

think much of online learning. But having

used it now and seeing how it helps me with

my tests, I like to practice with it now.”

In the future we hope to see more British

values and a focus on English and Maths

incorporated in the GVS products. In

particular, it would be useful to see reports on

developmental learning regarding a learner’s

progress with regards to the English and

Maths comprehension.

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8. Bibliography

Bertini, P., and Plumley, E. (2014) ‘Co-Creation: Designing with the User, for the User’, UX

Booth, 2 December. Available at: http://www.uxbooth.com/articles/co-creation-designing-with-

the-user-for-the-user/ (Accessed: 10.10.2017).

Lambert, N. (2014) ‘Recommendations: Paths forward to a digital future for Further Education

and Skills’, p. 23. Further Education Learning Technology Action Group (FELTAG), March.

Available at: http://feltag.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/FELTAG-REPORT-FINAL.pdf

(Accessed: 15.03.2018).

Naranjo-Bock, C. (2014) ‘Creativity-based Research: The Process of Co-Designing with Users’,

UX Magazine, 24 April. Available at: http://uxmag.com/articles/creativity-based-research-the-

process-of-co-designing-with-users (Accessed: 18.10.2017).

Rogers, C., and Leonard, J. (2018) ‘Blended learning needs to start with teachers’, Education

Technology, 20 May. Available at: https://edtechnology.co.uk/Article/blended-learning-needs-to-

start-with-teachers (Accessed: 21.05.2018).

Thompson, J. (2016) ‘6 Blended Learning Models: When Blended Learning Is What’s Up For

Successful Students’, eLearning Industry, 12 February. Available at:


(Accessed: 29.05.2018).

i-GVS (2018) Global Vocational Skills. Available at: https://i-gvs.com/ (Accessed: 10.06.2018).



http://feltag.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/FELTAG-REPORT-FINAL.pdf



https://edtechnology.co.uk/Article/blended-learning-needs-to-start-with-teachers

https://edtechnology.co.uk/Article/blended-learning-needs-to-start-with-teachers


https://i-gvs.com/

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If you would like to participate in our Blended Learning Research in the next academic year

or request a free demo of our content, please get in touch

0208 004 2000 [email protected] gvs-uk

mailto:[email protected]

on the ground experiential review of colleges’ blended learning approaches · 2018-06-27 ·...

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