Blended Learning Essentialsfor Vocational Education

and TrainingBett Show London - January 2015

Blended Learning Essentials

If you are working in further education, skills training, vocational education, workplace learning, lifelong learning or adult education, this free online course is designed to help you understand the benefits of blended learning and how to make more effective use of technology to support your learners.

Connect and sign up

https://goo.gl/NVLrcg

Next run starts 1 Feb

#FLble2 and @BLEcourse on

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Next run starts 7 March

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Who leads and funds this course?

This course is funded by the Ufi Charitable Trust http://www.ufi.co.uk/ and is delivered on Futurelearn by a consortium led by:

Blended Learning Essentials for Vocational Education and Training

Part 1: Getting startedCourse aims are:• use a range of effective blended

learning practices and pedagogies to improve your learners’ experience and attainment

• understand how the many free and affordable technologies now available can enhance teaching and learning, and

• approach new technologies with confidence, designing a pedagogical approach to make the best use of these tools

Part 2: Embedding practiceCourse aims are:• integrate new technologies

into courses, and learning and training opportunities;

• propose ways in which new technology can help to address key challenges in the VET sector;

• develop your own skills further and contribute to the sector’s community knowledge of the optimal uses of blended learning.

Blended Learning Essentials for Vocational Education and Training

Part 1: Getting started

Blended Learning Essentials for Vocational Education and Training

Part 2: Embedding practice

Why is Blended Learning Essentials important?

“This could be a real boost for innovation in the sector”, said Diana Laurillard, Professor of Learning with Digital Technology at UCL, and co-director of the project, “because the course supports teachers and trainers in learning together about blended learning, as they experience it themselves”.

 “The Ufi Charitable Trust wants to catalyse change in the vocational world and engaging the professionals who deliver the teaching is a fundamental step in achieving this.”Rebecca Garrod-Waters, CEO, Ufi Trust

Prof Neil Morris, Director of Digital Learning and Professor of Educational Technology at the University of Leeds, and co-director of the project, said “This project, and the freely available open courses, are hugely important for teachers and trainers to help them make the most effective use of digital technologies to improve their learners’ success.”

Why is Blended Learning Essentials important?

Effective use of Learning Technology in teaching and training plays a role in the area based reviews

Learning Technology and digital literacy and digital skills are increasingly essentials for teachers, trainers… managers, directors and governors… and employers and learners across the sector.

Supporting and developing staff skills in Blended Learning can be costly and it’s hard to keep up to date. This course is flexible, free and open, enabling colleges, training providers and others to tailor it to their needs and use it as part of internal staff development

Sneak preview:Meet the course

Blended Learning Essentials for Vocational Education and Training

Part 2: Embedding practice, Week 1

Blended Learning Essentials for Vocational Education and Training

Blended Learning Essentials for Vocational Education and Training

Blended Learning Essentials for Vocational Education and Training

Participating in BLE• It is anticipated that most participants will take both parts of

the course, however you are not required to take part 1 in order to join part 2.

• Sign up at:Part 1 - https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/blended-learning-getting-startedPart 2 - https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/blended-learning-embedding-practice

• Receive a confirmation email:– Complete the online survey– Fill out your profile– Invite friends to join

What’s it like to participate?

Participating in BLE

• On the start date of the course content will appear under ‘My Courses’ when you are logged into FutureLearn

• It’s a good idea to complete your profile and interact with other participants as much as possible

• The recommended time commitment is 4 hours per week for the duration of the course, but this is flexible and course content remains live after the course ends

Blended Learning Essentials for Vocational Education and Training

Participating in BLE

Ways to participate:• Videos, audio and articles – review these items in your

own time, often followed by short quizzes to help cement knowledge.

• Discussion –talk over a topic with fellow learners, a great way to benefit from the wider BLE community.

• Quizzes – these activities are not scored. You have unlimited attempts to complete them, and will be given hints along the way.

• Tests – these are scored activities which count towards your final mark. You will be given a maximum of three attempts to pass these tests, and you will receive a lower mark if you pass the test on a second or third attempt.

• Assignments – BLE may include some assignments, with the opportunity to give and receive feedback from your fellow learners.

Learn with colleagues in the Vocational Education and Training

sectorThis online course will be supported by a group of dedicated Digital Champions. They will help participants connect with teaching and training professionals who understand the practical, everyday challenges of using blended learning in your sector. This way participants will have access to colleagues with the experience to answer questions, to discuss ideas and share problems.

Pathways to accreditation

As a course participant you have a number of ways to gain professional recognition and accreditation for participating in the course and as a next step in your professional development.

The different pathways include:• FutureLearn Statement of Participation• Accreditation via professional bodies and CPD• Paths to accreditation via other bodies, e.g. the UCL

Institute of Education.

Course Dates

BLE part 1:2 Nov-6 Dec 20157 Mar-10 Apr 2016*4 Jul-7 Aug 2016*

BLE part 2:1 Feb-21 Feb 20166 Jun-26 Jun 2016*3 Oct-23 Oct 2016*

*Please note that these dates are re-runs of the original material, there is no need to attend multiple sessions.

Connect and sign up

https://goo.gl/NVLrcg

Next run starts 1 Feb

#FLble2 and @BLEcourse on

Twitter

https://goo.gl/QFk1JB

Next run starts 7 March

#FLble1 and @BLEcourse on

Twitter