| I could swear my watch was going backwards. This | | | | are allowed to drift from the point of the lesson. This |
| had to be the most boring lesson ever. The tutor had | | | | can be tutor or learner instigated but who ever the |
| his back to us; he was writing mathematical formula on | | | | villain, valuable time can be lost and learning 'switched |
| the whiteboard and muttering to himself. I was the | | | | off'. It really does not take much for this to happen. |
| fortunate one. Here to observe the tutor, I could leave | | | | 6. Learner involvement. The publication, Further |
| after 1 hour. The official learners were not so lucky. | | | | Education: Raising Skills, Improving Life Chances, |
| They were trapped here for a further 2 hours and not | | | | published in March 2006 states 'We know that when |
| one person was engaged in the learning process. The | | | | learners participate in decisions affecting their learning |
| damage caused by this tutor could have far reaching | | | | experience, they are likely to play a more active role in |
| consequences. It could have an impact on their next | | | | the provider's quality improvement processes - a key |
| piece of course work, affect the classification of their | | | | lever of service improvement'. This is particularly |
| results and, more importantly, influence their | | | | important as the Government's priorities are; to |
| engagement with the subject for the rest of their lives. | | | | increase success rates and encourage progression; |
| The disappointing thing was that this tutor did not know | | | | narrow the gap in educational achievement between |
| how dismal this experience was to us at the receiving | | | | young people from different backgrounds; prepare for |
| end. | | | | the raising of the participation age to 17 and then 18 by |
| So what should learning professionals do to improve | | | | 2015 and generally raise the quality of provision across |
| engagement? | | | | all providers. |
| 1. Select activities that are at a correct level of | | | | Increased involvement, which covers a wide variety of |
| difficulty and are motivating, interesting and stretching | | | | practices that seek to enable, equip and motivate |
| to the learner. It is important to consider the learners' | | | | learners, is called the 'learner voice' and this is an |
| interests, prior knowledge, current skills levels and | | | | important feature of any engagement strategy. This |
| attention span. Another lesson I observed was on | | | | can include having learner governors, student |
| materials and their properties. In this case the tutor, a | | | | representatives on committees and curriculum review |
| subject matter expert and skilled educator, quickly | | | | boards. The 'learner voice' has to be considered in the |
| established that one of the class had worked in a | | | | self assessment review (SAR) process. Learners are |
| plastics factory and had unique first hand experience | | | | encouraged to collaborate and challenge assertions |
| of handling such materials. This information was used | | | | made in the SAR in relation to the organisation's |
| to great effect. It enhanced the session and added | | | | strengths, weaknesses and quality improvement plans. |
| value in ways that could not be envisaged at the start | | | | A wider range of learners can be involved by asking |
| of the class. This leads onto the next point: | | | | them to complete course review and evaluation forms |
| 2. The more opportunities learners have to respond to | | | | and for smaller numbers to take part in focus groups. |
| particular information or to practice a skill, the better | | | | The latter tool is particularly useful as it allows more |
| their understanding of that subject or skill. When | | | | qualitative information to be gathered than is found on |
| learners are actively involved in an activity, for | | | | standard questionnaire based surveys and this can |
| example, writing, solving a problem, doing an | | | | provide more valuable insights. |
| experiment, in contrast to being passively involved, for | | | | Whether learners remain involved over time will |
| example, just listening to a tutor, greater gains are | | | | depend on how the information is used and the |
| made. | | | | outcomes communicated. If learners feel that the |
| 3. To enhance understanding it is important to | | | | organisation is merely going through the motions and is |
| contextualise learning so that learners can apply the | | | | not truly taking into account their ideas they will |
| principles to everyday situations. For this, education | | | | become sceptical and will quickly disengage from |
| providers need to have an effective employer | | | | future activities. |
| engagement strategy; one that is flexible and | | | | 7. The above will not happen without improved |
| responsive to the needs of industry. Employers should | | | | pastoral and other support. Help will be needed to undo |
| be encouraged to help with the design, management | | | | prior barriers to learning and all advice must be impartial |
| and delivery of relevant segments of the curriculum; | | | | and realistic. Pastoral support should be offered at an |
| organise visits to their business premises; give access | | | | earlier stage and at key transition points for learners |
| to live data and provide resource packs. | | | | who are identified as being at risk of 'drifting' away |
| 4. Learning plans to personalise the learning for each | | | | from education before achieving their qualification |
| student is an important strategy to improve | | | | goals. This could also have an impact on their future |
| engagement. To achieve this work needs to be | | | | opportunities for employment. There is a need to boost |
| organised in a way that satisfies different levels of | | | | learning and achievement and provide a healthy |
| ability and rates of progress. It could mean providing | | | | stretch to ambition. The use of mentors, role models |
| extra tasks for a higher level pass, additional material | | | | and peer support can greatly encourage engagement. |
| for people struggling to grasp the content or another | | | | 8. Tutors and support staff who are involved in |
| opportunity to practice a certain skill to gain proficiency | | | | developing the knowledge, skills, attitudes and |
| and achieve success. | | | | confidence of young learners should undertake regular |
| 5. Good classroom management also has an impact | | | | and relevant professional development activities that |
| on learner engagement. Sessions should start at their | | | | focus on learner engagement. |
| scheduled time. The tutor should be well prepared | | | | 9. There should also be effective dialogue between |
| ahead of time and should begin by giving learners a | | | | tutors and the parents and carers of learners. The key |
| clear statement of the lesson's aims. To minimise | | | | messages must be effectively communicated |
| inappropriate behaviour, tutors should have clearly | | | | between the parties and learners should understand |
| stated rules, expect and reward appropriate behaviour, | | | | the responsibility they have in the learning process and |
| be consistent, and handle inappropriate behaviour | | | | the possible consequences if they take the decision to |
| efficiently. As such, there should be a sensible limit to | | | | disengage. |
| the number of times learners can go the bathroom, | | | | And finally |
| visit their locker, listen to their MP3 players and engage | | | | 10. As always, good practice should be disseminated |
| in other distracting activities. | | | | widely to communities of practice across the sector. |
| Learning time can be seriously eaten into if discussions | | | | |