This document provides information about an online course called "Blended Learning Essentials for Vocational Education and Training". The course is free and aims to help those in vocational education understand the benefits of blended learning and how to effectively integrate technology into their teaching. It is funded by the Ufi Charitable Trust and delivered through FutureLearn. The course is split into two parts, "Getting Started" and "Embedding Practice", and provides videos, articles and discussion forums to help educators improve learner experiences and outcomes through blended learning approaches.

1. Blended Learning Essentials
for Vocational Education
and Training
Bett Show London - January 2015

2. Blended Learning Essentials
If you are working in further education, skills
training, vocational education, workplace
learning, lifelong learning or adult education,
this free online course is designed to help
you
understand the benefits of blended learning
and how to make more effective use of
technology to support your learners.

3. Connect and sign up
https://goo.gl/NVLrcg
Next run starts 1 Feb
#FLble2 and
@BLEcourse on
Twitter
https://goo.gl/QFk1JB
Next run starts 7
March
#FLble1 and
@BLEcourse on
Twitter

4. Who leads and funds this course?
This course is funded by the Ufi Charitable
Trust http://www.ufi.co.uk/ and is delivered
on Futurelearn by a consortium led by:

5. Blended Learning Essentials for
Vocational Education and Training
Part 1: Getting started
Course aims are:
• use a range of effective
blended learning practices and
pedagogies to improve your
learners’ experience and
attainment
• understand how the many free
and affordable technologies
now available can enhance
teaching and learning, and
• approach new technologies
with confidence, designing a
pedagogical approach to make
the best use of these tools
Part 2: Embedding
practice
Course aims are:
• integrate new technologies
into courses, and learning
and training opportunities;
• propose ways in which new
technology can help to
address key challenges in
the VET sector;
• develop your own skills
further and contribute to the
sector’s community
knowledge of the optimal
uses of blended learning.

6. Blended Learning Essentials for
Vocational Education and Training
Part 1: Getting started

7. Blended Learning Essentials for
Vocational Education and Training
Part 2: Embedding
practice

8. Why is Blended
Learning Essentials important?
“This could be a real boost for
innovation in the sector”, said Diana
Laurillard, Professor of Learning with
Digital Technology at UCL, and co-
director of the project, “because the
course supports teachers and trainers
in learning together about blended
learning, as they experience it
themselves”.
“The Ufi Charitable Trust
wants to catalyse change
in the vocational world and
engaging the professionals
who deliver the teaching is
a fundamental step in
achieving this.”
Rebecca Garrod-Waters,
CEO, Ufi Trust
Prof Neil Morris, Director of Digital Learning and Professor of
Educational Technology at the University of Leeds, and co-director of the
project, said “This project, and the freely available open courses, are
hugely important for teachers and trainers to help them make the most
effective use of digital technologies to improve their learners’ success.”

9. Why is Blended
Learning Essentials important?
Effective use of Learning
Technology in teaching and
training plays a role in the area
based reviews
Learning Technology and digital literacy and digital
skills are increasingly essentials for teachers,
trainers… managers, directors and governors… and
employers and learners across the sector.
Supporting and developing staff skills in Blended Learning can be costly
and it’s hard to keep up to date.
This course is flexible, free and open, enabling colleges, training
providers and others to tailor it to their needs and use it as part of
internal staff development

10. Sneak preview:
Meet the course

11. Blended Learning Essentials for
Vocational Education and Training
Part 2: Embedding practice,
Week 1

12. Blended Learning Essentials for
Vocational Education and Training

13. Blended Learning Essentials for
Vocational Education and Training

14. Blended Learning Essentials for
Vocational Education and Training

15. Participating in BLE
• It is anticipated that most participants will take both parts of
the course, however you are not required to take part 1 in
order to join part 2.
• Sign up at:
Part 1 - https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/blended-
learning-getting-started
Part 2 - https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/blended-
learning-embedding-practice
• Receive a confirmation email:
– Complete the online survey
– Fill out your profile
– Invite friends to join

19. What’s it like to
participate?

20. Participating in BLE
• On the start date of the course content will
appear under ‘My Courses’ when you are
logged into FutureLearn
• It’s a good idea to complete your profile and
interact with other participants as much as
possible
• The recommended time commitment is 4
hours per week for the duration of the course,
but this is flexible and course content remains
live after the course ends

21. Blended Learning Essentials for
Vocational Education and Training

22. Participating in BLE
Ways to participate:
• Videos, audio and articles – review these items in your own
time, often followed by short quizzes to help cement
knowledge.
• Discussion –talk over a topic with fellow learners, a great
way to benefit from the wider BLE community.
• Quizzes – these activities are not scored. You have unlimited
attempts to complete them, and will be given hints along the
way.
• Tests – these are scored activities which count towards your
final mark. You will be given a maximum of three attempts to
pass these tests, and you will receive a lower mark if you
pass the test on a second or third attempt.
• Assignments – BLE may include some assignments, with the
opportunity to give and receive feedback from your fellow
learners.

23. Learn with colleagues in the Vocational
Education and Training sector
This online course will be supported by a group
of dedicated Digital Champions. They will help
participants connect with teaching and training
professionals who understand the practical,
everyday challenges of using blended learning
in your sector.
This way participants will have access to
colleagues with the experience to answer
questions, to discuss ideas and share
problems.

24. Pathways to accreditation
As a course participant you have a number of ways to gain
professional recognition and accreditation for participating in the
course and as a next step in your professional development.
The different pathways include:
• FutureLearn Statement of Participation
• Accreditation via professional bodies and CPD
• Paths to accreditation via other bodies, e.g. the UCL Institute of
Education.

25. Course Dates
BLE part 1:
2 Nov-6 Dec 2015
7 Mar-10 Apr 2016*
4 Jul-7 Aug 2016*
BLE part 2:
1 Feb-21 Feb 2016
6 Jun-26 Jun 2016*
3 Oct-23 Oct 2016*
*Please note that these dates are re-runs of the original material, there is
no need to attend multiple sessions.

26. Connect and sign up
https://goo.gl/NVLrcg
Next run starts 1 Feb
#FLble2 and
@BLEcourse on
Twitter
https://goo.gl/QFk1JB
Next run starts 7
March
#FLble1 and
@BLEcourse on
Twitter