While learning styles have remained a hotly debated and often contested theory within education for many years, varied teaching methods have been proven to keep learners motivated and engaged.
No two learners are the same and so what inspires one may not resonate with another, which means providers have a duty to offer an array of different methods and experiences that engage learners beyond the confines of a workplace or classroom.
Whether someone prefers to talk things out face-to-face, listen to a podcast or be given detailed reading material, understanding that each person processes information differently is key.
At ACT, we are constantly monitoring our delivery and listening to learner feedback to find more innovative and creative ways to share knowledge and boost skills.
Here are a few of the ways ACT is helping to engage learners in different ways.
For trainee assessors and delivery staff, ACT’s curriculum developer, Kameron Harrhy, recently played host to a four-part revision podcast series.
The series was created alongside ACT’s Education and Development apprenticeships team and is designed to guide new assessors through their qualification. It also serves as a refresher for existing delivery staff to brush up on their skills and knowledge.
Within our Jobs Growth Wales + programmes, we ensure that what is being taught by our tutors can be shown in practical, real-world settings with learners having the opportunities to put the knowledge they’ve gained to the test.
We have recently set up fortnightly workshops in some subjects, such as hairdressing. The workshops give learners the chance to work alongside tutors to hone their skills in a more practical setting. It is a great space to ask questions, practice new methods and receive validation for the skills they have already gained. For hairdressing students in particular, it’s a much-needed stepping stone between work done in theory and the busy expectations of work in a salon placement.
For JGW+ and ACT Schools learners, enrichment is a huge part of their curriculum. Enrichment can take the shape of cultural trips, leisure visits, volunteer days or even driving lessons.
While these opportunities on their own are exciting, we have developed our own Enrichment Resource to ensure that learners not only get a fun experience from their day out but also gain new skills and make the most of what they’ve learned.
The resource offers learners an interactive webpage filled with prompts relating to the type of trip they are going on. It allows learners to scroll through a number of ‘icebreaker’ activities, discussion cues, research notes, videos, activities and a few points to aid reflection of the day.
The last few years have shifted online learning from a ‘nice to have’ to an essential offering for work-based learning providers.
At ACT, we have invested in a hybrid delivery digital suite to enhance online learning from a lesson delivered through a webcam to an interactive virtual classroom experience.
Our digital suite has a tracking camera to allow tutors or speakers to walk around the room and demonstrate throughout their teaching. There is also fully immersive audio equipment to ensure those tuning in remotely have the same experience as those who attend a class in person; learners are able to hear their peers and engage in conversations with ease.
ACT is committed to improving lives through learning and a crucial part of this ethos is understanding that every individual has their own unique ways of learning. We are continuing to develop more engaging and interactive ways to help our learners achieve their personal and professional goals.
