#VocTechNow: three college stories, responding to the pandemic

In this episode of The Edtech Podcast (@podcastedtech), you’ll hear stories from three colleges; Lancaster & Morecambe College (@LMCollege), the Isle of Wight College (@IWCollege) and South West College (@SWCcollege) in Northern Ireland.

VocTech Now was part of Ufi’s response to support the vocational learning sector in the UK during the Covid-19 pandemic.

It addressed the immediate barriers being faced by supporting vocational learning providers to rapidly transition to remote teaching and training and deliver accessible learning at a time of significant change. This was done with small grants of between £10k and £25k.

Our guests talk about some of the Further Education challenges they faced during 2020, how their collaboration with VocTech Now had a positive impact and we delve into some of the lessons they have learnt along the way.

Enjoy and follow the conversation using #VocTechPodcast and #VocTechNow.

People

• Kev Jones, Project Account Manager, Ufi VocTech Trust | Twitter: @tweetkevjones
• Louise Woods, e-Content Designer/ Digital Learning Developer, South West College | Twitter: @l_woods82
• Melissa Grimes, Learning Resource Centre Coordinator, South West College (Dungannon site)
• Ian Grayling, Project Account Manager for Ufi VocTech Trust and Executive Director at thelyceumpro
• Dawn Smart, Contracts and Performance Manager, The Isle of Wight College | Twitter: @iwcollege
• Iain Parkinson, Head of Faculty: Sport, Care, Art, Media and Public Services, Lancaster & Morecambe College | Twitter: @LMCollege
• Mark Berthelemy, Independent digital problem solver, | Website: https://mark.berthelemy.net/
• Ty Goddard, Director & Co-founder of The Education Foundation and Chair of Edtech UK | Twitter: @ty_goddard
• Sophie Bailey is the Founder and Presenter of The Edtech Podcast | Twitter: @podcastedtech

References from this episode

• Catch up on episode #215 – ‘VocTech in the Criminal Justice System’ here – Website link
• VocTech Now – Part of Ufi’s response to the Covic-19 pandemic – Website page link
• VocTech Seed Grants For Early Stage Projects In Vocational Learning are open from 21st January – Ufi website page link for more info
• Ty Goddard – Twitter
• Education Foundation – Twitter
• Edtech Demonstrator – Twitter
• Edtech Demonstrator – website
• Association of Colleges (AoC) – Twitter
• AoC analysis Spending review – document link
• Kev Jones – LinkedIn
• Kev Jones – Twitter
• New City College, London – Twitter
• Kingston Maurward College – Land-based college in Dorset – Twitter
• Kingston Maurward – website
• Moodle – Twitter
• Microsoft Teams – website
• South West College, Northern Island – Twitter
• Louise Woods – LinkedIn
• Ian Grayling – LinkedIn
• Dawn Smart – LinkedIn
• The Isle of Wight College – Twitter
• Pinnacle  – video creation software website link
• Canvas LMS – Twitter
• Isle of Wight College – Twitter
• Burnley College – Twitter
• Lincoln College – Twitter
• West London College – Twitter
• Google for Education – Twitter
• Google for Education – Website
• Google Education: Professional Development – Website link
• Iain Parkinson – LinkedIn
• Lancaster & Morecambe College – Twitter
• Mark Berthelemy – LinkedIn
• Mark Berthelemy – Website
• Prof Sarah Gilbert: The woman who designed the Oxford vaccine – BBC News Article, 24 Nov 2020
• Time stamps for the episode
  • 2:58 Ty Goddard of Education Foundation
  • 6:40 Some Headlines
  • 9:00 Kev Jones for Ufi VocTech Trust
  • 14:35 Melissa Grimes and Louise Woods of South West College
  • 19:50 Ian Grayling for Ufi VocTech Trust
  • 28:25 Dawn Smart of The Isle of Wight College
  • 38:40 Iain Parkinson of Lancaster & Morecambe College and Mark Berthelemy
  • 54:00 Some final learnings from the VocTech Now collaborations
  • 57:50 Episode wrap up and reminder about the VocTech Seed grants opening soon!

Thank you to the Ufi Voctech Trust

The Voctech Podcast Series is produced by The Edtech Podcast and supported by Ufi Voctech Trust.

Our aim is to help improve vocational skills in the UK’s workforce by funding digital solutions for vocational learning. We only fund activity that is ‘scalable’ through technology, ie projects that use digital methods to widen access to vocational learning. While digital learning solutions are potentially open to all, we are especially keen to assist digital projects which involve post-school age vocational learners that have failed to be engaged by the education system. Contact: [email protected], Head of Communications, Ufi Voctech Trust.

Tell us where you are listening in from

We’d love to hear about innovative technology or approaches you are developing or using in adult education. Leave your stories in the comments below. Alternately, record a quick free voicemail via speakpipe for inclusion in the next episode. Finally, you can post your thoughts or follow-on links via twitter @podcastedtech or via The Edtech Podcast Facebook page.