I am proud to have been involved in further and adult education for more than 40 years - as a teacher, learner, lecturer, manager, vice-principal, principal and, more recently, as chair of governors at Northern College in Barnsley.
One of the colleges I worked at in Derbyshire was built by the “penny levy”. Coalminers dropped pennies into a can at the pit head every payday until they had enough money to build a small two-roomed schoolhouse, so that they and their families could learn to read and write. Another college in Nottingham was called The People’s College. Its mission statement read: “Erected by voluntary contributions for the education and training of the working classes for ever.” Skills Funding Agency, please take note.
In all those years, I have been struck by two things. Firstly, the power of education to transform the lives of individuals, families and communities. Secondly, the commitment, passion and resilience of the FE workforce. I have yet to meet a teacher who is not dedicated to doing the best for students and to improve their own teaching, learning and assessment skills and knowledge. I am yet to encounter a member of support staff who does not passionately believe in the value of their work. But things have been tough for FE recently. Repeated year-on-year budget cuts, a lack of understanding of the role and needs of the sector by successive ministers, and the area-based reviews have all taken their toll.
The learning design principles underpinning the current system originated in a bygone industrial era
We also have to recognise that the learning design principles underpinning the current system originated in a bygone industrial era. The underlying mindset upon which the current system is predicated is no longer fit for purpose in the digital world.
As a result, we have to look at ourselves and consider whether we need to transform the way we do things.
‘A more digital future’
This was a key driving principle behind the support that Matt Hancock, then FE and skills minister, gave to kick-start the Further Education Learning Technology Action Group, which has attempted to nudge the sector towards a more digital future.
Two recent reports provide a steer for our future vision and a stimulus to policymakers that we need a paradigm shift in the way the sector is funded, organised, regulated, assessed and, ultimately, judged.
The first is the Open University’s Innovating Pedagogy 2016 report. This publication provides an insight into some of the ways in which technology is playing a role in the design, delivery and assessment of learning.
The second is from the Skills Commission, Going Places: innovation in further education and skills. The commission heard that innovation occurs where leaders are “prepared to go beyond the obvious” and involves “a different and creative approach to solving problems, pushing boundaries to serve communities and businesses”.
It’s a window of opportunity to reflect on how we design, deliver and assess learning
These two reports provide us all with a window of opportunity to reflect on how we design, deliver and assess learning, and engage and support learners in an increasingly digital world.
The time for doing the wrong things in the wrong way with diminished resources, as best we can, and expecting a different outcome is over. We need to transform ourselves if we want to transform the lives of learners and communities. As history demonstrates, they depend on us.
Bob Harrison is chair of governors at Northern College, a board member of the UFI Trust and was a member of the Further Education Learning Technology Action Group. He tweets @bobharrisonset
