3B: What is 'success' in meeting the needs and interests of learners?

Doreen joined a short course at her local college because she enjoyed walking and felt that she wanted to improve her ability to use a compass and plan walks. The Routes and Rambles course was delivered by Skills for Life teachers, using their own creative skills.

Doreen felt that this was an innovative way to improve her maths skills as it was totally relevant to her need to learn to read a map correctly. She also appreciated the opportunity to negotiate some of the learning which included planning a route.

She felt that she had gained new skills that would improve her ability to plan and manage rambles. She appreciated the embedded numeracy skills that she had learned as part of the course, saying, ‘I feel quite up to date as I now have some understanding of the metric system and I can now change miles to kilometres. I have a much greater understanding of direction following work on grid references and points of the compass. It allows me to fix my position on the map.’

Teachers brought a mix of skills to the delivery of this short course, but quality issues of teaching were adhered to throughout. For example, learner booklets were amended to evidence map reading, route planning and maths. Doreen was delighted to achieve her Certificate for Personal Goals.