FM Tuition by Distance Learning

As you read the notes and information on the qualifications programme, please bear in mind that those studying in private at home, or studying whilst at work are referred to as 'distance learners'.

This web page dedicates itself to providing learners with information specific to learning by the methods described above, but rather than duplicate the course information on this web page, we ask that you gain an understanding of the qualifications format, units content, assessment methods and so on by reading the course information booklet and/or following the web links on the web pages.

Please read on for information on the learning format for distance learners. Also, we should point out that if, as you read the learning format below, you have questions on the format of the qualification, we need to re-direct you back to the course information booklet or web pages which explain these.

Distance Learning Format and Issue of Tuition Materials

Once you have booked onto and paid for your programme we start by providing you with the tuition materials in the following sequence:

Handbook / Issue 1

We start by providing you with an induction session which consitutes the issue of an induction handbook.

The handbook doubles up as a workbook to guide you through the necessary duties you need to undertake such as completing registration forms and choosing which study units you would like to be assessed upon. Whilst quite lengthy, the induction/learner handbook offers a lot of important information and serves as a set of reference material for future use.

Once we receive the completed forms back from you, we confirm your assessment plan with you and if all is in order, we register you onto the BIFM's learner database so that they are ready to issue the assessment papers when we request them on your behalf.

Workbook / Issue 2

Following on from the completion of the induction tasks (as described above), the first course information workbook is then sent to you electronically which can be read from the screen or printed for binding or filing into a ring-binder (or similar). These information workbooks have been prepared in such as way as to be informative and, where possible, interactive with exercises and tasks for you to carry out.

The first workbook that distance learners will receive covers Unit 4.01, Overview of Facilities Management. Subsequent workbooks are provided according to the choices you have made with regards your programme plan which we confirm with you as part of the induction session.

These workbooks include copies of all the tuition materials for the session being studied, specification requirements (akin to a syllabus), home study assignments and additional tasks and any reflective activities that will help learners to apply the knowledge to a work-based situation.

Workbook / Issue 3

The next workbook you will receive is a separate workbook to cover study and homework assignment techniques, assessment support, sample assessment papers and so on. This is an important workbook as it guides you through the tools and techniques you will need to possess in order to pracice for and undertake the assessments successfully.

Once we have received a confirmation from you that you have read the workbook, practiced the tasks and feel confident with the techniques, we will issue you with your first assessment paper (Unit 4.01).

Document / Issue 4

The assessment paper (see format of assessments in the course infortmation booklet or via the web links above) is issued to learners approximately 10 working days after being requested (some unit assessment papers are more readily available- more on this in the induction handbook).

Learners will have 28 days in which to undertake the assessment tasks. During this time we are allowed to review your work twice. We like to do this for the first time after about two weeks of the assessment period and again for the second time a week or so later. By so doing we can advise on whether we feel you are on the right track or have included all the key messages when writing up your assessment work.

We undertake these reviews with you by telephone and expect you to make notes of the conversations before applying the advice to your next draft, or final submission.

The assessments, once final submissions have been received, take a little while to be marked by the Assessors. In the meantime we issue you with the next workbook.

Workbook / Issue 5

Even though you will undoubtedly be waiting for your recent work submisison to be marked, there is no reason not to continue to study the next tuition unit. We issue learners with the next Unit workbook.

This will be a different workbook for different learners according to their personal programme plan, their chosen qualification type (award, certificate or diploma), or how the unit integrates into their personalised assessment plan.

We will issue the correct workbook to learners and work with them to ensure they understand what they have received and what they will need to do to study it correctly and in accordance with any learning or assessment plans.

Subsequent Documents or Workbook Issues

We will continue in this matter until all of the tuition units workbooks are issued and the chosen assessments followed.

Also, we would like to communicate this important message to you: We support you at every step along the way, so please utilise our help and support when you need it.

But before you book on....

We are sure you are keen to make a start and ready to book onto your chosen programme.

But before you do...

...we want to make a few points clear to be sure you are ready,

so please read on before you book on!

• We politely ask that you read the course information booklet fully. It contains a lot of useful information that is relevant to the learning programme
• We would like to remind you that we have prepared a sample assessment paper. There's a lot to be gained from seeing if you feel capable of tackling a task in the format it has been set.
• We offer all potential learners a free course suitability check. Give it a go and we'll help you decide if the programme is right for you.
• There will be a necessary induction process to go through. You need to read, agree with and return some documents to us before you get given your first set of tuition materials.
• No induction or tuition materials are issued until we receive full payment for the programme you are choosing.
• If you find the going tough, we are here to help. You need to work to a strict regime.
• If you understand the importance of all of these reminders, please proceed to the booking form.