Coffield diagnoses the ills of the sector

This blog is becoming the Frank Coffield fan club! I can't link to the article because it is not on-line, but if you are a member of the University and Colleges Union (UCU), you will have received a copy of the October magazine; do read "When the solution is the problem..." (pp.9-10) and copy it for your fellow course members.

It's a bit early in the year, but...

Concrete suggestions on how to get stuff written!

Useful article and links on technology in the classroom

Very practical, with plenty of links to resources. It is a little US-centric, though.

New on the parallel blog

Stuff on this blog tends to be directly PCE programme related, so this is simply a reminder of the parallel blog (link in the heading to this post), which includes some new stuff on e-learning and nature/nurture today and is up-dated fairly regularly during term-time.

Best wishes for the new year, both as tutors and participants!

Have you heard about clickers?

FE is often equipped with more sophisticated technology than any other sector. Smart board are now being supplemented by clickers (although they may not be all that useful with small classes); the link is to a useful briefing on their use and effectiveness. It also explains what they are!

Conference papers

You can now download two papers based in part on work with the Programme, and delivered at two international conferences this summer, from the above link. Do feel free to comment via this blog.

All the best for the new academic year, both as tutors/lecturers/teachers and as students!

Useful link for (new) Module 7

For anyone interested in approaches to PCE elsewhere in the world, the US system of "Community Colleges" is well worth looking at. They vary a lot, of course, but many combine vocational and technical education with offering the first two years of a traditional four-year bachelor's degree, thereby contributing a lot to what we would call the "widening participation" agenda. They offer most courses part-time, too. This article from USA Today is a very useful introduction.