SMT Focus Technology bid in West Midlands set to contribute to enhanced learning and teaching across the UK
JISC RSC West Midlands is delighted to announce that Birmingham Adult Education Service (BAES) is to receive funding for new learning resources, methods and expanding opportunities in post-16 learning. The winning project - managed by JISC Advance and funded by BIS will run throughout 2012-13. The aim of BAES’ project is to develop a suite of online learning materials specifically designed to engage adult learners. Repurposed learning materials will ensure that there is sufficient variety to engage learners with differing learning styles. Resources will include video clips, quiz questions for interactive assessment, and content for staying safe online. The project will search across JISC and other sources for suitable existing materials for re-purposing. Resources produced will be shared with the sector via upload to Jorum and the resources will be publicised and promoted via online communication and networking tools.
A total of 32 successful bids were chosen representing all countries of the UK and all aspects of the FE and Skills sector including work-based learning, adult and community learning, colleges and specialist providers. They also involve 90 partners and numerous local links. The FE and Skills Development and Resources programme managed by JISC Advance was launched earlier this year in response to the Government’s pledge to improve learning across the UK - ‘New Challenges, New Chances’ report. There is a total of £1.4m to fund the projects. The bids specifically had to focus on one of four areas: • Innovative uses of technology • Improving the learner experience • Improving organisational efficiencies • Making better use of existing resources. Guy Lambert, Managing Director of JISC Advance commented: “We received an unprecedented number of bids which demonstrates how important technology is for the future of post-16 teaching and learning. JISC Advance is delighted to be leading this essential piece of work, making a significant impact to the FE and Skills sector.”
Issue 6 – Autumn 2012
In this Issue
1. RSCs Join JISC Advance 2. Latest e-Learning Good Practice From Our Region 1. Technology - Regional SurveyBid Results 2. Trend Watch: 3. Meet the RSC Team: Augmented Reality HE Co-ordinator Developing - My StudyBar SavesDigital Organisations Literacies £500,000 3. Our E-learning 4. Online Tutorials for Jouney: University Finding Images and College Birmingham Videos - College - A Guide to Celebrates Screencasting Good Practice via Video 5. LSIS Introduce Regional 4. Tell Us What You Development Managers Think! - Save Yourself Time - Leading Online: RSS FeedsChange 6. Getting the Most From Moodle - RSC Launches Networkin-a-Box 7. Apple iPad is a Hit with the RSC - iPad Alternatives 8. Forthcoming Events - Green Tips From the Team - Coming Soon - Online Delegate Packs
Trend Watch: Augmented Reality
Augmented Reality (AR) is the application or overlaying of computer generated media such as video, sound, graphics and in some instances GPS data to the real physical world, thus “augmenting” a person’s experience. AR experience is typically accessed via a multifunction device like a smart phone or a tablet pc. AR is rapidly gaining the attention of the post 16 educational and skills sector due to the potential of AR to engage learners and provide opportunity to extend the learning experience. The recent JISC Inform article, “Staying Ahead” and the 2011, Horizon Report both predict AR will become a major use of technology in education over the next 5 years., but AR is already beginning to make its presence felt in the sector. YouTube is already populated with numerous examples that demonstrate how AR is being used to teach skills in design and auto engineering. Kendal College incorporated AR into their 2011/12 prospectus. You can find out more on the Excellence Gateway at : http://bit.ly/KQKSej RSC West Midlands recently held a ‘Getting Started with AR event which generated a lot of interest amongst our supported learning providers. We are hoping to run another AR event during the next academic year so look out for details on our website.
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Developing Digital Literacies in Learners and Staff What is Digital Literacy? JISC define Digital Literacy as “those capabilities which fit an individual for living, learning and working in a digital society.” These capabilities could be anything from being able to communicate with peers in an online environment, to the ability to search for, evaluate and present information during learning. There is increasing evidence of the importance of digital literacies as a life skill, which enhances employability: for example, recent research by Job Centre Plus suggests that 90% of new jobs require excellent digital skills. We often assume that learners are technologically savvy, but although many are comfortable using mobile devices, or social networks like Facebook, they are less able to translate these skills into the learning or employment environment. 21st century learning presents learners and teachers with a wide choice of technologies and potentially unfamiliar, or inaccessible learning environments and it’s vital that learning providers provide the necessary guidance and support, as well as the technologies, to avoid learners being left behind or disadvantaged. Getting started and moving forward JISC have funded a £1.5million programme supporting the development of organisational strategies and practical approaches to developing digital literacies among learners and staff and these resources and case studies are available for you to draw upon. A few of their key recommendations are listed below: • Embed. Digital Literacy support shouldn’t be a bolton, but central to teaching and assessment and the way your organisation interacts with learners. The key to success, is teaching and support staff working together in a holistic approach. • Identify essential learner attributes. Many providers, particularly in Higher Education are working out a set of graduate attributes, which the organisation aims to develop in learners – these then inform
teaching and learning and support strategies. • Staff development. Teaching staff need to be engaged in re-thinking their practices and turning technology into learning, which enhances the learner experience and potentially saves the tutor time. • Access. There should be a generic entitlement for learners and staff to have access to technology and the support to use it. Where learners have their own devices, these should become part of learning. • Learning spaces. Do learning spaces permit and encourage technology use, or are there barriers to learners which are difficult to overcome? Digital Literacies Organisational Review The RSC West Midlands can help you review your progress in supporting Digital Literacies and in planning to take your organisation forward. The new Digital Literacies Organisational Review is a new tool which could help, by reviewing progress across your organisation, identifying good practice and areas for improvement and helping you build a suitable action plan. To find out more about Digital Literacy and the Organisational Review, please contact Matt Gallon: m.gallon@rsc-wm.ac.uk 01902818985 Useful Links: Latest JISC briefing paper on Digital Literacy: http://qurl.com/889c4 JISC Digital Literacy Programme home page: http://qurl.com/5vffc
Our E-learning Journey
Director of Learning Services Alison Piggott and E-learning Coordinator Saima Ahktar share their technology journey during the past 5 years. Looking back….. Alison says, “Five years ago, we implemented interactive whiteboards and were trying to engage the staff in developing more interactive sessions. We had a similar challenge with our VLE (Blackboard) as we were trying to encourage staff to use it more widely. To help achieve this, we introduced a ‘minimum specification’ which resulted in all courses having a presence on the VLE. At that time, we also had ILT champions to support and encourage whiteboard and VLE use.” Saima adds, “We also introduced Course Genie (now Wimba Create) to help staff develop more interactive resources to enhance the VLE. We invested heavily in staff development which really helped to spur the growth of the VLE.” Key achievements… Alison comments, “Internet access has continuously improved with several JANET bandwidth upgrades and importantly UCB now has almost 100% WiFi coverage in the student areas allowing students to use their own devices. During the last academic year, we moved over to Blackboard version 9. At the same time we re-branded the VLE ‘UCB Online’ to give it more identity and re-focus it solely on teaching and learning. Single sign on via the student or staff portal was also introduced providing a more seamless interface.” “The development of the Assignment Tracking System (ATS) system has made a huge difference and has helped to save time for both students and staff. It allows students to track their assignments online and ensures that UCB is meeting its 25-day turnaround policy on providing feedback. The introduction of the Sympodium technology and visualisers in lecture theatres has also been really well received.”
The impact… Alison says, “Staff feel more professional, prepared for teaching and empowered to develop technology enhanced learning. This gives them added confidence and raises their profile within their own teaching teams. We also recently introduced ‘show and tell’ sessions to enable staff to share their good practice. “The FE students are getting an enhanced service as we are an Higher Education provider. There are higher expectations from the HE students and we must ensure that we meet those expectations. The new library portal and enhanced e-resources are good examples of this – it’s something that many FE students perhaps wouldn’t have access to in a traditional FE environment.” Saima adds, “E-learning is now incorporated within the academic department under the Learning Services umbrella. This has made a huge difference - working closely with other service departments has created more synergy. It has raised my profile amongst the academic staff and my team are seen more now as support for teaching and learning rather than technical support.’ Looking ahead… Saima comments, “We are beginning to develop the use of mobile devices and we are hoping to take part in RSC West Midlands Tablet Devices project. Web applications which focus on practical demonstrations in real work environments are also high on our agenda. Other areas include the use of QR codes for re-call and re-capture, an online Foundation Degree and making greater use of Collaborate to deliver and take part in online tutorials.” Alison sums up, “Staff perceptions and attitudes are changing. We have broken away from the notion that the technology is an add on and staff have accepted that the tools are here to stay and embraced them.”
e-learning good practice highlighted in a new video case study, produced by LSIS an Evans Woolfe Media, which is now availab to watch online.
College Celebrates Practice ‘LearningGood Made Mobile’ showsvia staff and Video students sharing their experiences of using
South Staffordshire College
eLearningincluding Health checks – mobile technologies, iPod Touch has seen their e-learning good Reflections on their impact at City highlighted in Hair a new and practice Flip Video Cameras, in and Beau College Birmingham. video case study, produced by and LSIS Catering. and Evans Woolfe Media, “Having recently had our which is now available tosecond watch eLearning Health Check from the online.
The equipment originally purchased team at RSCwas West Midlands in just ‘Learning Made Mobile’ shows over years and reflecting back through the2Learning Journey Made staff and students sharing their on the process, I’m struck by theWes Mobile project, devised by JISC RSC experiences of using marked impact eachmobile individual Midlands, which allowed a number technologies, including iPod of wor visit produced. Touches and Flip Video Cameras, based learning providers to explore the use in Hair and Beauty and Catering. Thetechnologies first one carried outsector. in April of mobile in the
allowed was us tooriginally identify the The2008 equipment areas that we felt needed work purchased through the Learning Stephen Wileman, E-Learning Manager at i.e. in improving Student Journey Made Mobilethe project, experience in College the classroom devised by JISC RSC West South Staffordshire says, and Midlands, allowed a resulted inwhich the college writing an number of strategy work-based learning e-Learning that delivered todays explore theand useitthe “Weproviders hosted filming was real two benefits by increasing of mobile technologies in in the greatsector. to seelevel how of theILTfilms areclassroom putthe together. coupled with an extensive teacher
The film crew were very supportive and support program. Stephen Everyone Wileman, E-Learning professional. involved, including Manager at South Staffordshire Thelearners, second health check the teachers thoroughly College and says, completed in June 2010 was enjoyed the experience - and will used be giveenjoyed an external on our We to have lotsview of hits promoting further use of mobile technolog on the resulting Excellence progress in terms of infrastructure, YouTube video. It’s bothGateway internally and externally. student experience and learning great to getand thedelivered messagea out resources much there. needed confirmation that our
We have enjoyed hits on the resultin strategylots wasofworking. It also Barry Kruger, LSIS Head of Excellence Gateway explained YouTube video. It’s gr areas where Web identified Services,key the we could develop resulting to get the message outfurther there. motivation behind the good in improvements e-practice videos. to the college’s Learning Resources Centre and
Many thanks to JISC RSC West Midlands some new projects that wethe have “Every year we work with RSCs to identify engaging plans pilot.funding So all in which all an is for providing thetoinitial good practice which and we then to be experience proved making our mobile e-projects commission and producesoasuccessfu key in supporting progress and
handful of video ‘vignettes’ that producing real results. And, best enable users of the Excellence all, –LSIS this high quality service LateGateway in of 2011, decided to fund the to see practitioners in was provided for free. ” creation of and threehear video case views studies, and action their and observations. invited all JISC Regional Support Centres
Rob Jones, Head of Learning
submit ideas. Along withTechnologies South Staffordsh View South Staffordshire City College Birmingham College’s good practice video at College and Colchester Institute in Essex, http://bit.ly/NsQw6k another non-RSC project from Lincoln College became LSIS’s leading examples o 3 best practice in e-learning.
Tell Us What You Think!
Leading Change
We want to hear what matters to you most so that we can address those topics in future editions of SMT Focus. If you have any suggestions for future articles, please contact Kirsty Hill by e-mail at kirsty.hill@rsc-wm.ac.uk Contact our E-learning advisers: Christa Appleton (HE Coordinator) christa.appleton@rsc-wm. ac.uk Jason Curtis (Learning Technologies) jason.curtis@rsc-wm.ac.uk Jane Edwards (Adult & Community Learning) p.jane.edwards@rsc-wm. ac.uk Matt Gallon (Learning Resources) m.gallon@rsc-wm.ac.uk Colleen Romero (Technical Infrastructure) colleen.romero@rsc-wm.ac.uk Allen Crawford-Thomas (Teaching and learning) a.crawford-thomas@rsc-wm. ac.uk Theresa Welch (Work-Based Learning) theresa.welch@rsc-wm.ac.uk Alison Wootton (Staff Development and Accessibility & Inclusion) a.wootton@rsc-wm.ac.uk
Tel: 01902 518982 E-mail: support@rsc-wm.ac.uk Web: www.jiscrsc.ac.uk/ westmidlands
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Few would disagree that good leadership is critical to the successful implementation of change, but what does such leadership look like? How do you act as a leader in order to enable successful change in order to realise the end benefits? JISC infoNet has a number of online resources of use to the sector when introducing change. From reviewing existing processes to ensuring that we don’t miss vital elements, through project management to give us a framework for managing delivery, to change management itself. Senior Adviser with JISC infoNet, John Burke, explains the terms. “Projects deliver widgets,” says John. “The widget could be a new piece of software, a new information system, a new building or a change to procedure. Change management is the discipline of ensuring the users know there will be change, understand both the change and the need for it, and what benefits it will bring and are ready and able to change their everyday behaviours to suit once the widget is delivered.” From the Change Management infoKit here are Kotter’s 8 Steps for Leaders of Change (1995): 1. Establish a sense of urgency: this can often be as easy as setting a deadline. It helps to be able to explain why the deadline has been chosen in terms of justification. 2. Form a powerful guiding coalition: assemble a group with influence, trust
and the authority to move resources to lead the change effort and encourage the delivering team. 3. Create a vision: this helps direct the change effort. Develop strategies to support that vision. 4. Communicate the vision: use every vehicle possible to communicate the new vision and strategies. The coalition has to lead by example. 5. Empower others to act: get rid of the obstacles to change. Change any structures that undermine the vision, encourage risk-taking and creative ideas, activities and actions. 6. Plan for and create short-term wins: plan for visible performance improvements, create those improvements and recognise and reward employees involved. 7. Consolidate improvements: use increased credibility to change systems, structures and policies that don’t fit the vision, hire, promote and develop employees who can implement the vision. Reinvigorate the process with new projects, themes and change agents. 8. Institutionalise the new approach: articulate the connections between new behaviours and corporate success. Develop the means to ensure leadership development and succession. The JISC infoNet website and infoKit resources can be found at: www.jiscinfonet.ac.uk