Making Further Education Sustainable in a Digital World through collaboration

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Carlo - Cover page and inside back page
Making Further Education Sustainable in a Digital World through Collaboration
Michelle Selinger, Graham Huggins and Christopher Gleadle
Introduction
Why education needs to think about sustainability
Sustainability is much more than being green: it is about understanding the interdependence
of environmental, social and financial impacts on the long term future of the organisation
within its local, national and international setting. In education “sustainability” can mean
many things: it can be about ensuring the economic viability of the organisation or about
improving the carbon footprint, but it can also be about how students’ learning is catered for;
the availability and choice of courses, and how engagement with employers is improved.
In this first of two papers we explore the intersection of sustainability, quality in learning and
teaching, and innovative uses of digital technology. We make recommendations to further
education colleges to help them set a sustainability agenda that will also enable them to
make substantial improvements in the relevance, quality and efficacy of learning and
teaching and its management.
Further education is at a crossroads
Recent reports, including the report from the Further Education Learning and Teaching
Advisory Group (FELTAG)1
and TLRP2
, make it clear that there needs to be greater
relevancy and currency with trends in the workplace towards sustainability, greater
resilience, and the use of technology to streamline processes and improve effectiveness. As
government funding for education is constantly reduced, new models are needed to ensure
both viability and financial sustainability. Innovative use of digital technology in conjunction
with well implemented solutions will increase the motivation and engagement of learners as
well as sustainability by:
• bringing employers and colleges closer together without the need for extensive
travel;
• reducing the need to expand buildings by increasing remote access to learning
opportunities; and
• adding new levels of authenticity to learning and teaching, as well as offering
significant economies of scale.
The FELTAG report adds significant weight to the discussion about employer-college
relations stating that “it is clear from the research and sector discussions that a closer
1 FELTAG (2014) Paths forward to a digital future for Further Education and Skills. Recommendations
from the Further Education Leaning Technologies Advisory Group (FELTAG). Available at
http://feltag.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/FELTAG-REPORT-FINAL.pdf
2 Nash, I., Sue Jones, Ecclestone, K. and Brown, A, Eds (2008) Challenge and change in further
education: A Commentary by the Teaching and Learning Research Programme. TLRP, London

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relationship should be established between employers and FE and Skills providers so that
learning technology in and outside work are more effectively exploited”.
There are a number of technologies that support a sustainable education model such as
unified communications and collaboration tools that range from instant messaging,
presence, telephony, video and email to social networking, virtual learning environments,
flipped classrooms, media studio in a box, 360 degree projection domes, multimedia,
mobility, feedback, and information shared and accessible from anywhere to anyone or to
groups. A range of virtual tools such as visual collaboration software allows users to create
and capture ideas and notes on any available application and to keep meetings organised
and easily communicate their outcomes - all in a safe, secure and confidential environment.
Why sustainability matters
Building sustainability capacity in college will empower students as future employees with a
greater understanding of sustainability which, in turn, will build future capacity in business
and industry to plan for sustainability, aiding the adoption of appropriate frameworks and
tools that will improve efficiencies, cost savings, risk and economic growth. In fact, studies
have shown that successful implementation of sustainability improves morale and retention
in business3
, and that students who learn in the context of sustainable education are found
to be more motivated, better behaved, and more attentive in class4
.
Education can add such value by raising awareness of the implications of sustainable
practices, both internally to understand the risks and the opportunities for the college
environment to enhance the student experience and improve retention, as well as outreach
to the community and building bridges with business.
Pedagogical implications of sustainability
Using technology in innovative ways can have a significant impact on both the sustainability
of the college as well as learning outcomes and teaching efficiencies and effectiveness.
Blended learning models
More and more students want to combine studies with work. Lifelong learning is becoming a
reality as increasingly people want to find ways to improve their job prospects and enjoy
greater economic rewards; and the number of apprenticeship opportunities are increasing
which also demand on the job training. Having to leave the workplace to attend college
lectures is no longer tenable for reasons of costs and time, especially when the alternative of
a blended learning solution can make the learning experience just as valuable and
meaningful, and provide learners with choices about how to best use the time freed up by
not having to travel. Reduced travel also means reduced carbon emissions.
3 Sirota Survey Intelligence (2007) Corporate Social Responsibility Contributes To Bottom Line,
Improves Worker Engagement And Customer Loyalty.
4 Barratt Hacking, E., Scott, W. and Lee, E. (2010) Evidence of Impact of Sustainable Schools.
Nottingham, United Kingdom: Department for Children, Schools and Families.

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There are so many digital tools on the market that make blended learning a collaborative
learning experience that is so far removed from the view of the distance learner as struggling
to make sense of new concepts and ideas in isolation. With social networking sites, virtual
classrooms and video and audio conferencing technologies, learners are now in a position
where the difference between the in-person experience and the online experience are
almost indistinguishable.
With many college courses demanding practical applications of theory and practice in
developing skills, time in college can be devoted to these tasks and to remedial sessions to
ensure all students can succeed, while much of the theoretical learning can take place in
other locations – the workplace, the home, or in a community learning centres, such as
libraries. Students then have choices about where, when and with whom to study. This also
negates the need for extra accommodation as a college expands.
Flipped classrooms
The flipped classroom model has also been adopted in further and higher education to afford
more time for discussion, project-based learning and remediation. The model flips the
traditional model of lecture style teaching in the college and individual study outside the
college or in free time, to one where lectures are available online with instructions about
what to watch by when, followed by classroom and tutorial based activities in the college.
Additionally, guest lectures or resources such as documentaries available on the Internet
can also be used avoiding duplication and overstretching already busy teachers.
Learning space design
If colleges are to become places for project work, practical activity, discussion and
collaboration then the spaces provided might need to be reconfigured. Many college and
universities around the world have looked very seriously at how they design new learning
environments that support new pedagogical models and do this in a way that is cost effective
and sustains the vision and ethos being developed.
Below in figure 1 is an example of how one university in Australia, the University of
Technology, Sydney, has designed its lecture theatres to turn them into collaborative
learning spaces. In the first image students are listening to a lecture, while in the second
image, the students have turned around to engage in discussion with their peers. The use of
two rows of desks on each tier complete with swivel chairs have transformed a space that
supports turning a delivery model of learning into a collaborative one. This is a sustainable
design solution because the room now serves a dual purpose. The economies brought about
by refurbishing an existing space imaginatively are more than financial, they are also social,
because students are given the opportunity to consolidate their learning in situ through
discussion and debate.
Figure 1: Lecture theatre at University of Technology Sydney in lecture mode and in collaboration mode

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Improved relevance, motivation and engagement
Digital collaboration and communication technologies also support improved links with
employers as well as driving sustainability. Those links can take many formats including:
• Work based learning opportunities
• Inviting employers to engage remotely with students to add relevance and
authenticity to learning
• Apprentices maintaining better links with the college and able to study some of their
modules in situ
• Three-way mentoring sessions between students, tutors and workplace mentors
• Maintaining closer relationships between employers and the college, and so ensuring
currency of curriculum
• Outreach to the community to increase enrolment
By being able to work with students remotely, employers do not have to spend time travelling
from their place of work and are more willing to offer their services to colleges, and resulting
in wider access to more students across more institutions.
Improving staff productivity – teaching within and across campuses
Many colleges have multiple campuses, some of which offer the same programmes and
courses. Teaching and learning efficiencies can be gained by teaching across campuses
remotely through a range of technology-based solutions, whilst ensuring the student
experience is not compromised. Additionally oversubscribed courses can be accommodated
by dividing students between teaching rooms or lecture theatres when there is insufficient
space available in one.
A number of experiments have been carried out using different video conferencing solutions
as well as virtual classrooms, sometimes in conjunction with one another to help ease the
problem and efficiencies. For example, in the US, the Moore School of Law has a lecturer
who sits in a dedicated video conferencing studio alone and teaches students in lecture
theatres located in three different parts of the college, thus ensuring no one group is
advantaged over the other by his physical presence.
In another situation in an Amsterdam college, LCD screens were placed around a room and
at each location a different person was seen over a video conference, and could contribute
equally. The participants who were present at the location were interspersed between the
screens so that the guest speaker felt as though he was talking to one group with little need
for consideration as to where they were located.
Cisco’s graduate training programme worked with fourteen groups located around the world.
Video conferencing units were placed at the back and front of a seminar room in each
location with the tutor’s desk situated at the side with a camera directed at him, so all
participants felt part of the same teaching environment (Figure 2 &3). A virtual classroom
was used in tandem to monitor student progress and filter questions, as well as allowing
students to work in groups across sites as well as in situ, thus modelling the world of multi-
office workplaces.

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Figure 2: Teaching across campuses using video conferencing and virtual classroom technologies
This same technology can also be used to facilitate cross campus meetings saving time and
travel costs, ensuring messages are received equitably, and enabling staff to plan together,
share teaching and maintain contact.
Video conferencing tools can also be used for practical teaching. In an experiment at the
WorldSkills event in the UK in 2012, remote teaching of motor mechanics was undertaken
successfully between students at the venue supervised by a technician and students with
the course tutor based at Norwich City College (Figure 3).
Figure 3: Remote teaching of motor mechanics
Sustainable education – an integrated approach to sustainable development through
curriculum design and organisation
As business budgets are tighter, so there is greater need to understand where the waste is
and to do more with less whilst not compromising the student experience or learning
outcomes.
Young people deserve an education that equips them to be successful students,
accomplished professionals, effective parents, and productive leaders in our competitive,
and increasingly cooperative, interconnected world. They need the knowledge, skills, and
stamina to work individually and collectively to solve current problems and to prevent new
ones. They must learn to balance the often-conflicting requirements of society, economy,
and the environment to contribute to sustainability.
Understandably, it is important to make the change to sustainable education simple as well
as practical. This can be achieved by adding to the curriculum project-based learning and
extracurricular activities, such as connecting the built environment, food services and
facilities operations to learning outcomes.

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Student services and student wellbeing
Student services provides support for prospective and current students and staff. These
services assist in providing a holistic student experience which takes into account students
wellbeing as well as academic achievement to provide a positive experience and increase
student retention. Support provided includes accessibility and assistive software, careers
advice, counselling, financial advice, mentoring, tutoring.
Technology has a significant role to play in making these services sustainable especially if a
district/regional service is set up with appropriate accessibility to IT facilities to meet the
needs of students and staff. Students and staff will need access to a dedicated, secure
room where they can contact professional staff when needed via phone or video, e.g.
counselling. Around the clock service would then be affordable and enable students to
contact staff out of normal working hours, including weekends.
Introducing technology solutions like this will become crucial in providing an economic and
affordable service as policy changes such as the Disabled Student Allowance (DSA)
modernisation kicks in. Colleges will see a significant reduction in funding for student
support, yet will still need to meet the costs of the large number of students who will still
require mentoring and study skills support.
Accessibility and assistive software: Some students will require access to support in
different formats, e.g. text messaging, telephone/voice, video, face to face, email. By
providing an inclusive method of access to support this will enable students who are
studying at a distance, on placement, on apprenticeships, or with special needs to access
the support they need. For example, software that includes text to speech will ensure those
students with literacy issues have better access to on-line support.
Careers service: Prospective students do not always understand the requirements of a
course or what career they can follow once they have successfully completed a course. On-
line support on the web and also the ability to communicate with academic staff and careers
advisers prior to choosing their course can help to ensure the right pathways are selected
and the necessary changes are made and, as a result, increase student retention.
Counselling and mentoring services: Counselling and mentoring is of great assistance to
many, especially at times of stress and difficulty. Those who access this support need to be
assured that it is within a safe, secure and confidential environment. Initially this may be
face to face, or over video but could also be made more frequent or be replaced by other
communications technologies, where appropriate.
Financial advice: Students are often on very low incomes and good financial budget advice
set out clearly on the college website is essential with one-to-one advice available. An
associated link to talk via voice, video or text chat with a financial adviser for those students
whose circumstances are more complex and when shared across a region or nationally, will
improve student support at little extra cost to individual colleges.
Providing advice to academic staff on individual student needs is also an important part of
Student Services and can be provided by dedicated experts through a district/regional
service. Additionally a whole raft of CPD opportunities can be delivered to staff across video
and virtual classrooms or through blended learning, thus further reducing staff travel and
saving individuals’ time.

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Summary
This first paper explored new opportunities for quality teaching and learning and student
services while at the same time improving the sustainability of an institution. In the second
paper we explore the three pillars of sustainability- environmental, social and economic and
the need for consideration of all three in relationships with employers and a college’s supply
chain; students’ understanding of the sustainability agenda; and building and facilities
management.

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How we can help
Our unique approach in which ConsultEdu, CMG Consultancy and iPorta are working closely
together can help educational organisations improve student intake, increase brand
exposure both locally in the community and further afield, and provide better
communications between students and tutors, internally in the organisation and externally to
partners, the community and business. We help educational organisations reduce costs by
increasing energy efficiency, improving the understanding of risks, improving
communications and work based learning, redesigning learning spaces, flipping the
classroom and blended learning solutions.
We work together engaging stakeholders and advising on the effective use of educational
technology, innovative online, and face to face teaching environments, sustainability advice,
coaching and training, and solutions for facilities management. Once we have understood
where technology can help, we advise on technology solutions that are right for our
customers and are easy to use, with minimum training or support by internal IT staff. We
provide solutions, that are maintained and supported throughout their life cycle, reducing the
overhead of maintenance, moves, adds and changes, and other related costs. All our
solutions are inherently secure to meet e-safety requirements, but not restrictive for the end
users.
ConsultEdu provides consultancy on bespoke solutions and strategic advice specialising in
the effective use of educational technology. We offer support in the design of innovative
online and face-to-face learning and teaching environments and strategies for change
management, learning space design, professional development, community engagement,
and institutional partnerships.
Contact: Dr Michelle Selinger
Tel: +44 7826 858533 email: michelle@consultedu.co.uk Website: www.consultedu.co.uk
iPorta is a company who are also extremely passionate about the innovative technologies
and solutions we bring to market which include collaboration and communication,
infrastructure, digitally rich learning spaces, BYOD Mobile wireless, security and safety.
iPorta is accredited both technically and with the by companies such as Cisco, Microsoft and
Smart. We are always looking at next generation technology companies, and work the most
innovative who are disrupting the mainline companies for the better. We provide a highly
focused, streamlined service based on our extensive knowledge of the solutions, challenges
and opportunities for the education market.
Contact: Graham Huggins
Tel: +44 203 051 9199 email: info@iporta.co Website at www.iporta.co
CMG Consultancy As a business coach and trainer, CMG shows organisations how to
reduce costs, risks and remove barriers for growth by capturing, creating and delivering
more value. This is important to colleges because we provide the knowledge and skills to
connect students, staff and the work place, who need to be sustainably viable in an
increasingly competitive world. And, to create a sustainable life style for you, your students
and give security for your family, it is vital your college is sustainably viable.
Contact: Christopher Gleadle
Tel: +44 7980 087543 email: Christopher@thecmgconsultancy.com
Website at www.thecmgconsultancy.com