Newsbytes 27

newsbytes Issue 27 – Autumn 2008

Stimulating and supporting innovation in learning

Another successful year, Contents another successful e-Fair...

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Another successful year, another successful e-Fair...

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e-Portfolios

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Events

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JISC RSC Eastern building a better future for providers

Sal Cooke, keynote speaker with delegates

New Build info and resources

The past academic year has been another busy and momentous one.

RSC Eastern has extended its reach to support the Work Based Learning sector by providing impartial advice on e-learning strategy, funding, bid writing and using innovative technology in vocational learning upon request.

In 2007, RSCs were appointed as ambassadors to the Quality Improvement Agency, to source case studies of best practice in e-learning from their regions respectively, to be disseminated on the newly revamped QIA Excellence Gateway (http://excellence.qia.org.uk) A range of inspirational e-learning developments from various institutions have emerged as a result of the case studies: •

U3 Technology – Thurrock and Basildon College

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QIA Beacon Status – West Suffolk College

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Pocket CVs – CSV Media Clubhouse

To find out more and to read all of the other case studies please visit the Excellence Gateway, click ‘e-Learning Case Studies’. If your institution is an exemplar of best e-learning practice and you would like to share your success with others please contact RSC Eastern’s Information Officer via: b.hutchens@rsc-eastern.ac.uk

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RSC Eastern Media

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Federated Access Management: A regional roundup AccessApps

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BBC Motion Gallery Publications

It has been another successful year for events with the launch of some new events including: •

New Build Forum

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Innovations in Learning Spaces

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Sharepoint Showcase

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Getting to Grips with Podcasting

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e-Portfolios

e-Portfolios are not a new concept. In various guises, digital presentations of skills and competences, online records of achievement and action plans with opportunities for reflection have been in use in education for nearly a decade. Tools and systems built for these purposes are now numerous. So what is new about e-portfolios?

Effective Practice with e-Portfolios uses the outcomes of recent significant projects and examples from current practice to explore how e-portfolios can add value to personalised and reflective models of learning. Drawing on the work of key national agencies and organisations and on excellent practice and recent initiatives by institutions and professional bodies, the guide illustrates a wide variety of e-portfolio use across further, higher and continuing education.

This publication has been produced in conjunction with an e-Portfolios infoKit and associated case studies produced by JISC infoNet. To read the full publication please visit: http://tinyurl.com/4okht7 To find out more about the JISC infoKit and to read some of the case studies please visit: http://www.jiscinfonet.ac.uk/ e-portfolios

Gerard Hayes comments on some of the key highlights of this year: “Following our mission of Stimulating and Supporting Innovation in Learning, the RSC team has provided online briefings, facilitated a range of forum groups including the newly formed New Build Forum and a range of events encompassing virtual worlds, digital creativity and bid writing. New services included a staff development package ‘eSkills for e-Learning’” On the 4th July 2008, RSC Eastern hosted the annual e-Learning Forum Fair at Barnfield College in Luton.

Nearly 160 colleagues from around the region, across all sectors descended upon the college to find out about new developments in e-learning.

The day was opened with an inspiring presentation from Sal Cooke, Head of Service for JISC TechDis. Within the keynote speech Ms Cooke emphasised the importance of acknowledging accessibility in teaching and learning. In a room full of over 150 delegates, only a handful were aware of their social and legal responsibility to make provisions for students with learning difficulties.

To find out more please visit: http://tinyurl.com/53fb9q On the 14th October 2008, a full range of JISC TechDis accessibility resources were launched on the Excellence Gateway Sal describes the accessibility guidance on the Excellence Gateway as the distillation of four years liaison with a wide range of experts in the field. “We are committed to making accessibility something practical, sustainable and meaningful for learners.” Explains Ms Cooke, “This opportunity to work with the QIA gave us the chance to draw on our experiences with practitioners, specialist colleges, disability organisations and regional support centres. It has been a chance to properly map out the ways in which everyday technologies and teaching approaches can support the widest range of learners.

Most importantly it is a platform for demonstrating that accessible teaching and learning is an achievable goal.”

Throughout the day delegates had the opportunity to network with other learning providers from the region who were showcasing their own

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developments in e-learning. There was a variety of ‘show and tell’ exhibitions and workshops including: • • • • • •

Interactive learning plans (ILPs) Second Life Web 2.0 and mobile learning U3 technology Moodle e-portfolios

In the main exhibition hall, delegates were able to gain advice from exhibitors about a wide range of resources, repositories, and staff development services available to them.

There was a brand new addition to the event too - a SMS text wall. This allowed attendees on the day to send any questions they had with regards to the keynote speech or other matters arising from the event via mobile phone.

The wall received an enthusiastic response, with many of the comments highlighting the success of the event.

One delegate remarked: “One of the most useful events relating to work that I have been on for a long time” The event was run with the hope of inspiring delegates to use technology for enhancing teaching practice within their institutions. One of the attendees commented: “I am always inspired when I attend the e-Fair. There is so much innovative practice happening out there. It’s exceptional and I always come away motivated to take my institution forward.”

Gerard Hayes, Manager for RSC Eastern, explains the importance of the e-Fair and bringing providers together: “The e-Fair packs a lot into one day, providing the opportunity to network, to be inspired by the work of colleagues and to acquire new insights. An acknowledged strength of this region is the development of a community of post-16 learning providers who share for the common benefit of the students.”

To view and book onto some of our upcoming events or to access postevent resources please visit the RSC Eastern website (www.rsc-eastern. ac.uk) – click ‘Events’ http://del.icio.us/ rsceastern/RSCe-event

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Events Nov 25 -

JISC Collections Licensing Workshop: Copyright in the Digital Age, ÂŁ75, London (South East, Eastern, London)

Dec 4-

VLE Forum Meeting, FREE event, Harlow College, Harlow

Jan 20 - Learner Experiences of e-Learning Workshop, FREE event, London Mar 5-

RSC/Edina NewsFilm Online, FREE event, London RSC/Netskills Podcasting A Practical Guide, ÂŁ100, Cambridge

RSC diary dates 30/01/09 - e-Learning Forum 05/02/09 - Creating Digital Media for Learning 10/02/09 - VLE Forum 12/02/09 - Technical Managers Forum 27/02/09 - ACL/WBL e-Learning Forum 27/03/09 - e-Learning Forum

National events for your diary: JISC Conference, Edinburgh, 24th March 2009 http://tinyurl.com/4tclzh To book onto any of our events please visit: http://info.rsc-eastern.ac.uk/ events

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New Build info and resources College of West Anglia ‘The Big Build Project’ http://www.col-westanglia.ac.uk/ big-build-content

JISC RSC Eastern building a better future for providers Colchester Institute - artists impression

Oaklands College http://www.oaklands.ac.uk/ about/newbuild_education.aspx

JISC infoNet: infoKit Planning and Designing Technology Rich Learning Spaces http://www.jiscinfonet.ac.uk/ infokits/learning-space-design

LRC Conference resources page http://tinyurl.com/3hp5yz

New Build Forum resources page http://tinyurl.com/4pcl34

New Build Podcasts Podcast: Creating 21st century learning spaces http://tinyurl.com/4jphr9

Podcast: Library spaces for the Google generation http://tinyurl.com/4jphr9

An insight into New Build Strategy http://tinyurl.com/53uy8m

Excellence Gateway Case Studies There is a selection of new RSC Eastern Case studies available online. These include: • Palmers College: e-Works Tutorial Support System • Construciton Gateway: Tracking Success • Southend Adult Community College: Walk like an Egyptian To find out more please visit: http://tinyurl.com/57mrg8

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The College of West Anglia - Learning Resource Centre

RSC Eastern Media Podcasts RSC Eastern has been producing podcasts regularly since February 2008. There are currently 10 podcasts online. which are also available via RSS feed. These include:

In addition to the New Build Forum, JISC RSC Eastern hosted the ‘Innovations in Learning Spaces’ event, with a focus on learning resource centre (LRC) design. Teresa Wicklen, Learning Resources Manager for The College of West Anglia, is heavily involved in the planning process of their new build project. She emphasises the importance of learner impact: “At the College of West Anglia we have held short consultations with students to find out what they want and therefore gave them the

“If one allows architects and managers to take full control of the design process and they don’t take into account the pedagogy, then it won’t be an intelligent building. It is absolutely crucial that that one starts from the very basic principle that what will happen in that building is learning”

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Podcast 8 - BBC Motion Gallery

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Podcast 9 - An insight into New Build Strategy

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Podcast 10 - An introduction to the new academic year

(Quote taken from JISC Podcast: Creating 21st Century Learning Spaces)

To download please visit www.rsc-eastern.ac.uk, under www.rsc-eastern.ac.uk NEWS, please click PODCASTS.

Sharepoint Resources Following the success of JISC RSC Eastern‘s ‘Sharepoint Showcase’ event held in April, there is now a selection of resources online including videos and audio files taken from our presenters. To find out more about the event please visit our events resources page via: http://tinyurl.com/3e956x Oaklands College - ‘Intelligent Building’ opportunity to contribute to the design. It is incredibly important to look through their eyes as ultimately its for them and their learning experience.”

The Oaklands College new build has pedagogy at the heart of its agenda.

Richard Everett, Director of e-Learning at Oaklands argues:

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(All pictures have been permitted for use in this article by the provider)

Ben Hutchens Information Officer, JISC RSC Eastern

e-bytes The JISC RSC Eastern regular e-newsletter, ‘e-bytes’ is now available online and via RSS feed. To find out more please visit: http://info.rsc-eastern.ac.uk/ news/ebytes.asp

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AccessApps What is it?

AccessApps is an initiative developed by the Scottish JISC Regional Support Centres in cooperation with JISC TechDis. It consists of over 50 open source and freeware assistive technology applications which can be entirely used from a USB stick on a Windows computer.

Federated Access Management: A regional roundup

AccessApps will run without needing to install anything on a computer and provide a range of e-learning solutions to support writing, reading and planning as well as visual and mobility difficulties.

How do I get it?

The type of software solution required by someone is dictated by their own individual learning support needs. The download section allows you to choose the portable applications which best suit your individual needs and download them in a single application suite.

To find out more please visit http://www.rsc-ne-scotland. ac.uk/accessapps/

Earlier this autumn we sent out a questionnaire to Technical Managers and Learning Resources Managers, amongst all our Learning Providers, to find out what actions they had taken with regard to Federated Access Management and what progress had been made.

So far, we have had 26 responses out of 33 Providers in the SFC, FE and HEI sectors. We would love to hear more and so, if you didn’t reply, of if you have an update to any reply which you sent in then please contact t.rochford@rsc-eastern.ac.uk or m.fisher@rsc-eastern.ac.uk so that we can obtain a better understanding of the situation in our region.

In this article we present a summary of the results so far.

Half of the providers from all sectors (i.e. VIth Form Colleges, FE Colleges and smaller HEIs) have opted to go for Open Athens and all except one of those who have done this are now up and running. The exception is an Institution which has experienced problems between the Open Athens

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software and their Active Directory Implementation and the RSC has offered to help in this case.

23% of the respondents decided to try and implement a DIY solution. Of these three have been successful and three are still having some problems.

Again, the RSC has contacted the Institutions in questions and offered to provide further support if needed.

One FE Institution has gone for the Turnkey solution offered by Kidderminster College and was 90% of the way towards implementation at the time of responding.

Six Respondents (23%) have suggested that Federated Access Management is neither meaningful nor needed in their Institutions and are not proposing to do anything at all, at present. All but one of these are within the FE Sector.

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Websites

key: (a) No AcƟon taken, (b) Using Open Athens, (c) Turnkey operaƟon (e.g. with Kidderminster College) , (d) DIY soluƟon, (e) any other method.

The Table above shows the summarized results for each sector.

If your Institution is still having problems with FAM, and if this is a matter of concern to you then please feel free to contact the RSC via: t.rochford@rsc-eastern.ac.uk m.fisher@rsc-eastern.ac.uk and we will do what we can to help you or, alternatively, try to put you in touch with a College or an individual that can.

Thomas Rochford, Technical Advisor, JISC RSC Eastern

BBC Motion Gallery In the changing world that we live in, consumers from all sectors require resources to be provided more quickly than ever before, from information to consumer goods, from communication to financial services. In no place is this more evident than within the educational sector, which has grabbed the technological bull by the horns and embraced change in a way many would not have thought possible only a few years ago.

With the advent of technologies such as the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), Interactive Whiteboards, Mobile Learning, Social Networking sites, RSS Feeds, Video Conferencing and many others, educators at every level have numerous aids to assist their teaching.

This in turn leads traditional publishers and content owners to develop with the technology, ensuring that the products and services that have been produced and used in the past are updated and packaged in a manner which enables them to utilise the modern technology.

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To this end, BBC Motion Gallery have partnered with JISC Collections to make available a vast repository of clips from the BBC archives for usage within Further and Higher Educational establishments. BBC Motion Gallery (www.bbcmotiongallery.com) is the footage and clip licensing arm of the BBC, and sits within the Digital Media department of BBC Worldwide, the commercial arm of the BBC. For many years, the BBC has been licensing clips of its programming to other broadcasters, documentary makers, advertising agencies, corporate communications, and feature films.

However, over the past few years, we have been approached by several sectors within the educational sphere requesting material to complement traditional text books, or to incorporate into online learning packages, and so it was felt that the time was right to launch an online service specifically for the educational community.

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NewsFilm Online is a free JISCfunded service comprising a selection of news stories and programme scripts from the ITN/ Reuters archives - some 3,000 hours of footage; c. 60,000 stories and around 25,000 scripts.

Video playback and downloading are available to staff and students at subscribing UK universities and colleges.

Everyone may search and browse.

To gain access institutions simply need to complete a sub-licence agreement downloadable at http://tinyurl.com/4f5y93

Publications LSN: Go Mobile! Publication (Inc. CD resource) http://tinyurl.com/4wt8df

JISC: Next Generation Environments http://tinyurl.com/49t5g6

JISC: e-Assessment http://tinyurl.com/45h4mh

NIACE: Chips with Everything http://tinyurl.com/3vdp4p

Becta TechNews http://tinyurl.com/4kkttv

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Once we were put in touch with JISC Collections, we knew that they were the right partner with whom to proceed.

The License arranged through JISC Collections will allow every member of staff and every student from each subscribed institution, throughout all departments, to access this library of clips which are then cleared for all educational purposes. Clips, which are of DVD quality and lightly watermarked in the bottom right-hand corner, can be used as a lesson-opener or discussion point, embedded into presentations to liven up the topic, or, especially where news and current affairs clips are concerned, used as a primary source for pupils to study.

We have received a great deal of interest from universities and colleges that have large media studies faculties, as the BBC Motion Gallery service provides a large range of professionallyshot content for editing, creating showreels, music videos, and art installations amongst many other uses.

Printed with permission from BBC

Contact Details JISC Regional Support Centre Eastern Anglia Ruskin University CU House Southernhay Basildon Essex SS14 1EZ Tel: 01268 273277 Fax: 01268 293145 Email: support@rsc-eastern.ac.uk www.rsc-eastern.ac.uk

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As well as representing the BBC’s amazing archive, Motion Gallery have partnered with several other content holders, including some worldrenowned broadcasters, to augment the BBC’s holdings. Amongst these collections, which will be launched into the JISC site at regular intervals throughout the license period, are: CBS News, which provides great Americana content from the Kennedy assassination and the Civil Rights movement through to the current Presidential campaign; NHK (Japan’s national broadcaster), who broadcast 98% of material in High Definition, providing us unique shots of Japan, including Mount Fuji, cherry blossoms, and the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour; CCTV (China Central Television), providing amazing footage of this fascinating country’s industry, people, geography and food; and ABC (Australia) adding locations, weather, celebrities and natural history from the Australasian and Pacific regions. The addition of these, and other, archives throughout the License Period will keep the service fresh and updated giving the users different experiences each time.

Gallery clips to represent Great Britain to the athletes coming to London for the 2012 Olympic Games. The winner’s entry can be seen on the BBC Motion Gallery/JISC homepage at: https://jisc.bbcmotiongallery.com.

Watch out for more competitions in the coming months, open to all members of subscribing institutions.

The service, which is available via a 3-year subscription based on the institution’s JISC Banding (see www. jisc-collections.co.uk/bbcmotion for more details), has been well received in the first few months since launch, and already 10 Higher Education establishments and 8 FE establishments have subscribed, with several more in the pipeline at the start of the new academic year.

BBC Motion Gallery are offering every institution a free 30 day trial of the service, which provides a great opportunity to trial this new service and gain feedback from staff and students in advance of subscription.

To take advantage of this offer, please email BBC Motion Gallery’s Business Development Director Paul Maidment at: paul.maidment@bbc.com.

We are genuinely excited about opening up the BBC’s archives to the educational community, and the prospect of offering establishments a legitimate resource of video material has proved very attractive to those institutions which have trialled and subscribed. With the prospect of student competitions and other opportunities to come in the near future, we hope that the BBC Motion Gallery service proves interesting and useful to many establishments in the years to come.

Article courtesy of Paul Maidment of BBC Motion Gallery

During July and August we launched a competition to London Metropolitan media students, with the brief to create a show-reel utilising BBC Motion

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