Molenet - Chesterfield College

Year 3: A3: Anywhere, Any place, Any time 2009/2010

The "A3: Anywhere, Any place, Any time" project, based in the newly restructured Business Enterprise Unit, seeks to bring about a step change in work-based training delivery in the college. In an increasingly competitive economic climate, we need to offer high quality learning delivered predominantly within the workplace. The portfolio of hardware options (e-book reader, Netbook, Smartphone, iPod touch) offered through the project reflects that our customers may have existing access to a range of technologies as well as differing individual learning styles. We seek to provide the most appropriate device for the learner rather than imposing a generic solution.

Aims

The aim of the "A3: Anywhere, Any place, Any time" project is to effect a step change in the delivery of apprenticeship training at Chesterfield College, moving to a predominantly off-site model in a range of occupational areas new to this college (Business Administration, Customer Service and Team Leading). Through the use of elearning resources and mobile technologies, we will seek to deliver high quality training which is convenient for the learner and employer. We will seek to expand this model to some areas of delivery in more traditional apprenticeship training.

Objectives

The "A3: Anywhere, Any place, Any time" project is designed to help the Business Enterprise Unit at Chesterfield College to contribute to government targets to have 400,000 young people and 250,000 adults in apprenticeships by 2020 and this will be achieved by the following objectives:
• To promote mobile/flexible technology-enhanced learning as a high quality, cost-effective, scaleable and sustainable means of delivering training to apprentices
• To attract and retain apprentices, particularly in occupational areas new to college (Business Administration, Customer Service, Team Leading)
• To enable significant growth in apprenticeship provision in line with college, regional and national priorities by means of predominantly off-campus delivery
• To deliver appropriate and engaging e-learning content (specifically selected to cater for different learning styles) in a range of different formats/media via the college Moodle
• To train staff to create interactive VLE courses containing a wide range of resources appropriate to use on a range of devices
• To equip each learner with an appropriate mobile device to complement their existing access to technology and to fit their preferred learning style (using an initial diagnostic tool)
• To provide learners with training to enable them to make full use of the technology supplied
• To facilitate an increase in the proportion of off-campus delivery in traditional apprenticeships subject areas (focusing on those areas of the curriculum which do not require physical access to specialist equipment)
• To improve retention rates through enabling tutor and peer support through electronic forms of communication via the VLE and other channels (for example Skype, Messenger, the Moodle text block etc)
• To provide trainers with the means to deliver exciting and interactive technology-enhanced training sessions off-campus through the use of handheld voting devices
• To train the trainers in the use of the Turning Point kit and production of engaging interactive Powerpoint presentations
• To use the feedback from the deployment of voting devices to monitor the progress of individual learners and to personalise their learning to maximise achievement
• To evaluate all aspects of the project (with a strong focus upon the learner experience) and to build feedback into a cycle of continuous improvement
• To share good practice from within the Business Enterprise Unit in the innovative and creative use of mobile technologies in the wider college environment
• To generate a suite of case studies and examples to share with the wider community

Target Audience:

Our main target audience is Level 2/3 apprentices (16-18, 19-24 and 25+) in business administration, customer service and team leading. These areas are being targeted in line with a college priorities to attract more female learners into apprenticeships and to develop business partnerships within the Public Sector (for example with the Chesterfield Royal Hospital, Bolsover District Council and Chesterfield Borough Council). The delivery of training for these learners will be predominantly off-site, a significant change to our traditional pattern. We will then look at possibilities of introducing more off-site delivery in our traditional apprenticeship areas.