ICTiS 2008

SWGfL Merlin Update

(Secondary)

SWGfL Portal

SWGfL Merlinhttp://www.swgfl.org.uk/merlin

• 6th Feb ‘08 - SWGfL chooses RM and Netmedia partnership to deliver learning platform services

• Piloting in 3 phases across the region between early May and late June

• Ready for early adopters in Sept ‘08

Funding• Retained funding covering SWGfL Merlin

licences for at least 3, and probably 5, years.

• Funding given to schools for purchase of further learning platform services such as VLEs (£3000 per school + @ £20 per pupil)

Merlin Pilots• Account Provisioning from SIMS (Early May)• Functionality testing / admin tools (Mid May)• Merlin-branded pilot - more functionality tests,

uploading, customising etc - (mid/late June)• Volunteer pilot schools may be sought when

definite plans available• Linda Duffy may be seconded 2 days/week until

July to assist with training, implementation and engagement with SWGfL

Timelines

Indicates milestone payments

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun July Aug Sept - onwards

Contract

Hosting Install

Pilots preparation Pilots

Implementation - go live

Testing and feedback

Engagement and Training

Early adopter

Merlin available

Possible Interfaces

What is happening in Dorset?• Most Secondary schools have a VLE, but few have them embedded across the whole school

• Dorset e-ILP (Individual Learning Planner) - Chesil Partnership piloting in Summer term (plus others). The ILP supports 14 -19 Diplomas (Travel to Learn students) and the need to track attendance, student targets, tutor comment, assignments etc. The ILP has some VLE tools - personal space, eportfolio, resource library.

VLE Trials• April - Dec ‘08 16 schools (First, Primary, Middle,

Special) undertaking pilots of 5 commercial VLEs

Fronter, It’s Learning, Kaleidos, Netmedia, and Studywiz

• Training in late April/through May

• Case studies to be created at the end of the trials to share with all Dorset schools

SWGfL Call-off contract• The Grid is negotiating a call-off contract

with suppliers from the Becta Learning Platform Framework

• Supplier catalogue for schools to help inform choice and save need for mini-tenders

• LA will pass on choices from schools to Grid for aggregated purchase probably twice a year. LA will be the intermediary

What about the SWGfL Portal?• Available as a central service

until April 09• Purchase decision for individual schools

thereafter (subject to approval by Dorset Schools Forum)

• Integrated with Merlin, so those schools still using it can continue, but Merlin will provide better community / communication tools.

SWGfL Portal• Those schools wishing to migrate Portal

usage to Merlin should talk to Linda Duffy about the logistics. Consider being a Merlin Early Adopter in Autumn or Spring Term

• Wind-down plans TBC. Old accounts need wiping and schools may wish to retrieve old content.

For more information...

SWGfL Merlinhttp://www.swgfl.org.uk/merlin

Becta http://www.becta.org.uk/schools/learningplatforms