Research/Articles,abstracts

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'Open and distance learning and the training of trainers in the UK'

K G Marsh,
TTnet (UK) co-ordinator
School of Post Compulsory Education and Training,
The University of Greenwich, UK.

This paper was presented as part of the CEDEFOP TTnet Rome workshop
November 1999.

This paper can also be downloaded as a Word Version 6.0 compatible/Windows 95 document

 

 

For the purposes of this short paper three areas in the training of trainers may be identified:

1. Work-based training of trainers

2. Training trainers for Vocational colleges or private training organisations

3. Further professional development in training of trainers.

 

 

1: Work-based training of trainers

Use of distance and open learning in workplace training of trainers is facilitated by the National Vocational Qualifications framework (NVQ).

Central to the delivery of the NVQ system is the concept that NVQ accredited units are outcome or evidence-based and therefore independent of any mode of delivery. Those trainers seeking accreditation from awarding bodies such as City and Guilds, Institute of Personnel and Development , Management Verification Consortium or EDEXEL may be issued with a portfolio with evidence guidelines supported by an off-site tutor who communicates by telephone, fax e-mad or other computer-mediated programmes such as Lotus Notes. Face to face meetings need only come into play when the need for direct assessment arises. This need for direct face to face assessment need not be built into the system as witnessed and signed assessment evidence may be gathered by the trainee trainer and submitted in portfolio form to the tutor/assessor.

To maintain assessor consistency and quality a national framework of assessor awards (the "D" awards) are now in place. These Training and Development Lead Body (TDLB) assessor awards are also portfolio evidence-based and NVQ tutors and assessors must obtain them in order to be able to accredit trainee trainers on NVQ programmes. The D 35 assessors award accredits assessors with skills to assess submitted evidence from a trainer trainee claiming NVQ unit credits for certified or accredited prior learning (APL) and/or non accredited experiential learning (APEL). In this way a trainer may gain NVQ accreditation for his or her existing training skills and competence.

Some Higher Education Institutions such as the University of Greenwich run a Training and Development Office offer commercially flexible, open and distance training and accreditation of trainers at NVQ levels 3 to 5 under licence from the key awarding training bodies mentioned above.

(For colleagues at this workshop there is an inspection copy of the portfolio pack used in the training programme described above.)

 

 

 

2: Training Trainers for Vocational Colleges and private training organisations.

FENTO:

The Further Education national training organisation (FENTO) and the Department for Education and Employment (DFEE) are moving on with the implementation of the training standards for vocational training teachers and of the requirement that all vocational teachers should hold a teaching qualification. There is some discussion as to how to implement a "light touch" approach to various models of trainer accreditation particularly so for those in-service vocational teachers seeking a training certificate award. It is likely that for experienced vocational teachers some form of portfolio evidence submitted to an accredited assessment centre might be one route for full accreditation. The evidence required would need to satisfy FENTO criteria:

• assessing learner's needs.
• planning and preparing teaching and learning programmes for groups and individuals
• developing and using a range of teaching and learning techniques
• managing the learning process.
• providing learners with support.
• assessing the outcomes of learning and learner's achievements.
• reflecting upon and evaluating one's own performance and planning future practice
• meeting professional requirements.

Already some existing training of trainers providers are using flexible and open learning routes in the training courses and are well on their way to create virtual learning environments. The TTnet (UK) forum were invited to give brief outlines of developments in this area. The Leeds Metropolitan University School of Professional Education and Development are developing the use of Lotus Learning Space.

Contact: John Konrad

E-mail: J.Konrad@lmu.ac.uk

Web: http://www.lotus.com/home.nsf/welcome/learnspace

The University of Greenwich School of Post Compulsory Education and Training have set up anOn-Line Campus (OLC)

Contact: M. Ryan@greenwich. ac.uk

OLC website: http//gre-guns2.gre.ac.uk

which supports all trainees whether attending full-time, part- time or distance modes with up-dates on materials on units (resource centres), chat rooms and discussion databases. These developments have required considerable upskilling of tutors and even now not all are up to speed in the skills required and there is still an initial reluctance for tutors to keep on up-dating the resource centres due to other pressures on their time. However the momentum to provide training by such means is now unstoppable and in a few years it will be a normal part of the training delivery process.

The paper by Simon Walker delivered to this conference 'Mentoring in Cyberspace' is also an example of inovatory experiments in the important area of training mentors either in the vocational colleges or in the workplace. For a copy of this paper contact:

S.H.Walker@greenwich.ac.uk

or view online at the TTnet (UK) website: http://www.surrey.ac.uk/Education/TTnet/

 

3: Further professional development

TTnet (UK) members were invited to submit information on innovation in this area. Unfortunately no responses were received. The TTnet (UK) co-ordinators are aware of many further professional development trainer of trainer programmes delivered in HE institutions and that these institutions are modelling their training provision on that of the Open University. That is to say that training providers in the field of further professional development are writing readers and study guides to support flexible attendance modes . In the work-based route training accreditation is now provided at level 5 which is equivalent to a full University degree. FENTO is also working on setting up qualifications system for Principals in the Vocational Colleges based on management standards. However these are in the early stages of development and discussion.

The Institute for Learning and Teaching (IILI): The training of University teachers

"The.function of the institute would be to accredit programmes of training for higher education teachers: to commission research and development in learning and teaching practices; and to stimulate innovation."
(The Dearing report on Higher education 1998)

Following wide consultation within the higher education sector the ILT was launched in September 1999 as a professional organisation committed to maintaining and enhancing the quality of learning and teaching in higher education. Already it is providing training programmes aimed at improving teaching in the sector and has set up an accreditation framework for university teachers to become members of an ILT professional body. To become an ILT member HE teachers will have to submit portfolio evidence of competence and reflection on practice set against published ILT criteria. Membership will give access to further professional opportunities for higher professional training and an ILT website will enable access to key issues of interest to teaching and learning practitioners together with opportunities for virtual and actual networking and research data bases on teaching and learning theory and practice. A further function of the ILT will be the co-ordination and management of a Learning and Teaching Support Network located within the Development and dissemination section at the ILT headquarters at York/UK, but interacting with 24 Subject Centres across the UK.

For more information on the ILT contact:

e-mail: enquiries@dt.ac.uk

web: http://www.ilt.ac.uk