Bill Tagg Bursary

5. A Need for Clarity? 1. Communicating Innovation

6. The Present Situation

8. Teachers - and information overload Learning Platform Plagiarism Viruses LSAs Teachers Internet Access Standard Desktop Central Government Local Authorities Parents DCFS Lack of Technicians Inclusion Niace SSAT Becta OfSTED M.I.S. Higher Education Further Education Professional Associations Employers B S F Naace Home Tuition Alternative O/Systems Web3.0 Web2.0 Futurelab Tomlinson Report Independent Schools Mobile Technologies 2020 Vision OSS ROSLA 2 Software Houses QCA Report Leitch Review EEP Roadmap SocITm Teacher Training Legacy hardware DEMOS Freedom’s Orphans Every Child Matters Extended Schools

9. QCA - The Market for Qualifications in the UK PricewaterhouseCoopers Report - April 2005 1.14 One of the main supply side drivers for consolidation is the move online. Given QCA’s vision that, by 2009 , all awarding bodies will have e-assessment capability, it is likely that some of the smaller players will be unable to stay in the market unless they make significant changes. Analysis of supply side and drivers for change 1.2 There are currently 115 awarding bodies recognised by QCA, ACCAC and CCEA in the UK compared to an estimated total number of unrecognised awarding bodies in the region of 900 organisations. Widening participation 1.24 Target groups include those with low-level qualifications or no qualifications and traditionally underrepresented groups such as women, learners from ethnic minorities, learners with disabilities, asylum seekers, economic migrants and offenders. 1.153 It has been estimated that industry losses through lack of basic skills are as high as £10 billion per year. The Labour Force Survey 2002 for the UK shows that one third of people of working age are not qualified to Level 2 and within that group nearly a half have no qualifications at all. Social forces for change 1.160 Government policy on social inclusion aims to ensure that all sections of society have the opportunity to participate fully in their community. By increasing the skill levels of all underrepresented groups we will develop an inclusive society that promotes employability. E-learning 1.170 New delivery formats is an area likely to change the future of the qualifications market, with a greater shift from traditional lecture-based delivery to mixed modes of delivery, such as work-based learning and blended learning (e-learning, learning via telephone support etc). 1.176 Compatibility of systems across the sector will be fundamental to ensuring the successful implementation of e-initiatives. Training providers will require a system that interacts with all awarding bodies that they deal with rather than a separate system for each. This will become much more important if unitisation is introduced. 7

10. Our nation’s skills are not world class! We also have very considerable weaknesses. Today, more than one third of adults do not hold the equivalent of a basic school-leaving qualification. Almost one half of adults (17 million) have difficulty with numbers and one seventh (5 million) are not functionally literate. We recommend radical change right across the skills spectrum. We express concern and suggest action for 14-19s. Unless the UK can build on reforms to schools, colleges and universities and make its skills base one of its strengths, UK businesses will find it increasingly difficult to compete. Vocational skills must be demand-led rather than centrally planned. The Review emphasises how critical reforms to GCSEs are to improve functional literacy and numeracy. The new 14-19 Diplomas must succeed. Employers to voluntarily commit to train all eligible employees up to Level 2 in the workplace. Lord Leitch – Review of Skills – Dec.2006 Prosperity for all in the global economy - world class skills 8

11. Summary of Pressures Needs of the School Present Status of VLEs Financial Situation of Schools Technical Support Staff Competencies Home Access Supplier Access All Schools 2008, 09, 10 E-learning Assessments Inclusion for all Adult ‘ illiteracy’ Expansion of FE, HE Crisis !

12. Beyond this Remit Mobile Devices Open Social Software Changes in pedagogy Defining an e-portfolio Higher Education ‘ Enhanced Learning’ 12 Mandates for an e-portfolio Adult ‘ illiteracy’ Functions of the PLE

18. 16

19. The Present Situation Needs of the School Present Status of VLEs Financial Situation of Schools Technical Support Staff Competencies Home Access Access to Suppliers

20. The Present Situation Needs of the School Needs of the School Present Status of VLEs Financial Situation of Schools Technical Support Staff Competencies Home Access Access to Suppliers Who defines the school’s needs? Generally a good Headteacher will lead the staff and governors to see his vision. They will identify the school’s needs and have long- and medium-term plans and criteria. But not all schools have a shared vision – they just muddle on. Differing priorities might be more demanding and VLEs may not even appear on their horizon.

21. The Present Situation Present Status of VLEs Needs of the School Present Status of VLEs Financial Situation of Schools Technical Support Staff Competencies Home Access Access to Suppliers Everyone does that which is right in their own eyes. Of some 35+ suppliers everyone has a different solution. Many of the leading names appear coy about disclosing numbers. Some schools have exceptionally good VLE services, used well. Many might have a system installed but are not using it educationally. A small number have no internet access and thus no functional VLE.

22. The Present Situation Financial Situation of Schools Needs of the School Present Status of VLEs Financial Situation of Schools Technical Support Staff Competencies Home Access Access to Suppliers Financial autonomy is probably the major cause for inconsistency. Ring-fencing of monies for ICT hardware and infrastructure is not happening. Monies are spent by accountants and not by those who have the experience. BSF, as with previous incentives, invariably provides start-up funding but not the long-term CPD, replacement costs and depreciation.

23. The Present Situation Access to Suppliers Needs of the School Present Status of VLEs Financial Situation of Schools Technical Support Staff Competencies Home Access Access to Suppliers Every degree of support and direction by LAs, from total to none. Some LAs only allow selection from the Becta-approved list. A post-code lottery – well, more a case of who is allowed to see what. Serious unease about the quality of advice and understanding of educational matters. Lack of understanding of the educational implications of things like ‘interoperability’.

24. The Present Situation Technical Support Needs of the School Present Status of VLEs Financial Situation of Schools Technical Support Staff Competencies Home Access Access to Suppliers Once installed some schools noted the difficulty to get prompt support. Some have very pro-active support. DIY/Moodle installers are often staff in schools. Problems of continuity? Demand will seriously outstrip supply as more and more schools increase their ICT requirements. Adverts for MIS and VLE technical staff indicate higher salaries than schools can afford.

25. The Present Situation Staff Competencies Very few schools run an audit of staff competencies, neither of general personal ICT skills nor of subject-specific competencies. It is therefore not surprising that few staff can point their students towards the higher study skills in ICT which should match their academic expectations. CPD must be more specific and firmly directed by competent leaders. Above all perceptions of the use of VLEs are minimal. Needs of the School Present Status of VLEs Financial Situation of Schools Technical Support Staff Competencies Home Access Access to Suppliers

26. The Present Situation Home Access Most schools have not invited Parents to initial discussions about the reasons for installing a VLE. The range of family ownership of computers in the home varies from 90% down to 30%. This does not include traveller families, those in care or asylum seekers. But the introduction of the sub-£200 laptop could turn all these issues upside down! Needs of the School Present Status of VLEs Financial Situation of Schools Technical Support Staff Competencies Home Access Access to Suppliers Some Observations

31. Presentation: The Bill Tag Bursary 2007-8 Or School – Anywhere, Anytime? Any Questions?

32. Beyond this Remit Mobile Devices Open Social Software Changes in pedagogy Higher Education ‘ Enhanced Learning’ Personal Learning Environments Adult ‘ illiteracy’ Ownership of the PLE e-portfolios ‘ Enhanced Learning’ No longer just ‘e-learning’. Sometimes called ‘Braided Learning’ or ‘Blended Learning’. A mixture of on-line learning, F2F and group lectures/discussions. However, the impact of a wider range of communications systems and the move towards ‘ the democratisation of learning’ suggests that it should be called ‘c-learning’. The use of a wide range of ‘rich media’ must be involved.

33. Beyond this Remit e-portfolios - the JISC definitions 'An e-portfolio is a purposeful aggregation of digital items – ideas, evidence, reflections, feedback etc., which 'presents' a selected audience with evidence of a person's learning and/or ability.' ‘ Learners create ‘presentational’ e-portfolios through the use of e-portfolio tools or systems, and in the process can be inherently supported to develop one or more key skills such as collecting, selecting, reflecting, sharing, collaborating, annotating and presenting. ‘ Learners draw from both informal and formal activities to create their e-portfolios, which are personally managed and owned by the learner, and where items can be selectively shared with other parties such as peers, teachers, assessors or employers.’ Mobile Devices Open Social Software Changes in pedagogy Higher Education ‘ Enhanced Learning’ Personal Learning Environments Adult ‘ illiteracy’ Ownership of the PLE e-portfolios

34. Beyond this Remit Mobile Devices Open Social Software Changes in pedagogy Higher Education ‘ Enhanced Learning’ Personal Learning Environments Adult ‘ illiteracy’ Ownership of the PLE e-portfolios Higher Education Ever since the internet was developed within the confines of universities there has been an assumption that the universities’ perception of on-line communications and learning must be definitive. Watching the progress as noted by JISC and FERL it is of concern that the progress of VLEs in FE and HE might not be sufficient for the needs of Primary and Secondary Education.

35. Beyond this Remit Mobile Devices Open Social Software Changes in pedagogy Higher Education ‘ Enhanced Learning’ Personal Learning Environments Adult ‘ illiteracy’ Ownership of the PLE e-portfolios Changes in pedagogy It is noticeable that early adopters of any new technology will tend to use it in order to replicate previous modes of delivery. Thus, for some, the IWB became no more than an electronic OHP – displaying slides in a predetermined order - the many other capabilities of the IWB being totally ignored. Teachers will need to spend time in understanding the full range of tools operable over the VLE and how this will revolutionise teaching and learning strategies.

36. Beyond this Remit Mobile Devices Open Social Software Changes in pedagogy Higher Education ‘ Enhanced Learning’ Personal Learning Environments Adult ‘ illiteracy’ Ownership of the PLE e-portfolios Open Social Software Social software, ‘groupware’ or Web2.0 lets people rendezvous, connect or collaborate by use of a computer network or other mobile devices. The term has only become relatively popular within the last two or three years. The emergence of ‘open software’ allows low-cost or free access to tools and applications thus increasing the popularity of social interaction. The dramatic impact that the sub-£200 notebooks will have will be even more accelerated by the open software.

37. Beyond this Remit Mobile Devices Open Social Software Changes in pedagogy Higher Education ‘ Enhanced Learning’ Personal Learning Environments Adult ‘ illiteracy’ Ownership of the PLE e-portfolios Mobile Devices The definition: ‘Any portable device used to access the internet’ appears somewhat narrow . Communications devices such as the mobile ’phone, the DS Nintendo with Bluetooth enabled or an iPod etc may connect to a PC without necessarily connecting to the Internet or may just communicate to other handheld devices such as a PDA or a tablet PC etc. Potentially very useful in schools but teachers need to have a clear vision of how to use the technology.

38. Beyond this Remit Mobile Devices Open Social Software Changes in pedagogy Higher Education ‘ Enhanced Learning’ Personal Learning Environments Adult ‘ illiteracy’ Ownership of the PLE e-portfolios Adult ‘illiteracy’ Our nation’s skills are not world class! Today, more than one third of adults do not hold the equivalent of a basic school-leaving qualification. (Leitch Report) Almost one half of adults (17 million) have difficulty with numbers and one seventh (5 million) are not functionally literate. All-age classes, access to schools’ facilities (VLEs?) etc are demands most schools have still to face.