This case study focuses upon the longer-term impact of a course that over a 22 week period from 2004-2005. The majority of learners on the course were machine tool fitters involved in the maintenance and supply of machinery parts. It is noticeable that the learners were motivated by the need to develop their ICT rather than literacy skills. In keeping with the “learning by stealth” approach, most of the learners were not aware of the literacy component of the course. Roger Taylor mentioned that:
“I think we were slightly misled from the initial literature that came up, because it turned out to be more of a literacy thing, and er… we said well we haven’t got a problem with it but it wasn’t something we expected when we initially went forward for it. So we just saw that through as well.”
For Gary Thompson, the concealed literacy component had various advantages: “I think it was probably good, the fact that I didn’t know before, because I probably wouldn’t have gone otherwise.” He explains his reluctance to go on an more explicitly literacy course in terms of:
“Basically because I’m not very good at spelling. So sort of a fear in that area would have put me off… He believes this sentiment applied more widely to employees in general who would have been ‘frightened of either not being able to spell or frightened of being sort of talked down to I suppose’.”
As in other sites, the learners emphasised the advantage of learning in the workplace as opposed to a college. For Gary Thompson, the advantage of doing the course in workplace is that “it isn’t such a big decision for one. So its quite encouraging… although you’re committed to seeing the course out, there seems to be a lot more… effort is the wrong word, effort commitment to travel somewhere else.” Undertaking a course at college involves more of a risk of “getting somewhere and finding that you’re a bit of an idiot. Where as locally it seems quite acceptable to say, right that’s it, I can’t do it I’ve had enough. There’s less embarrassment.”
In terms of course outcomes, the majority of learners emphasized that the course had boosted their confidence in dealing with computers. For Oliver Green the literacy component of the course represented merely an opportunity to “brush up” on his existing skills. The course had inspired him to buy a computer and equipped him with greater confidence in dealing with technology in general. Gary Thompson maintained that his literacy skills had benefited indirectly from the course in so far as he was now able to rely on spell check to assist his writing:
“I wouldn’t say I was dyslexic but yeah I tend to really not see letters or things, so really of course no. The computer has helped with this, the functions, but the actual spelling no, my spelling will always be the same I’m afraid … it’s the functionality of the computer that’s improved, not spelling… the end product is better. The actual thing (i.e. level of literacy) is exactly the same.”
The course also allowed for the development of a variety of informal learning opportunities.
Oliver Green was one of several learners who bought a computer during the course so that he could consolidate his newly acquired skills at home through independent study: “I used to finish off what we were doing in class at home”. For Gary Thompson the course boosted his confidence and allowed him to develop further ICT skills through “selfdirected learning” and exploration: “I would say basically its increased my confidence to experiment … really until you get where you want. Or at least experiment for a while until you find you can’t.” Mike Swan similarly commented on his increased capacity to experiment with ICT: “with the computer course it helps you because obviously if you’re waiting for a job and you think well I’m waiting for that bit of paper work here and you think right well I’ll have a go at that, and see if I can get it checked.”
The impact of the course was extended further into the workplace through the employees informal pooling of individual experiences and recollections of the course. Roger Taylor described this process as follows:
“we’ve got a computer we can use at work,… and er… its one we share, I mean all the guys in the office have got their own, but there’s one in the workshop that we can share and Stans doing spreadsheets and stuff … so he says yeah can you remember how we did this? So we sit down together and work it out, from the course that we did, the training that we had, somebody might remember something.”