The BYOD device initiative was introduced as a way to engage learners in a new approach due to the COVID - 19 pandemic, after the initial lockdown when the learners returned to the college it was decided that it would be wise to adopt a blended delivery model in case a second lockdown occurred. The BYOD has meant that learners can access a range of resources and applications that are directly... more

The BYOD device initiative was introduced as a way to engage learners in a new approach due to the COVID - 19 pandemic, after the initial lockdown when the learners returned to the college it was decided that it would be wise to adopt a blended delivery model in case a second lockdown occurred. The BYOD has meant that learners can access a range of resources and applications that are directly linked to their programme of study literally enabling them to learn everywhere.

The initial introduction and adaption within my area of work was to create and publish a number of web based resources that the learners could access via a specific QR code. The QR codes were signposted in both the classroom and the practical areas and these are used as a link to encourage the learners to become independent and take ownership of their learning.

So far there has been a positive reaction and response from the majority of learners, however this was not initially the case as learners had to be monitored to ensure that they were using the devices for the intended purpose, unfortunately the lure of social media was to great for some learners so this was a learning curve for both parties. After the introductory period and following some adjustments the cohorts from the Level 2 and 3 cohorts have expressed they enjoy the new way of working and can see how this benefits them in their studies, they have also given feedback about how they think it could be improved which has been beneficial as this is coming direct from the learners. Having this direct input from the learner has been vital as they are the target audience so receiving positive feedback has been a great experience. However the foundation learners have yet to fully take on board the approach but with time and some modifications to the way in which we use the devices for their sessions I believe it will become an integral part of their teaching. On reflection having a 'one size fits all' was not the best approach and this has been taken on board and adaptions made to contextualize and tailor the approach to each level accordingly.

As this is a new initiative I am pleased with the results to date and the positive feedback received, the outcomes and the results from the approach have been collated and analysed as follows:

1. Student uptake and verbal feedback from in class discussions
2. Data from student accessing resources ( Tracking and Traffic Hits)

Having trialed the BYOD in my own sessions as a pilot I have now had discussions with other lecturing staff with the engineering faculty to discuss the potential to adopt the strategy across other areas, this has been done by sharing my own experience and feedback from learners during a staff CPD session. This gave other staff the opportunity to ask questions and respond to any potential concerns which arose such as Health and Safety Implications. After the session a number of staff are now using the approach with positive results and an increase in learner engagement. As a result of this the range of resources has been increased with learners now being able to access: Live Streams of Practical Demonstrations, Recordings of sessions for revision and online discussion forums in class and at home. The use of mobile devices has also given me another avenue that supports inclusivity as learners can view images and text in a manner that meets their needs i.e. larger text or contrasting colours for ease of access. less