Online Learning
The impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic have added a new imperative to upskilling and prompted a reset for learning methods, writes John Kinsella
The Covid-19 lockdown has put the focus on online learning. And these education providers are rising to the challenge
RAs the economic shock from the Covid-19 pandemic ripples through the economy, 45% of respondents in a recent Robert Walters survey said they have implemented headcount freezes while one in five have terminated temporary or fixed-term employee contracts. Government stimulus measures will assist employers through the rest of the year but there’s no doubt that the jobs market has become much tougher than it was last January.
Sorcha Finucane, founder of TrainedIn, notes that technological developments have meant that the world of work has been changing steadily for a number years. “Covid19 has accelerated the pace of change we have to adapt to as we build our careers,” she says. “However, notwithstanding the seriousness of the impact caused by the virus on the jobs market, there are opportunities coming to the fore too.
“The best way to take advantage of these opportunities is to continuously learn and upskill. The demands of the job market are changing, and building a skillset that recognises this is your strongest strategy to future-proof your career,” Finucane advises. Upskilling can take many shapes. Embarking on a degree or diploma may be what is required to reach more senior roles. Shorter courses, workshops and webinars can also deliver the training people need to upskill.
Just as employers are adapting to the new normal, so too are education providers. Those that already offered an online element have augmented the online course delivery structure. Others, whose business centred entirely on the classroom setting, have had to rapidly pivot, as these organisations illustrate.
Chartered Accountants Ireland
The journey towards a career in chartered accountancy, Ireland’s leading business qualification will be entirely digitally led from October 2020, according to Leo Norris, Head of Education Delivery at Chartered Accountants
Ireland. Students will apply for entry using e-transcripts and digital platforms will now be used for all subsequent education provision, including interim assessments online and main exams.
“Our aim is to deliver the best possible learning experience for students of chartered accountancy. Students will use a variety of leading online platforms, all available in one place — a new learning management system,” Norris explains. “Online learning is not new to the Institute’s education offering, with a ‘blended learning’ proposition in place for some years and material online. What’s changed is the introduction of a new architecture of education delivery — how we structure and format the education experience.”
As well as satisfying government advice on social distancing in the months ahead and protecting students’ health, Norris says that the move to online education will have a range of benefits for those beginning in chartered accountancy.
“Benefits include greater guidance for students on how to engage with online material and an improved platform that allows easy, clutter-free navigation with access to class materials and timetables. We will leverage best practice internationally, along with leading technology solutions and an experienced lecturing team to provide students with an
excellent education experience online. With an eye to the future, we will also be meeting the needs of future students by increasing the availability, attractiveness and quality of the course framework.”
There are three academic levels in the chartered accountancy programme. “On average, it takes students three and a half years to qualify. While most students enter into a training contract with accountancy firms, an increasing number are following independent study through our Flexible Route,” says Norris. “The first year, CAP1 provides the essential foundation knowledge. CAP2 builds on prior knowledge with much deeper dives into the core subjects. The Final Admitting Examination (FAE) is designed to integrate the knowledge, skills and values derived from earlier studies, which the practical accounting experience generated.”
The education delivery model across the three levels of the programme will include a mix of delivery methods. Students will be taken from key concepts and principles (for example, accounting standards, relevant tax legislation) to their practical application and how they could feature in exams. “At FAE in particular, the education provision will make the experience more streamlined and improve the student experience,” Norris adds.
The new education software includes improved lecture pre-recording and webinar delivery, and an expanded podcast library to include exam preparation and study aids. Fees for Chartered Accountants Ireland’s programme are structured to allow students to pay only for subjects and modules they are undertaking each year. At the CAP1 stage, the fee for each of the five subjects is €420. “There is no registration fee and we don’t charge you to be a student, unlike other accountancy bodies,” says Norris.
Since the Covid-19 emergency and lockdown was announced in March, Chartered Accountants Ireland delivered all remaining lectures online. The transition has worked extremely well, says Norris. “In terms of metrics, attendance at and engagement with online lectures have increased compared with previous in-person lectures.
“Student feedback indicates high levels of satisfaction from participants with the online alternatives provided. As has always been the case, the qualification and quality of our education programme will remain top class and students will avail of the best online experience.”
Leo Norris, Chartered Accountants Ireland
is Ireland’s oldest school of law but the institute is thoroughly modern in the way that it delivers its educational expertise. A wide range of advanced diploma courses are typically provided via blended learning, combining online and in-person experiences.
The emphasis is also on practical, high-quality learning, with teaching material delivered by leading practitioners in the field, including lawyers, judges, and other subject matter experts. King’s Inns’ advanced diplomas are also designed with the non-legal professional in mind, as the majority of the annual student intake comprises non-legal professionals.
Fifteen advanced diploma courses are offered by King’s Inns, costing an average of €2,350 each. The courses include social media and media law, data protection law, public procurement law, legal translation and applied employment law. Courses are delivered in the early mornings, evenings or on weekends. Depending on the course, it could be delivered over 4 to 6 weekends, over two days (Friday evening and Saturday), or 16 to 30 week-day sessions.
According to Dean of the School of Law at King’s Inns, the range of advanced diplomas provide an opportunity for both lawyers and non-lawyers to enhance their knowledge of a specialist area of law, such as planning and environmental law or social media law, or a specialist skill, such as legislative drafting or quasi-judicial decisionmaking.
“Although having a background in law may be seen as an advantage when taking an advanced diploma, all of our advanced diplomas are open to non-lawyers and are heavily attended by non-lawyers, who find them extremely useful for professional development,” says Dr. Brown. “Our advanced diploma in medical law is heavily attended by doctors, nurses, midwives, psychologists and people working in hospital administration, while our law and education course tends to attract teachers, principals and school administrators to a greater extent than it attracts lawyers.”
Dr. Brown adds that the student body in King’s Inns is very diverse and includes people from all professional backgrounds in the public and private sectors, which enriches classroom discussions. The make-up of each individual class varies from course to course and from year to year. “Data Protection Law attracts people from all business sectors and backgrounds, for example, while