e-learning at BC

New e-Learning Continuing Professional Development Framework and some of the resources developed for these Units - ideal for inclusion in Initial Teacher Training as an introduction to e-Learning:

http://www.learningtechnologies.ac.uk/ecpd/lister/index.htm

Colleagues might be interested in this free best practice online event:

Best Practice Online event

This is a great resource by James Clay on mobile learning - take a look!

http://www.online-conference.net/jisc/content/clay/conference/

The research report below gives (in my view) an important insight into the integration of e-Learning in FE. The recommendations in particular are worthy of discussion. It is a long document, so I suggest you start with the Executive Summary.

From RSC YH Bulletin No 112
e-learning in Further Education: The Impact on Student Intermediate and End-point Outcomes

This report published by the DfES is the results of research conducted in six general FE colleges. The overarching aims were to:

• Identify those aspects and measures of e-learning input at the teaching and learning interface that have an important influence on the intermediate (e.g. on understanding of, and engagement with, the subject) and end point outcomes such as retention and formal attainment.

• Identify the main critical contextual factors within institutions which facilitate the effective use of e-learning.

• Determine how any positive impacts attributable to e-learning can be maximised within and across institutions.

Download the report here:
http://www.dfes.gov.uk/research/data/uploadfiles/RR739.pdf

This paper, by Graham Attwell, explores some of the ideas behind the Personal Learning Environment and considers why PLEs might be useful or indeed central to learning in the future. Graham argues, this is not so much a technical question as an educational one, although changing technologies are key drivers in educational change.

 http://www.elearningpapers.eu/index.php?page=doc&doc_id=8553&doclng=6

JISC Conference 2007 - Tuesday 13 March 2007
International Convention Centre, Birmingham
JISC warmly invites you to participate in the JISC Conference 2007. The conference programme will be built on the theme of Supporting Education and Research. We are pleased to announce David Eastwood (Chief Executive, Higher Education Funding Council England) and Tom Loosemore (Project Director, BBC 2.0) as the conference keynote speakers. The conference will reflect the breadth of JISC activities in providing guidance, advice and opportunities for the use of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in education and research.
Delegates will be given opportunities to learn about the full range of JISC’s work by participating in seminars, debates, workshops and demonstrations. In the exhibition area, a range of JISC services as well as corporate companies, agencies and associations will be able to provide you with advice and guidance on a range of support and resources available to your institution. This one day event will be of interest to all those in post 16 and higher education and research involved in planning for and supporting the use of ICT.

To view the draft conference programme and to book your place, please visit the JISC Conference 2006 website at:

www.jisc.ac.uk/conference2007

Lots of useful training materials for MS and other products at the blog: http://www.educationonlineforcomputers.com/blogs/

Some useful information and papers on the AoC/NILTA site - also from: http://www.aocnilta.co.uk/ and http://www.aocnilta.co.uk/moodle/

• Becta Learning Platform Specification
• DOPA, social networks and keeping young people safe
• Personalisation in Electronic Environments
• Effective Practice in e-Assessment
• Personalisation – Principles for e-Portfolio Development

The JISC commissioned a series of five exemplars which demonstrate how FE practitioners can use content found in online resources to support their teaching.

The FE Exemplars cover a wide range of scenarios including how a practitioner might use film to support GCSE History students studying the Vietnam War; how text from Infotrac can be used to create tasks for home based study for the BTEC National Beauty Therapy Science; how practitioners can use an image from the Education Image Gallery as the focus for a discussion activity about the Golden Jubilee for Level 1 Literacy students; and materials and ideas for a range of BTEC and GCSE Business Studies awards.

All the exemplars are all available online at:

http://restricted.jisc.ac.uk/exemplars_fe/ Please note that you will need to be using a computer on campus (i.e. via an ac.uk domain) in order to access them online.

A very useful and comprehensive piece on desktop video conferencing (from the comfort of your own office or home!) is available from ESCalate at: http://escalate.ac.uk/3096