BCoT’s new Learning Hub offers students a digital future

Basingstoke College of Technology (BCoT) has put digital technology and digital learning at the heart of its newly refurbished Learning Hub. The renovation, funded by Enterprise M3 – the local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), is the latest initiative to integrate digital skills and technology across BCoT, offering students a home from home study space. The essence of the Hub is flexibility meets high-tech with modern, adaptable furniture and state of the art digital technology.

The flexible and collaborative learning space in the Hub has been designed to mirror how students work at home. With moveable and adaptable furniture, the space can be used in many ways, enabling students to work together or independently. Adjustable desks, which are growing in popularity in the corporate world, allow students to work standing up or sitting down.

Central to the Learning Hub is the very latest in modern technology including Chrome books, multiple virtual reality headsets, a Jamboard (interactive whiteboard developed by Google) and tablets. With such a breadth of technology it will also be used for teaching and learning, enabling BCoT to incorporate all things digital into student lessons.

Alongside the Learning Hub renovation, the £300,000 award has also funded technology projects in the College’s Engineering, Computing and Information Technology departments. Media and Games Design now has a new motion capture suit and the College has been able to upgrade its IT system.

Commenting on the investment which is key to BCoT embedding digital skills and learning across its course provision, Anthony Bravo, Principal said: “We are pioneers of innovation in education. Digital is the future – it’s where the key growth sectors are, where future careers lie and will be integral to all professions and home life. Our teaching environment needs to reflect this, so the Learning Hub is a new style in student learning space, unrestricted by furniture, resources or technology and designed to mirror how students work at home. Alongside strong technical qualifications, digital skills are king and pivotal to student success. Our approach is to prepare students for HE where this equipment is readily available and for employment with advanced technical qualifications underpinned with strong digital skills and experience.”

The £300,000 funding is part of the Enterprise M3 – the local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) Digital Pathways project. Their Chief Executive Kathy Slack said: “I am delighted to see BCoT powering ahead and using the funding from our Digital Pathways project so that students can access the latest thinking, teaching and equipment to gain the life, digital and work skills that are essential for today’s modern, changing and innovative workplaces.”

For BCoT, being a pioneer in digital learning goes beyond the latest in technology. The investment in building a digital future for the College and its students includes a dedicated Digital Team of innovative and creative specialists. The Digital Team work alongside college lecturers to integrate digital skills and technology into all classrooms to help bring learning to life.