Fife College named as finalists in two categories at Learning Places Scotland Awards

Fife College (@fifecollege) has been shortlisted in two categories at the Learning Places Scotland Awards.  

The College has been named a finalist in the Technology: Transforming Learning, Teaching and Curriculum category and the Recognition Award category at the awards, which celebrate excellence and achievement in education across Scotland.

In the Technology: Transforming Learning, Teaching and Curriculum category, the College’s work to adopt the latest Virtual Reality (VR) technology has been recognised.

Working with local digital solutions company eCom, the College has supported the development of a platform which is helping revolutionise the way students are assessed while also enhancing learning and teaching.

The initial VR project focussed on a health and safety unit, which transported students into a virtual workshop using a VR headset. VR is also being developed as part of care courses with the use of clinical skills rooms and a sleep clinic, as well as Childcare courses as a formative assessment tool.

Head of Digital Learning at Fife College, Sharon Burns said:

“We’re incredibly proud of our work over the past few years to develop our virtual reality provision. It’s great to have this work now recognised with this award nomination.

“By working with our partners at eCom, VR is helping transform the way we measure and assess learning at the College.

“The project really does expand opportunities beyond the physical classroom, giving students access to unlimited learning spaces.”

The other nomination is for work by the College’s prison-based learning staff who have been shortlisted in the Recognition Award category for their efforts to ensure learning and skills provision continued throughout the lockdown period.

College Staff, who deliver learning in 13 centres located in Scottish Prison Service facilities throughout Scotland, created and distributed over 32,000 learner packs, 400 DVDs and podcasts utilising in-cell radio and TV, supporting the mental and physical health and wellbeing of learners.  

Audrey Mitchell, who is the lead for Fife College’s work in prisons, said:

“We are delighted that our in cell learning in lockdown work has been recognised at these awards.

“Overcoming the challenges presented by lockdown, particularly with no internet provision within custodial environments, was a significant task.

“However, our teams went above and beyond to implement a unique, student-centred delivery model, which enabled the continuation of positive learning experiences throughout the pandemic.”

The Learning Places Scotland Award winners will be announced at a special dinner on Tuesday 23 November at the Hilton in Glasgow.

The awards are part of this month’s Learning Places Scotland Exhibition and Conference, which takes place over two days at the SEC.