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

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

• Supporting Transition into Higher Education
  Comparing Level 3 and Level 4 Vocational
  Students Experiences of Technology Enhanced
  Learning.

Rachel Butterfield and James Wilson Writtle
Agricultural College
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Project Objective

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

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Writtle Agricultural College

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

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Rationale

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

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Project Aims

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

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methodology

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

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Focus Group / Card Sort

• Principles Award Students 5.
• 1 mature student.
• Top 5 topics raised by the students
• Students dont feel satisfied with the technology
  offered by the institution.
• Students overcompensate for lack of technology
  and provide their own.
• Differing opinions on MOODLE.
• Lack of Research skills (databases, references,
  and understanding to a specific level)
  therefore overcompensated by the use of
  Wikipedia, and social networking to get a general
  idea.
• Students seem keen to try new technology in an
  educational context, but out of exploration
  rather than practical advantages.

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Questionnaire

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

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Areas of competency

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

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E-Portfolios

• Take up of sessions was unexpected.
• Regular attendance as well as independent
  progression with e-portfolios.
• Varying level of engagement.
• Met with staff reservations.
• Started with 20 students.
• Completed portfolios 7 students.
• http//johnwinslow.wordpress.com/
• http//magicram08.wordpress.com/
• http//hlrichards.wordpress.com/
• http//rshepherd.wordpress.com/
• http//jojoyce.wordpress.com/

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Challenges and issues we face??

• Should retention of the vocational subject areas
  be any different from retention in academic
  based subjects?
• Should we handle the process of this retention
  through different means?
• What part should technology take in retention of
  vocational based subjects where this is not the
  students main focus?

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References

• Department for Education and Skills Report
  (2007). Online at www.dfes.gov.uk (Accessed
  14/05/08)
• Garrod, N. Macfarlane, B. (2007) Scoping the
  duals the structural challenges of combining
  further and higher education in post-compulsory
  institutions, Higher Education Quarterly, 614,
  pp. 578-596
• Smith, D., Bathmaker, A.M. Parry, G. (2007) The
  institutionalisation of duality (re)imagining
  culture, community and college in further and
  higher education. Working paper for the ESRC TLRP
  FurtherHigher project, online at
  http//www.shef.ac.uk/furtherhigher/