Harnessing technology review 2007. Progress and impact of technology in education. Full Report.

This is the first review of the use and impact of ICT in the education system following the publication of the Government's e-Strategy for the education system, known as Harnessing Technology. The Review drew upon Becta's surveys of schools and FE colleges as well as other research to assess the impact of technology within the education system and the progress made in achieving the system outcomes of the policy

The Integrated Vocational Route (IVR): an employer-driven learning programme in health & social care practice at the FE/HE interface

In 2006, the Open University Awarding Body, Faculty of Health & Social Care and the Vocational Qualifications Assessment Centre began exploratory discussions with health and social care (HSC) employers regarding the creation of a flexible programme of vocational and academic development which would seek to bridge the FE-HE divide, embed learning in the workplace rather than the classroom and facilitate progression in this field of practice. The product of these discussions was the ‘Integrated Vocational Route’ (IVR). The IVR is designed to meet the needs of support staff directly involved in the provision of health and/or social care who have higher career aspirations and employers seeking to develop those non-professional care workers in their organisation whom they believe have the greatest potential to progress to more senior roles. The original programme integrates a Level 3 HSC (Adults) National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) within the OU K101 ‘An Introduction to Health and Social Care’ module (offering 60 credits at NQF Level 4). Successful completion of the IVR will therefore provide both a ‘Certificate of Health and Social Care’ (60 credits at NQF Level 4) and a full NVQ Level 3 HSC Adults award. HSC employer consultation and briefings in twelve UK towns and cities helped shape the IVR model and four organisations (Newcastle City Council, Northumberland, Tyne & Wear NHS Trust, Salisbury Foundation NHS Trust and Social Work Information & Interpretation Services [SWIIS] Foster Care Scotland) have been particularly influential in determining IVR design and models of delivery. One such model enables both the IVR tutor and assessor roles to be undertaken by staff within a partner organisation and tutorials to be held in the workplace. Most of the IVR learning and support materials are available online and a bespoke, user-friendly electronic portfolio has been created for the integrated NVQ. By simultaneously developing and assessing academic skills, knowledge and competence related to care practice, the IVR offers better preparation for progression to qualifying routes such as nursing and social work and scope for credit transfer. A second IVR integrating a full Level 3 HSC Children and Young People (CYP) NVQ within the K101 module was offered for the first time in 2009. The IVR is currently being re-developed to accommodate the new vocational Diploma qualifications which replace Level 3 NVQs from 2011

Landscape Study in Wireless and Mobile Learning in the post-16 sector

In the post-16 sector (further and higher education, and adult and community learning) there is a need to understand how wireless and mobile technologies can contribute to improving the student experience of learning, and help institutions fulfil their missions in an age of incomparably fast technological change. In the context of this interest and growing need, a Landscape Study project was commissioned by JISC through the Innovation strand of the JISC e-Learning Programme in 2004-5. Our project aims were to take a birds-eye view of developments and practice in the UK and internationally, and to communicate our findings to a broad and varied audience. The Summary report is accompanied by 3 associated reports on 'Current Uses', 'Potential Uses' and 'Strategic Aspects'. (The four reports are available in one single document here.

Reviews

Brian Clegg, Mining The Internet — Information Gathering and Research on the Net, Kogan Page: London, 1999. ISBN: 0–7494–3025–7. Paperback, 147 pages, £9.99

Online peer assessment: helping to facilitate learning through participation

The focus of this paper is on the combination of enquiry-based learning, information literacy and e-learning and how they are embedded in an online peer assessment exercise. What it shall present is a structure and strategy that aids student learning in the short and long-term. Ninety eight students completed a questionnaire before and after a three-week online peer assessment exercise during a first year undergraduate research and study skills module. The results demonstrate that a significant number of students valued the design of the exercise and the benefits it can have on their future learning and development. The paper concludes by suggesting that new and innovative ways of assessment are needed to keep engaging students and develop their learning in different ways

Evaluating the development of wearable devices, personal data assistants and the use of other mobile devices in further and higher education institutions

This report presents technical evaluation and case studies of the use of wearable and mobile computing mobile devices in further and higher education. The first section provides technical evaluation of the current state of the art in wearable and mobile technologies and reviews several innovative wearable products that have been developed in recent years. The second section examines three scenarios for further and higher education where wearable and mobile devices are currently being used. The three scenarios include: (i) the delivery of lectures over mobile devices, (ii) the augmentation of the physical campus with a virtual and mobile component, and (iii) the use of PDAs and mobile devices in field studies. The first scenario explores the use of web lectures including an evaluation of IBM's Web Lecture Services and 3Com's learning assistant. The second scenario explores models for a campus without walls evaluating the Handsprings to Learning projects at East Carolina University and ActiveCampus at the University of California San Diego . The third scenario explores the use of wearable and mobile devices for field trips examining San Francisco Exploratorium's tool for capturing museum visits and the Cybertracker field computer. The third section of the report explores the uses and purposes for wearable and mobile devices in tertiary education, identifying key trends and issues to be considered when piloting the use of these devices in educational contexts

Changing the Learning Landscape

Changing the Learning Landscape is about enabling higher education institutions in England, including colleges of further education providing higher education, to bring about change in their strategic approaches to technology in learning and teaching. This project is led by the Leadership Foundation for Higher Education in partnership with ALT, Higher Education Academy, JISC and the National Union of Students. All five partners were involved as a team in authoring this publication