ALT

Traditional teaching methods in Aircraft Maintenance Technology (AMT) often struggle to maintain student engagement, motivation, and knowledge retention. While gamification has been recognised as a potential solution, its application in AMT education remains underexplored, particularly in bridging theoretical knowledge with practical skill acquisition. This study investigates the effectiveness of Kahoot-based gamification in enhancing student engagement, motivation, knowledge retention, and practical skills development. A mixed-methods approach was employed, integrating quantitative surveys, pre- and post-assessments, and qualitative interviews with students and instructors. The study assessed 120 participants, revealing statistically significant improvements: engagement increased by 43.8%, motivation by 55.2%, knowledge retention by 41.2%, and practical skills by 51.6%. Qualitative findings supported these results, with students reporting higher participation, improved concept recall, and greater enthusiasm. Instructors observed enhanced confidence in applying theoretical knowledge. Despite these benefits, challenges such as internet connectivity issues, time constraints, and question format limitations were identified. The study recommends a blended learning approach integrating gamification with hands-on training, scenario-based exercises, and emerging technologies such as Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality. Beyond AMT, these findings highlight gamification’s potential in technical and vocational education, emphasising the need for future research on adaptive gamification models and AI-driven learning platforms.

For this study, 350 university students in Germany were surveyed to understand how they perceive ChatGPT’s educational advantages and challenges. Using a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods, it found out that students tend to see ChatGPT as helpful for academic performance (53.14%), writing (47.14%), and exam preparation (50.00%). Nonetheless, a large majority of people expressed doubt regarding its ability to understand queries (61.72%), reliability (52.29%), privacy (52.57%), bias (47.43%), security (55.14%) and displaced jobs (56.29%). These concerns were reinforced by open ended responses, which showed that attitudes towards AI can be based on factors such as a person’s digital literacy and their experience with AI. In the study, the researchers propose a need to incorporate AI education into curricula in order to teach students to critically assess AI- generated content and to identify biases. Moreover, it suggests setting ethical standards that AI systems need to meet such as accuracy, security, and transparency. Perspectives between cultures vary, and require the teacher to conduct more global research, and approach teaching context specifically. The overarching goal is to promote the thoughtful, ethical, and context-aware integration of AI into educational practices worldwide.

Entries for the 2025 ALT Awards are closing soon.

Thomas Pocklington Trust’s (TPT) latest ‘Give Me Access to College; report reveals that blind and partially sighted students continue to face significant barriers in accessing specialist vision impairment (VI) support in post 16 education. Despite efforts to reform education for students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). Further Education (FE) continues to be overlooked, and unacceptable gaps remain limiting opportunities for young people with a VI.

This report revisits our earlier findings, ‘Give Me Access to College’ and highlights the urgent need for targeted reforms. We call on the Government to ensure that blind and partially sighted young people are included in the SEND improvement agenda, with consistent support, training, and access to a full range of post 16 pathways.

We request your support and encourage you to take action by sending a letter to your MP, you can help encourage positive change for blind and partially sighted young people. It’s quick, simple and it can lead to real change.

Read our full report here, and send the letter to your MP

You can also read our LinkedIn blog  written by Krupali Parshotam, sharing her experiences of college as a blind and partially sighted person.

If you would like to learn more about our work, then sign up for our Education Newsletter. Or if you would like a more in-depth conversation, contact us at educationpolicy@pocklington.org.uk

Webinar leader: Karishma Punwani

Many maths learners find it difficult to connect with abstract course content, and as a result, not only do they struggle to learn the material, but they can also become demotivated, anxious, and disengaged. Fortunately, learning technologies for maths make lessons much more "touchable", visual, and relevant, offering an effective means of engaging and motivating students, deepening their understanding of fundamental concepts, and reinforcing learning through practice.

In this session, we’ll explore some of the ways interactive maths technology can be used effectively in the classroom, from illuminating visualisations to interactive, learner-led activities that naturally foster investigation, collaboration, and discussion. Demonstrations will be done using Maple Learn, the online maths tool from Maplesoft, with examples taken from the A-Level and GCSE content collections, which conform to the AQA and Pearson exam specifications. These collections make it easy for educators to deliver engaging, interactive maths experiences to their learners through the use of customisable content created to meet the specific needs of their class.

Details to be announced shortly 

Following the conclusion of OER25 in London this week, we are pleased to invite submissions for our upcoming online conference, “Speaking Truth to Power: Open Edu

The Research in Learning Technology (RLT) journal is delighted to welcome its newly appointed Editor-in-Chief, Professor Peter Bryant, and Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Dr. Erika Corradini. These appointments mark an exciting new chapter for the journal as it continues to advance research and scholarship in digital learning.

The Fundamentals of Copyright in Learning Technology Workshop is just around the corner. Join us on Tuesday, 15 July 2025, from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM for a dynamic and practical session tailored for education professionals working with digital tools and content.

Join Jane Secker and Chris Morrison, who will be discussing copyright and audiovisual works with their collaborator and friend, Bart Meletti, who is working on his PhD at CREATe at the University of Glasgow. Together the three of them produced the Code of Fair Practice for Film Educators issued in 2023. We will catch up on where we are with audiovisual works and what the needs of the sector are as many of us rely increasingly on streaming platforms.

Details to be announced shortly. Save the date for the next ALT Online Conference, expanding on the theme discussed at OER25. 

The integration of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools, such as ChatGPT and DALL-E, presents transformative opportunities and challenges for K-12 education. This mixed-methods study investigates educators’ perceptions, familiarity, and preparedness for AI adoption, as well as institutional strategies and barriers. Quantitative findings indicate strong relationships between AI familiarity, perceived readiness, and institutional planning stages. Qualitative analysis highlights challenges such as insufficient professional development, ethical concerns, and infrastructural inequities, alongside opportunities for enhancing personalised learning and operational efficiency. The findings underscore the need for targeted training, equitable resource access, and clear institutional policies to ensure effective and ethical AI integration. This research offers actionable insights for educators, policymakers, and leaders seeking to navigate AI’s potential in K-12 education.

As we do every year, we are collecting links to blog posts and resources for and about the conference. If you’d like to add yours, please share it on social media with #OER25 or email enquiries@alt.ac.uk.

We also encourage you to share your conference feedback.

• Blog: OER25 – Stepping back and speaking truth to power, Lorna Campbell
• Blog: From OER25 to Reclaim Open 25, Maren Deepwell
• Howard Scott’s powerful open access paper from his session, “Sumud as Connected Learning: Towards a Collective Digital Commons in Palestine”. Shared by Kate Malloy
•  Resources from workshop, ‘Fighting the good fight – go rogue or go home’. Shared by Kate Malloy
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Join us at this year’s ALT Annual Conference in Glasgow, taking place on Thursday 23 and Friday 24 October, will explore the following theme: ‘Stronger Foundations, Broader Horizons’. 
In a time marked by uncertainty, complexity, and rapid digital change, purposeful action matters more than ever. ALTC25 will provide a space to reflect on how robust digital foundations can empower more expansive, inclusive, and imaginative possibilities for education. We hope to see you there.

The Sixth edition of Icepops (Icepops 2025) is happening – as another Pocket Edition (meaning on a slightly smaller, but no less inspiring or fun, scale). Icepops will take place at John Rylands Research Institute and Library, University of Manchester on Tuesday 9th September and Wednesday 10th September 2025. The main conference will start mid morning on 9th September and include an evening social. The ALT CoOL SIG AGM will take place on the morning of Wednesday 10th September and we’ll be arranging tours of British Pop Archive at the University of Manchester.

Our confirmed keynote speaker is Monica Westin, Associate Director at Manchester Metropolitan University. The programme will be published in July 2025 and include lightning talks and a world cafe. 

Learn more.

Register here: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/cilipinformationliteracygroup/1699906

Since 2021, ALT has hosted 30 CPD Webinars, with more than 40 ALT Members sharing their knowledge on key topics in learning technology. Now, we’re calling for more presenters to keep these engaging and valuable sessions going.

For this month’s blog profile, we are excited to introduce the chair of the revived ALT Wales/Cymru member group, Elizabeth Jones. She shares the group’s plans and focus for the coming year, providing insights into what members can look forward to from this dynamic and forward-thinking group.

How has being a member of ALT impacted your career?

In lots of ways, big and small. For example, just being on the ALT Jisc mailing list is a regular source of information, ideas, and news from across the sector. I’ve also been able to attend the ALT Conference a few times, which was truly amazing when I was new to the sector and got to see the range of work being done by colleagues at other institutions and get feedback on my own work. Most significantly I think was getting my CMALT. Once that was on my CV, I felt so much more confident applying for roles as it evidenced my experience really strongly. 

What do you find exciting about working with learning technology?

I love that it’s such a dynamic field, there’s always more to learn about. 

What inspired you to get involved with the ALT Wales/Cymru member group? How can other members get involved? 

I was inspired by a chat with a colleague from another Welsh HE institution when we were both at a conference. Our universities use different VLEs and other tools but we faced so many of the same issues. We wanted a forum where we could discuss them and wondered what had become of the old ALT Wales/Cymru/Cymru group. I contacted ALT to ask about it and coincidentally they were about to put out an open call for people interested in restarting it. The rest, as they say, is history! 

If you’re interested in joining the group and to keep up to date with the news and events, subscribe to the ALT-Wales mailing list. Our first coffee and chat meeting will be on Thursday 3 July, 10 – 11 AM, where we will be exploring AI and Welsh language.

What are the key plans and initiatives that ALT Wales/Cymru will focus on this year?
This year, we’re focusing on getting the word out that we’re back and then finding out what issues and themes are important to our members. We want the group to support members working in Wales/Cymru as we’re often governed by different regulations and educational frameworks than colleagues in England. Obviously the Welsh Language is a big one! How various tools work in a bilingual environment and what we need to do to ensure compliance and promote the use of Welsh. 

Can you share a memorable moment or achievement during your time as an ALT Member?
Presenting at ALT for the first time many years ago. I was so nervous to present at such a big conference but everyone was super supportive and interested in what we were saying. I now love encouraging new members of my team to do the same and being able to offer them that opportunity is one of my favourite things. 

What was the last thing you read or watched?

I’ve just finished the new series of Severance. I thoroughly recommend it. 

If you were on a deserted island, what is the one thing you would take?

As many books as I can carry! 

We hope you enjoyed hearing from the chair of the ALT Wales/Cymru member group, Elizabeth Jones. If she has inspired you to get involved with ALT Wales/Cymru, join the group and keep up to date with the news and events, subscribe to the ALT-Wales/Cymru mailing list. If you would like to get involved in the organisation of the Group and its activities, let us know by expressing an interest.

Future profiles will feature colleagues involved with Special Interest and Members Groups, CMALT holders, ALT Members, Trustees, assessors, apprentices and ALT staff. If you are a current member of ALT and would be interested in featuring in an upcoming post or want to recommend someone members would be interested in hearing from, please contact us at blog@alt.ac.uk.

Can you talk briefly about your journey, from starting the Access to Higher Education Diploma to writing The Access to Higher Education Handbook?

I started the Access to HE Diploma when I was in my 20s after four failed attempts at university! After I finished, I went back to university (again!) and (finally!) completed an undergraduate degree – this time in Biochemistry. Fast forward a little and I was given an opportunity to return to the FE college where I’d studied my Access to HE Diploma and become a lecturer on the very same programme – I leapt at the chance! Although I enjoyed teaching, I was keen to explore new projects and decided to set up my own independent Access to HE provision. Throughout my experience as a student, lecturer and provider, I realised that there was something missing – a core resource that guided learners through the fundamentals of the Access to HE Diploma which was written with the adult learner at the front and centre. I reflected on how much a resource like that would have helped me, so I began to draft a plan and used it as a framework to create The Access to Higher Education Handbook!

In your view, why is the Access to Higher Education Diploma so important?

The Access to HE Diploma is so important because without it, so many people might never get the opportunities it can present – myself included. There is no other route for adult learners to progress into higher education that is structured, funded, and delivered in this way. With the Access to HE Diploma, adults can study a nationally recognised and accredited Level 3 programme across as little as one year, that can meet entry criteria for a range of hundreds, if not thousands, of HE programmes across the UK – including apprenticeships! Importantly, the cost of the Access to HE Diploma is often covered by the Advanced Learner Loan which means that if eligible, Access to HE learners will have their fees waivered should they go on to complete an undergraduate degree level programme. This means that for many students, they can facilitate this important step in their journey without any financial burden which is hugely important. 

How did your experience as an Access to HE student influence your writing?

I went into my Access to HE Diploma with the right attitude, a half decent set of academic skills, and the commitment to doing as well as I could, yet there were many aspects of the programme that I struggled with. My tutors were brilliant, but when studying full time, the course goes by very quickly. Plus, I found it challenging at times as I was working nights then going to college in the day and it’s fair to say that sometimes I was present in body but not in mind as I just wanted to be home and having a sleep!! It might sound a bit silly, but after going from a 10 hour night shift straight into a full day college, sometimes even the most basic of questions were popping up such as “where do I find the assessment criteria again…?” and whilst I recognised that it was just sheer tiredness, I felt silly taking up the tutors time by asking. I thought then, if there was a resource that could consolidate those core features (and of course, plenty more!) that students could refer to any time of day to fit around their commitments, where the information can be a reminder for all those key components of the programme whilst also supporting skill development, then that would be really helpful.

How did the feedback you received from AVAs, providers and QAA, who have been supportive of the book, help shape its content and direction?

Firstly, I want to acknowledge how appreciative I am that QAA and AVAs have shown support for this book. I’d say the biggest influence on the book has been from the AVAs and has been having them educate me on the nuances of how they manage Access to HE Diplomas which, although standardised to a point via the QAA regulation, differs slightly between them all in the day-to-day running of things. It was important to get as many of those unique elements in to ensure that as many learners as possible might benefit from the book’s content. 

How can instructors use The Access to Higher Education Handbook to support their teaching?

By consolidating all the core information into one place, I hope that the book serves to answer a lot of the common questions that are asked by Access to HE students such as “yes, but what does it look like to get a Distinction?” and “but what overall grade will I get at the end of this though?!”! The book includes lots of activities, tasks, case studies, templates, questions and checklists for students to help practice their skills too, and I hope these elements support teaching by reducing the time needed to spend searching for or creating resources. Further, the book references recent changes that QAA have made (i.e., the introduction of grading standards) so I also hope that this book can help practitioners navigate this change in some way too. Lastly, I hope that this book can support those who perhaps are unfamiliar with Access to HE and help them to fully understand the nuances of such an elegantly complex qualification.

How does The Access to Higher Education Handbook support students?

The way in which this book has been written means that it is suitable for learners who are thinking about studying Access to HE, those who are already enrolled on Access to HE, and actually, those who are studying any other Level 3 qualification! Primarily though, this book is a guide for students progressing through their Access to HE Diploma from day one, and is written to be a helping hand through writing assignments, navigating key academic skills, planning for what learners want their next steps into HE to look like, as well as how to get there. The book offers opportunities to engage in skill development using the activities and tasks, it gives learners a place to write and reflect about their experience, and it provides information to help them understand the course too. The book is written as part text book and part journal – I would love for students to scribble all over it, highlight it, make it unique, and make it into something meaningful to them! Whilst of course targeted towards students of Access to HE as its primary audience, Chapters 3-8 all explore standalone study skills such as referencing, writing, and digital skills which non-Access to HE learners might also find useful too. The book is dip-in-dip-out so you aren’t required to read it cover to cover to get the most out of it either making it a perfect companion! 

What do you hope this book will achieve? What do you hope students take from the book?

All I hope for this book, is that people find it helps them. I hope that students find this book has the answers to their most basic questions about Access to HE, whilst empowering them to navigate their Diploma with confidence. I hope that Access to HE practitioners find this book supportive, and that it helps to lighten the load a little. I also hope that those in HE who perhaps aren’t as confident in their knowledge about Access to HE find this an educational resource too. If this book can support even just one learner to achieve their potential on their Access to HE Diploma, and in turn get them one step closer to achieving their career ambitions, then this book will have been a roaring success for me! Though of course it would be nice to help more than one!

To give us a taste of the practical advice in The Access to Higher Education Handbook, what are your top tips for students starting their Access to HE Diploma this autumn?

Firstly, don’t overestimate the time you have for the course (particularly if you’re studying over just one year because it will pass by very quickly!) and don’t underestimate how long it will take to complete your assignments to the best standard you can. My top tip for navigating this is to make a realistic timetable for the year. Get a calendar or a diary and block out how many hours you are expected to study each week and when/if you are expected to be present for any lessons that you might have (as well as any travel time to get there/back). Then, go back through put in the assignment deadlines throughout the year, then factor in any non-study commitments such as work, holidays or special occasions where you might not be studying and write in those too. Lastly, and arguably most importantly, factor in contingency time. Don’t fill up every hour of the day with unrealistic expectations of what you think you could/should do – plan in free time so if something crops up, you have wiggle-room in your timetable to fit those unexpected events in. You will see very quickly, particularly those of you at a provider that follows a term-time pattern, that you might not have as many hours in the week as you might think but taking this bird-eye-view approach to the academic year and making a realistic plan will ensure you are aware and able to manage your time as effectively as possible. And remember, if you are struggling with getting things done, be sure to talk to your tutor (or a member of a pastoral support team if you have access to one) and they will be able to support you. 

Check out the recently published The Access to Higher Education Handbook by Zoë Chapman. 

Free inspection copies of the book are available for FE teaching staff and Access Validating Agency providers.

Thanks for reading this AmplifyFE post! AmplifyFE is a strategic partnership between ALT and the Ufi VocTech Trust. AmplifyFE connects over 3000 professionals in Further Education and Vocational Education, providing a strong networking community to share, collaborate and learn. We connect innovators, industry and educators, therefore, AmplifyFE posts may include contributions with a commercial focus. AmplifyFE’s posts are included on the #altc blog to support networking, collaboration and sharing. For more information, please check AmplifyFE’s dedicated submission guidelines.

The #altc blog submission guidelines detail who can post and the type of posts accepted to this blog.

The Call for Proposals for ALTC25 is now open.

Theme: Making Digital Life Better for International Students

As international student populations continue to grow, so too does our responsibility to create more inclusive, supportive, and engaging digital learning experiences. This event explores how we can collectively improve the digital life of international students across the M25 region.

OER25 is fast approaching, and the final programme has now been confirmed.