Guides

What is Distance Learning?

Very simply, distance learning means that you do not have to be based near our campuses in Shrewsbury to study one of our distance learning courses, you can do just that – study at a distance, wherever and whenever suits you best.  

Our distance learning students gain an accredited qualification without having to ever attend a lecture or sit an exam on campus – instead, all our teaching and assessments are conducted online through our eLearning portal, or we can also offer the course paper-based if you would prefer. 

It means that if you choose one of our distance learning programmes, you will be free to study your course, your way, while still benefitting from the same excellent teaching and research-based learning that our students who study on campus enjoy.

How will I study?

There are two ways to study your Distance Learning course with us.

• Online - using our e-Assessor Pro learning portal. The college uses an eLearning platform for many of our courses, you will need access to a computer and the internet to be able to study in this way. You will be given a login to the system where you will find all of your learning materials, assessments and feedback in one place.
• Paper-based - Hard copy of learning materials. You will be sent a hard copy of the learning materials which will include your course assessments.  You can complete the assessments by hand or type them into a Word document.  These are then sent to the distance learning department either via post or email.

Support and guidance whilst studying

For the duration of your course, you will be assigned an experienced assessor, who will be responsible for marking your assessments and providing you with assistance should you need it.  They will send out a welcome email to introduce themselves and advise you how you can contact them. The preferred method of contact is via email, although telephone calls may be available by prior arrangement. If you have a subject-related question, please approach your assessor in the first instance. For any administrative or technical enquiries please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

Individual needs

Shrewsbury Colleges Group is proactive in encouraging learners to disclose their additional learning needs during the enrolment process, so that we may work with you to provide support if needed. We will need to advise your course assessor of this so that they can support you through your studies.

We can provide you with information about some of the apps available for learners with individual needs such as dyslexia/reading and writing difficulties. 

• My Study Bar (collection of free software) via www.eduapps.org  
• Xmind – Mind mapping and planning
• SSOverlay – Screen tint application
• Orato – Text reader
• Hott Notes – Sticky notes for targets
• Balabolka – Text Speech

 We can also produce accessible electronic versions of all course materials in large print/assorted colours, according to guidelines provided by the RNIB/dyslexia association.

What can I expect from the course, the tutors, and the Distance Learning Team?

You can expect a commitment from everyone you encounter at Shrewsbury Colleges Group when completing your programme.

Your tutor will:

• Provide you with professional support.
• Carry out an up-to-date and professional standard of assessment and provide robust written feedback about your work.
• Give additional support with your learning/assessment should you require it.

The Distance Learning Team will:

• Deal with general enquiries.
• Make changes to your personal record if you change your address, name, or your contact details.
• Agree new submission dates should you struggle getting work in (provided that an extension is appropriate).
• Process your assessments and get your feedback to you.

What does Shrewsbury Colleges Group expect from me?

We expect a level of learner commitment from you while you complete your programme. As a learner, you have a responsibility to:

• Manage your learning process.
• Meet deadlines for handing in your work and only submit complete modules/assessments.
• Contact the Distance Learning Team to inform them of any changes in your circumstances (e.g., change of name through marriage or re-marriage, change of address, change of contact number, or email address).

What should I do if I am unable to study for any length of time?

Please let the Distance Learning Team know about any long periods of absence that may affect your studies, such as holidays or unforeseen circumstances.

Undertaking your Distance Learning course

Getting started

• Please read your learning materials carefully (including the Learner Study Notes) before starting any activities or assessments.
• Read all the questions carefully. Be clear about the wording and the question being asked. You can refer to the verb descriptions found in your study notes for guidance to help you answer the questions correctly.

Individual Learning Plan

At the start of your course, you will be advised of your submission dates for each assessment/module. Your learning plan is designed so that you complete your course in the allocated time and gain your certificate. Extensions may be possible for exceptional cases or those experiencing extenuating circumstances.  Please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for individual guidance.

Submitting your assessments

eLearning platform Submission
At the start of your course, you will be sent a link via email to the eLearning platform, from here you can log in and set up a password. Once on the platform you will have access to the learning materials for your course, assessment workbooks along with submission dates for each assessment(s). You will complete all your coursework on here and submit your work to your tutor via the touch of a button. If you have any problems logging in, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Paper-based Submission
You will receive a hard copy learning pack with your workbooks, assessments, and your Individual Learning Plan. You will then work through the books and complete the activities as you go, gaining the knowledge you need to complete your assessments. Once you have completed your assessment in full you are then ready to send this to your tutor for marking.  

There are a couple of ways in which you can submit your paper-based work to us.

Post:
When sending your work by post, please ensure that you complete all your details on the learner declaration sheet attached to the front of your assessment, this must also be signed and dated. It is important to pay the correct postage when sending in your work, otherwise it may be held at the post office until the extra fees have been paid. 

If you need to include additional pages within your paper assessment, please clearly label them with your name, date, signature, and course title, and stating which question it is referring to.  Only use A4 paper, as your work will need to be scanned over to your Assessor.  Do not use glue for inserts, or staple pages together.

Email:
You may also submit hand-written assessments to us via email. Your complete assessment, not individual pages, will need to be scanned in using either Word or PDF format only and sent to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. JPG and photos via a smartphone are not acceptable.

Regardless of which way you decide to send your assignments to us, it is important to make a copy of your work, so that you have back up in the unlikely event of your work going missing in the post. 

Tutor feedback

Your course tutor will mark your assessments and provide you with robust written feedback about your work. You are advised to read your feedback and complete any resubmissions in a timely manner.  

• If using the eLearning platform your tutor feedback will be available to you on the learning portal.
• For paper-based learning, all feedback will be sent to you via email. 

Resubmissions

If your tutor requests you to resubmit a question or part of your work, you will be contacted directly and allowed seven days to complete the work.

Please Note: For you to pass an Assessment, you are allowed up to four attempts at resubmission in respect of the question(s) you have been asked to resubmit.

Plagiarism and Artificial Intelligence software

All the work you submit must be in your own words. Do not copy from another person or copy text from your learning materials or any website. If your assessor suspects it is not your own work, you will be contacted and asked to resubmit your work. 

All Assessors spot check answers for the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) software and if AI content is detected in your answers, you will be required to resubmit your work.

Malpractice and Maladministration

Please familiarise yourself with the Shrewsbury Colleges Group Malpractice and Maladministration Policy when completing your course.

Completion of the course

Completion of your course is upon successfully passing all of your assessments.

Your assessments may be subject to Internal Quality Assurance (IQA), which is a process whereby the standard of your tutor’s work is sampled. Your work may also be sampled by the awarding organisation you will be registered with, this is known as External Quality Assurance (EQA). If your work is selected for IQA/EQA sampling, a delay of up to 2-3 months may occur in the issuing of your certificate. 

Once your work has been through the internal and external quality assurance process, the distance learning team will apply for your certificate from the exams department.  

In your final feedback, your assessor may provide you with information, advice and guidance about other courses which may be of interest to you.  

You will also be emailed a link to complete a short survey regarding your experience of studying your course with Shrewsbury Colleges Group. Completion of this is voluntary, but we would welcome your views as we are always looking at ways to improve.

Withdrawal from your course

Withdrawal from your course will incur the £100 default fee you agreed to at enrolment. Reasons for being withdrawn from a distance learning course will include: your decision not to continue, you have not submitted work in a timely manner and have missed your course deadlines, and you have not communicated with us when we have contacted you regarding non-submission of course work.

The college will issue you with an Invoice for £100. This can be paid in instalments by prior arrangement with the college’s Finance Team. Please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for advice and guidance if considering withdrawing.

Complaints procedure

Most complaints can be rectified by a telephone call to the Distance Learning Team. If an issue isn’t resolved, please send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. You will be required to provide grounds for your complaint in writing.

Appeals

Should you disagree with any aspect of your assessor feedback or with any comments from Internal Quality Assurance you have the right to appeal. Contact Sandra France-Thornton, Distance Learning Team Leader by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Data Protection

Shrewsbury Colleges Group will request personal information to process your enrolment, in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998. Further information can be accessed here.

Safeguarding at college

Information about Safeguarding at college can be accessed here.

How to contact us:

General enquiries regarding your course: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Telephone: 01743 342355

Mailbox to email assignments to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

Address to send paper-based assignments:

Distance Learning Department
Shrewsbury Colleges Group
London Road
Shrewsbury
Shropshire SY2 6PR

Distance Learning Office opening times:

Please keep this handbook safe as it contains important information, about your course and you will need to refer to it during your studies.

Shrewsbury Colleges Group Policies are available here.

f