newsbytes

JISC Regional Support Centres (RSCs) are pleased to announce the launch of their new website - www.jiscrsc.ac.uk.

The 12 RSCs - operating as a UK wide support network - have a proven track record across the sector for providing expert advice and guidance in the effective use of technology.

The website provides a common route to news, events and resources, increasing user access to a richer seam of information from all RSCs, whilst maintaining regional connections.

Key features of the new website include:

•Seamless access to information from both a UK and regional perspective;

•Up-to-date news and event listings;

•Advice and guidance on how RSCs support you and your organisation - from maximising efficiencies to enhancing the student experience.

In creating a living website the RSCs can deliver more for less and improve the user experience by reducing time spent in searching.

•Explore the website today - www.jiscrsc.ac.uk

Stimulating and supporting innovation in learning

Contents1 • JISC RSCs new website

2 • Excellence Gateway case studies

3 • Joint Forum 2011 • JISC news

4 • OASES Award • News in brief

5 • RSC workshops • Diary dates 6 • Online conference

Issue 34 - Winter 2011

STOP PRESS!!!

The 2010-11 JISC RSC Impact Report has been published with 87% of customers satisfied with our service. More than 2,000 delegates participated in online events, and 95% of RSC event attendees came away satisfied. Full report - http://bit.ly/jiscimpact

Same great service - one new website

ResourcesJISC RSC Eastern Portal for ACL Staff

Do you work in ACL in the Eastern region and want to collaborate and share best practice with colleagues from other providers within the region?

JISC RSC Eastern have launched a new portal for ACL colleagues in the Eastern region, that enables users to share documents, resources, best practice and collaborate on projects online. In addition to this, the portal will serve as the main point of access for all information, updates and events for ACL staff and for use as a platform for post event/forum discussion.

Since it was launched in October, members have already started adding resources including wiki pages for e-Safety and using social media for teaching and learning. There is also a helpful calendar function.

One of the most useful features of the portal is the forum area which enables users to create topic areas and themes for discussion and is a great facility for raising questions for other like-minded colleagues, e-learning related or otherwise.

To join the discussion today visit http://rscacls.teamlab.com. If you require a login please contact b.hutchens@rsc-eastern.ac.uk

JISC RSC Eastern, Anglia Ruskin University, 3rd Floor, Ashby House, Bishop Hall Lane, Chelmsford, CM1 1SQ Tel: 01245 684090

Email: support@rsc-eastern.ac.uk

http://www.jiscrsc.ac.uk/eastern

Contact Details

Preview - Epping Forest College - 'Creating a collaborative classroom using

the Xerte Online Toolkit'

Souad Kouachi, a Science Lecturer at Epping Forest College has utilised the Xerte Online Toolkit (XOLTK ) to create a collaborative learning environment for her students. Souad briefed her learners on how to use the Xerte Online Toolkit to develop dynamic learning objects. Her learners were soon able to create presentations containing learning objects as well as assessment activities, which they now use in the classroom to reinforce learning.

Action for Children: 'Students learn collaboratively using Google Apps for Education'

Paul Kendrick, Vocational Trainer for Action Training, has created a bespoke virtual learning

environment (VLE) utilising Google Apps for Education. Learners and trainers are now more fulfilled as they have greater ownership of their learning environment and can pick which

applications best suit their learning needs. They can also work more collaboratively as they are able to share documents with other learners and trainers between different locations.

Chelmsford College: 'Full circle – using systems integration to enhance observation, appraisal and CPD'

Chelmsford College has created an observation, appraisal and continuing professional development (CPD) cycle by successfully integrating a collection of bespoke web-based systems together within its intranet. Students have benefited from improved teaching and learning because of the rapid, transparent and thorough cycle of staff being observed, appraised and given

appropriate CPD. The college has also saved time and money by being able to use single-source data to schedule observations, appraisals and CPD to individuals' needs.

To read more go to the Excellence Gateway website: http://www.excellencegateway.org.uk

•If you would like to share best practice and promote the efforts of your educational establishment on the Excellence Gateway website, please email r.bradshaw@rsc-eastern.ac.uk.

Latest Excellence Gateway case studies

Staff NewsKate Gregory has returned from maternity leave and is back supporting the Work- based learning sector within the eastern region.

“ I am really excited to return to my WBL elearning role and with the current economic stresses and the changes that are occurring within the sector, think this is a time for providers to be looking to save money whilst maintaining excellent training results; and we can help implement any changes to e-learning, online assessment, mobile learn-ing etc... which can help to achieve this.”

Contact Kate at k.gregory@rsc-eastern.ac.uk

JISC newsHow to use mobile devices in the classroom - JISC infoNet's Doug Belshaw talks to The Guardian newspaper

"In an interview earlier this year Education Secretary Michael Gove hinted that he would like to see mobile phones banned in schools. Claiming they lead to "disruption".

"As a former Director of E-Learning, teacher for seven years, and current educational researcher, I have witnessed transformational learning experiences where mobile devices such as iPods and mobile phones have been key. Modern mobile phones are more like pocket computers and can connect young people to a world of information and learning.

"That's not to say that all teachers want to see mobile devices used in the classroom, of course. Some point to a "digital divide" between the have and the have-nots. But the real divide is the "digital use divide", otherwise known as the "participation gap". Banning is a form of censorship. One only has to take the example of pocket calculators to see how banning a useful, transformational technology can be initially resisted before becoming ubiquitous (and extremely helpful) in schools.

"An unacknowledged fear - is that mobile learning is a "trojan horse" for a whole raft of changes sweeping the educational landscape. The world is different now than it was when we went to school and so we need to prepare our children differently. My four year-old already helps me navigate using Google Maps on my iPhone. Technology is something to understand not something to fear."

'Spellbinding' sessions at 2011 Joint Forum This year's Joint Forum focussed on a variety of technologies and their application to teaching and learning.

e-Learning forum delegates at the Moller Centre, Cambridge were treated to a spellbinding session from the University of Exeter's Dale Potter on ‘Augmented Reality’.

After he showcased the ways in which technology is being used at his university to enhance the learning experience, he even managed to use augmented reality to reveal a fine set of internal organs to the audience, pictured below.

RSC South-East's Adam Blackwood, delivered a session on 'The Virtual Drop-Down Menu': a tool which provides the learner with help options - but in the context of where they are within a learning space.

Adam's following session aimed to provide an outline of mobile devices and technologies. People are already becoming familiar with QR codes to enhance hand-outs, objects and learning opportunities, and others are just starting to look at Geo-fencing, Geo-tagging and augmented reality solutions.

The final session of the day was delivered by Geoff Stead, Head of Innovation at Tribal Group. Geoff focussed on Strategies for Mobile

Learning and the role of mobile learning as an agent for change. He highlighted examples in action examining the importance of cross-platform mobile development and the web versus apps versus HTML5.

The forum for ACL and WBL staff was kick started with an update from LSIS's Mark Barnsley, who issued guidance regarding upcoming funding for curriculum development and MCL support.

Following the break, Tania Hurst-Wells from Cambridgeshire ACL gave an interesting presentation on their new e-Safeguarding delivery for adults with learning difficulties and disabilities. They have pooled together a range of useful resources including the SMART guide, which enables learners to become more responsible and aware of the dangers of using technology online.

Kate Gregory, e-Learning Advisor for WBL, asked delegates to share what they had been doing with technology and also what their vision is for the future. There was a lot of focus on the provision of mobile learning, remote assessment and administration in the face of financial constraints. Kate gave an excellent run-down of all the latest tablets available on the market, and what things to look for when buying tablets for learning and teaching, pictured above. Resources can be found at http://rscacls.teamlab.com

JISC TechDis has announced that Adult Community Learning (ACL) Essex and ACER have won the JISC TechDis OASES Award for Institutional Progress on Equality using Technology.

There were six organisations that demonstrated an exemplary approach to embedding accessibility into institutional policy.

The JISC TechDis judges were particularly impressed by the Eastern submission, which was entitled, 'Inspire staff development take-up'.

The judges said: “It is normally difficult to get any sort of coherent policy effected in ACL but they achieved it, strong on tutors sharing practice.”

Since July 2010 the team, which includes Essex ACL's Maria Neary, and ACER's Bob Read, pictured with the award, have worked to develop and deliver a one day training course ‘e-Learning for LLN Teaching’. The core content was an introduction to Xerte Online Toolkits.

After the success of the pilot course they offered an event to LLN tutors from across the Eastern region. The course was

oversubscribed and received excellent evaluations. One participant, a manager from a training centre in North Norfolk, was so enthused by the e-learning opportunities he had explored on the course that he worked over his Christmas holiday to set up his own Moodle. The course has had a massive impact on various providers around the region:

• Literacy tutors have reported feedback from learners with dyslexia who really value the facility in XOT to change background and fonts to meet their needs.

• Skills for Life tutors have found the use of XOT beneficial in delivering learning materials in small chunks for their learners to work through at their own pace.

Bob and Maria were pleased to receive the accolade: "We are both really delighted to win the OASES award. It marks a positive collaborative project involving our two organisations. In the last year we have offered a series of teacher training courses and workshops that have had benefits for Skills for Life tutors and their learners in numerous providers all across the region."

News in briefWrittle College CASTLe Project goes online

A video case study outlining the 12-month journey of the Writtle College CASTLe Project is now on the RSC Eastern Media Centre.

The project was part of the JISC Building Capacity Programme 2010. The main aims of the project were to collate and make more accessible learning and teaching quality documentation within the college and to improve learning and teaching through the provision of a dynamic web presence, with access to all related resources for staff, students and externals.

The college received advice and assistance from HE experts and JISC RSC advisors during the course of the programme. You can view the video case study at http://bit.ly/writtlecs

Bedford College highly commended at Green Gown AwardsBedford College was highly commended for its courses at the Green Gown Awards, which took place at the Grand Connaught Rooms, London on November 3rd.

Now in its seventh year, the Green Gown Awards recognise the exceptional initiatives being undertaken by universities and colleges across the UK to become more sustainable.

They provide the sector with benchmarks for excellence and are well respected by governments, funding councils, senior managers, academics and students.

Essex ACL and ACER awarded

for equality using technology

Getting the most out of Xerte and XOT - Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge - October 18th

Around 18 delegates attended this workshop aimed at those new to Xerte Online Toolkits. After an icebreaker and introduction, the rest of the day was very much hands-on with individual support and group updates. Every delegate created one or more learning objects, some of which were just early tests and others managed to evolve these into real interactive and accessible learning resources ready for use with students or colleagues.

Everyone has access to continue their learning and development via a Techdis sandpit or MAXOS and the various online training resources provided by JISC Techdis, the RSCs and the wider community. Delegates also expressed interest in the follow up event which is now scheduled for March 2012.

Blogs, Wikis and beyond - Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge - November 2nd

Students today have high expectations about how technology can support their studies. As a result, this workshop explored how practitioners might use collaborative tools such as blogs and wikis to achieve greater levels of student satisfaction and engagement. Delivered by JISC Netskills, the workshop covered:

•Reflection on student expectations of the learning experience, as well as the practical tools for communication and collaboration.

•Delegates examined a range of

case studies of effective practice using technology and related this to their own work

•They then investigated a 5-step approach to moderating student online communication in a learning context, before developing a list of actions to take back to their institution.

Delegate feedback was very positive:"I did not know anything about Google docs, Diigo, Blogs

(Posterous) before this training, therefore I was very pleased to learn something new."

Dell Briefing - SmartLIFE Centre, Cambridge, pictured above - November 16th

The meeting had been facilitated by RSC Eastern in response to shared concerns about service levels and customer response issues, most of which appear to have been resolved during the months leading up to the briefing.

The purpose of these briefings is to ensure that both suppliers and learning providers have a clear understanding of the issues that each are facing and the strategies they are developing to address them. It was very useful to hear Dell's views on the role of virtualisation as a step towards cloud based delivery. This trend is being fuelled by an increasingly mobile student population against a background of pressure to reduce costs.

Diary dates01/02/2012 - ACL/WBL Forum, ACL Essex, Harlow, Free

10/02/2012 - VLE Forum, Writtle College, Chelmsford, Free

09/03/2012 - e-Learning Forum, City College Norwich, Free

16/03/2012 - Learning Resources Managers Forum, ACER, St Ives, Free

21/03/2012 - 2120 WBL Conference and Workshops, Woburn House, London, Free

30/03/2012 - e-Assessment Showcase, Hertford Regional College, Free

26/04/2012 - Learner-Centred Process Review, New Smartlife Centre, Cambridge, £75

News in brief RSC Eastern e-Learning Advisor, Catherine Bone has seen her academic paper on 'Embedding eSkills in Initial Teacher Training' published in the journal, Teaching in Lifelong Learning - A journal to inform and improve practice.

Co-authored with Elaine Szpytma, Zip-E Consultancy and EECETT, the paper looks at how embedding eSkills in Initial Teacher Training (ITT) can help to integrate the effective use of technology into teaching.

The paper continues by explaining how eSkills can build confidence in teachers and help them feel comfortable with technology.

• RSC Eastern can provide eSkills materials for providers, with 9 modules available to download. Go to http://bit.ly/eskills

Workshops galore for Eastern providers during November

“I was very pleased to learn something

new.” Delegate testimonial

e-SafetyJISC RSCs have developed a range of e-safety materials including an online resource that will support both a strategic approach and practical intervention. The resources can help to raise awareness and provide the skills to behave responsibly online.

RSC Advisors can provide an overview and demonstration of JISC RSC online resources and an overview of the strategic self-assessment tools available. A selection of the resources from the strategic and operational sections can be demonstrated to outline our approach.

We recommend a process, which should include:

a. Self assessment exercise to establish a benchmark and identify gaps;b. Risk assessment exercise – this is central to creating successful systems and providing adequate evidence at inspection;c. Awareness of legal requirements; d. Establish inspection requirements;e. Implementation of good practice across the whole organisation;f. Establish a training programme;i. Learner induction and feedback;ii. Staff development and CPD – this could be informal or formal but should be compulsory.1. Courses, workshops, online resource. 2. Training. Visit our site: https://erespon-sibility.pbworks.com

Join the JISC mail e-safety list to get support and up to date news on all things e-safety, to subscribe follow this link: ESAFETY@JISCMAIL.AC.UK

JISC's sixth annual Innovating e-Learning online conference took place during November with a special focus on the relationship between FE and HE institutions.

This year's event offered two distinct elements demonstrating the advantages of online conferencing. Firstly, the pre-conference activity week, which took place from November 15th-19th, provided a platform for delegates and agencies, such as the JISC RSCs, to run their own short presentations and showcase events.

The Eastern region was well represented with City College Norwich's Phil Ackroyd on hand to showcase the different ways screencasting is being deployed at City College Norwich.

e-Fair 2011 keynote speaker, Geoff Rebbeck was also present to demonstrate how REFLECT (Pebble Pad) can be used to allow the completion of a City & Guilds externally verified formal qualification, using a reflective approach.

Other FE and skills focused presentations included the College of North West London's talk on how to use mobile devices in the classroom, and Worcester College of Technology's introduction to digital literacy.

The main activity week took place from November 22nd-25th, and was separated into two themes, with Theme 1 looking at 'learning landscapes'.

Sessions in Theme 1 discussed the importance of forging a collaborative cross-sector environment in which further and higher education institutions, learners and employers can work together to shape a forward looking curriculum. Some of the

highlights included:

•David Puttnam, in his opening keynote, argued for greater investment in ICT to enable UK universities, colleges and schools to deliver a world-class education. "Digital technology is the driving force behind change. We cannot afford not to invest in it."

•ELRAH, a collaborative venture between Edinburgh Napier University, Edinburgh’s Telford College and Edinburgh City Council used a JISC-funded WBL maturity toolkit to develop a model of online learning to support development of a new undergraduate programme in youth work.

Sessions in Theme 2: 'navigating pathways' examined some of the challenges involved in learning and teaching in a digital age and possible solutions. Some of the highlights included:

•The opening keynote, Mike Sharples, Open University, challenged delegates to distinguish between hype and reality when navigating the future of technology-enhanced learning and teaching.

•Representatives from further, higher education and workplace learning outlined their successes and challenges in making learning resources open, ie collaborative, competitive, sharable and discoverable.

•To read more go to http://www.jisc.ac.uk/elpconference11

JISC innovating e-learning during online conference