Our Remote Education Offer

Communication

Course Tutors communicate with learners using a variety of means, depending on circumstances. For one to one support discussions, either Microsoft Teams or 3CX is used to host either a video or voice call. Tutors share their business email address with learners to enable contact and support requests from learners. Depending on the nature of the request tutors can use tools such as screen sharing and/or remote control to demonstrate and guide the learner through the technical issue they may be experiencing.

Resources

As part of our remote learning arrangements, a variety of resources have been made available to learners:

• Access to Online Microsoft Office 365 Applications
• Access to Online Learning Portals via Sharepoint / OneDrives /Github
• Access to Microsoft Azure cloud platform, including our bespoke Virtual Machines
• Access to tutor’s via email and ‘Click to Call’
• Live Webinars hosted in our virtual classroom space via 3CX or Microsoft Teams
• Live Tutorials and 1to1 sessions via 3CX / Teams
• Access to Microsoft Technology Associate Mocks – hosted on Moodle
• All webinars are recorded and shared with learners so they can go back over the content of the session at a later date.
• Remote support software e.g. AeroAdmin that can be used to support and guide learners with technical difficulties

Delivery arrangements

Learners are taken through the resources available to support their remote learning at induction. Depending on the exact programme different approaches may be taken to sharing resources but all learners are shown how to access the resources for their particular course both as a webinar and in more detail in their first tutorial. Should further support be required, tutors and support staff are happy to follow up with a one to one session.

Different programmes have different delivery schedules, but all learners are made aware of the specific schedule for their programme and are provided with a timetable. Any time that would be traditionally classroom based (Lessons, workshops and tutorial) is spent in our Virtual Classroom spaces. These are delivered as LIVE sessions within either Teams or 3CX; depending on the size of the session, learners can ask questions or seek assistance, either verbally or by using the chat facility.

Where appropriate and required, practical workshop activities are hosted on Microsoft Azure Labs with appropriate virtual systems already pre-created for learners to use. This allows learners to continue to develop their hands-on practical skills such as system installation and network administration.

Specific guides have been created to support both staff and learners with using the different resources available, for example, a document that guides learners through logging in to the Sharepoint Learning Portal is distributed to learners at the point of enrolment. There is on-going support for all staff with online delivery, both individually and in teams to ensure our learners continue to receive a high-quality, and impactful learning experience. Learners can access advice and support from their tutors and our Learner Support Team with any problems or anxieties that arise.

All usual classroom delivery is now taking place remotely. This is a combination of live learning sessions, 1:1 tutorials using Microsoft Teams and recorded sessions. This is to ensure that key workers and learners with other commitments can access sessions at a time that suits them.

Expectations of Learners

To get the best out of JBC’s Remote Learning programmes, learners should:

• Have unrestricted access to a reasonable spec computer (preferably Windows or Mac however Chromebooks can work for most programmes.) You will need to have the ability to install, or have installed for you an RDP connection client, e.g. Microsoft Remtoe Desktop client
• Have a stable, reliable internet connection supporting at least 10mbps
• Check the email account they used to enrol regularly (at least every morning and afternoon
• Attend all scheduled sessions (both webinars and tutorials)
• Arrive promptly for all sessions, taking an active part in discussions and activities
• Be professional in all sessions. – Respect and support each other
• Complete all assigned work, labs and activities within the deadlines set by you tutor(s)
• Keep us informed of anything that may affect your ability to complete the course – the earlier you tell us about a problem, the easier it is in general for us to help. DO NOT BE AFRAID TO TALK TO US.
• Read supplied learning materials e.g labs and handouts carefully. If you encounter an issue try to figure out why, retrace your steps and try again. If you are confident, try doing a little research maybe watch back over the tutorial recording, to see if you can get yourself back on track. This builds your confidence and self–resilience, BUT DO NOT BE AFRAID TO CONTACT YOUR TUTOR when you have reached the end of what you feel confident doing.
• If you are on a short programme such as the Career Builder programme, ensure you actively engage in all Career Development sessions and regularly review the Updates and Jooble Job Board pages of the Sharepoint Learning Portal. Apply for jobs that interest you and that you feel appropriate – remember to be confident, don’t under value yourself. Discuss any positions you are not sure about with your course tutor.

Practical Learning

Most if not all programmes with JBC have technical hands-on activities requiring connection to our remote systems. These are hosted on the cloud within a Microsoft Datacentre and require an RDP client such as Microsoft Remote Desktop Client, to access and use them. Clients are freely available from your platform’ app store

Depending on your program, you may also have access to specific technical resources such as software, sample code and supplementary elearning resources e.g Microsoft Azure Student Accounts, GitHub, Pluralsight etc. You tutor will make you available of when and how to use these resources. You should not need to be buying anything special to support your studies, as where specific tools and software is required it has been provided by us. You may however be asked to download and install a piece of free or ‘demo’ software in certain isolated cases.

Extra support for students

Every learner is different and we do our best to support any specific educational needs on an individual basis. In the first instance you should discuss your requirements with your tutor who will try to organise appropriate accommodations. Depending on what exactly has been requested, they may need to discuss your requirements with a senior manager or the support team.