Business As Usual for Learning Support

Despite pandemics and lockdowns, the Learning Support Team at SERC continues to support students to engage with their learning and complete their course work. After almost 2 weeks of remote working students, lecturers and support assistants have developed all sorts of new skills as they work from home using computers, phones and other devices.

Given these unprecedented times SERC has expanded this service so that all students can get support and help with their learning activities and assignments as well as advice on how best to keep on top of all their workload. Since the College has gone online many students have found this help to be invaluable as it gives them a chance to get guidance and help about the best way to answer questions, write essays / reports and to meet deadlines. 

One Level 2 IT student reflecting on his work with his support assistant stated that,  “I think he helped pretty well so far, giving me a nudge, and just reminding me he’s here to help if I need any.”

Another stated that,   “The remote learning is so much easier now with having the laptop to complete my work and your help has been brilliant, more so today with your advice for my games design document.”

While the Learning Support assistants are all finding that working online is keeping them very busy Daphne, one of the SERC Learning Support Assistants reports that,  “In general most students appear to be coping well with this sudden and unexpected changeover to remote learning. Last week we even had one student join the rest of her class in a video-link tutorial session direct from her hospital bed, demonstrating not only her dedication to her studies but also her ongoing access to tutorials and coursework”

Another Support Assistant, Michael highlights that  “The Students are more focused when they engage online. It helps some of them learn in a better way, and I feel they retain information better because of how they interact with it.” 

Reflecting on the work of his team and the progress of the students, Paul Walsh, Head of Learning Support at SERC says,  “While we are living through very difficult times my team remain committed to helping students to continue to learn and achieve, using whatever technology is available. This commitment is really helping many students to keep up with their studies, but please don’t hesitate to contact us you too feel you could benefit from some assistance.” 

If you too would like to avail of help and support from Learning Support, please contact them on Learning-Support@serc.ac.uk .