Online CPD can be brilliant – if you plan it properly

Although Zoom strain is a risk, strong IT support helps to make online mentoring courses effective, writes Yvonne Williams

Pre-pandemic, I doubted the efficacy of online teaching and learning.

But as a trainer involved in delivering the Education and Training Foundation’s Advanced mentoring skills for experienced mentors programme – and having seen first-hand the value of strategic planning in supporting the human-technology interface – my eyes have been opened to the power of IT to enhance participants’ experience.

Now in its third year, the DfE-funded ETF programme provides participants with simulation exercises so they can experience advanced practical mentoring techniques in a safe space.

Participants undertake a minimum of 20 hours of mentoring in their own organisations, blended with 25 hours of online training over a four-month period.

Originally, online learning was to be combined with face-to-face sessions, but pandemic restrictions caused the whole programme to be transferred online.

However, any fears of a second-best experience were dispelled by highly positive feedback from course members and ETF’s observers.

Fears of a second-best experience were dispelled by feedback

Participants produced mentoring handbooks and presentations; projects are being implemented; and incipient communities of practice extend discussions beyond the course.

So, what can we take away from the experience to enable other organisations to synergise the human-technology interface?

Sequencing progress

Behind the scenes, high-quality collaboration enhances the learning experience. For each session, IT support was in place to set up polls and breakout rooms and to troubleshoot in case of outages.

The variety of experience and expertise within delivery teams, shared in weekly meetings, enriched delivery and pre-empted problems.

Weekly emails, discussion posts online, or simply re-booking people onto sessions because of absences maintained motivation.

The weekly “learning sandwich” starts with online, preparatory reading, followed by skills practice and further theory or reinforcement by video link.

This is rounded off by learning logs, so learners move through a cycle of experiential learning from new experiences online, to reflection and conceptualisation in the logs, to experimentation in their organisations.

Flexibility matters

Unpredictable pandemic demands tested the adaptability of the programme. So online preparation was released two weeks ahead of each session, enabling participants to plan their study time.

In effect, video conferencing is potentially more time- and cost-efficient than face-to-face training.   Participants can shift quickly from work environment to training and back again, with well-being breaks either side.

Pre-recorded demonstrations showcase practical aspects of mentoring, providing a knowledge base as preparation for interactive sessions and for reference after the course finishes.

Participants use timelines – selecting, playing and replaying sections to analyse nuances of language and behaviour.

Breakout rooms provide fluid transitions from pairs to groups to full plenary, allowing participants to share experiences from across the FE sector and related organisations at different stages of development.

In the strong, safe space we’ve created, they are empowered to consider solutions and evaluate theories and case studies against their contexts.

Mitigating strain

Zoom strain is a risk. It’s defined by excessive amounts of close-up eye gaze, cognitive load, increased self-evaluation from staring at video of oneself, and constraints on physical mobility.

So, to mitigate this risk, groups can agree to have cameras off during lengthier presentations, reducing self-consciousness and enabling participants to concentrate on active listening.

The ‘chat’ function allows everyone to capture spontaneous responses through phrases and emojis.

Written comments are easier to track and refer to, and more than that, developed, structured inputs can be edited before posting. 

Although enriching, this can be cognitively exhausting for facilitators when it happens alongside the spoken discussion.

Setting protocols to avoid tangential ‘chat’ prevents distraction from the mainstream discussion.

In fact, through self-assessment participants have revealed that the skill they had most improved was active listening.

And in action learning sets (structures that develop problem-solving skills of real situations), they said they connected emotionally and intellectually – apparently unfazed by the supposed online problems of interpreting facial expressions, cues and tone.

DfE research show that peer interaction in remote learning is highly motivating and improves learning.

Thanks to our enterprising advanced mentors, who proved to be proactive learners with sophisticated technical and interpersonal skills themselves, autonomy and enjoyment of the social learning outweighed any alienating aspects of virtual CPD.

Thus, a programme combining a strong linear online structure with flexible start points and pathways can be a valuable toolkit for CPD leads – if planned properly.

Lots on sustainability – less on skills: Notes from the Labour conference

Promising noises were made at the Labour conference in Liverpool, but there are two big lessons the party must bear in mind if it is to truly lead on FE, writes Olly Newton

Despite rain and blustery winds in Liverpool, concerns over the government’s so-called ‘mini’ budget, the ongoing cost of living crisis, and news of the pound falling, nothing seemed to dampen the spirits at this year’s Labour Conference.

If anything, the mood felt optimistic, with a sense of conviction among the members and politicians we met that Labour is now finally in a place to offer a tangible, credible alternative.

Across multiple speeches and fringe discussions, Labour underlined their commitment to a green transition as the catalyst for change. Sir Keir Starmer set out his vision for a society that is “fairer, greener, more dynamic”, which redistributes opportunity and puts people, place, prosperity, and purpose at the heart of policy.

On education, we were delighted to hear Starmer highlight the importance of skills, such as creativity and resilience, as well as knowledge. We also heard acknowledgement of areas of the system that are working and the recognition that further education is now firmly on the political radar.

Shadow education secretary Bridget Phillipson outlined her vision for a future where children come first, where we value and nurture creativity, alongside academic success. She also pointed to Labour’s plans to turn the apprenticeship levy into a “growth and skills levy” with skills reforms to be overseen by a new body called Skills England. We look forward to seeing the details published shortly.

A missed opportunity on skills

Sadly, our joint fringe event, Skills for the Future, hosted alongside the National Foundation for Educational Research, was one of only a few skills events to take place at the conference.

Ours was one of only a few fringe events on skills

NFER’s Skills Imperative 2035 research pointed to new opportunities for job creation. Our young panellist, Jonas Andrew-Phillip, a member of Young People’s Action Group, pointed out that young people want an education that teaches them skills for life and work, and that celebrates their different talents.

We also heard from Alison McGovern, shadow minister for employment, who highlighted the importance of social infrastructure, such as childcare and healthcare to remove barriers for those unable to train or work.

Toby Perkins, shadow skills minister, outlined the importance of focusing apprenticeship opportunities on small and medium enterprises – something that Edge consistently calls for. Aside from these instances, however, the topic of skills felt like a missed opportunity.

How could Labour go further? 

For a party whose 1997 mantra, “Education. Education. Education”, still rings in our ears, Labour must now show real leadership.

Here are two big ways party could make real change:

First, we need a long-term strategy. Since 2010 we have had nine education secretaries. Four of those have been within the past year. The sector is tired of constant churn and a seeming lack of commitment. Nothing can be more important than investing in education. It is an investment in our human capital and future talent, so we need to see a long-term plan.

And second, learn from the past. The Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) supported 16- to 18-year olds with the costs of post-16 education. Extensive evaluations found the scheme to have a positive impact on participation rates, but it was scrapped under austerity and we now have a discretionary, uneven and inconsistent form of funding to support full-time post-16 learners.

Labour should consider re-instating the scheme, following examples from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland where the EMA is still in existence.

Meanwhile, the 14-19 Diplomas which were introduced in 2008 bear a striking resemblance to the new T levels. There are important lessons Labour must learn in order to grow the new programme, and also recognise its limits and the need for standalone vocational qualifications.

Labour now has a golden opportunity to rethink the role of education in favour of all young people. It’s an opportunity that can’t be missed.  

I’m beginning to think Labour has got it at last – well almost! 

The Labour leader’s close alignment with his chancellor Rachel Reeves is also good news for FE providers if he comes to power, writes Ann Limb

So Labour has promised to reform the apprenticeship levy into a “growth and skills levy”. It would be hard not to welcome a move which means money raised can be used to fund other types of craft, technician, and vocational training.

“If you don’t train, you shouldn’t trade” is how one employer, also a college governor, once expressed it to me in my college principal days.  

The principle of employers helping meet the cost of updating and upskilling their employees makes good business sense.

It provides a vehicle for businesses to engage in constructive dialogue with professional FE colleagues. This can help ensure alignment particularly at a local and regional level between skills gaps, labour market needs and effective supply side solutions.

Linking local skills improvement plans to FE provider accountability is how the Tories are making real their “employers-first” mantra.

Labour’s plan will evolve what the current government has put in place. It is an excellent move, especially if it means that businesses will be able to use up to half of their contributions to fund non-apprenticeship training.

Small and medium-sized employers would continue to access apprenticeships under the proposed new system and non-levy payers will not see a reduction in the amount of funding available to them.

I spoke to Keir Starmer and his senior staff after his conference speech on Tuesday. I applauded him for recognising that employers need greater “flexibility to invest in the world-class training they need”  – especially for the clean energy and green jobs creation schemes about which he spoke so convincingly.

I asked Keir if he wanted any feedback and he said ‘yes’

I then asked if he’d welcome any feedback and he said yes.

“If only you had tacked on to the end of that sentence in your speech the phrase ‘working in partnership with your local college and training providers’, you would, in a nanosecond, have ignited a plethora of plaudits in Twittersphere by all those working in post 16 skills sector.”

Reassuringly he said, “I’ll try and remember” and later his speech writer confirmed the point was taken.

I also spoke to some of the key FE leaders at conference prior to Keir’s speech and hinted that he might reference skills.

But what a lost opportunity it was for the leader of the opposition not to have given a quiet heads up to any of the sector’s leaders to make sure that much-needed detail could be ironed out.

They could have all prepared their social media accounts with positive reactions, proving that Labour is getting FE at last.

The Labour Party press office also announced several other skills “reforms” including the establishment of a new body called Skills England.

I’m not at all against raising the profile of skills. City and Guilds has argued for an independent commissioner for skills & productivity to whom all skills reforms should be accountable.

But do we really need another “new” bureaucratic structure when the Unit for Future Skills within DfE has barely got its taxonomies out of the digital filing cabinet?

Even greater (full?) devolution of funding – not just of adult funding streams – will surely follow. It would be a bold and timely move.

It must be linked to Labour’s policies on local government reform. Conference decisions on proportional representation (once a Labour government is in power) surely heralds a new era of localism.

Quite sensibly, Labour’s post-16 policy includes merging the various adult education skills funding streams such as the Shared Prosperity Fund and Multiply, with the existing adult education budget and then devolving it. 

Keir’s close alignment with his shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves is also critical here for post-16 skills funding.

Treasury has often been the barrier to accepting the massive role colleges and training providers play in economic growth and prosperity. I predict that with Rachel Reeves as Britain’s first woman chancellor things will change.

Keir and Rachel – our hope is turning into belief.

Belief that a Labour government will finally bring post-16 skills into the limelight the country needs. 

Do you know the history of October’s Black History Month?

Understanding the origins of next month’s celebratory activity – and when it first arrived in your local area – can be deeply engaging for students, writes Ellisha Soanes

Did you know that Black History Month originally started in America?

The Association for the Study of African American Life was founded in 1915, 50 years after the abolition of slavery, to celebrate the progress and achievement of black citizens in that time.

By 1926, one of its founders, Carter G. Woodson, set up a history month so that these achievements and issues could be studied annually. It was placed in the second week of February, to coincide with the birthday of black icons such as social reformer and abolitionist, Frederick Douglass.

The event inspired schools and communities to celebrate nationwide. They established history clubs and hosted performances and lectures. By the 1970s, U.S. presidents officially acknowledged this month as Black History Month.

Across the pond this found a platform in the U.K. in 1987. Ghanaian activist Akyaaba Addai-Sebo steered this movement with local councils across London, supported by Linda Bellos, the leader of Lambeth council.

Still going strong

Thirty years on, the mission of paying homage to the people who brought about positive change remains.

I investigated how Black History Month came to prominence in the county where I live, Suffolk. I discovered that back in 1993, thanks to the work of a lady called Del White, the event started to have an impact in our community.

At the time, Del had to create her own campaign, working with local authorities to help push more diverse and inclusive programmes in schools and colleges.

One of the success stories relates to a student group that has been set up at The One Sixth Form College in Ipswich, called the Ethnic Youth Empowerment Society. It had been supported by Ian Brown and Ashton Harewood, personal progress tutors from the sixth form, which is part of Eastern Colleges Group.

Ian and Ashton are trailblazers who have created art galleries featuring black heroes; been to Notting Hill to find out about the origins of the carnival; and talked with two of the writers of the iconic BBC TV series Small Axe, which focuses on the lives of Caribbean migrants in London from the 1960s to the 1980s. They have also celebrated Windrush Day.

This year, Ian and Ashton will be creating a video on what black history means to our students and this will be showcased to staff, feeder schools and the community.

Meanwhile, as part of my work with community partners, I’ve written an interactive black history book aimed at young people, exploring local and national heroes from the black community with Aspire Black Suffolk. This is a community enterprise that focuses on diversity, equality and inclusion through positive action.

As a result of partnerships with local community groups, we have also brought people into the college to tell their amazing stories.

We’ve had artists, professional footballers, pilots, entrepreneurs, charity bosses and singers.

Memories of Windrush

One of the breakthrough moments for me was when our students heard a talk from people with connections to the Windrush generation. Sadly, the vast majority of our learners had never heard of this story. It was emotional to see the impact these talks had.

The majority of our learners had never heard of the Windrush generation

I’m inspired everyday by a quote from Marian Wright Edelman, an American civil rights activist, who said: “you can’t be what you can’t see”. If you show your college community success stories from a range of communities, it has a positive impact on their futures. People feel represented.

As part of our last big event, we also hosted an exhibition from an artist from Ukraine who had recently left her homeland to escape the war currently raging.

For all these reasons and more, Black History Month is vital. But it’s also important to listen and hear from gamechangers that represent a host of different communities to help inspire us all. Not just as a one-off, but throughout the year. 

So, why not start by learning about the local history of Black History Month in your area? You never know where it might lead you.

AELP starts search to fill vice chair vacancy

The Association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP) is on the hunt for a new vice chair after Alex Khan stepped down.

Khan was elected in February but questions over whether he would stay in the position were raised two months later after he resigned as chief executive of Lifetime Training, England’s largest apprenticeship provider.

It wasn’t until last week that Khan’s position as a director and vice chair of AELP was ended. AELP board members need to be serving leaders of training providers.

The AELP is now exploring ways to fill the vacancy on its board and the position of vice chair. It is likely that the position will not be filled until the association’s next annual general meeting in February next year.

Jane Hickie, AELP chief executive, told FE Week: “AELP regrets to announce that Alex Khan has left the AELP board in accordance with our articles. Alex had previously resigned his position as chief executive of Lifetime, where he represented large providers on the AELP board.”

She added: “Throughout his time on the board, Alex has been a great champion for the sector and for AELP. I would like to add my personal thanks to him for his commitment and support over the years. He has been a pleasure to work with. Going forward, the board is looking at how to fill this gap ahead of the elections in February 2023.”

According to Khan’s LinkedIn page, he became a director of LearnBox, a video AELP starts search to fill vice chair vacancy production company that specialises in adult education and online learning, in May this year after leaving Lifetime Training.

Khan said: “I think AELP is a great organisation. Over the years it has made some powerful changes in the wonderful world of work-placed learning and made it a better place.”

Former top skills civil servant joins large online training provider

A former top civil servant in the government’s skills funding agency is to take up a leadership role at The Skills Network.

Paul McGuire will join the major the online training firm from apprenticeship provider JTL where he has spent the past six years as chief operating officer and most recently interim chief executive.

He’ll become the new chief financial officer of The Skills Network, which is led by former Association of Employment and Learning Providers chief executive Mark Dawe, “shortly after” JTL recruits a permanent chief executive.

McGuire spent five years as chief financial officer of the Learning and Skills Council between 2005 to 2010 and then another five years as chief operating officer of the Skills Funding Agency between 2010 and 2015.

He is a qualified accountant with over 30 years’ experience in financial management roles across both the private and public sectors.

A statement from The Skills Newtork said: “The pandemic experience made Paul, like many people, re-evaluate his future, resulting in Paul deciding that the time was right for a new challenge and accepting this exciting opportunity as chief financial officer at The Skills Network.

“The Skills Network is looking forward to Paul joining to help drive forward an exciting agenda providing online delivery and resources to the learning and skills sector.”

The Skills Network had over 23,000 students enrolled onto distance-learning adult education courses and apprenticeships last year, according to the company’s latest accounts.

Most of The Skills Network’s courses are delivered through subcontracts with colleges.

Prison education: Ministers to tackle ‘disastrously overlooked’ issue of prisoners with SEND

The government has committed to improving the assessment and support of prisoners with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) following scrutiny of the state of prison education by MPs. 

Officials have also pledged to provide education “passports” and more in-cell laptops in a bid to improve prison education, as well as changing legislation to allow prisoners to take apprenticeships.   

Ministers, however, have been criticised by the Prisoners’ Education Trust for failing to “deliver the scale of change needed” and for refusing to address long-standing funding issues. 

‘Clunky, chaotic and disjointed system’

MPs on the education committee, which is chaired by Robert Halfon, warned of “cracks in a clunky, chaotic and disjointed system which does not value education as the key to rehabilitation” in a report published earlier this year.    

In its response to the report, the government promised to expand its use of CURIOUS – a system that captures information on special learning needs – in order to get a better understanding of “a full range of learning difficulties and disabilities (LDD)” across the prison system.   

A review of LDD assessment and screening tools has also been commissioned by HM Prison and Probation Service, while officials have also committed to employing 61 SEND support managers each year for two years until there is one support manager in every prison by 2024.   

Halfon said it was “encouraging to see the government finally grapple with the disastrously overlooked issue of prisoners with SEND”.   

One of the committee’s other key points was a demand for prisoners to be offered the opportunity to take up apprenticeships. As a result, the government committed to changing legislation to make this happen earlier this year.

The Department for Education, meanwhile, said it is currently “working at pace” with the Ministry of Justice to introduce apprenticeships for those in prison and who are close to being released.   

Officials said they expect to make the necessary changes to legislation “by the autumn to allow the first apprenticeship starts in the autumn”. The plan is to initially allow up to 100 prisoners a year to be supported to begin an apprenticeship in custody.   

Halfon welcomed this move, saying that ex-prisoners who find employment are “statistically less likely to offend” and “giving offenders a route back into work is the best way to reintegrate and reinvest them in society”. 

The government’s commitment to improve SEND data and introduce a support manager in every prison will allow prisoners to fully access the rehabilitating education they need

The government has also promised to introduce “digital education passports” which will record learning and assessments to minimise the loss or delay of prisoners’ educational records when they are transferred between prisons at short notice. 

“Resettlement passports” have also been committed to, which will set up bank accounts and help with CV prior to a prisoner’s release to help them reintegrate back into society. In addition, in-cell laptops for prisoners to use when undertaking education have also been expanded to 41 prisons. 

A series of recommendations from MPs, however, were rejected. This includes setting a date for when all prisons will be able to support broadband, as well as removing the “six-year rule” which would allow prisoners on longer sentences to apply for higher education courses earlier in their sentence.   

A recommendation to make pay for education equal to the pay for prison work was also rejected by the government, which argued that the responsibility to do this lies with the prison governors.   

The Prisoners’ Education Trust criticised the government’s response, stating that it “mostly describes changes that are already underway and restates announcements that have already been made”, while “on the biggest issues facing prison education – the lack of funding and slow progress in making digital technology available to prisoners – it has nothing new to say”.   

A spokesperson for the trust also criticised the government for only rolling out in-cell technology in a handful of prisons.

MOVERS AND SHAKERS: EDITION 400

Amy Rice

Executive Director for Education and Justice, Seetec

Start date: September 2022

Previous job: Chief executive officer, St Margaret Clitherow Catholic Academy Trust

Interesting fact: Amy worked at the Ministry of Justice for over 10 years and has been a non executive director at Northumbria University for 8 years.

Tom Roberts

Assistant Principal – Curriculum & Quality, East Coast College

Start date: September 2022

Previous job: Director of Resourcing and Performance, City College Norwich

Interesting fact: Tom loves travelling the world and spent time teaching sport to children in Fiji. Closer to home he enjoys exploring the Norfolk Broads on his Paddleboard.

HE short course trial gets off to slow start

A pilot scheme for new short higher education courses should be reviewed if numbers do not significantly pick up, an MP has said, after just 12 applications for student loans have been received to date. 

The Department for Education last year announced 22 providers – all but one being universities – would design and deliver the £2 million Higher Education Short Course Trial for level 4 to 6 courses, with delivery beginning in the 2022/23 academic year. 

In response to a parliamentary question by Labour MP Emma Hardy this week, the DfE said that it expected most courses to launch in January next year, but confirmed that just a dozen requests had been made to the Student Loans Company for tuition fee loans so far. 

The maximum tuition fee loan available is £3,080 per course for those with 40 credits, or up to £2,310 for 30-credit courses. Students, though, are not required to take out a loan and can opt to fund the courses themselves or ask their employer to pay the fees. 

Andrea Jenkyns, the skills minister, said she expects more students to participate in the courses. The very low figure, however, has sounded alarm bells. 

“Access to short courses linked to skills is needed if we are to address the skills gap, and this was the DfE’s much heralded response,” said Hardy, MP for Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle. 

“However, the first signs are that there is a lack of demand to pay for these using the current loan system. I doubt this is the level of take-up the DfE was hoping for. Should it remain at these low levels I expect there to be a proper review and the issues addressed.” 

The exact number of applicants is not yet known as it is held at individual provider level. FE Week has approached all of the pilot providers to request applicant numbers but did not receive response at the time of going to press. 

In her response to Hardy, Jenkyns added: “The department will be monitoring the overall number of students on courses and the number of applications for loans at various points throughout the trial. 

“As a new type of learning the department is expecting demand for short courses to increase over the course of the three-year trial, as more people become aware of these opportunities and realise the benefits flexible learning can bring.” 

The DfE announced the scheme last year as a step towards the lifelong loan entitlement plans from 2025, which eventually aims to fund the equivalent of four years of post-18 education. 

Weston College was the only FE college to secure a contract in the three-year pilot, with the remaining 21 being handed to universities. 

More than 100 courses are on offer in the trial, ranging from four weeks to a year. Among some of the courses are network security, disability inclusion, designing net-zero buildings, as well as mental health and wellbeing for children. 

Meanwhile, the Office for Students said the courses aim to provide a more flexible way for students to acquire the skills needed by both employers and the economy.