1. Case study
Rob Allen Plumbing lecture and Personal Tutor
Rob joined the college in the middle of the summer holidays in 2005. He was
employed as a lecturer in the plumbing department; he had no teaching
experience or IT skills
On arrival he experienced a two day college induction programme, focusing
on the IT system using the internet and the colleges Virtue Learning
Environment (VLE). The department was quite new and the was only about 4
learning objects on the VLE. With the help of a mentor he spent the rest of
the summer accessing the internet and researching information and
resouces for curriculum he would be delivering at the start of the new term.
In September 2005 Rob started he teaching qualification “Certification in
Education”. ILT in teaching was embedding within the course and Rob
enjoyed gaining knowledge on how he could use the tools to enhance the
learning of his student. His mentor supported him to consolidate what he was
taught in class and showed him how he could create exciting learning
resources using the interactive white board and the active studio. Rob found
that producing e-material using the technology was quick and easy. It saved
him spending hours at the photocopier and saving him time and the college
money.
“I am excited in my new job as a teacher, I am living the dream. ”
Rob commented about the support and encouragement he received in his first
year. He noted that it is very much the culture of the college to encourage
staff to be innovative. The teaching observation process supports innovation
in the classroom. Rob feels confidence to try new things even though it may
not always work the college recognises that the learning process is important
for both students and tutors.
At the end of his first year working in the college, Rob realised that he was
dyslexic. This was initial picked up by his Cert Ed tutor and then confirmed by
the learning support team. Rob was concerned that he wouldn’t be able to
complete his teaching qualification and this would end this new found career.
However his manager, the course tutor and his HR officer supported him in
gaining funding via “access to work”. Rob received the technology he needed
to do his job and complete the teaching qualification.
“Without ILT I don’t think I would be a teacher today.”
Over the following year Rob started to work with the ILT manager and
gateway team to build intuitive resouces for his curriculum area. The use of
video and interactive software enables him to create over 130 learning
resouces which were available on the VLE by 2006. Rob lack of IT previous

2. IT skills did not hold him back; he knew that the gateway team would support
him.
His enthusiasm for ILT and digital learning is compelling. He shared
knowledge with other staff and because he is a practitioner and not a
technologist he has been able to motivate other practitioner by sharing and
demonstrating examples of what he has achieved for and with his learners.
His key messages are:
 Does it work?
 Is it easy to create?
 Does it engage learner?
An unexpected consequence of the development of the VLE in Rob
curriculum has been learners, access learning materials at 3am in the
morning due to shift work patterns .
The R&A rates for Rob’s full time plumbing course has significantly improved
2005 66%
2010 98%
He is convinced that ILT is significant contributing factor because the learning
resouces are intuitive and accessible.
Rob took on a personal tutor element to his role and is now using the colleges
own StARs and Stripes e- system to identify learners at risk and support them
via a individual improvement plan. He continually uses the technology to find
way to work with learners ensure improvement both academically and
behaviour.
At the start of this journey Rob have never taught before and had no IT skills,
now he is a grade one teacher and is a mentor and champion. He uses digital
technologies and ILT to achieve his and others dreams.