{"id":18438,"date":"2019-11-06T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-11-06T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-gb\/industry\/blog\/?p=18438"},"modified":"2019-11-05T15:24:09","modified_gmt":"2019-11-05T14:24:09","slug":"tips-establishing-digital-learning-platform","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-gb\/industry\/blog\/education\/2019\/11\/06\/tips-establishing-digital-learning-platform\/","title":{"rendered":"4 tips for establishing a digital learning platform"},"content":{"rendered":"
It\u2019s been an interesting journey of discovery. Just over two years ago, I took on the role of Head of Digital at South Gloucestershire and Stroud College with the main objective of implementing the recently produced digital strategy. The first priority of this strategy was, and I quote\u2026<\/p>\n
\u2018<\/em>To establish a sector leading digital learning platform that provides for independent, collaborative and interactive user experiences.\u2019<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
And so it began.<\/p>\n
Tip 1 \u2013 Do plenty of research<\/h2>\n
Once you\u2019ve got a goal, the initial stage should be one of exploration. Research every possibility that might fit your needs.<\/p>\n
Our first year was spent visiting other institutions, attending conferences, and talking to various third-party providers about their products. We had no preconceptions of what this new platform would look like, or who would provide it; even Moodle was still on the table at this stage.<\/p>\n
But the reality was, our research with students and staff pointed to the fact we needed something new, something that was current, future-proof, and mobile-friendly. Developing skills and professionalism for the workplace was also a key consideration. We just didn\u2019t cover these well enough and the student experience was compromised. Change was required.<\/p>\n
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Tip 2 \u2013 Stay open-minded<\/h2>\n
At the beginning of our journey, Teams had literally just been released. We\u2019d taken a cursory look, but didn\u2019t feel it had the functionality to provide a suitable platform. We were very much leaning towards one the big Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) providers and had them down to the college a couple of times to present to staff. The feedback was varied, from \u2018this is great\u2019 to, \u2019I didn\u2019t get any of that.\u2019<\/p>\n
And then there was the cost. I started to have doubts about the suitability of the VLE platforms for the college. Meanwhile, Teams \u2013 and especially Teams for Education \u2013 had been developing at breakneck speed.<\/p>\n
So, we started looking more closely at Teams. Yes, there were gaps, but Teams was clean, focusing on communication and collaboration. It wasn\u2019t trying to be all things to all people, but was offering the opportunity to use other applications, if required. It was reliable, both in the mobile and desktop world. It was also supported by one of the largest tech firms in the world. We thought we\u2019d take a look and implemented a pilot scheme.<\/p>\n
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Tip 3 \u2013 Trial your solution first<\/h2>\n
After finding the perfect solution \u2013 or even several potential solutions \u2013 don\u2019t jump right. Get your IT team involved and trial these platforms. See how each works in a real-world environment, away from glossy presentations and sales pitches.<\/p>\n
The college\u2019s Digital Team managed to get our Teams trial in place for September 2018. It was a comprehensive pilot scheme, pulling together representation from 12 departments and included 40 teachers and around 450 students. The majority of these pilots were using only Teams as their Digital Learning Platform, with a couple of classes using a hybrid model of Teams alongside Moodle.<\/p>\n
The pilot was incredibly successful. Feedback throughout the pilot from staff and students was overwhelmingly positive, particularly around how this had improved engagement of students and we made the brave decision to move the entire college away from Moodle and into Teams and Office 365 for the 2019-20 academic year.<\/p>\n
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Tip 4 \u2013 Manage change and offer training<\/h2>\n
Our decision to switch to Teams as a digital learning platform wasn\u2019t taken lightly. The key to such a significant change has been a well thought-out change management strategy that focused on people, and the things they do, rather than the technology that supports them.<\/p>\n
We carefully managed the messages that staff received. We put in place an extremely comprehensive training programme that consisted of six hours face-to-face basic training for all curriculum staff. We also offered extended \u2018masterclasses\u2019 that staff could access for various Office 365 and other applications.<\/p>\n
Teams were centrally managed through Powershell, to give curriculum departments the flexibility to decide how they structure their delivery. This included determining which groups are collated into Teams, and which are separate. Membership of teams is linked directly to our Learning Management System, so encouraging better management of data.<\/p>\n
We are about a month or so into the new academic year now and so far, so great!<\/p>\n
The learning curve is steep, and it\u2019s not without its challenges. But it\u2019s been very manageable, with great support from Microsoft. Most importantly, our training doesn\u2019t stop now we\u2019ve rolled out Teams. Our Digital Team has been sent to bootcamp, as well as numerous face-to-face training and support visits from Microsoft.<\/p>\n
In the latest visit, Microsoft\u2019s Dominic Williamson and Alan Crawford met with staff and students to offer support and review progress. This was hugely successful and motivational for the college. Happily, it also coincides with the announcement that SGS College will become a Microsoft Showcase College 2019.<\/p>\n
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Find out more<\/h2>\n
Introduction to Microsoft Teams \u2013 the digital hub for educators and students<\/a><\/p>\n