Akamas

THE AKAMAS ONLINE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

Online study, otherwise referred to as e-learning, is probably the most flexible way to access adult learning and vocational qualifications. With the training materials and tutoring provided online, it enables students to study at a pace that suits them, at any time, and from any location.

The sections below give a brief introduction to aspects of our Online Learning Environment. If you require further information, you can always contact us by completing our Enquiry Form or calling 0845 094 0624.

Course structure

Our online BTEC courses comprise one or more units of learning: students study at least one core unit and may select additional option units during the registration process.

Each unit is divided into modules. The module is further divided into sections which include self-assessed activities.

Tutoring

For each unit of study students are allocated a Tutor who, as a subject specialist within their given field, provides support as the student progresses through the training programme. Using the Private Forum, students can send a message to their Tutor at any stage of the course to request guidance on the training materials and assessments. Tutors will always respond within two working days, though the response is often much quicker.

Assessment

At the end of every module is a module task, which assesses the student's understanding of the module content and checks that they have achieved the learning outcomes. At the end of every unit is a unit assignment, which assesses how well students have understood and applied to practice what they have learned during the unit.

Students submit their tasks and assignments by uploading them in electronic format. They are then marked by the student's Tutor, who provides feedback via the Private Forum. If more work is needed to demonstrate that the required criteria have been met, there may be an ongoing dialogue between the student and their Tutor before the task or assignment is signed off. Students can then proceed to the next section of their training programme.

Forums

The forums are an essential part of the Online Learning Environment as they link students both to their personal Tutor and to the wider learning community.

The Private Forum is a message board accessible only by the student, their Tutor and the Programme Administrators. Here, students can ask questions, share their problems and discuss assignments in privacy.

The Public Forum is an open platform for students and tutors to share their ideas and experiences. Whether they are looking for support or sharing resources they have found, students are encouraged to use the Public Forum to enrich their learning experience.

Support

As well as providing technical support by telephone and email and sending each student a printed Student Manual before they begin training, Akamas provides a number of additional support features within the Online Learning Environment. These include:

• Information about each unit
• Lists of useful books and websites
• An online version of the Student Manual
• Links to free software tutorials

Additional features

We have built in a number of additional features which help students to navigate the Online Learning Environment, manage their study time and ensure they have access to the material they need. These include:

• A personal online notebook for each unit of study, ensuring that students have access to their notes whenever they log in to the Online Learning Environment.
• A personal training calendar where students, Tutors and Programme Administrators can mark up important dates, periods of absence and other useful information.
• A link on the student's home page to the most recent training material accessed.
• The facility to bookmark important pages.
• The facility to print pages for studying offline.