Session 2.2: Web 2.0

Case study:

Sandwell Training Association – development of a blog

About the organisation

Sandwell Training Association (STA) is a work-based learning provider funded by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC). STA delivers apprenticeships, Train to Gain and private courses in IT, business administration, customer service, ILM and engineering. Currently, 22 staff are employed by STA, working with approximately 120 learners.

About the chosen technology

After attending the Work-based learning E-Guides training programme, E-Guides from STA decided to develop a blog to deliver distance learning and update links to other relevant websites. They also decided to post learning materials with guidance onto the blog.

STA developed the blog because staff believed that the blog offered them the opportunity to provide flexible learning from a distance. The expected benefit was that learners would use the blog to exchange ideas and questions via the blog owner (the E-Guide).

Impact and benefits to date

All delivery staff in the business services team now make use of the blog for their learners. Benefits for staff include the fact that assessors who are company based can now be kept up to date with the technical certificates, e-Quals, etc. Through the use of the blog, external staff can be reached more effectively, and they also have the opportunity to communicate with each other and with in-house staff through the same channel.

For learners, the most significant benefit is that learning materials, websites and resources are always available, even when learners are in the workplace and not at the centre.

Barriers

The main barrier experienced to date is the challenge of keeping the blog up to date in the limited time available.

Plans

Both the blog and the STA portal (website) are works in progress and are still in development. STA plans to further extend their use and application, and intends to provide practice materials and guidance notes for all sectors, both through the blog and through the STA portal. Furthermore, e-portfolios are now being used and will be offered to learners across the work-based learning provision.

Key ingredients for success

‘Make things interesting, attractive and accessible.’

E-Guides training programme