Case study
Technology:
Diplomas and VLEs
The Chorley and South Ribble consortium has
made its VLE central to Diploma delivery. Travall
Towriess, Engineering Diploma line lead explains
HE CHORLEY and South to its design and
T
Ribble Consortium in Lancashire content. Many
is made up of 17 secondary other consortia
schools, two special schools have decided to
and a 6th form college. Since September follow our lead or
2008, learners from across the consortium have asked to use
have attended Leyland St Mary’s Catholic our VLE.
Technology College for one extended day However,
each week to study the Higher Diploma in despite its
Building futur
es: Chorley and S
Engineering. eff ectiveness to
outh Ribble
’s VLE has b
een
crucial to supp
orting its Engineering D
Leyland St Mary’s has been at the date, it is vital that
iploma students
forefront of developments in the Diploma in we continue to
Engineering, receiving accolades and praise develop the VLE.
from inspectors, industry partners and other To do this we decided we need to carry out a • As a method of communicating with all
consortia both nationally and internationally. more objective and robust review in order that interested parties.
From the start we have also worked we may continue to disseminate and share our We intend to complete in early June this
closely with the 14 to 19 Workforce Support good practice with confi dence. year. Once the review process is completed
Programme, providing support for other In order to best carry out this review, we are and the research fi ndings have been analysed,
consortia through conference presentations, conducting research with all interested parties, we will present our fi ndings and conclusions
hosting learning visits and providing training including students, “home” schools, parents, to the LSIS in the form of a written report
resources. and employers. Given the breadth and depth which will available to other consortia to view.
Central to our success is a virtual learning of this research and to ensure that it would Leyland St Mary’s will use the research
environment (VLE) which we have be completed in a reasonable time frame, it fi ndings and data to further develop and
developed to facilitate our delivery model and was decided to employ an external consultant. refi ne the resources and their layout on the
methodology. T_h is has the added advantage of ensuring that VLE. T_h e fi ndings will also enable us to
Leyland St Mary’s had been using its own research and analysis of the fi ndings are robust evaluate the overall eff ectiveness of the VLE
VLE which we had been developing over a and free from bias. across all of its intended aims and put in place
number of years. T_h is seemed the obvious To fund and assist with this project any required modifi cations. We will continue
way to support pupils from diff erent centres we applied to the Specialist Schools and to share our good practice both within our
so we developed a personalised VLE for the Academies Trust who deliver the 14 to 19 consortia and nationally through conferences
Diplomas. Workforce Support Programme on behalf and online resources. We are always happy
Students have their own secure personal of the Learning and Skills Improvement to continue to host learning visits and hold
log-in to the Diploma VLE. T_h rough this Service (LSIS). Having been successful in regular conferences at the centre for interested
platform, practitioners can give students this bidding process we were granted funding consortia. Once we are happy with the overall
online feedback, assessment and even input and we have also been assigned a national eff ectiveness of the VLE, we intend to look
from industry experts. Diploma line lead to support and work with into the request by other consortia to share
T_h e student’s school can use it to track their us on this project. T_h e specifi c aims of the the VLE and resources with them. DD
progress and a parent or carer can log in to review programme are to evaluate the VLE’s
view recent grades, tutor feedback and to see eff ectiveness: • Travall Towriess is Engineering Diploma
what work needs to take place outside of core • As a teaching and learning resource. line lead at the Chorley and South Ribble
Diploma learning hours. • In promoting independent and remote Consortium, which is the subject of 11 short
T_h e specialist VLE has grown and developed learning. fi lms extolling exemplar practice. View these at
as the course has progressed, with all interested • In promoting Assessment for Learning and www.diploma-support.org/emergingpractice/
parties, including the students, contributing Quality Assurance. consortium
‘
Delivering Diplomas • Volume 2 No 1 Spring 2010 45
44-45 IAG SSAT.indd 13 5/3/10 13:22:56
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