Tablet Project - Good News and Bad news…

Many thanks to those of you that submitted applications for our new 2011 Tablet Devices Project. During the past few weeks we have received some fanatic proposals for ways that these can be used for education and training and we are excited to see how these pan out in practice. If it works as well as the last Mobile Learning Project we expect we will be able to share some great feedback with you all regarding the use of tablets for teaching and learning.

So, the bad news…

We have had unprecedented demand for this project and so now we have suspended taking any new applications at this stage. This is merely to avoid delay and disappointment as we would like Learning Providers to have an appropriate amount of time to trial the kit effectively.

And the good news…?

We have now purchased an additional set of devices which will mean that if you are on the project list, you will now receive your set of devices sooner than would’ve otherwise been the case. We are currently scheduling the project loans and will be in touch with all participating Learning Providers in due course.


In the meantime we will continue to post findings about this project on the project wiki page as they emerge. We have already recently updated the page with a selection of CNET reviews that might help anyone interested in evaluating tablet devices make judgements on the usability, pros and cons of each.
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Related Wobble links:

Your Chance to Evaluate Tablet Devices
Lessons Learned - Learning Journey Made Mobile
Using Tablet Devices in Learning, Teaching and Education

To read more of Wobble click here.

Upcoming Webinars - Training Where You Are

We have a number of online RSC events coming up over the next few months. These will be conducted via webinars so to attend you don’t have to leave the comfort of your office! All you need to take part is:

· a computer with an internet connection
· a headset (with microphone if you wish to speak in the open mike part of a webinar)
· a headset or speakers

(See the Beginner Guide to webinars for more.)

E-Safety

Our upcoming RSC e-safety seminar will examine the challenges faced when educating ourselves and our learners to be eSafe and suggest ways to raise e-Safety awareness.

This session will also highlight our NEW e-Safety Review service and point to a number of useful online resources that offer e-Safety advice and guidance from both operational and strategic perspectives.

Measuring Moodle Usage

A second webinar will demonstrate the RSC West Midlands free Moodle Stats application. Many learning providers in the region use Moodle as their virtual learning environment (VLE) but how do you measure the impact of Moodle on the learner’s experience? A good place to start is to evaluate how much Moodle is actually being used.

This event will showcase a Microsoft Access application that uses the Moodle log to produce reports and charts which will help learning providers analyse their Moodle usage.

Staff Development Managers Forum

The aim of this session is to facilitate discussion on good practice relating to staff development issues and e-learning across the West Midlands region. The agenda will focus on two areas. Firstly, the role and services of the RSC West Midlands and what we can do for you. Secondly, participants will have the opportunity to discuss any issues or highlight good practice.

Topics covered will include:

The updated RSC e-Progress Review Service, new RSC Assist Mentoring project, Technology Loan Projects and Initiatives, Accessibility, Take Away Moodle course and Fluke Network Diagnostic loan. This will be followed by an Open Mike session for participants.

More information and booking forms for any of these events can be made on our Events page.



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Your Chance to Evaluate Tablet Devices

As we all continue to experience the government’s austerity measures, the evaluation and acquisition of new technologies can sometimes fall by the wayside. If only there was a way that learning providers could access a collection of cutting-edge pieces of technology to evaluate their relevance and suitability to support business objectives...for free?!

Well, due to the recent success of our mobile technologies project we have elected to once again provide a similar opportunity to all sectors in a new initiative, our Tablet Devices Project.

For this project we are now looking for learning providers who wish to explore a variety of popular tablets devices and to see how these might benefit their own organisation. There are six brands of tablet devices available, each with differing features and specifications. This is to offer providers the opportunity to evaluate a number of sizes, specifications, and models.

Learning providers will be able to loan a set of five different devices for a period of six weeks. During this time you are encouraged to use them with staff and learners and at the end of the period feedback your findings to us via a short survey. RSC staff will support you throughout the duration of the project and via our usual support channels and answer any queries you may have about the devices.

At the end of the period, the tablet devices must be returned to us. At that stage we hope you will be better informed as to their potential and perhaps in a position to make your own purchasing choices should you wish to do so.

Who can apply?
This initiative is open to all of our supported learning providers; all that is required is a willingness to see what tablet devices can do for you, and to complete a short survey at the end which will be used to feedback your findings.

Where can I find out more?
A wiki page has been created to offer further information about the project. Here you can find out more about the aims of the project, which devices are available, how to apply and how to gain access to a number of tools and resources to support you during your evaluation of the equipment.

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Related Wobble links:

Lessons Learned - Learning Journey Made Mobile
Using Tablet Devices in Learning, Teaching and Education
Alternatives to the iPad

To read more of Wobble click here.

New LSIS Leadership in Technology Grants

LSIS have made more funding available to support the deployment of technology in the Further Education and Skills Sector.

They are inviting bids up to a maximum of £6,000 from learning providers for project grants for technology based improvement interventions. The grant is designed to support providers who identify a particular improvement that can be tackled through the innovative use of technology and organisational development. The scheme aims to use sector expertise and best practice through mentoring, coupled with support from targeted LSIS Technology for Success programme activity.

To qualify for the grant organisations are required to:

• Identify a particular area for improvement that can be tackled through the effective deployment of technology.



• Identify the change management that needs to take place to embed effective practice and show how this will be part of the organisational improvement strategy.



• Select a mentor from another organisation.

The LSIS LIT grant based intervention is only open to organisations in England whose primary function is as a provider of further education and training. Eligible providers will be SFA/YPLA funded organisations.

Please see the guidelines and application form on their website for full details.

The deadline for applications is 12.00pm on Monday 26 September 2011.

Supporting documents:

LIT Grant Guidance document (PDF, 173KB)
LIT Application Form (DOC, 222KB)



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Why Students Love Technology

Some very interesting facts and figures showing how today's students engage with technology...




Via: OnlineEducation.net

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Prezi Meeting for Working Together

I shared a post recently from a library that had used Prezi to share information relating to their use of Facebook and add some zing to their presentations. I’ve since discovered that Prezi now has a feature called Prezi Meeting which allows a number of students (or staff) to work together to produce presentations in this exciting format.

Prezi is a popular, free web-based presentation application and storytelling tool that uses a single canvas instead of traditional slides.

Rob Newberry, the Director of Education Technology at Chatsworth International School has been using Prezi for a while now. So rather than me outlining the benefits myself, here’s what Rob had to say after using Prezi Meeting with his students in the classroom:

“ …Prezi Meeting allows students to work with students in other classes, and then other schools, ultimately work with students in other countries around the world.

Prezi is nothing new for Rob: as a teacher he finds it ultimately engaging – the way information is laid out makes it so much more accessible. Similarly, the fact that it is collaborative, can incorporate multimedia, and lends itself nicely for embedding in student’s ePortfolios make it a very powerful tool for organization, presentation and displaying learning. After having used it for a few weeks, Rob thinks the best part of Prezi Meeting is that after one invite – that Prezi is always collaborative. He doesn’t need to keep inviting students to collaborate, and once they invite each other – they are collaborators forever. ..”

There’s a video on the Prezi website that shows how it works, and an introduction embedded below.



For anyone who is trying to move people away from powerpoint, but has not yet tried Prezi, see what's great about it here.

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Using Tablet Devices in Learning, Teaching and Education

David Massey has recently published a very good article on his blog that nicely outlines some of the many benefits of using tablet devices in education.

Looking specifically at the new HP TouchPad, the following are just a few of the benefits he has noted:

• Delivering presentations (either using the tablet to view the slides as you face the audience or class and could be used to display a presentation script)



• Recording attendance (quick mobile method of recording attendance instead of using a traditional paper form, tracking spreadsheet or other electronic tracking system)



• Use to display a variety of content to learners in order to demonstrate, explain concepts or use questioning within subject area, for example, like traditional flash cards



• Acts as an extension to the main computer, allowing you to continue to access files, resources and other content on the tablet when away from the computer



• Access Learning Management Systems (such as Moodle) as you continue to move around classroom or through learning areas and rooms, allowing you to conveniently check progress, assign tests and due to the mobile portable form factor discuss aspects whilst with the learner if carrying out a review.....

There are more noted in his post which can be accessed here.

He also notes that:

"...In terms of accessibility, due to a disability or other difficulties, then the TouchPad tablet is flexible in being able to resize the on-screen keyboard to your own preference (extra small, small, medium or large) or alternate between settings depending on the task being carried out."

This is exactly why we have included the new Apple iPad in our collection of Try Before you Buy kit (Currently available for loan!).

For work based learning in particular, David notes that :

"...tablets can be used in all sectors of education, whether primary, secondary, post-16 or workplace learning. Especially convenient for training and assessing in the workplace for recording actions of the learners whilst being able to move around with it, due to its space saving size and form factor. It is also a useful flexible tool for assessment purposes and to record progress, as the included camera could be used for evidence purposes, where as compared to using traditional methods, you would need to use a computer, which is probably away from the required work area, separate camera and then upload pictures to record assessment evidence."

He concludes...

"...Over recent years, tablet devices have become a popular new market area and in the future I believe they will continue to grow further for general use as well as within specialist areas such as learning, teaching and education."

I agree, and recommend this article as useful background reading to anyone wondering why tablet devices are creating a buzz in education.

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Related Wobble links:

Learning Journey Made Mobile Report - This looked at how several learning providers had used tablet devices in the West Midlands Region

Learning Technology Loan - New Devices Now Available
20 Free Apps for the IPad
20 Useful Android Apps for Students
Alternatives to the iPad


To read more of Wobble click here.

Facebook for Libraries (and others)

A colleague shared this presentation with me earlier, which outlines some of the things to consider when using Facebook in libraries. The same hints and tips could also apply to most other education providers who are considering or already using facebook so I've shared the presentation below.

I love the format of these type of Prezi presentations and think this one in particular gets the points across very well.

If you want to have a go at creating your own, click here.

PS If you're an existing facebook user, why not add us as a freind? Find us here.




To read more of Wobble click here.

More e-Learning Kit Available to Try Before You Buy

I’ve mentioned our Try Before you Buy scheme on wobble previously. Basically, this initiative allows you as a learning provider, to loan a number of e-learning devices for a fixed period. This is so that you are able to evaluate their potential usefulness within your own organisation.

Each collection of kit contains a wealth of items which aim to help you to bring the benefits of e-learning to all your learners whilst supporting accessibility at the same time. A full list of the devices available for loan can be found in this post, and feedback from providers who have taken part can be found here.

I have a couple of updates to this scheme to share:

1. The first is that the list of kit available has now been updated to include some very exciting new tools! The new additions include an Apple iPad, a Live Scribe pen (alternative to the ZPen) and a Sony Dual Video camera (this is to replace the Flip Video cameras which are no longer manufactured).

2. The second update is that Alison Wootton, our Adviser for Accessibility and Inclusion, has recently produced a report which shares some of the findings from people who have already trialled these bags of kit. Many providers reported that this initiative has really helped them in evaluating a range of technology that is available to support e-learning and accessibility in particular. You can access this report here.

This initiative is still open to all our supported learning providers in this region. All that is required to loan a complete set of kit for a period of six weeks is:

· You must commit to an hour’s initial training, (to introduce you to the tools and outline the project aims), and
· You must complete a short end of project review in which we would discuss your use of the technology.

There are no costs associated with taking part in this initiative. To apply to borrow this equipment, you need to register your interest with me and I’ll add your name to the list. My contact details are also here.

I suspect the chance to try out a brand new iPad for six weeks will be an attractive prospect in its own right (here’s why). As before, registrations will be treated on a first come first served basis so act quickly if you want to take part anytime soon!

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Related Wobble links:

Learning Technology Loan InitiativeTry Before you Buy – Feedback so Far
20 Free Apps for the IPad
Accessibility Overview
Sanyo Xacti Digital Video Camcorder


To read more of Wobble click here.

Digital Literacy - Professional Development Resource

This morning a colleague shared some information with me relating to Digital Literacy after a provider requested some advice for their staff development planning.

Why include Digital Literacy in staff development? This resource answers that as follows:

“Digital literacy is ..coming to the attention of educators as they recognise that not only does the teaching profession have a role in preparing learners for a digital world, but that a sustained engagement with technology and media is now integral to the development of knowledge across disciplines and subjects.

To be digitally literate is to have access to a broad range of skills, practices and cultural resources that you are able to apply to digital tools. It is the ability to make, represent and share meaning in different modes and formats; to create, collaborate and communicate effectively; and to understand how and when digital technologies can best be used to support these processes.”

That’s where this Futurelabs Professional Development Resource comes in. It is designed to support teachers integrate the development of students’ digital literacy into everyday teaching and learning.

The collection of activities, which can be undertaken by a single teacher or a small group of practitioners, is divided into sections. The first section aims to develop practitioners’ understandings of digital literacy and its relevance to their own contexts. The materials in the second, third and fourth sections are designed to help teachers plan activities they can integrate into their everyday teaching to support students to develop both subject knowledge and digital literacy.

These sections include practical ideas for the classroom, including explorations of free web based tools and activities to support planning.

This looks like a really useful tool and should prove helpful to anyone who wants to ensure that they cover the main components of digital literacy in their own staff development activities. It is essentially aimed at teachers but could easily be just as useful to other teaching staff. If not used as a complete resource, it still has useful sections on:

· Making short films
· Creating animations
· Making podcasts
· Creating a wiki
· Creating a website
· Free Online Tools Resource Bank

Thanks to Matt Gallon, our Learning Resources Advisor, for sharing.


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