Chips with Everything is a newsletter produced by the ICT and Learning team at NIACE that raises the awareness of the benefits of e-learning.
The February ’09 issue features articles on the Digital Brain interim report, the Learning and Technology World Forum, case studies, Excellence Gateway TV and Silver Surfers Day.
The publication is free and can be downloaded shortly from the Excellence Gateway at:
Friday 27 February 2009, Birmingham
NIACE/Becta conference on Informal Learning – Making the Connections – Joining-up Digital Learning Opportunities intends to draw together the results of the consultation on Shaping the Way Ahead, the government consultation paper on Informal Learning. The conference will debate and seek to demonstrate:·
In particular, it will address the ways in which technology can be used at different stages in a learning journey. These will include: initial engagement, information delivery, learning through collaborating with others, recording learning progress and using this to plan for next stages, and celebrating the outcomes of learning.
Event fee £150. For further information visit the NIACE website
The 4th National E-Guides Event 2009: Refresh and Sustain is to be held at the East Midlands Conference Centre,
Nottingham on Thursday 26th March 2009.The event is aimed at both practitioners and leaders from across the post-16 sector with an interest in e-learning, and is part of the E-guides training programme. The event will feature an extensive range of workshops and speakers, providing an environment to network with other practitioners and professionals from all sectors of adult learning.
Key speakers include Lord Tony Young and Jane Williams, Becta
Participants can also choose to attend the evening before, which will commence with a three-course dinner, followed by ‘Dr Alan Clarke, NIACE in conversation with Prof. Gilly Salmon, University of Leicester’ and includes accommodation with breakfast.
Book before Friday 30th January 2009 to benefit from an early bird discount.
For further information, a full programme and to either download the application brochure or book online, visit the NIACE website
Any enquiries or to receive the application brochure by post please email:
e-guides@niace.org.uk or call Raksha on Tel: 0116 204 2811
“Virtual learning environments: an evaluation of their development in a sample of educational settings” has been published by Ofsted. The survey evaluates how VLEs are developing within a selection of providers, including Work Based Learning.
“VLEs use computers to allow remote access to learning. As the routine use of computers becomes all pervasive, there is an expectation that VLEs will form a significant part of the next generation’s experience of learning. In their current form, VLEs started to be introduced in educational settings around the year 2000. Their increased use was encouraged in the Government’s 2005 strategy paper Harnessing technology – transforming learning and children’s services”
source: www.ofsted.gov.uk
The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) is introducing a new Skills Capital Projects Fund and a new Regional Skills Capital Development Fund which will be accessible to providers that have not previously been eligible for FE capital funding, to support and encourage providers to specialise and innovate to meet the LSC priorities. The fund is intended to ensure that infrastructure is in place to support strategic skills priorities, so that businesses can access industry specific development for current and future employees.
In the prospectus ‘capital expenditure’ is defined as including buildings, land, the lease of buildings and/or land, ground works, building works, equipment or educational resources, including proprietary or bespoke software (but excluding those items usually funded from revenue expenditure) that adds significant value. Added-value can be in the form of genuine new learners, the upskilling of existing learners, increased employer engagement (including knowledge transfer and business innovation) and increased employer investment in training.
Skills Capital Projects Fund (SCPF) For the 2009–10 financial year, £20 million will be available on a matched-funding, pound-for-pound basis, towards the costs of qualifying projects. The minimum grant amount for any single application will be £500,000. The maximum grant amount for any single application will normally be £5 million.
Regional Skills Capital Development Fund (RSCDF) The RSCDF is for smaller projects with a total project cost of between £100,000 and £1 million, and will be managed within each region. Projects could include minor works, improved equipment, or adapting premises in order, for example, to reach more small employers and thus increase the take-up of Apprenticeships. For the 2009–10 financial year, up to £35 million will be available across the country. The minimum grant amount for any single application is £50,000. The maximum grant amount for any single application is £500,000. In addition, providers must contribute at least half of the total project costs from elsewhere.
The prospectus sets out what will be required of providers that receive capital funding. They include the requirement to have signed the Skills Pledge or equivalent and to have achieved or applied for the Training Quality Standard
Applicants are invited to submit an Expression of Interest form. This will help ensure that they are notified when the application material is available. Providers will not be able to apply for funding if they have not first completed an Expression of Interest form. RSCDF final date for submission is 31st January 2009 and for the SCPF 28th February 2009.
Staff in “e-confident” colleges cannot imagine life without technology, says a study published by Becta.
The report identifies the key attributes of colleges with a reputation for embedding the use of technology in their organisation. Evidence was gathered from three colleges, Alton College, Newcastle College and St Helens College, to assess what lessons could be learned and transferred to encourage best practice and progress towards an “e-confident culture.
Download the Harnessing Technology: Realising the Benefits report
Digital Inclusion Conference: 27 November 2008 – East Midlands Conference Centre, Nottingham
This conference will provide participants with the opportunity to discuss and debate ways of addressing social inclusion through the use of ICT. A third of adults are ‘not connected’ to new technologies. This has important consequences for those involved in implementing public policy, and for those involved in 21st century learning delivery. The conference will increase your knowledge of both policy and practice in the area of digital inclusion, help you explore the implications of the proposed government digital equality strategy and provide you with information on effective approaches.
For further information:
http://www.niace.org.uk/conferences/digitalinclusion.htm
Source: www. niace.org.uk
Following the success of the Learning and Skills Council funded Learning Innovation Grants (LIG), phase 1, 2 and 3, the Association of Learning Providers is hosting a half day show case event for Work Based Learning providers.
The Learning Innovation Grants have provided the sector with capital investment to realise the opportunities created by technology. Over 400 organisations, across a variety of vocational areas have developed a range of innovative projects and a number of these providers will be showcasing their work at the Providers of the Future event.
NIACE has announced a new round of online staff development opportunities which include the brand new blended course, Exploring Successful Learning Online. The courses aim to enable participants to experience online learning and provide them with the knowledge and skills to develop online learning within their own organisations.
Exploring new and creative ways of delivering learning makes this ideal continual professional development for anyone in the education sector including teachers maintaining their qualified teacher status, both courses are NOCN accredited.
Exploring Successful Learning Online: This new 6 week blended course is aimed at those wishing to experience online learning and explore its potential for incorporation into their own delivery. An ideal course for those considering, or just beginning to use, blended or online learning. This course starts Wednesday 5th November.
Application of Online Learning: A 12 week online course for those wishing to use online learning and methods with their learners and in their learning provision. The course has been structured using optional modules to allow for the needs of people employed in the education sector whether managers, teachers, facilitators, or support staff. If you wish to know more about the delivery of blended or online learning, personalising learning, engaging learners or widening participation then the course is for you. This course starts Monday 3rd November.
For information on start dates or to register your interest for this or any of the other online delivery courses that NIACE offers, contact:Kajal Samat (Kajal.samat@niace.org.uk)
Participants on the Centre for Excellence and Leadership’s (CEL) e-learning programmes and the NIACE E-Guides programme will be able to take advantage of an LSC funded capital grant scheme for buying information and learning technology equipment
The scheme entitles LSC-funded organisations to claim a £2,500 capital grant for each staff member who has completed one of the CEL/NIACE e-learning programmes, up to a maximum of £7,500 per organisation.
For further information on dates, venues and availability visit: