SQA Braille Competency Course - Uncontracted April 2017 - March 2018

Number of Participants completing: 11
Number of Respondents: 11

Overall Assessment:

How would you rate the following: Excellent = 5, Poor = 1

How will you use what you have learned in this course?

As a member of the multi-sensory service, I may be supporting a child who will use braille next year. I can also use it to show sighted children as part of their senses/body topics.
More practice through brailling simple books. I hope to eventually go on to contracted braille.
To support a visually impaired child in school.
With two visually impaired students in mainstream secondary education.
A new job role starting in September, supporting a VI pupil.
I will continue to use this in my place of work with pupils.
I have really enjoyed the course and hopefully I will get to use my new brailling skills at work for the children I support.
I work directly with blind children and use it several days per week.
Will be used in class on a regular basis as working one to one with a VI pupil.
For my job.
Help a blind child in school.

How would you rate the following: Excellent = 5, Poor = 1

What was best about the course?

I liked that I could work at my own pace, but help was there if needed.
Daunting, but good to learn Braille Grade 1.
I enjoyed sections of the brailling and reading passages.
Learning the letters in braille.
Learning a new skill which there is a need for.
Structure.
I enjoyed working through the course myself. I think there is quite a lot of pressure to get the course done within the 3-month period allowed.
Practice material.
The amount of practice sheets given with a variety of words, etc.
Learning a new skill.
Loved the number work.

What, if anything, could have been improved?

I would have like clear instructions on braille layout with examples included in raised braille. A sheet showing all the alphabet, numbers and symbols covered would have been very helpful to refer to also.
More raised braille to practice.
More explanation on layouts would be helpful and an actual example of the final assessment. More practice on the comprehension.
Very poor instructions in folder at times, e.g. putting in paper. More corrected worksheets by tutor needed before any assessment. It's demoralising to fail!
Time given to complete course.
A better description, even a diagram, of how to lay out a page of braille.
Maybe a little longer to learn the material before the exam.
More raised braille.

Any other comments regarding the course?

I have really enjoyed the course and was very happy with the feedback/support from my tutor.
The feedback from the stage assessment was very helpful.
More time needed between Stage 1 and exam. I had no feedback on any recurring errors I was making between my second attempt at Stage 1 and the exam.
I also found the description of how to correct errors on the assessments, and how those corrections affected my score, unclear. Again, a simple sample page of how to correct would have been ideal.

Distance Learning

This course was delivered through distance learning - did you find this a good arrangement or would you have preferred a different mode of delivery? Please comment either way.

Distance learning suited me, but maybe an earlier assessment in the course would have provided me with feedback and more confidence before completing pieces later.
I liked working through it at home in the evenings. It suited me well around my existing work commitments.
This is a useful way of learning, having flexibility.
Length of time for feedback was a problem for me, but the quality of the feedback was good.
Distance learning was a good arrangement for me.
The course folder is very thorough. It worked well for me.
I really enjoyed distance learning.
Yes, as you were able to email or phone the tutor regarding a problem and they would reply in a short space of time.
A little more support.
Would have preferred more 'hands on'.

Overall distance learning experience

How would you rate the overall learning experience? Excellent = 5, Poor = 1

How did you hear about this course?

Co-ordinator/Line Manager: 8
Colleague: 3

What other SSC CPD training would you find useful?

Anything to do with visual impairment, as I am fairly new to the service. Distance learning suits me, as I work another job and have children, so travelling to Edinburgh is not always suitable. Webinars or courses involving internet would be helpful.
If successful, I hope to progress to level 2.
Grade 2 contracted braille.
Be kept up to date with changes or anything new out. Also, consider looking into the Grade 2 course.