RSC East Midlands newsletter "intouch" - Autumn 2002

the termly newsletter produced by RSC East Midlands

Autumn 2002

Volume 1 • Issue 2

Welcomefrom the Editor Hello everyone. I hope that you have all settled calmly and comfortably back into the new term and that you will find time to read through this, the second edition of the termly newsletter from your local JISC Regional Support Centre.

The last few months have seen the development of some new and exciting resources and services for

INSIDE This issue

Welcome Ferl Practitioners Programme

FE. To find out more about these, have a look at the articles on the Resource Guides and the Virtual

New Resource Guides for Further

Training Suite and read about the Ferl Practitioners Programme: the new training initiative from Ferl.

Education

Those of you responsible for your college network might like to check out the article on network security for advice and useful links to further information on the subject. And find out what new developments

JISC Services: What’s on offer?

in ILT are taking place at New College Nottingham in the College Focus section.

New Online Resource: The Virtual

Wishing you all a stress free and successful term!

Training Suite for FE

Judi Millage, ILT Advisor

Network Security: Why it’s a must University for Industry

Ferl Practitioners Programme – A major new initiative to be delivered by the RSC

College Focus: New College Nottingham Hints & Tips: Saving your favourite websites list

Forthcoming Events The Ferl team at Becta is developing an introductory programme for all practitioners that will be delivered in partnership with the JISC RSCs. The programme will reach its audience through the in-house staff development programmes that colleges offer. The materials that are currently being produced, together with the methods of delivery, are flexible and will support the various staff development models commonly employed by colleges.

The programme is being developed around five core strands. Strands 1, 2 and 3 are to be piloted with selected colleges from October 2002 to December 2002. The pilot will be evaluated fully, with the findings being acted on. It is planned that the full programme will be rolled out to all colleges in April 2003.

The structure of the programme is as follows: • Strand 1 - Using ILT with Learners: for teachers, tutors and those with a direct responsibility for delivering programmes of learning.

• Strand 2 - Assisting and supporting staff to use ILT with learners: for learning resources staff/learner support staff and those with a direct responsibility for supporting teaching and learning activity.

• Strand 3 - Making ILT happen in teaching and learning: for ILT Champions (curriculum and management) and those

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with a direct responsibility for embedding

The Ferl Practitioners Programme will be

the use of ILT in the culture and practice of

mapped to the ILT FENTO standards. It is

teaching and learning.

also planned to map them to existing

• Strand 4 - VLEs and other Learning Platforms:

ICT/ILT qualifications.

for practitioners who have completed either

This is a timely and important new initiative that

Strand 1, 2 or 3 and who are using or

is responding to the needs of the sector. Ferl and

intending to use a virtual learning

the RSC are looking at models of delivery and

environment or a college intranet for the

will be consulting colleges presently.

delivery of learning.

• Strand 5 - ILT Awareness for Technical Staff: aimed at raising the awareness of technical support staff on the issues practitioners face in the use and application of ILT.

For further information contact me at:

support@rsc-east-midlands.ac.uk John McKenzie, ILT Curriculum Advisor

intouch

New Online Resource:

JISC Services:

The RDN Virtual Training Suite for Further Education was officially launched at the end of June 2002. Each tutorial has been written by further education practitioners who have knowledge of both their subject area and the Internet.

There are 11 tutorials offering step-by-step instruction in Internet searching and information skills.

They contain online quizzes and interactive exercises, a glossary of Internet terms and a "Links Basket" to collect a personal list of useful Web links.

?

What’s on offer

T h e V i r t u a l Tr a i n i n g Suite for FE

What is it?

What it does and who for?

TechLearn is the brand name for a new JISC

• Identify key technologies that may be of value

Service from the Technologies Centre. It has been

in learning and teaching

set up to provide an advice and support service on

• Thoroughly investigate them

new and emerging technologies for learning and teaching. TechLearn is a sister service to TechDis.

• Produce easily digestible reports that contain information on the technologies and wherever possible, examples of their use in education for:

Purpose

- Senior managers who need strategic information

The purpose of TechLearn is to maximise, through

- Service heads who require more detailed

technology transfer, the value, impact and relevance

information

of JISC’s work in technologies that support learning,

• Arrange seminars, conferences and workshops,

teaching, research and administration.

often in association with other agencies on these technologies

• Feedback to JISC on new areas for study.

New Resource Lecturers, librarians and IT trainers can use these tutorials to support subject curricula, student induction, staff development and training in IT Key Skills. The skills covered map on to part of the Key Skills specifications for Information Technology, as defined by the Qualifications Curriculum Authority. Teaching Packs provide case study examples of how these tutorials can be used in different courses at levels 1-3, ranging from A Level to GNVQ and AVCE. The 11 tutorial titles are:

•

Internet for Art, Design and Media

Current Projects

Guides for Fur ther Education In June 2002 the JISC Regional Support Centres collaborated on a pilot project to produce a series of Resource Guides for FE. The brief A4 leaflets cover the following curriculum areas:

• • • • •

E-tutoring Videoconferencing Wireless technologies Broadband technologies Strategic factors influencing the take-up of new and emerging technologies in further and higher education

• Re-usable objects for education simulation • Ubiquitous computing • Widening Access with Wireless Technologies.

• Adult Basic Skills

To find out more about TechLearn go to

• Art and Design (AS/A2 level)

www.techlearn.ac.uk

• Building and Construction

Gwen Callaghan, Admin & Events Co-ordinator

•

Internet for Business Studies

•

Internet for Construction

• Catering Food and Hospitality

•

Internet for Engineering (General and Automotive)

• Computing (BTEC Higher Nationals)

librarians, learning resource centre managers and

•

Internet for Hairdressing and Beauty

• Engineering

facilitators some starting points for finding quality

Internet for Health and Social Care

• Hairdressing and Beauty

resources for use in teaching, learning and

• Health and Social Care

professional development. They could be used as

• IT Key Skills Level 2

sources of material for use in teaching, or you may

• Psychology/Social Sciences (forthcoming)

find some of the sites useful to point students to, for

•

• Business Studies

•

Internet for Hospitality and Catering

•

Internet for Technology

Information

and

Communication

• Sport and Leisure

•

Internet for Leisure, Sport and Recreation

•

Internet for Performing Arts

•

independent learning and projects.

• Travel and Tourism We hope that you find them both useful and The guides are available for download from our web

Internet for Travel and Tourism

The RDN Virtual Training Suite is available at http://www.vts.rdn.ac.uk Judi Millage, ILT Advisor.

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site http://www.rsc-east-midlands.ac.uk

To access

them, click ILT then Resources on side navigation bar.

They are available in both Word and Pdf format. The guides are designed to give curriculum staff,

informative. In the meantime, if you require further information contact Judi Millage at: support@rsceast-midlands.ac.uk Lesley Price, RSC Manager

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intouch

NETWORK SECURITY: why it’s a must Following the disruption and inconvenience caused by Code Red

were available for several months prior to the attacks, but many systems

Worm and Nimda, the need for secure and protected network

remained unpatched when the worms attacked causing inconvenience

equipment can clearly be seen to be of paramount importance.

and a reduction in the level of service to users.

The need for a college security policy that covers what system users are

A useful service offered by Microsoft is a mailing list that immediately

allowed and not allowed to do, what procedures and actions are in

provides information on new security patches as Microsoft releases

place if a security incident occurs, and also the role that the security

them. More information about this service can be obtained by clicking

plays in supporting the mission statement and goals of the college, needs

on the following URL.

to be the first step in protecting a college against both internal and

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/notify.asp

external attacks on its systems and infrastructure. A useful document to help in creating an information security policy is available on the JISC

JANET-CERT is a service provided by UKERNA for the benefit of users

website at http://www.jisc.ac.uk/pub01/security_policy.html. It should

of the JANET network and advises sites on network security matters. The

be noted that any security policy produced by an institution should be

service they offer should be used in conjunction with an institution’s

closely linked to the JANET Acceptable Use Policy and also any college

policies and procedures to help protect systems and infrastructure from

produced Acceptable Use Policy.

attack. More information on JANET-CERT and the services they offer can be found by accessing their website using the link shown below.

Any documents and policies that are produced and implemented in a college need to be widely publicised within the college so that all staff

http://www.ja.net/CERT/cert.html

and students are aware of the situation and are not able to use being

As the reliance on IT systems in colleges continues to increase, so the

unaware of the regulations as an excuse for breaking the rules.

need to increase the resources provided to ensure that the systems are

Security and Acceptable Use policies are very important, but the value

fully available, functional and protected becomes very apparent. Make

of up to date virus protection software and the latest security patches

sure that you are not caught unawares.

installed on systems cannot be underestimated. The speed at which

James Higham, Network Specialist.

worms such as the Code Red Worm compromised vulnerable servers all over the world was staggering. Patches to protect Microsoft webservers

UNIVERSITY

for industry

The RSC has been involved with the Ufi Pilot

connectivity troubleshooting, consultancy for

links and details of forthcoming events. Take a

for 9 months now, taking us beyond the

new connections, advice on software and

look at http://www.rsc-east-midlands.ac.uk

original six months of the project which is now

hardware issues, one-to-one and group

/learndirect.htm for further details.

due to run until October 2002!

training and general help desk queries.

The remit of the project is to assist Ufi hubs, learning centres and access points with ICT issues for the provision of learndirect. To date this has taken many forms including

Through the provision of this support a number of ‘how to’ type documents have been produced and are available for

guidance in the provision of learndirect or would like to discuss any issues relating to the pilot please feel free to contact me at the RSC.

download from the Ufi dedicated section of our website along with some FAQ’s, useful

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If you feel you could use some ICT advice and

Ian Houseman, Ufi Technical Support Officer.

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intouch

COLLEGE

Forthcoming

EVENTS

FOCUS

ILT At New College Nottingham

October 3rd

MIS/CIS Forum: Data Protection, Freedom of Information and Records Management

Another academic year begins and with it the usual signs of anxiety as room moves are checked to ensure no treble counting, registers appear where programs are known, students keep to the program they said they would do and achievement data goes smoothly onto the system to ensure you are ready for the next KPMG student numbers audit. Ah the beginning of term. So what’s this to do with ILT you say? Well as Director of Technology for New College Nottingham about 7/8th of my time is problem solving, bureaucracy busting, business process review, systems development and 1/8th, the passion for why I am in this sector, ILT. However, you can do a lot with 1/8th if you put your mind to it and involve the key players (staff and students) within your college which is what I have done. I want to take you through some of the initiatives that have happened here at NCN within the last 12 months and give you an out line of where this is moving to.

13th-15th NILTA Annual Conference

November 6th

Cybrecrime

14th

LRC Forum: JISC Collections for FE and the benefits of using e-resources

25th-26th Ferl Annual Conference 28th

Technical Forum

19th

Curriculum Forum Using the NLN Materials

The college created in August 2001, a central Multimedia Development Unit which supports the college graphic design processes, internet and intranet development for staff and students, VLE developments and audio visual (up to broadcast quality). A key element for MDU is to co-ordinate the ILT champion program for the college. We have created a full time post of ILT Champion Coordinator to ensure that the 82 staff that are champions are supported. The ILT champions support a range of projects that include online content development, use of the VLE for student tracking and assessment and ILT learning and

December Date to be confirmed

Web Developers Forum

For further details see our website

www.rsc-east-midlands.ac.uk

H

i

n

How to:

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s

save your

teaching styles. The first year has been hard to keep staff motivated but we have moved a long way in understanding staff and student needs. One of the most successful buy in’s from staff has been the curriculum staff involvement in the development DATANET. This intranet site gives access to all the monitoring reports required by the curriculum and to support effective student tracking.

Another area of development this year has been of the Systems Development team within the college who are looking to the future integration of systems which influence and effect ILT development and delivery. NCN is working towards a knowledge management solution where ILT plays a major role.

The first stages of this include developing a clear vision for the way the organisation wants to function in the future. We are working with key market place suppliers to find ways forward.

We have also developed 3 of the main site Learning Centres to expand ILT for students increasing flexible access. We have invested in a wide range of on line learning resources this year and have decided to use TechniKal as the key VLE during this year.

Other new initiatives we are introducing include web registers at one of our main sites, developing in partnership NLN materials and looking at the best way for the VLE to help in reaching retention and achievement targets set locally. So here we go into the year fresh and…sorry, I have already been back 3 weeks! Must book my next holiday.

Christine Vincent at ncn.ac.uk

&

T

favourite

i

p

s

websites list

Here are two ways to save your favourites: 1. Using the favourite folder

• Click 'Next' and then select the 'export favourites' option.

• The favourites folder is located in the windows directory in Windows 98, Windows NT or Win2000.

• Follow the step by step instructions to complete the process.

• From the 'Start' button> go to 'Search' > 'Files and Folders' and search the 'C' drive for a 'Favourites' folder.

• From here you can change your favourites list into a file that you can browse like a web page (an HTML file). It also allows you to import these files, so you can borrow someone else's links!

• Click on the folder to highlight it and then right click to display the menu.

• Select 'Send to' and then '31/2” floppy (A)' to save it onto a disk.

Sam Eliyas, ILT Development Officer

• You can now take your favourites folder with you to use at home!

Internet Explorer Menu Bar:

2. Using the Import/Export Wizard (for Internet Explorer 5.0 and above) • From the 'File' menu bar on your web page, select 'Import and Export' this takes you to the Import/Export Wizard.

Front Screen for Export Wizard

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