Flick learning was established with the aim of turning must-do training into effective, engaging and enjoyable e-learning.
The so-called ‘Netflix of e-learning’ works by offering one subscription fee payable each month for access to the company’s entire collection of courses, which currently covers 40 different topics. When further courses are added, they are included within the subscription fee.
More than 40,000 childminders, pre-schools and nurseries have a subscription.
Research carried out by flick showed that childcare workers on their feet all day preferred to do training on their phone, so courses can be done on the app at any time and in any place, on a phone, tablet or laptop.
Course topics include adults at risk, the EYFS made simple, food hygiene, child protection, domestic abuse, equality and diversity, and manual handling. Training on subjects including safer recruitment, anti-bribery and child sexual exploitation are currently in development.
All courses are CPD-certified, and health and safety courses are accredited by RoSPA.
Flick is one of only two e-learning providers to have had its prevention of radicalisation course reviewed and vetted by the Home Office.
The courses aim to create something playful and quirky out of what could otherwise be seen as dry topics, whether it is a fully accredited fire safety course in the style of a 1980s video game, a data protection training video using ‘Ollivander’s wand shop’ as a backdrop, or an information security course that plays like Mission Impossible.
The training uses simple English with no jargon and aims to banish any unnecessary details. Each course is divided into short, bite-sized eight-minute learning topics, with voiceovers done by real people rather than automated voices.
In-course games and simple and quick guides to key processes or legal points, resources such as template forms, policies and procedures, and even weekly updated YouTube playlists and Pinterest boards, are added to the courses to help make them engaging and informative.
Flick training courses are kept up to date and relevant. In May 2018, data protection laws are changing, and developers at flick have been working on the new version of their data protection course ready for launch to coincide with the implementation of the changes.
With customisable learning journeys, learners can focus on the important topics but are provided with reading materials for other courses that may be relevant later. Progress reports track how a learner is doing when working through the courses, and learners are supported with a live chat during office hours, evenings and weekends if they get into difficulties using the training resources.
The flick team has considerable experience in delivering e-learning in the education sector, producing training for Ofsted, the Boarding Schools’ Association, the National Governors’ Association, and the Pre-school Learning Alliance.
Franchise manager of Tinies, Beverley Munden, says, ‘Our nannies and nursery staff are in regular demand, so finding a training resource which was flexible enough to accommodate the varied working patterns of our workforce, and be accessible from any mobile device, has been invaluable.
‘Candidates love the bite-sized, eight-minute learning topics as well as its unique style of presenting content in a more interactive, interesting and animated way.
‘Trainees have access to a varied range of RoSPA-accredited and CPD-certified Level 2 courses. These courses provide a core understanding of the subject matter to candidates who are guided by their Tinies Learning Journey, which highlights the most suitable courses to meet their childcarer needs.’
One user says, ‘Overall it was the user experience that we were most impressed with. The entire process is really simple, the design is great and, of course, the content covers all of the essentials.'
Finalists
Blossom online journey platform, Blossom Educational
Kinderly
Criterion
Open to EY resources available online that help improve practice/provision
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