Newbattle Abbey College

16 November 2009

 Newbattle  Abbey College Launches Open Learning  

Newbattle Abbey College in Dalkeith has launched their SQA-validated Arts and Humanities Award on a part-time Open Learning basis for the first time. The course, which was previously only available to study over a one-year full-time basis, began at the end of October and last weekend the College welcomed their first cohort of Open Learning students.

The Open Learning course incorporates face-to-face classroom learning with online distance learning on a part-time basis over two years. Ten students have signed up for the new course, which was made possible after the College received a grant from the Scottish Funding Council and support from the Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) Regional Support Centre (RSC) Scotland North and East.

Last weekend the Open Learning students attended an introductory week at Newbattle Abbey College. This gave individuals the opportunity to meet fellow class-mates, College staff and learn how to use the on-line teaching software. One student taking part in the Open Learning course is 52 year old Catherine Morgan from Tranent, East Lothian.

Catherine left school at the age of 16 taking up full-time employment as a clerical assistant. After having her two daughters, now 14 and 19, Catherine reduced her hours to part-time and began working in retail. Catherine said: “I enjoyed working part-time when my girls were growing up but when my eldest daughter enrolled at university last year, I started to think about returning to education myself. With my husband working full-time and my younger daughter in school, I was getting fed up of rattling around the house on my own and was keen to further my own education.

“I saw an advert for Newbattle Abbey College in the paper and was instantly attracted to the idea of an Open Learning course combining face-to-face learning with online learning. I liked the sound of the subjects we would study including history, literature and communication, and the fact it was giving adults a second chance at education. The flexibility of the course also appealed to me as it would allow me to continue working part-time.

“Since beginning the course at the end of October, I have thoroughly enjoyed it. I have met some lovely people and received a lot of support from my study skills teacher. I also greatly enjoyed the recent residential weekend at Newbattle, the college is beautiful and the staff are so enthusiastic. It’s like being part of a big family!”

For further information on studying at the College, either on a full-time or Open Learning basis, please call 0131 663 1921 or e-mail office@newbattleabbeycollege.ac.uk