ETUI Education Conference Developing e-learning Tools for Trade Union Education Craig Hawkins Online Learning Officer, TUC Education
Background TUC has established a highly successful and effective national education programme A comprehensive and varied programme of nationally accredited trade union education courses A national network of specialist tutors and trade union studies departments across the UK
Curriculum Course activities are varied discussion based, collaborative, tutor facilitated, workplace activities, some self study Courses offered to union representatives and officers include employment law, health and safety, equality issues, learning, representative skills, grievance and discipline, updates on new issues etc The programme offers clear pathways and progression routes
Success in the classroom The TUC Education classroom programme is highly successful and well regarded both internally and externally There is high demand from trade unionists and our affiliates and evidenced by high course retention and achievement Knowledgeable and specialist tutor team supported by a TUC managed programme of professional development
Aims of the online programme Offer an alternative to the established classroom based TUC Education programme Make training more accessible and convenient for workplace representatives Develop a high quality and effective programme of equal standard to that of the classroom based provision A programme to complement the established classroom offer
Online challenge Ensure that the development of online courses provided by the TUC, would be of exemplary quality, highly valued both by learners and by affiliated trade unions, and focused, like face to face course provision, on maintaining and developing trade union education.
Success Demand for online courses is high 81% enjoyed their online learning experience 89% would enrol for another online course 87% would encourage others to enrol Evidence that learning is highly effective Quality of learners work is of a very high standard Shift in attitudes towards e-learning amongst reps and our affiliates
Building on successes Scope for further improvement and increase impact and effectiveness It was still necessary to increase retention, accessibility and improve reach Enhance the quality of online content Previously had not taken advantage of technological opportunities mistake Developing e-learning Tools for Trade Union Education (DeLTTUE) Project completes March 2012
DeLTTUE project aims Develop guidance to ensure new technologies are successfully adopted and exploited in teaching practice Create innovative materials for trade union education programmes and vocational training across Europe Produce collaborative tools to enable tutors to exchange information and influence curriculum development Establish quality assurance standards and systems for online trade union education programmes
DeLTTUE aims Develop and deliver training to trade union education practitioners to improve their capacity to provide quality e-learning to workplace representatives Evaluate the impact of online learning upon workplace representatives and trade union educators Disseminate the project s outcomes within European trade union networks and wider vocational and training communities
DeLTTUE partners TUC (UK) SAK (Finland) LO-S (Sweden) CITUB (Bulgaria) KANEP/GSEE (Greece) ETUI (cross Europe) The Open University (UK) Lewisham College (UK) Stow College (UK)
DeLTTUE products Web-based learning environment for European trade union confederations Video material to enhance online course content and web based media Rapid e-learning modules to deliver professional development to trade union representatives and officers Guidance and standards manuals forming part of a practical toolkit An e-learning training course for trade union education practitioners
DeLTTUE This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.