1. Building a Vocational Community Online Lorraine Lavery llavery@belfastinstitute.ac.uk

2. BIFHE Background Background –1991 Incorporation Incorporation 2000 2000 –Virtual Learning Environment –ILT Champions –Level 2 and 3 OCN qualifications 2003 onwards 2003 onwards –Online Communities

3. Background BTEC Qualifications BTEC Qualifications –National and Higher National –Estate Management, Town Planning and Construction Dispersed learners Dispersed learners Vocational learners Vocational learners Time constrained learners Time constrained learners Recruitment issues Recruitment issues Basic or no IT skills Basic or no IT skills

4. Lessons Learned Induction: Learning to E-learn Induction: Learning to E-learn Navigation/use in class Navigation/use in class Listen to students Listen to students Digital Divide Digital Divide The Sunday learner The Sunday learner Integrate with Library staff Integrate with Library staff Log in as student view Log in as student view

11. Independent learners

12. Discussion Boards

14. Summer Module Student base Student base –Returners –Long distance –Additional burdens Economics Module Economics Module Own site Own site Face to face sessions Face to face sessions E-learning tools E-learning tools

15. Student responses Good informal feedback in course reviews Good informal feedback in course reviews No formal reporting mechanism on E- learning No formal reporting mechanism on E- learning Questionnaire: n=60 Questionnaire: n=60

16. Q: Access online material for support outside college/week

17. Q: Development & Improvement of Your IT skills?

18. Q: You see yourself as a more Independent Learner?

19. Student feedback Blackboard material allows me to research information at home as well as in college Blackboard material allows me to research information at home as well as in college Additional reading opportunities allows me to share work related resources with my employees Additional reading opportunities allows me to share work related resources with my employees I now possesss IT skills I never had before and am continually improving on these I now possesss IT skills I never had before and am continually improving on these

20. BIFHE benefits Improved retention and completion Improved retention and completion Publicity that assists recruitment – value- added dimension Publicity that assists recruitment – value- added dimension Improving grades in annual course reviews Improving grades in annual course reviews Targeted as good practice by ETI Targeted as good practice by ETI Meets Institutes ILT targets Meets Institutes ILT targets

21. Future Challenges Additional Interactivity and E-maturity Additional Interactivity and E-maturity Further engagement with rest of Institute Further engagement with rest of Institute Evaluation Evaluation E-books E-books Collaboration across sector Collaboration across sector