Enhancing Blended Delivery in an Evolving Context

The proposed initiative aims to build the capacity of the Higher Certificate in Custodial Care and B.A. Employee Support and Wellbeing teaching teams to deliver effective and engaging learning experiences for students. Aligning with theme two of the SATLE 2023 funding call “Digital transformation in the tertiary sector (DFHERIS)”, the proposed initiative comprises a targeted teaching seminar which will bring the members of these teams together to share their experiences of teaching, learning and assessment on these programmes. We will seek to identify an expert in blended delivery when working with larger groups with a view to conducting a training session with the teaching team. Arising from this, we will develop video and textual resources for the team to draw upon in future deliveries. The Higher Certificate in Custodial Care is a two-year programme with over 250 students that is jointly delivered by SETU and the Irish Prison Service. This teaching team comprises nine lecturers from various departments within SETU and up to fifteen tutors based in the Irish Prison Service College, Portlaoise. The B.A. Employee Support is a one-year Level 7 programme delivered to Staff Support Officers in the IPS, the Defence Forces, and An Garda Síochana. There are currently 45 students on this programme. The nature of HCCC delivery has evolved post-Covid. The programme has transitioned into a blended format (with a particularly strong focus on online synchronous delivery once recruits complete Phase One training), while the number of recruits entering the programme has increased with each academic year post-Covid (with a projected increase of 65% in the number for recruits in 2023/24 compared to 2022/23). The B.A. Employee Support commenced delivery in September 2023, and is also delivered in a blended format. Both programmes comprise synchronous and asynchronous online delivery.