Autumn 2005 Volume 4 • Issue 1

the termly newsletter produced by RSC East Midlands

Welcome from the EditorI trust you’re all settling back into the new academic year after a relaxing summerbreak. Despite this busy time of year, I hope you’ll be able to find a few minutesto have a look through this edition of in touch.

The last few months have seen significant changes for JISC’s involvement in FE.

However, the Regional Support Centre continues to offer advice and guidance to

all of our supported sectors. For more information on how we can help you to make

the most of new technologies, visit http://www.rsc-em.ac.uk/rsc_services.htm

Rachael Pearson, e-Learning Advisor

Forthcoming

EVENTSKey themes in this year’s eventprogramme are:• Emerging technologies for learning looks

at how new technologies such as blogs,podcasting and mobile phones can beused in the educational setting;

• Teaching and learning examines how e-learning adds powerful tools to tackleissues such as accessibility, active learning,differentiation and learning styles;

• Management sessions cover strategic andoperational issues including copyright,risk management and quality;

• Our very successful Learning Journeyevent for practitioners new to e-learningwill be offered in several locations acrossthe region. One will be for scientists,another for staff developers;

• The technical theme includes a visit to Microsoft;

• Forums bring together colleagues fromacross the region to explore common issues.

October6th Technical Forum11th i-skills Group Meeting13th Microsoft Technology Day

November1st LRC Forum10th Specialist Colleges Forum10th JISC Legal Workshop:

Copyright & e-Learning15th ILT Forum16th TechDis Practitioners &

Management event18th Personalised Web

Communications: Blogs &Podcasting

22nd HE in FE Forum24th Introduction to JORUM,

Reload and TOIA: NewTools for the Creation andStorage of Online Contentand Assessments

29th JISC infoNet Workshop:Email Management

30th The Learning Journey

December1st MIS Forum8th Active Learning with

Technology13th JISC infoNet Workshop:

Risk Management14th Technical Forum

For further details see our websitewww.rsc-east-midlands.ac.uk

I N S I D ET h i s i s s u eWelcome

Improving and Investing In Information Skills

Check your ILT Health

Course Genie: Issues arising from creatingyour own e-learning materials. Part two.

UKERNA Networkshop: DelegateExperiences

e-Learning in Derby

Forthcoming events

Focus on: The Standards Unit

Hints and Tips: What can Moodle do for you?

In support of a recent project investigating staffdevelopment needs in relation to information skills(i-skills), the JISC has produced three documentswhich provide guidelines and advice to institutionson developing staff information skills and whichoutline the anticipated benefits to the staff, theorganisation and the student:

• Investing in i-skills considers the benefits of investing in i-skills forboth the staff and the institution and includes a short self-assessment exercise.

• Improving i-skills looks at ways to improve staff i-skills and includessuggestions for creating a staff i-skills development programme.

• Introduction to i-skills a short introduction to pass around tocolleagues to help raise awareness of information skills.

Copies of these documents have been sent to all college principalsand staff development officers. Further copies can be ordered bycontacting: publications@jisc.ac.uk

They are also available to download from:http://www.jisc.ac.uk/index.cfm?name=staff_development

Support for Information Skills from RSC East Midlands

Last term the LRC Forum addressed the issue of promoting i-skills andconsidered drivers that have the potential to move i-skills from theperiphery to a more central position within the institution. Ways inwhich colleagues in the region could collaborate and share theirresources and expertise in this field were also discussed.

As a result of these discussions, it was decided that an i-skills Groupwould be set up. A majority of those that attended the forum expressedan interest in being part of this group and Donna Harper, LRC Managerat North Nottinghamshire College kindly volunteered to act as Chair.The group will have an initial meeting on 11th October to consider theremit and scope of the group and plan a course of action to developfuture collaboration.

If you did not attend the LRC Forum, but would like to be part of thei-skills Group, please let me know: judi.millage@rsc-em.ac.uk

It would be invaluable to have in the group at least one representativefrom each institution in the region and I look forward to hearing fromyou. If you attended the forum and have already expressed an interest,there is no need to contact me, as I already have your details.

I look forward to seeing you at the meeting.

Judi Millage, ILT Advisor

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‘Success for All’ was the Government’s strategyto transform the learning and skills sector. Theimportance of collaborative approaches,improved teaching, training and learning,human resource development, and theoverarching emphasis on quality and success,all signified a new climate and drive.

The DfES Standards Unit was established inJanuary 2003. The Standards Unit has aspecific role to act as a catalyst to acceleratethe transformation of teaching, training,learning, workforce development andleadership across the whole sector. The Unitworks with partner organisations to improvethe quality of provision in further educationcolleges, adult and community learning,work-based learning, school sixth forms andprisons.

The Government made a commitment to establisha Standards Unit regional network. In each of thenine regions there is a team working incollaboration with partner organisations andcolleagues to ensure that the work of the StandardsUnit supports all learning organisations to:

• improve teaching, training and learning;

• develop their work force;

• achieve excellence and improve success forall their learners.

Significant milestones achieved by the SU todate within the regions are:

• Launch and distribution of the free teaching andlearning multi media packages in the first fourpriority curriculum areas of Business, Science,Construction and Entry to Employment. The

regional team are there to help all teachers andtrainers exploit these resources.

• Every post-16 provider has been invited tonominate a successful and experienced teacheror trainer as their subject learning coaches inthe four priority curriculum areas. Theseteachers and trainers will be champions forchange and be supported by the Standards Unitin the Regions. They can take part in theStandards Unit’s free national trainingprogramme in coaching, which began in March2005.

• Launch of the Regional Network Meetingswhich are subject specific. All subjectlearning coaches are invited to become amember. This will assist in the subjectlearning coaches’ continuing professionaldevelopment.

• Phase Two curriculum materials are alsobeing developed and piloted by someproviders within the region for Maths, Land-Based, Health and Social Care and ICT, withnational launch of these free resources fromSeptember 2005. Work has already started onthe Phase Three curriculum areas of Adult andCommunity Learning, Engineering, InitialTeacher Training and Modern ForeignLanguages, with national roll-out planned forSeptember 2006.

For more information, visithttp://www.successforall.gov.uk

Tim Smith, East Midlands Regional Director, Standards Unittim1.smith@dfes.gsi.gov.uk tel: 0115 9299100

Hints and Tips:The use of open source software is growing apaceand none more so than Moodle, the open sourceCourse Management System or Virtual LearningEnvironment. Some learning providers are lookingat Moodle, while others have decided to opt for itas their preferred platform.

The nine Adult and Community learning providersin the region each have Moodle platforms courtesyof the East Midlands Broadband Consortium. Otheropen source VLEs are available. Other VirtualLearning Environments or Learning ManagementSystems continue to be deployed by East Midlandslearning providers. Some learning providers havedeveloped their Intranet.

Questions have been raised about migrating,support, scaleability and accessibility. These arebeing addressed and it’s a good idea to keep goingback to check the Moodle site http://moodle.org/because things move fast within this community,both nationally and internationally. There areforums and FAQs to provide support and help with

both technical and practitioner queries.

We are hoping to host a Moodle Introductory eventin the Spring term. Keep an eye on the web site.

A JISCMail list has been created for disseminationof information and resources while providing theopportunity for practitioners to network:

EM-MOODLE@jiscmail.ac.uk

http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/EM-MOODLE.html

Moodlebug

In addition to her e-learning blog, Josie Fraser atWyggeston and QE1 College has a Moodle blogcalled Moodlebughttp://fraser.typepad.com/moodle/

Several learning providers have courses up andrunning, some of which are accessible to guests.

Ferl provides an overview of features and factors totake into considerationhttp://ferl.becta.org.uk/display.cfm?resID=7007

Martin Cooke, ILT Adviser

Were you aware that there is now a regional Moodle network?

w w w. r s c - e a s t - m i d l a n d s . a c . u k w w w. r s c - e a s t - m i d l a n d s . a c . u k

Success for All - launched 19 November 2002

“Internet Resources in Healthcare and Medicine” and “Internet Resources in Animal Health” from BIOMEFor further info go to http://biome.ac.uk/about/publications/

FREE BOOKLETS

Improving and Investing in Information Skills

F O C U SON...

What can Moodledo for you?

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The success was sealed by the keynotespeaker, Terry Loane, who managed tocaptivate the audience of over 100. His humour, plain English and nontechnical approach enthused everyone.Other workshops such as the ones ledby Sharon Hutchings (JISC RSC EastMidlands) enabled participants to carry that enthusiasm into doing something practical.

Our embryonic learning platform wasavailable for everyone to glimpse atthings ‘just round the corner’ but there isno doubt that demonstrating simple touse digital cameras and other pieces of

equipment helped to dissipate themystery of e-Learning. It’s for everyone.

“DerbyLearn has VAST POTENTIAL evenfor practical courses such as Fencing”

Following on from the conference Terrywas invited back in June to lead someworkshops on our now establishedlearning platform Derbylearn.nethttp://derbylearn.net/. By this timeinterest had grown significantly and theworkshops were spread over 2 days.We now have e-Learning boxes ofequipment established at main centresacross the city so on this occasion moreequipment was introduced including

video cameras, voice recorders, PDA’sand scanners.

“DerbyLearn will be a massive help toshift workers”

It was becoming clear that people withlittle technical knowledge could not onlybecome involved, but get results quicklyand easily. Seeing their efforts in action onDerbylearn.net has encouraged tutorsfrom each curriculum area to get involved.The surprise is that many tutors who hadexpressed a disinterest a year ago are nowamongst some of the most enthusiastic.

“A great way to improve retention”.

Jim Beizsley, Quality and CurriculumManager, Derby Adult Learning Service

The UKERNA Networkshop Experience

Marek BarcWhitegates Further Education UnitThis was my first time in Manchester, but with the aid of the handymap, provided to conference delegates, I managed to get toregistration on time. The conference covered all areas relating to theJANET network and technical developments, and the workshopenvironment allowed me to develop a much better understanding ofthe JANET network and the services available to institutionsconnected to it. There was a wide range of sessions available,covering many different topics including wireless networkingexperiences in the FE sector, Manchester’s LIN deployment forNetworkshop 33, disaster recovery and many more. Bruce Rodgerenlivened his lecture by anecdotes from his experiences of thedisastrous fire at Strathclyde University. As well as improving myknowledge of the latest technologies, and the JANET network, I wasalso able to talk to colleagues from many different institutions, sharingideas and problems. The importance of sharing of knowledge withcolleagues cannot be underestimated. Finally, it has to be said that thefact that the conference dinner took place on the orient express onlyhelped to make Networkshop 33 even more memorable!

Paul DrageHomefield CollegeAs it was my first visit to Networkshop, this year held in the bustlingcity of Manchester, I didn’t really know what to expect. I made myway to the main entrance where I bumped in to my old colleaguesfrom Loughborough College, and after making my way through thevery well organised foyer and obtaining the obligatory techieaccessory (the extremely well crafted Networkshop laptop bag) Imade my way in to the main hall where I spent the next hour or twodrooling at the various array of switches, security products andvideo streaming systems on offer. Over the course of the next fewdays I attended many excellent lectures, some were very impressive,such as Dr Chris Adie’s work at Edinburgh University on theShibboleth system, which allows secure transaction of data betweenuniversities across the world. Others had valuable advice on how tocope in an emergency, such as how Bruce Rodgers (IT Manager)coped after half of Strathclyde University burnt down! The qualityof every lecture was excellent matched only by the amenities andhospitality at Manchester University, where it seemed impossiblenot to be in a wireless hotspot. How could I end this piece withoutmentioning the Conference Dinner on the Orient Express? Amagical four hour round trip which included a four course meal andentertainment provided by an astounding ‘slight of hand’ magician.I’m still baffled as to where he plucked that coin from! All in all thiswas the perfect end to an informative and inspirational few days. Itmade me ponder on the clever name given to the event. Yes this wasan event based around the educational network JANET, but it wasalso about networking with colleagues across the UK (and indeedthe world) so that ultimately, we can work together to drive thetechnology and skills ever upwards for the benefit of all learners.

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e-Learning in DerbyMaking the decision to have e-Learning as a major theme at our AnnualTutor Conference at the end of April proved to be a good move.

Side effects are that the process provides an opportunity for staff toreview their existing material and reinforce their knowledge. A usefulstrategy in promoting CourseGenie to lecturing staff, who as a rule ofthumb never have a great deal of time to spare, would be toemphasise it as a system whereby life would be made easier.Electronic content is much more reusable than paper based, and ifwell thought out can also be repurposed in the future. The output thatCourseGenie provides isn’t proprietary and any materials created canalmost certainly be used on SCORM compliant VLE’s for years tocome. It is, for want of a better term, reasonably ‘future proof’.However, there are issues that need to be taken into considerationwhen we give tutors the opportunity to convert existing work;CourseGenie won’t automatically make a simple handout engagingand interesting, and ultimately qualify it as a chunk of e-learning.

The distinction between online course notes and genuinelyinteractive materials needs to be made right from the beginning ofthis initiative. This again needs to be led by effective and engagingstaff development; we need to emphasise how simple and fun it canbe to create a quiz, or to import video clips into what was once anuninspiring Word document.

The key idea is to make sure that the tutor plans what they want theircontent to look like, and what they want it to achieve. CourseGenieworks best when the original material is well laid out and in a logicalorder, so it may be an idea to reinforce this particular area of goodpractice before staff become dissatisfied with a product that is‘messing up’ their work! Other considerations such as making surethat all content is copyright cleared would make excellent topics forworkshop sessions, and many JISC resources would be ideal partnersfor such events.

What is of paramount importance here is that throughout these initialstages, champions pre-empt a lot of these problems, and have staffdevelopment opportunities in place to cater for all levels of technicaland pedagogical knowledge.

The final issue is accessibility. The Special Educational Needs andDisability Act (SENDA) requires that all materials are accessible to allstudents. CourseGenie can be a real asset here, as materials can quitesimply be made accessible with the correct training. Control over suchelements as colour, typeface size, navigation, and images can all helpto make a document accessible, and are all things which can be easilychanged or well designed in CourseGenie. Good practice here isessential; with the planning stages of creation central to this. Usually,materials created with accessibility in mind are not just accessible tostudents with particular disabilities but are accessible to everyone. Thisphilosophy should be central to any staff development programme.

Conclusion

It seems that the issues we have explored can be made positive if weaccept that with a change of emphasis in content creation, comes achange in working culture, and it is the facilitation of that culturalchange which should be central to the college’s support structure.This means the planning and implementation of ongoing support,allowing for differentiation at all stages. E-Learning is not just aboutlearning, and it isn’t just about the technology, but is equally aboutresponse to and management of change.

Chris Bell, Former Specialist Colleges Advisor.

Since writing thisarticle, Chris has leftthe RSC and movedto an e-Learningposition at theUniversity of Derby,We were very sorryto lose Chris, andwish him all the bestin his new role.

What Issues Arise from giving Subject Specialists the Tools to Create their own E-Learning Materials?

Course Genie: Part two...

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There are a lot of positives involved when we speak about subject specialists creating their own chunks of e-learning material.The end result stands more chance of being ‘in tune’ with the tutor’s own teaching style, and more up to date and relevant.

Many colleges have benefited fromthe Network Health Check offeredby the Regional Support Centre(RSC). Now we have introduced anILT Health Check.

The ILT Health Check gives an overview ofthe current state of ILT within your college ororganisation, using a process based on theCommon Inspection Framework. Membersof the RSC review your relevantdocumentation, spend a day with youtalking to individuals and groups who have a

perspective on the use of ILT and prepare aconcise report identifying strengths, areas fordevelopment and recommended actions.The report is presented at a follow-up meeting.

“It helped us review and revise ourprocedures as we prepare for re-inspection,”says Carole Tidball, Assistant Principal(Quality & Standards) at The People’sCollege in Nottingham, “including ourapproach to lesson observation and how weuse our ILT Sector Representatives”. Carolebelieves that the Health Check provided“additional crucial evidence for our selfassessment report.”

The People’s College used the Health Checkin the context of inspection, but it can alsoprovide rigorous independent evidence forroutine self assessment processes. There isno charge for the ILT Health Check (or theNetwork one), although there is a limit tohow many we can carry out each term.Carole describes the process as “very quickand very professional”.

If you would like to discuss a Health Checkfor your college or organisation, contactsupport@rsc-em.ac.uk

Chris Hill, RSC Manager

Check your ILT Health

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The UKERNA Networkshop 33 was held at the University of Manchester in March this year. Here, the region’sLSC funded IT Support Officers, Marek Barc and Paul Drage, describe their experiences.

Delegates of Networkshop 33 enjoy dinner on the Orient Express© Robin Stevens rejs@cynic.org.uk