February 2007
Issue: 38 /
In this update:
· Programme of RSCni events
· Other Events
· Freedom of Information Act compliance
· Learning and Skills Web - FREE GIFT WHEN YOU REFER A COLLEAGUE
· DfES Report: Impact of e-Learning
· Accessibility Help - Abilitynet fact sheets / · Developing the UK’s e-infrastructure: major report published
· Blackboard VLE Patent Update
· Contribute to Enquiring Minds Work - Futurelab
RSCni Events and Services
28 February 2007: e-Learning Forum, for staff involved in promoting ILT within their College – Riddel Hall, Belfast.
21 March 2007: RSCni Annual Conference 2007 – East Tyrone College, Dungannon
Details and booking forms are currently available on the RSCni website at:
http://www.rsc-ni.ac.uk/news/events.php
e-Tools for e-Learning
This is a programme of 10 learning modules which, although aimed mainly at lecturers, will also be of interest to other staff in colleges such as learning resource staff and will enable all participants to enhance their use of ILT for teaching and learning. The content of each of the modules is signposted to the LLUK standards for ILT. A certificate will be awarded to each participant on completion of the programme. This could be used to contribute to relevant CPD portfolios.
To get further details of the module titles and contents go to: RSC-ni Home Page
e-Learning Developments Zone – try out new software and equipment, including accessibility equipment and software; digital video camera; digital stills camera; student personal response systems; and our new Interactive White Board. Based at RSCni premises, Riddel Hall, Belfast, the zone is available every Monday from now until 11 June 2007. For an appointment for a guided session in the Zone – call Kate at the number below.
ILT Health Check - a service which helps to identify where your college is in respect of the embedding of e-learning into teaching and learning programmes. If your senior management team would like to engage with this service, please call us.
If interested in any of the above services or wishing to book into the e-innovations lab please contact
Kate Guy at or Telephone 028 9097 4417
For Riddel Hall location click here
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DfES Report: Impact of e-Learning
The Department for Employment and Skills in England has just released a research paper called “e-learning in Further Education: The Impact on Student Intermediate and End-point Outcomes”. The research identified four critical conditions for effective ILT use:
Equipment: availability of adequate ILT equipment;
Tutors' intentions and teaching skills: deploying ILT purposefully within a teaching approach based on sound pedagogic understanding and practice;
Tutors' awareness: of how to use ILT to support learning and teaching in their subject and the range of resources that are available to support this;
Time allocated: to tutors for individually and collaboratively developing their ILT practices.
The report makes several recommendations, including the need for adequate funding for ILT, national or regional networks to share expertise, subject-specific ILT training and support for ILT from senior management.
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Accessibility Help - Abilitynet factsheets
Abilitynet is a national charity helping disabled adults and children use computers and the internet by adapting and adjusting their technology. The website has a series of useful fact sheets on areas such as autism and computers, dyslexia and computers and epilepsy and computers. These fact sheets can be downloaded and saved in either Word or pdf format.
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Developing the UK’s e-infrastructure: major report published
Growth of the UK economy depends upon the innovations of its researchers, says OSI Working Group
Maintaining the UK’s world leadership in research and innovation requires a national e-infrastructure capable of meeting the needs of researchers in the digital age. Furthermore, there is a serious danger that without such an e-infrastructure, the development of the UK’s science and research base and the growth of its knowledge-based economy will be seriously impaired.
These are some of the findings of a major report published today which sets out the requirements for a national e-infrastructure to help ensure the UK maintains and indeed enhances its global standing in research in an increasingly competitive world.
To access the reports please go to: www.nesc.ac.uk/documents/OSI/index.html
For further information, please contact: Philip Pothen (JISC) on 07887 564 006 or mailto:
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Blackboard VLE Patent Update
Just to update colleagues on a subject which caused a lot of disquiet and even alarm in some parts of the community in July last year when VLE supplier BlackBoard was granted a US patent for its educational software. This seemed, for many, to threaten institutions which used open source or other proprietary systems. As expected, the US Patent Office has now ordered a re-examination of this patent, a process which in most cases leads, after a period of a year or two, to a patent being revoked or narrowed. JISC’s Philip Pothen (JISC) and colleagues in OSS Watch and JISC legal will continue to monitor events concerning this issue.
Further information can be found on the OSS Watch website.
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Freedom of Information Act Compliance
If you wish to monitor the time you or your organization is spending dealing with FoI Act enquiries you may wish to consider using a free FoI monitoring tool, available at: http://www.informationhandyman.com/BlFOIMonitor.htm
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Learning and Skills Web - FREE GIFT WHEN YOU REFER A COLLEAGUE
Recommend a colleague to Learning and Skills Web and receive a stylish, metal, thermally-insulated travel mug. Discover how quick and easy it is to locate information, news and resources, as well as share ideas in the forums; your colleagues will wonder why you've waited so long to spread the word!
Log-in now, select the 'recommend a colleague' link and enter both of your details. Once your colleague has registered at http://www.lsweb.ac.uk/register.do your mugs will be dispatched within 28 days. Limited stock! First come first served!
Don't miss the mug-shots competition in the forums. There are prizes for the best picture of the Learning and Skills Web mug in action.
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Contribute to Enquiring Minds Work - Futurelab
Want to give feedback on a new software idea? As part of the Enquiring Minds project feedback is being sought on an idea for a free software tool aimed at supporting the process of enquiry in classrooms. At this early stage the views of teachers, ICT managers and others interested in improving software use in schools are being gathered.
For more information concerning this go to the “Teachers and schools” section on the Futureland website.
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Non-RSCni Events
Netskills e-Learning Essentials – A 3-day Workshop
Three consecutive days of training, providing the essential skills you need to create high-quality, pedagogically sound e-Learning.
This new event from Netskills combines teaching with practical work, discussion and supported research and development. Although intensive, it is based on the friendly and flexible approach that makes Netskills events so popular. The course fee also includes registration on the Netskills/BTEC Certificate in e-Learning, allowing you to work towards a recognised professional qualification.
Full information and online booking can be accessed at:
http://www.netskills.ac.uk/content/products/workshops/event/qub-feb07-elrness-r1/index.html
EFODL International Conference
Belfast Institute, 23rd and 24th May 2007, details here:
Learning and Skills Network Events - Developing Web Authoring Skills
The target audience includes web managers, e-learning content developers, curriculum developers and technical and teaching staff in colleges. Staff from schools, local authority providers, work-based learning providers, staff from offender learning communities and other related communities are welcome to attend subject to places being available.
Developing e-learning using Flash
7-8 March (Beginners). Location - Wirral, near Liverpool
20-21 March (Stage 2) Location - Wirral, near Liverpool
Developing e-learning and web applications using ASP.NET
26-27 February (Beginners), Location - near Bristol
29-30 March (Stage 2) Wirral, Location - near Liverpool
Classic ASP for Dynamic Websites
13-14 March (Beginners), Location - Wirral, near Liverpool
Bookings can be made on the Learning Technologies website or by calling the LSN events enquiry line on 0207 297 9123.
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