MENTION the words ‘online learning’ and school children automatically spring to mind.

The good news is they are about to go back to school from next week in a phased programme under the Level 5 lockdown – breathe a sigh of well earned relief, parents!

Meanwhile, Pony Tales discovered this week that hands-on College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) enrols 1,700 full and part-time students onto its education programmes and provides knowledge transfer and innovation programmes to over 10,000 people. Like schools and colleges nationwide, CAFRE adapted very quickly to ensure that learning and teaching continued.

Martin McKendry, CAFRE Director, said: “We invited the Education and Training Inspectorate to carry out a review of our online delivery. They confirmed that our engagement with learners, both face-to-face and online, has been competent and professional. The review has given us confidence in our new ways of delivering education and knowledge transfer which have allowed us to respond to learners’ needs.”

Hands-on

A feature of CAFRE’s courses which sets them apart is the hands-on, practical approach which enhances students’ employability and career progression.

George Moffett, Head of Agriculture Education explained: “Following the lockdown last March our approach to maintaining delivery across our courses, was to use blended learning and adopt a range of ICT solutions and digital delivery methods when face-to-face teaching was not possible.”

CAFRE also delivers knowledge transfer and innovation programmes to the agri-food industry.

Fiona Dickson, Head of Agri-Business explained: “Our engagement with industry across the Agriculture, Food, Horticulture and Equine sectors is normally delivered face to face, however last March we moved quickly to a programme of remote delivery using online events, as well as live and pre-recorded webinars and this helped us to reach a wider audience.”

Martin McKendry welcomed the ETI Review recommendations, adding: “My expectation is that blended learning will be an important part of our future delivery. I encourage all of our students and industry participants to continue engaging with CAFRE as our remote delivery continues to evolve and improve to meet the needs of the local agri-food industry.”