What are skills learners' expectations and experiences of technology?

Editor's Notes

• #3: Lets remind you the team…
• #5: http://ji.sc/onlinesurveyreport http://bit.ly/2fCMqiz
• #6: http://bit.ly/student-tracker-report Open pilot with over 13o institutions is now underway jisc.ac.uk/rd/projects/student-digital-experience-tracker New ACL/Skills providers question set Get involved and join the pilot – sign up by 30/11 here http://bit.ly/trackerskills
• #8: There are deep-seated and persistent problems with regards to students accessing the quality of devices and internet connectivity that they require and expect. Their expectations of the technical-infrastructure are not excessive and chiefly involve the ability to use machines running standard Office and Word type packages (or similar) over a domestic equivalent-standard internet connection. That access to a decent quality laptop, or the facility to use their own, high speed, reliable wifi and printers is consistently the top-rated student priority suggests that policy makers at all levels may be wise to focus on these rather prosaic goals above more “charismatic” technologies. Learners  expected  the  same  or  better  services  that  they  had  had  in  school. Given that spending at school level – whilst also under severe pressure – is relatively protected there has to be a risk that students become disillusioned when they experience a notable decrease in the quality and availability of the technology. On another level, students working in industries which make use of specialist packages expect their providers to furnish them with those packages – and machines of sufficient power to run them. Generally, students expect their colleges to provide the experience of the hardware and software, and opportunity to develop the skills, which will prepare them for work and enhance their employment opportunities. VLEs and LMSs are far from redundant technologies. It may even be that they are yet to approach reaching their potential. Students’ technology skills are far from homogeneous – even amongst age groups. Do not take skill levels for granted. Students’ skills with “learning technologies” further complicate this. The digital immigrants versus digital natives typology is not particularly helpful. There is a lack of student voice (with some honourable exceptions) in the research. This leads one to ask whether there may be a lack of student voice in the sector. By comparison with the HE sector and the compulsory education sector (or perhaps age group? NOTE TO SELF) there is little research focusing on learning with technologies. There does not seem any desire amongst students for anything resembling MOOCs. In fact, some college (skills) students were clear that they did not want any “external” engagement other than that which involved their places of employment. That is not to say there is no potential. Persistent problems with access to the quality of devices and internet connectivity that learners require and expect.: access to a decent quality laptop, or the facility to use their own, high speed, reliable wifi and printers are consistently the top-rated student priority suggests. Generally, students expect their training providers to prepare them to use the technology they will find in their work places Students working in industries which make use of specialist packages expect their providers to furnish them with those packages – and machines of sufficient power to run them. VLEs and LMSs are far from redundant technologies. It may even be that they are yet to approach reaching their potential. Students’ technology skills are far from homogeneous – even amongst age groups. Do not take skill levels for granted. Students’ skills with “learning technologies” further complicate this. The digital immigrants versus digital natives typology is not particularly helpful. There is a lack of student voice (with some honourable exceptions) in the research. This leads one to ask whether there may be a lack of student voice in the sector.
• #9: Again, the existential issue is the lack of good quality equipment and unreliable and/or limited wifi - but with the added challenges of transporting equipment to venues, blocks on sites when using school venues, not being provided with passwords by the venue. Not surprisingly, the practitioners faced their own barriers in terms of obtaining training in how to use technologies and insufficient time to prepare materials or backups and these will have impacted on the learner experience. There is also a lack of tutors. Do not take skill levels for granted. On the other hand, do not assume the worst. Again, there seems to be little enthusiasm for MOOCs in their current guise amongst learners in the Community and Adult Learning Sector. There is obviously some potential but the need to identify correctly and address the skills of the learners against the skills require may be too onerous at the present. Given the high dropout rates for MOOCs and the impact that perceived “failure” has on non-Higher Education adult learners serious consideration must be take place before deploying a technology and pedagogy which could potentially do more harm than good. Again we found little student voice in the literature – once again with honourable exceptions. Again, this raises the possibility that student voice is little heard in the sector. It may, of course, be that the research was not easily identifiable. But, given the heterogeneous nature of the learning constituency, even if student voices were collated, it may be nearly impossible to act on it. Lack of good quality equipment and unreliable and/or limited wifi - but with the added challenges of transporting equipment to venues, blocks on sites when using school venues, not being provided with passwords by the venue. Practitioners faced their own barriers in terms of obtaining training in how to use technologies and insufficient time to prepare materials or backups and these will have impacted on the learner experience. There is also a lack of tutors. Do not take skill levels for granted. On the other hand, do not assume the worst. There seems to be little enthusiasm for MOOCs in their current guise amongst learners in the ACL sector. Little student voice in the literature – once again with honourable exceptions. Again, this raises the possibility that student voice is little heard in the sector. It may, of course, be that the research was not easily identifiable. But, given the heterogeneous nature of the learning constituency, even if student voices were collated, it may be nearly impossible to act on it.
• #10: Access to devices, access to the internet, access to information and access to support are all priorities for incarcerated learners. At times, this is further complicated by students being denied access to existing technologies due to competing priorities and/or philosophies. Access to meaningful learning opportunities often decreases as incarcerated students progress through the prison system towards release. This is further aggravated by the lack of continuity of learning, support and access post-incarceration. Amongst the key student requests is for a dedicated technology-enabled learning space within prisons. Despite persistent problems, in terms of access, support and quality of content, the Virtual Campus is still viewed by incarcerated learners as having considerable potential. Perceptions of a lack of tangible progress may ultimately erode this enthusiasm. Do not take students’ digital skills levels for granted. In addition, do not assume the worst. There is more student voice evident in the literature for this sector (particularly for the incarcerated learners). But there is little evidence of student-voice actually influencing anything on a substantial scale. Champion and Edgar (Champion & Edgar 2013) are reasonably positive about the potential for MOOCs as a supplement to the prison learning toolkit. Of course, there are possible explanations for what might at first seem counter-intuitive: not least that whilst the vast majority of prisoners have below average qualifications there are prisoners of all ability levels and some are already graduates and/or post-graduates. “Eynon and Helsper (2011) identified the relationship between digital exclusion and digital choice as important in students’ use of new technologies for learning. There is, however, a fundamental assumption in their discussion that people should have empowered and informed choices in how they access or use technology for learning, which is not necessarily the case in a prison context.” (Pike 2015) “The best practice was observed where a prison had a learning ethos which was shared by the staff, where higher-level learners were given dedicated space and time for learning and where learners were encouraged to take responsible peer-support positions which raised self-esteem and helped to develop a community.” (Pike 2015)
• #11: Final report with the complete list of groups and organisations: Insert link
• #12: Link to Learner Profile, focus group process and card sort on blog (insert link) Learners are not in one place for a long time like FE and HE so not a ‘captive’ group.
• #13: Consent form, permissions from organisations, especially prisons Hand over to EL
• #14: Timing Participating in the discussion is important to this exercise Listening to the students’ (or staff if used in staff training) discussion will give you a lot of information. Recording comments isn’t easy but it may be valuable. Taking notes at the time works as well. If you would like to look at the cards from another theme, just ask but please put first theme cards back in the envelope.
• #20: Briefly outline some of the elements of 3 case studies Eat That Frog – vision and strategy; using technology not only to enhance learning but also to ensure the company is well-positioned for new business; agile, responsive and creative approach. Derby ALS – building on CPD previous found to have most impact and using peer support team and coaching approach; strategic and supported; no restrictions placed on support; cost effective on-demand support; power of 10 minutes with an individual. Prospect Training Services and iObserve – app developed in house; uses recording features on mobile devices linked to evidence criteria and a time stamp facility to provide feedback and create auditable evidence of competency and a PDF declaration. Increased accountability; savings in time and money; allows assessors more 1:1 support time with learners.
• #21: New online guide Enhancing the digital experience for skills learners with case studies http://ji.sc/Enhance_Digital_Experience Briefing for leaders of providers supporting apprenticeships, adult, community and offender learning http://bit.ly/2fVj1lg From the blog: Five things skills providers are doing in their quest to embrace technology and enhance learning jisc.ac.uk/blog
• #23: We are currently out for consultation on six co-design challenges, and inviting you to help us
• #24: Contact James Clay james.clay@jisc.ac.uk Tweet using the hashtag #co-design16 Catch up on the discussion so far at: https://digitalapprenticeships. jiscinvolve.org/wp/ Theme web page: www.jisc.ac.uk/rd/get-involved/what-would-truly-digital-apprenticeships-look-like Complete our short questionnaire https://goo.gl/forms/qcymmawoVMRXFprZ2
• #25: Apprenticeships is a growth area in FE& Skills and through the area review process providers have been challenged to increase their delivery of apprenticeships.   With a government target of 3m starts by 2020 and a history of  just over 2.2m apprenticeship starts over the five academic years from 2009/10 to 2013/14 this represents a huge increase. Only through the effective use of technology, can this target be delivered.   So we are undertaking some exploratory work to inform the development and delivery of the new apprenticeship qualifications, focused on supporting decision making around the most effective use of technology. The focus is on articulating an ‘ideal state’ where technology is used to best effect to maximise the benefits technology can offer, both in terms of cost-efficiencies and learning enhancements. The audience for this work is those involved in the development and delivery of the new apprenticeship standards. includes the Institute for Apprenticeships, FE colleges, skills providers, employers and awarding organisations.  
• #26: Sarah.knight@jisc.ac.uk http://digitalstudent.jiscinvolve.org