Molenet - Franklin College

Year 3 Micro Project-To improve basic English skills to a competency level to suit employment needs.To develop student skills and competence in how to deal with learning/physical disabilities by using mobile assistive technology.

Exploration of a range of technology to assess the impact on students' lifestyles and transferable skill development will be initiated. The value of Dragon Naturally Speaking will be evaluated by targeting 12 students who have language/literacy needs. They will have 10 teaching sessions after initial skill assessment. After the teaching sessions, a second skill assessment and questionnaire will evaluate the impact of the provision. Students' own equipment can be used with Mobile TextHelp, which has literacy and translation tools. A similar study will be undertaken to assess the benefit of Netbook and Podcasting use for Vocational students working offsite.

Aims:

To give students lifelong skills to enable them to further their education/training and/or improve their employability.
To demonstrate to students that mobile technology can enhance their learning and work experience ("work" being employment) and give them access ability to jobs and opportunities that they previously thought were inaccessible.

Objectives:

• To improve retention and achievement with identified students.
• To promote learning strategies using technology to encourage independence in the learning environment this can be transferred directly to the workplace or home.
• To enable students who have mobility and learning needs to engage fully in the learning process and, therefore, later in the workplace.
• To empower students with literacy skills to enter the world of employment and develop further their independent living skills.

Contribution to Local and Regional priorities

Students in North East Lincolnshire have low aspiration regarding their future in education and employment. This is linked to low levels of literacy and self-esteem in the area. These have been identified as causes of a high level of NEETS and low levels of achievement at Key stage four. Unidentified and untreated learning difficulties such as dyslexia have also contributed to poor literacy skills.