RSC East Midlands newsletter "intouch" - Spring 2004

intouch

Forthcoming

EVENTS April 20th

Technical Forum

21st

Using ILT in English

22nd

ASET Orientation Workshop: Accreditation and funding for the Ferl Practitioners Programme

29th

Using ILT in Catering & Hospitality

May 6th 11th

Using ILT in Teacher Training FPP Forum (provisional date)

13th

Finding Images for Teaching & Learning

18th

Using ILT in Basic Skills

20th

MIS Forum

26th

Using ILT in Business

June 9th

ILT Forum (provisional date)

10th

Using ILT in Key Skills

15th

LRC Forum (provisional date)

17th

Web Forum (provisional)

22nd

NLN Workshop: Re-crafting the Content

23rd

Creating an MLE

24th

Technical Forum (provisional date)

For further details see our website

www.rsc-east-midlands.ac.uk

the termly newsletter produced by RSC East Midlands

COLLEGE

FOCUS Derby College

What we are doing with the FPP Derby College sprang into existence in 2002 following the merger of three local colleges.

Although ‘sprang’ might be an inappropriate epithet for such a traumatic upheaval. We are fortunate to have an enlightened senior management team that felt that it was important at this time to create a dedicated team addressing ILT issues. In our case this involves every activity relating to ILT, ranging across staff development, curriculum support, VLE administration and materials development as well as college administrative systems development. We have a team of 5 staff and are supported by a dedicated band of 15 ILT champions seconded for a few hours a week from their normal duties.

Working in ILT it’s easy to assume that everyone else is ‘of the faith’, that everyone understands the added value that the appropriate use of technology offers us. It is sometimes a surprise that not all staff are of that view and need to be sold on the idea; that we have to take a step back and articulate the ILT vision and demonstrate how ILT can enhance the learning experience. That’s where we believe the FPP can help. It offers us a comprehensive tool that we can adapt to whatever training situation we find ourselves in. Through the JEB TILT award it also offers us the opportunity to offer attractive accreditation at Level 4.

We were too late to be involved in the FPP pilot scheme but were keen to start work with the materials as soon as they were available and our Champions spent a day a week through the summer term working through all the modules.

We began in earnest by running “I Love Technology” week; a two day staff development course repeated within our administration week

H

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t

s

&

in July for 120 staff. This involved the first four modules of the FPP interspersed with a range of hands-on sessions, including delivery technologies, materials, and applications. Our ILT champions led small groups of staff through the FPP modules and all the activities were completed online following a group discussion (often animated!).

Since then we have become licensed by the JEB to run TILT and our champions are taking 30 staff through the qualification as a pilot. This activity is operating as distance learning through our VLE with tutorial support.

Spring 2004

Volume 2 • Issue 2

Welcomefrom the Editor In the last newsletter I mentioned that the remit of the RSC had expanded to include support for specialist colleges and some aspects of higher education. Since then, our remit has been extended further and we are now also supporting the Adult and Community Learning Sector (see the article beneath for further details).

INSIDE This issue

Welcome RSCs support Adult and Community Learning

To help us maintain effective support for all sectors for which we are now responsible, we will shortly

FPP activities are also incorporated into the ILT module of our Foundation Degree in Supporting Learners, which is classroom-based. We have found, not unexpectedly, that our teaching staff, like the majority of learners, are social animals, motivated by working with others. Isolated distance learning activities, even with learners who are committed and have good intentions can be de-motivating for the learner and also for the tutors attempting to manage them.

be joined by two new members of staff. In addition Chris Bell, our e-Information Officer will be taking

RSC Mailing Lists

on the role of Specialist College Advisor.

Meet our new ILT Advisor

There are interesting and increasingly busy times ahead for us here at the RSC, as we venture into sectors

Focus on Security Software: Secure your Network

To address this need we will be offering FPP/TILT group workshops led by the ILT team using all the technologies and ILT methods at our disposal.

Not only to preach but also to practice good ILT. We aim to inspire and motivate by example.

College certificates will be offered for the successful completion of each FPP module which will be accepted as a unit of ‘essential criteria’ now required of all staff in order to gain the next salary increment with their post scale.

RSCs Support Adult and Community Learning

Lynne Brandt, Derby College.

T

i

p

e-Environment

Manager,

s

Using the NLN with Black Arrow

new, but I would like to assure all our customers, old and new, of our continued commitment and support.

Judi Millage, ILT Advisor

Paving the Way to Excellence in e-learning: e-learning standards guide launched Forthcoming Events College Focus: Derby College Hints & Tips: Using the NLN Materials with Black Arrow

Regional Support Centres already support FE colleges, Sixth Form colleges, Specialist colleges, and aspects of HE (HE colleges and HE students in FE colleges). From February 1st 2004, the list for English RSCs gets even longer. We are very pleased to welcome new colleagues from Adult and Community Learning (ACL). For us this means a great deal of work but we are looking forward to it.

All the services we offer the existing community

the internet through JANET. This differs from other

led nationally by the National Institute of Adult

will be extended to include ACL, such as events,

sectors where there is more emphasis on working

Community Education (NIACE) which is based

visits, e-mail lists, forums and the helpdesk.

with practitioners.

in Leicester; their website is www.niace.org.uk

Black Arrow is a Java Executable tool that allows NLN Materials to run with navigation on a PC with no SCORM compliant Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) installed. Once opened by Black Arrow, the materials are supplemented by a navigation pane which runs down the left hand side of the browser. Usually this will consist of forward and back buttons and a breakdown of the different elements contained within the materials.

The tool allows for limited customisation of the look and feel of the materials, including changing colours and different style Forward and Back buttons.

material. Once the output file name has been selected, clicking on the Generate Output Files button will process the files and create the navigation.

However, in some ways working with ACL will

In the RSC we know already that we have a lot to

When the output files have been generated you will be faced with a directory structure appropriate to the particular set of materials that you downloaded. Within this structure will be a new index page generated by Black Arrow, this is identified by a ‘_ba’ suffix on the file name; double clicking on this will launch the navigation frame page together with the content.

be a little different. ACL is a very diverse sector,

Talking to people at our events, it is clear that

learn. To concentrate on the ACL work, we are

with a big majority of part time staff and

the different sectors already supported by the

appointing a new team member with an

thousands of delivery locations. Our work with

understanding of the ACL area and the

ACL will focus on the managing agents. In the

development and implementation of strategy. We

East Midlands these are the local authorities (of

will of course continue to work as a team, sharing

To allow Black Arrow to run, the Java Executable file Java2 Runtime Environment Standard Edition (J2re) version 1.2 or later has to be installed on the computer that is to generate the navigation page. Black Arrow can be downloaded from: http://www.nln.ac.uk/materials/technical/black_arrow_docs.asp

You can find out more about the NLN Black Arrow tool by visiting www.nln.ac.uk/materials/technical/black_arrow_docs.asp.

Alternatively RSC East Midlands has its own NLN Materials page which can be accessed by visiting www.rsc-east midlands.ac.uk/teach_and_learn/teach_and_learn_resources.asp.

Here you can find a useful list of problems and solutions users have faced when using the tool.

which we have 9) who have overall responsibility

the workload and our individual expertise. When

for ACL in their area. Some of these local

our new Advisor for ACL is appointed an early

authorities deliver the service directly themselves,

priority will be to visit all the ACL providers in the

staff who only work a few hours each week and

others sub-contract, others do a mix of both. The

East Midlands to start the dialogue going. Before

how you provide a service which is very widely

then, we’ll do the best we can!

scattered. We look forward to discovering some

developing an ILT strategy, which has to be

The whole initiative has a really effective

Chris Bell, e- Information Officer

submitted early in 2005, and connecting them to

support website at www.aclearn.net. It is being

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

Once downloaded, Black Arrow can be opened by double clicking on NLN_Navigation_tool_v1.jar. Then select the manifest.xml file from the ‘unzipped’

early priorities are to support them all in

RSC have much to learn from each other and benefit from being members of the same network. Your problems may already have been solved in another sector. ACL takes for granted difficult issues such as how you train part time

answers as we start to work together.

Chris Hill, RSC Manager

intouch

intouch

RSC Mailing Lists

Focus on Security Software: S e c u r e Yo u r N e t w o r k

The RSC operates a number of email lists for the purposes of allowing college staff to share ideas and best practice with their colleagues across the region. As

to their queries and so help prevent the same questions being asked repeatedly.

In an increasingly hostile network environment, maintaining security is vital. Before buying a security product, it’s always worth looking to see what Chest Agreements are available.

Chest negotiates with suppliers on behalf of FE and will therefore have the best deal available for those products.

To achieve this, the RSC has moved its email lists onto JISCmail, as

All members of the previous RSC email lists have automatically been

Chest currently has Agreements for the following security products:

this gives the required message archiving facilities.

moved across to the new JISCmail lists, so no re-joining of lists

• Sophos

The following RSC email lists are now available through JISCmail :

should be necessary.

• business-rscem

Business Development

To access the JISCmail system, go to the following URL

• ilt-rscem

ILT Managers / ILT Champions

www.jiscmail.ac.uk

the use of these lists has grown, it has become necessary to add a method of archiving list messages. This will allow users to search past messages for answers

• lrc-rscem • mis-rscem • principals-rscem • sd-rscem

Librarians / Learning Resources MIS / CIS Principals / Deputy Principals Staff Development

By entering the list name you require and following the login

• webdev-rscem

Web Resources / Development

replaced by the name of the list to which the message is to be sent.

• qm-rscem

Quality Management

For example to send a message to the RSC’s mailing list for technical

• speccoll-rscem

Specialist Colleges

staff, the message should be sent to technical-rscem@jiscmail.ac.uk

Meet our new ILT Advisor Martin Cooke

When installed as part of a general network security programme, the

is now offered. Prices start at £900 for a one year Sophos anti-virus

VCS Firewall will control, manage and audit all communication

server and workstation licence, plus one free month, for up to 500 PCs.

between two networks. A 30 day evaluation period is available.

Sophos Enterprise Manager, which automates virus updating from the

Special FE price - £1200 1st year, £900 subsequent years. More

internet, is also available on the same basis from £300. More info on

information on http://www.chest.ac.uk/software/vcs.

• Veritas Software Corporation A popular Chest Agreement. Provides a comprehensive range of

A fully integrated security suite, including all necessary functionality

backup, storage, management and data protection products. Prices

for comprehensive, enterprise-wide security. Features include access

vary. Trials are available from resellers. More information on

control, authentication, virtual private networking, third party device

http://www.chest.ac.uk/software/veritas/

Paving the Way to Excellence in e-learning e - l e a r n i n g

s t a n d a r d s

of e-learning developments was launched at this year’s BETT

design and technical requirements), technical standards and quality

conference, the annual educational technology show.

assurance. It also contains information about the implementation and

One of the things this has taught me is

on-line courses, is web-based and works

playing keyboard and hillwalking. I am an

the value of working in a team:

well without the use of a learning platform.

armchair Munro bagger (try searching on

I make progress by having people around

Cheap and cheerful still has its uses.

Google) and can even pronounce one or

learning materials that are delivered free to the learning and skills sector. The

two. I play keyboard in the church worship

team is based at Becta (the British Educational Communications and Technology

band and help with the childrens’ activities.

Agency), which manages the NLN materials development programme.

Arthur C Clarke once compared looking for

‘Paving the way to excellence in e-learning’ shares the procedures that the

specific information on the internet to

team follow, and the guidelines that they issue to suppliers to ensure that the

standing under a waterfall and trying to fill

materials commissioned for the NLN are of the highest quality possible. The

though trained for Primary. Previously I

a glass. One of our aims at the RSC is to

guidelines ensure that suppliers and local developers of e-learning materials

worked in libraries, both public and school,

provide guidance to enable practitioners to

have a framework to work within, and that the NLN materials comply with

and taught information skills.

find peer-assessed resources, so this is

international technical standards.

I taught Art and History in middle school,

be able to answer promptly, and I did.

I said I didn’t know. Mark Twain

dissemination activities carried out by the team to integrate the NLN The document, ‘Paving the way to excellence in e-learning’, has been produced materials into the learning and skills sector, including support offered to by the National Learning Network (NLN) Materials Team which is responsible educators and technical staff. for commissioning and managing the production of hundreds of hours of e-

there was a significant element of Marxism

I was gratified to

My wife Diana and I have four children; the eldest is currently on her gap year, and we

l a u n c h e d

The document covers important issues such as pedagogy, accessibility (both

interested in art, music, reading, cinema,

I am. - Henry J Kaiser

g u i d e

An important new reference document that is raising the standard

gain the skills needed to develop and deliver

included at the time (70s). How times change!

from

are available from http://www.sophos.com. A new lower pricing band

from home as a LeTTOL Online tutor.

everyone is smarter about something than

available

• VCS Firewall

run a taxi service for the others. I am

listening to them. And I assume that

are

information on http://www.chest.ac.uk/software/firewall-1/

LeTTOL, a course that helps participants

My first degree was in Politics and History -

downloads

represents a reduction of approximately 50% on list price. More

Before taking up this post I was working

me who are smarter than I am - and

trial

requirements for protecting networks from unauthorised intrusion.

particular list.

send the message to list-name@jiscmail.ac.uk, where “list-name” is

day

http://www.checkpoint.com/getsecure.html. The Chest Agreement

networked PCs, standalone PCs and laptops. 30 day trial downloads

• Check Point FireWall-1

Technical

30

A secure, flexible firewall, designed to meet the most stringent

http://www.chest.ac.uk/software/sophos/.

• technical-rscem

directory support, auditing and enterprise-wide management.

A multi-platform anti-virus software for email gateways, file servers,

process, you will be able to view the archived messages for that

To post to a particular list, compose the message as normal, and then

management, network address translation, content security, ldap user

‘Paving the way to excellence in e-learning’ has been distributed to all colleges in England, to commercial developers and is also available in PDF format from the NLN Materials website at: [www.nln.ac.uk/materials].

For more information about Paving the Way or about the NLN Materials and Becta Development Programme call the NLN Materials Team on 024 7684 7031.

where we can help.

Martin Cooke, ILT Advisor

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

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