Managing ILT
A. Implementing the ILT/e-learning strategy and action plan
Example 1 - Workers' Educational Association (WEA)
The Workers' Educational Association (WEA) is the UK's largest voluntary provider of adult education. The West Midlands WEA engaged with E-Shift project funding to develop the e-learning capacity of the organisation by focusing on staff development issues. The first part of the plan was to carry out a skills audit of existing staff skills. Two hundred and fifty questionnaires were either emailed or posted to staff and about 50% were returned indicating competencies and training requirements. All staff (core and sessional) were brought together to receive training and this has brought about better communication and a mutual understanding between teams and managed staff. The staff, including senior management, have indicated that they now have a better understanding of how e-learning can enhance their provision.
The WEA (West Midlands) has found that, as a result of being involved with E-Shift project, they have been able to use this as a leverage for applications to other funding bodies (e.g. National Lottery, trusts and other independent grant-making bodies such as Lloyds TSB. The North Staffordshire Regeneration Fund has recently paid form laptops to support outreach activity in Stoke.
How might you use this
A skills audit is a useful starting point when implementing an e-learning action plan. A well-designed questionnaire will gather the baseline information about Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and Information and Learning Technology (ILT) awareness amongst staff however the big question is how to ensure a good response. It is worth designing the questionnaire so that it is manageable to complete within a short time frame such as 10 minutes. A paper-based document sent by post might be more appropriate for staff without email, an electronic version for
those confident to complete and return an attached document or consider creating an online version using a Quia or Survey Monkey template.
Further Information
Example 2 - Westminster Adult Education Service
Listen to Scott Hallman, Information and Learning Technology (ILT)/E-learning Co-ordinator for Westminster Adult Education Service, who talks about their ILT Strategy, Action Plan and how E-Guides have been part of the cascade to all staff.
Further Information
NIACE E-Guides Staff Development Training Programme
Example 3 - Leicestershire County Council
Listen to Phil Hardcastle, Information and Communication Technology (ICT)/ILT Strategy Manager from Leicestershire County Council talk about how Moodle has been a way to engage staff, and learners to a certain extent, although realistically he says it can take a long time to achieve success.
Further Information
B. Monitoring and reviewing implementation
Example 1 - Portsmouth City Council
Portsmouth City Council (PCC) holds termly E-Learning Strategy Group Meetings. The meetings are focused and include a wide range of representatives carefully chosen in order to ensure the group maximises its impact for the whole authority and its services. This group includes Managers, E-Guides and Providers (PCC is a contracting out authority) who play a key role in implementing the Information and Learning Technology (ILT) Strategy from both the Adult and Family Learning Team and from Information Technology (IT) Services. In addition external advisors such as the Joint Information Systems Committe (JISC) Regional Support Centre (RSC) Adult and Community Learning (ACL) Advisor and consultants make very valuable members of the group and are able to advise on regional and national policy. Finally to ensure ‘joined up’ thinking across the authority, the group has representatives from the Library Service, the Health, Housing and Social Care Directorate and Schools; both Primary and Secondary Head Teachers.
The ILT Strategy is reviewed once a year and in future this will coincide with the updating and benchmarking of their eLearning Positioning (eLPS) data. Progress against the Action Plan is reviewed at each Steering Group Meeting and individual actions given to members of the group in order to move the plan forward. The E-Learning Strategy was written taking into account the organisation’s visions, goals and other policies and seeks approval from the other directorates within the organisation.
How you might use this
Building a Steering Group that is representative of the whole organisation and stakeholders can maximise its impact by improving understanding of the work within Adult and Family Learning and how this could benefit them and in doing so open other funding streams and opportunities.
Further Information
For further information on e-Learning Strategies and Action Plans visit the Management Modules of NIACE’s Staff Development e-Learning Centre
Example 2 - Cumbria County Council Adult Education Service
Beverley Bawden, the Curriculum Leader for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) at Cumbria County Council Adult Education Service feels that funding has allowed her Service to purchase up-to-date kit and laptops to take into the community. She carried out a skills audit to ascertain the ICT skills and Information and Learning Technology (ILT) awareness and subsequently organised training events. The largest impact has been on the Modern Foreign Languages and Adults with Learning Disabilities and Difficulties (ALDD) departments where they have really seen an advantage by changing their practice.
Bev has developed e-learning logs and encouraged all learners throughout the project to complete them, with feedback, regarding the use of e-learning.
"All observation paperwork has now been changed so that when observers are going out in all curriculum areas, there is a section of e-learning asking tutors if they are using ICT equipment, websites etc. The curriculum leaders will then be able to pull out good practice in each area."
Beverley Bawden, the Curriculum Leader for Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
Bev's E-Guide cascade training managed to engage 65 tutors at a large dissemination event. In her opinion Bev feels that critical success factors are:
- Getting the curriculum leaders on board who in turn get the tutors on board
- Building the confidence of the tutors and giving them continued support.
" pick a curriculum where you know it's going to happen - work with a curriculum leader who's willing - then do a concentrated effort in one area but be able to back it up with continued support".
Beverley Bawden, the Curriculum Leader for Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
How you might use this
Training the curriculum leaders is essential so they can confidently recognise and address the use of ILT within the classroom.
Further Information
Example 3 - Medway Adult and Community Learning Service
Listen to Julie Fullman, from Medway Adult and Community Learning Service, as she describes how e-learning is incorporated within the tutor induction and Handbook.
Julie also suggest how use of their virtual learning environment (VLE) is recognised during observed sessions and how training sessions are organised.
Further Information
C. Commitment throughout organisation to the development of ILT/e-learning
Example 1 - Lancashire Adult Learning
Lancashire Adult Learning used E-Shift funding to engage a co-ordinator in each of the three geographical zones who were freed from some existing teaching commitments to work with teaching colleagues and learners to develop access to appropriate online learning modules. They repurposed existing teaching materials for their WebCT virtual learning environment (VLE) rather than create new content.
How you might use this
It is worth considering that providing staff with dedicated time allows them to create resources from either existing materials or to have time to be creative to design fresh content for learners.
Further Information
Example 2 - Portsmouth City Council
Listen to Steve Glennon, Quality and Curriculum Manager for Portsmouth City Council who talks about how E-Guides help disseminate the Information and Learning Technology (ILT) message across the organisation.
Further Information
NIACE E-Guides Staff Development Training Programme
Example 3 - Westminster Adult Education Service
Listen to Scott Hallman, Information and Learning Technology (ILT)/E-learning Co-ordinator for Westminster Adult Education Service, who talks about how staff development is essential within the service.
Further Information
Back to topD. Partnerships
Example 1 - Leeds Adult & Community Learning Service
Leeds Adult and Community Learning Service developed a Moodle virtual learning environment in partnership with a range of different organisations:
- The Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) Regional Support Centre for Yorkshire and Humberside (lead partner).
- Leeds Libraries – specifically in neighbourhood sites in areas of disadvantage.
- The Swarthmore Centre – which has a city-centre base and has built up considerable expertise in e-learning.
- Age Concern, Leeds – which is currently developing Information Technology (IT) programmes for housebound and isolated older learners.
- Thomas Danby College –specifically in community sites and with lead tutors experienced in e-learning, particularly language learning.
How you might use this
Very often a partnership approach is the best context in which to develop a virtual learning environment, as there is a logic to sharing resources and expertise across more than one organisation. Also, partnership working can provide a means of reducing costs through sharing hosting, support and training costs.
Quite apart from partnership issues, the project report contains a wealth of practical information that might be useful for any Adult and Community Learning (ACL) organisation involved in implementing a learning platform. Look in particular at the ‘lessons learned’ section and at the case studies described at the end of the report.
Further Information
Example 2 - Tees Valley Learning and Skills
The five Local Education Authorities (LEAs) within the Tees Valley Learning and Skills (LSC ) area, decided to pool their resources and adopt a single learning platform, instead of developing five separate ones. The partnership successfully bid for the NIACE Technology for Enhancing Adult and Community Learning (TrEACL) funding to develop a Moodle virtual learning environment (VLE). The project has fostered a sharing culture amongst the adult education services involved. Tutors are encouraged to submit their own materials, allowing learners access to a much wider range of resources for their courses. Cooperation on staff training, technical support, as well as content development, are just some of the positive aspects of this collaborative venture, which has huge benefits for learners and learning providers alike.
How you might use this
Working in partnership with other providers to develop a learning platform can makes a great deal of sense, not just because of economies of scale (i.e. sharing costs.)
Further Information
Example 3 - Portsmouth City Council
Listen to Steve Glennon, Quality and Curriculum Manager for Portsmouth City Council who talks about how partnerships with other organisations really helps drive their Information and Learning Technology (ILT) Strategy forward and how they benefit each other.
Further Information
Example 4 - Cambridgeshire County Council
The Cambridgeshire E-Shift project identified that working with Furth Education (FE) colleges lent additional and different perspectives to the issues and requirements of a project and that they gained from the wider sphere of influence through engaging with partner organisations. Cambridgeshire County Council E-Learning strategy group consisted of Corporate Information Technology (IT), schools portal managers, e-government strategy manager, Library Service E-Learning manager and the Adult and Community Learning (ACL) Service. The main aim of the project was to provide courses for family learning, adults with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and members of the black and minority ethnic communities to be delivered through a wide range of venues including schools, libraries, community centres, Further Education (FE )colleges and village venues.
How you might use this
A partnership with other providers within a local community can help provide a unified approach to delivering learning to particular groups and provide a choice and range of venues suitable to each particular learning group.
Further Information
Example 5 - HMP Littlehey
Her Majesty's Prison (HMP) Littlehey provides transmitted televisual materials to its cells, linked to the following areas:
- Parenting
- Preparation for Employment
- Healthy Living
- Financial Literacy
Some of the televisual material is from existing programmes (such as ‘Brat Camp’ for parenting), and some will has been filmed specifically for the project by the area Nacro film unit.
HMP Littlehey has been influenced by its links with partner organisations, who were able to supply a level of expertise and the capacity to create the material throughout their project. Their partners consisted of:
- The Ormiston Children and Families Trust who wrote the Parenting material;
- Nacro who provided their film unit and also advice on preparation for employment and on the dissemination of the results of the project for offenders in the community.
- Citizens Advice provided existing material on Financial literacy and advice on the learning material.
- A4e will write the material for Preparation for Work, Healthy Living (which will also include a partnership between the prison’s Healthcare, Gym and Kitchen staff) and Financial Literacy, and will also look to disseminate good practice elsewhere.
The areas of learning have been selected because of their impact on resettlement; offenders will be guided to them at about six months from their release date. The use of televisual material will, for some learners, have a far greater impact on learning than written material, and will allow learners to see behaviours demonstrated. The ability to learn through television also allows for flexibility of access.
Further Information
Television for Offender Learning
Example 6 - Cheshire County Council
Listen to Paul Kelly, Lifelong Development Officer for Cheshire County Council, describes how partnerships with Warrington Borough Council and Citizens' Advice Bureau is continuing to work well.
Further Information
E. Funding and sustainability
Example 1 - East Midlands Adult and Community Learning
The East Midlands Adult and Community Learning (ACL) E-learning Community consists of local authority adult learning staff who have an e-learning remit. The group meets on a regular basis to share good practice and explore issues in Information and Learning Technology (ILT)/e-learning. The group has recently submitted a successful European bid to support the ongoing development of e-learning.
Stoke on Trent City Council College in the Community also regard their links with Wedgewood College as being essential to acquire European funding to upgrade their Information Technology (IT) facilities which has benefited both venues.
How you might use this
Not only can such regional groups help with the funding of e-learning through successful partnership bids; they can also help to sustain e-learning by providing mutual support across organisation for managers and curriculum leaders. And they can also provide an opportunity for exploring and responding to regional strategic priorities.
Further Information
Example 2 - Portsmouth City Council
Listen to Steve Glennon, Quality and Curriculum Manager for Portsmouth City Council who talks about how they work with partners to develop a co-ordinated approach when applying for bids and he gives his suggestions on how to achieve a successful bid.
Further Information
Example 3 - Westminster Adult Education Service
Listen to Scott Hallman, Information and Learning Technology (ILT)/E-learning Co-ordinator for Westminster Adult Education Service, who talks about how the use of their learning platform, Moodle, has helped create a more efficient teaching staff.
