I'd appreciate some feedback

[Katybee63]

Hi All
I am interested in the opinions of adult students as I am hoping to start an online service next year to help adults who don't have the required quals to get into uni - you will probably have heard of Access courses. I plan to deliver live lessons and tutorials online, as well as recording the lessons for those who cannot attend all of the sessions. I am interested in your opinions about whether this would be something that would appeal to adult learners looking to study social science topics such as psychology, sociology and criminology. My USP would be the support I offer as it would be like attending college without having to attend college! Please let me know what you think as I would like to know if there would be a demand for this type of provision before I go all in!
Many Thanks

I'm a bit confused to be honest. Would this be an online access course that leads to a qualification? Most access course have tailored content to the degree you're aiming at. For me when I was at that stage I was focused on what would get me into Uni. If it was a registered access course I'd debate it if it was cheaper online and had a clear curriculum content but I work much better in person particularly because I like to ask lots of questions

do you mean for people taking online access courses or to aid those taking in person access courses?

Do unis accept online access courses as well as they do in person?

it would be helpful to know

• how much you'd charge and payment options
• what level of qualification would you be pitching at
• what are your academic credentials and experience of teaching
• how you'd run the classes - The online learning experience has its ups and downsides, in terms of student experience. Part of the attraction of college is the social element

Presumably OP would be helping people already enrolled on an external provider’s access course (eg OU who do access by distance learning). If she’s hoping to launch something it would help if she could communicate exactly what though!

Do you have a track record eg running a successful access course?

How will potential students know you're a legit operator and not a scammer?

How do you plan to get the relevant accreditation?

How will you support students applying for uni?

What happens if you're ill?

How will you assess student work?

Thanks to all of you for your input, I really do appreciate it. I posted this late last night after a day of caring for the grandkids and should've been clearer.
I would be delivering Access to Social Sciences myself - a qualification registered with a UK exam board.

Instead of just self-directed study, I would be offering forums, one to one and group tuition and 'live' lessons. Therefore, it would be different from many of the providers where the input for a qualified educator is minimal.
It would be funded by the same routes as other online providers through DfE funding or Advanced Learner Loans so would be free to most students.
I am a qualified teacher with 30+ years of experience; I have experience of teaching Access, 'A' level and vocational courses. I have taught in colleges, schools and am also an online tutor. I am currently an associate examiner for Psychology 'A' level. I have an MSc in Psychology. Assessment will be done in line with the exam board marking crtieria.

I intend to employ a professional website designer and all my credentials will be on there. I will eventually employ others so there will be cover if I am ill.
As I generally teach Level 3 and above courses I am very familiar with the UCAS process and this would be built into the study skills section of the course.

Apologies that it was all so vague before. What I am hoping to achieve is a more personalised experience where learners feel like they are part of a community and feel better prepared for uni.

I hope this helps and that you can now give me some feedback.

Thanks again for your comments which made me realise that I had not communicated the vision that was in my head!

What I really want to know is, do you think enough people would prefer this as an alternative approach rather then the impersonal distance learning one or attending a physical college?

Cheers, K

e

It's a tricky one.

I've taken a scenic route through education as an adult so past me would have been exactly who you're aiming at. In this time I've completed courses and qualifications that are fully or partially distance learning, as well as fully in-person. But, I'd be wary of a course without affiliation to an established and reputable education establishment, and I'd not be keen on only having one teacher across the entire course.

From your perspective, I think you need to look especially carefully at attrition rates on access courses. What you're offering is most likely to appeal to prospective students who have (often multiple) other demands on their time, so think carefully about how you can keep them engaged and motivated and not lose them.

Also, how will you offer traditional exams? It's especially important that adult returners to education to enter university fully prepared for the variety of assessments and examination methods they may encounter.

You seem quite critical of current distance learning options. Having done OU courses I didn't find it impersonal at all.

Thanks, Scampus
I am considering what this should look like. I suppose the answer to the affiliation question comes from that everyone has to start somewhere. I am looking at gaining the approval of the appropriate bodies for this. The 'one teacher' thing is a bit of a problem, although I have delivered entire courses before. This would only be for the first year, but it is something to consider.
I am not against distance learning, it is how I did my Masters. However, there were times when I wished it was more of a community experience. Another reason why I think this would be a good fit for me is that I have often seen distance learning courses at other levels that were not well delivered and where the internal quality assurance was not great.
Without wishing to appear overly confident, I do get very good feedback from students and really think that retention would not be any more of an issue for me than for anyone else. For an access course, I would not have to offer traditional exams but for GCSE or A level there is a system in place where students can arrange to sit at a centre local to themselves.
Anyhow - thanks, you feedback has been useful and will help inform my business plan :)

I wouldn’t want to do this - I’m so sorry.

I’d want to go to a “proper” accredited provider so that I would know that you’re not going to stop half way through the year, coz you changed your mind, got hit by a bus, got terminal cancer, or whatever.

I get that you wouldn't have to offer traditional exams, but they are an important part of being prepared for university, and your students would be disadvantaged without exam experience.

Something else to consider is how your students would access library and online resources for research etc. IME access courses teach some basic library/literature searching skills, and you'd need to provide the relevant access to enable this.

Your ‘everyone has to start somewhere’ comment is odd. Access providers aren’t individual tutors, they’re colleges and universities. Established educational providers and registered as such. Are you really planning on becoming a registered provider?

Thanks for your honest comments.i won't watch this thread any longer as I think I've got what I need now

Sorry OP, I have done a science based access course online and they offered exactly what you're suggesting and across multiple subjects. I would not have gone with an unknown provider due to fear of how it would be perceived by the university when applying. There are people who would hire a tutor for help with access though! I joined an FB page when doing mine and there were loads of people asking if there was any services that could help them better understand the subject matter/assignments.