Innovation Funding from LSIS

The fourth round of innovation funding opened on the 01 September 2010 and closes on the 29th of October 2010. The funding is open to organisations in England whose primary function is as a provider of further education and training. Eligible providers will be organisations funded by the Young People’s Learning Agency (YPLA) or Skills Funding Agency (SFA) and subject to inspection by Ofsted. The only eligible Higher Education Institutions are those with learning and skills provision funded by the SFA and subject to inspection by Ofsted.
Bids, for up to a maximum of £50,000, will be invited from consortia of provider organisations for projects which are genuinely innovative and which have the potential to significantly enhance the practice and performance of the learning and skills sector. LSIS will particularly welcome bids from providers working through cross-sector and extra-sector consortium arrangements. Bids from individual provider organisations will not be accepted in this funding round.
LSIS will continue to encourage innovative bids on a variety of topics that address the strategic priorities of the sector. However, for this funding round we will particularly welcome consortia bids that address specific issues and problems in defined locations - based on the principles of Total Place*

More information on the Innovation funding can be found at http://www.excellencegateway.org.uk/fif

iPad

I may be have been bitten by the i Pad bug, however so far I can't find anything that I dislike. Earlier this week I attended the Techshare conference at the ICC in Birmingham this was primarily regarding Accessibility issues. However the iPad was very alluring, the presenter Robin Spinks from the RNIB highlighted all the advantages these include :

• Portable
• Light weight
• High quality LED
• Fast Processor
• Touch Screen
• Virtual Keyboards

On closer inspection today I find you are able to carry out normal every day tasks like email, Internet use, playing games reading e-books I am also able to use the notes apps for very basic word processing. Robin described the i pad as a 'tool to share' as the iPad is very engaging and most definitely for content consumption. The question that Robin left us with is it a replacement for the Netbook on reflection I would probably say that the Netbook and the I pad are similar but definitely different . The iPad has a lack of expandability, you cant upgrade the iPad in any way and very poor for content creation.
However having said all of that the iPad is a different experience to the Netbook, i feel immersed in the graphics and believe that this is a different experience to any laptop, or net book

BECTA

Disappointed to hear that BECTA will close this is in my view is the origins of where we all started with e -learning, we have been through lots of really useful projects with BECTA and achieved so much. Starting with Ferl and the ILT champions,the Ferl Practitioners Programme, TENS projects and more recently the Generator self assessment tools.

I hope that this work isn't forgotten and we continue to carry on the e-learning work. I wish all the BECTA staff luck with their new careers

Second Life

I have been told so much about Virtual Worlds that I thought I would try this for myself. With some hesitance as I was struggling to see the relevance for my work. Fortunately I have been partly converted, this is due to a virtual training and tour which was arranged by colleague Jane Edwards AKA Lady Jane Plympton. The tour of Virtual Ability Net really helped me to visualise how a virtual world can make a difference to the life's may people. The guide and Director of Virtual Ability Alice Krueger, Gentle Heron in world told us her story. Second Life has opened many doors in society that would not of been possible in my 1st life. Being part of a community and not being judged or having any restrictions has made my life more bearable. Virtual Ability Island provides the home for our new resident orientation and training, developed for people with disabilities or chronic illnesses. Here, new residents can learn Second Life® fundamentals in an accessibility-friendly environment, and existing residents can receive ongoing training and information about health-related issues and support groups. This island was created through a partnership with the Alliance Library System.I am still learning about Second Life I can see that the positives out way the negatives and hope that others have the opportunity to take a tour. The possibilities are endless especially if you’re working in education. Take a look at Virtual Ability at http://virtualability.org/default.aspx

Discover 'e'

2010 is RSC WM’s annual on-line event.

This year we will be celebrating 10 years of working with the post 16 learning and skills sector in stimulating and supporting innovation with e-learning and technology.
Information:
To mark 10 years of the West Midlands Regional Support Centre, Discover e-2010 has brought together case studies from across the post 16 learning skill sector which will “tell” and “share” how learning providers have progressed and applied technology to support teaching and learning. Guest speakers from further and 6th form colleges, HEI’s, specialist colleges, adult and community and work-based learning, will provide ‘live’ online presentations to explain how their organisation has used technology to improve the quality of teaching and learning for students / learners. Discover e-2010 will be interactive so delegates will have an opportunity to discuss and post questions to guest speakers as well as interact with other delegates.

Theres still time to book a place http://info.rsc-wm.ac.uk/events/event_details.asp?eid=524

My Study Bar

The latest addition to the Edu Apps suite is MY Study Bar, this is intended to make the learner independent and can easily be run form a USB stick to allow the applications to be portable. The main difference from the Access Apps is that there are fewer programmes making it even easier to puts a whole range of individual and essential tools at your fingertips. Together, these have been designed to support the complete study cycle from research, planning and structuring to getting across a written or spoken message. MyStudyBar has 6 sections; each has a drop down menu offering personal choice, flexibility and independent learning, particularly for those learners who require additional strategies to support their learning. With over 15 apps to choose from

To download your own copy of My Study Bar go to http://www.rsc-ne-scotland.ac.uk/eduapps/index.php

E- learning and CPD

Can e-learning inform CPD, whilst on my visits to Learning Providers I am constantly being told that budgets have been cut for staff development and that CPD is now mostly internal with training being delivered by members of staff .

Staff development with e learning now requires you to be update with every piece of technology, know how to use all the latest gadgets and somehow pass this information to all of my colleagues regardless of whether they require the information or not. Can e-learning be a focus for CPD and can I make difference with my constant battle to know !more e stuff!

I came across a document on the e- learning centers website, that has helped me to re -think if how e- learning can be a driver for CPD and does being reflective make things 'better'. Even though Jim Floods article was written in 2002 this still seems really poignant for me today. He highlights some of the problems faced in Colleges in 2002 and I only have to think about our own journey we have travelled at the RSC to see that answer to the questions as Jim states is 'YES'

Our online conference in May this year focus on the journey of the RSC and Learning Providers over the last 10 years. This conference will show some effective practice and startling journeys keep a look on our website for the conference details.