Training:

BTec Advanced Award for Audiology Technicians in Educational Settings – Update.

The Ewing Foundation and Mary Hare Training Services established the course for Audiology Technicians who work in educational settings in April 2011. Most of the 12 students who enrolled are currently employed as school IT or Science Technicians, or as Teaching Assistants supporting deaf learners in special schools or resource provisions in mainstream settings. The course lets students draw on their setting and practice to complete four inter-related units: Listening and Learning; Personal Amplification Systems; Fault-finding and Problem-solving, and Administration and Sharing Information. These include supported self-study, six practical workshops, assessed tasks and five days’ placement in one or more settings.

Obviously, the course requires a high level of commitment and self-motivation. Some students were new in post when the course started and some have limited contact with other ‘deaf education professionals’ who can act as mentors, but they have risen to the challenge.

There has been positive feedback regarding the mixed delivery methods and the ‘knowledgeable experts’, ‘variety’ and ‘opportunity to ask questions’ have proven popular. Students have been able to compare products and practice and consider the implications for their workplaces. Fortunately, the workshop leaders have matched students’ enthusiasm. There have been too many contributors to credit individually, but it is fair to say that the major players in manufacturing and supplying hearing aid/cochlear implants, FM systems, acoustic treatments and soundfield systems have taken part, alongside representatives of the Ewing Foundation, Mary Hare, the Ear Foundation and local authorities.

The supporting materials informing students’ private study have been described as ‘comprehensive and informative’ , while the assessed tasks are considered to be ‘well explained and paced well’ and ‘set at an achievable level’ . Other comments about the course include:

• ‘Well-structured in logical steps, building on skills for different levels of expertise’
• ‘Well thought out and delivered’
• ‘Ideal for me as a beginner’
• ‘Even if I have knowledge in a particular area, I have still been able to learn something new and take it back to my setting’
• ‘The more I am learning, the more I am taking on at school’
• ‘Fits in well with professional development’.

Case Study

University of Birmingham

Students studying for the mandatory qualification to become teachers of the deaf attend an annual residential week at the university campus.

Two technicians and one consultant lead audiology workshops that focus on using an electro-acoustic analyser (test box) to monitor the function of hearing aids and to set up FM systems with hearing aids. Students who are familiar with these procedures have the opportunity to explore fitting a wider range of FM systems including ear-level FM receivers which need to be adjusted electronically. They also have the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of fitting and evaluation procedures.