Kirklees College cracks the FELTAG 10%
How the implementation of a new broadcast capture system helped a Further Education College meet the FELTAG 10% recommendations.
Kirklees College is a large Further Education college with centres in Huddersfield and Dewsbury in West Yorkshire, and approximately 17,000 student enrolments. It scores highly on its student satisfaction survey and has had praise for its excellent links with industry.
Following the FELTAG recommendations on the digital future for Further Education, the college took the decision to deliver 10% of its learning through scheduled online learning and assessment (SOLA). Initially this has applied to Level 2 and 3 courses but will be increased to other provision over time.
A key component in this plan is the use of “KCTV”– a service based on Planet eStream’s system for capturing TV and radio transmissions. This supports a blended and flipped learning approach which can be used for distance and independent learning.
Information Learning Technology, Web and Systems Development Manager, Neil Spaxman, says: “It’s been a challenge, but we’re getting there – and we’ve had a massive increase in the availability of material and clips available to staff and students.”
How Does ERA Help?
“The system allows capture of all selected channels 24/7 and we can keep this for seven days, so that people can select which material they want to retain for use on KCTV.”
Having the ERA licence underpins this system and compliance is a central part of it, so that an ERA copyright notice is displayed when clips are used.
“In the past, we had a member of staff responsible for recording. Often potentially useful resources were missed because transmissions went out without us realising,” comments Neil.
“Now we can review material and decide what to keep.”
Why Blended Learning?
The decision to opt for a blended learning approach was only partly based on the desire to rise to the FELTAG challenge.
“We want our students to engage with independent study and become more autonomous and resilient,” says Neil. “We are preparing them for university and the world of work, and taking responsibility for their own learning is the best way of doing this.”
The initiative has been made possible by the college’s use of its ERA licence. This enables KCTV to become a repository of high-quality material to support both blended and flipped learning, and the use of video and audio in the classroom or lecture theatre.