Managing and implementing technology to improve the quality of teaching and learning
Date: Thursday 28 – 30 October 2008
Venue: Online Conference
Fee: Free for two CaMeL grant recipients per organisation. Participants from grant recipient organisations but not from the grant holding department will be charged the full fee of £60. £60 per person for those who are not in receipt of a Capital Motivating e- Learning (CaMeL) grant
Background
This online conference is part of five years of Learning and Skills Council (LSC) investment in e-learning for adult learners. There is a growing body of evidence about the ways that learners can benefit when providers make confident and innovative uses of technology. That benefit is maximised where the use of technology is part of an organisation-wide strategy.
The 3 day conference is mainly aimed at LSC funded Adult Learning organisations (Local Education Authority adult services and Workers’ Educational Associations, WEAs) plus LSC funded Third Sector organisations who are in receipt of LSC e-learning capital grants (CaMel) in 2008/09. The conference is also open, and will be of benefit, to those working in community – based Adult Learning or Adult and Community Learning as well as those interested in implementing technology in their teaching and learning.
Aims
To help LSC funded providers of post 16 learning manage and implement technology to improve the quality of the teaching and learning and also to maximise the impact of the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) / LSC capital investment.
Audience
- Learning and Skills Council funded providers of post 16 learning
- Community – based adult learning providers (ACL)
- Local Authority adult learning services
- Workers’ Educational Associations
- LSC funded Third Sector organisations
- Those interested in implementing technology in their teaching and learning
Why NIACE considers it to be important:
Being able to effectively use technology in teaching and learning is becoming increasingly important. There is a growing body of evidence about the ways that learners can benefit when providers are confident and innovative in their uses of technology. That benefit is maximised where the use of technology is part of an organisation-wide strategy.
What participants will receive from attending:
The online conference will enable participants to access the conference anytime during the three days. There will also be the facility for participants to continue to access papers, networks, resources and presentations after the conference has ended.
The conference has three strands:
- Vision and strategic planning and managing and implementing e-learning in your organisation (covering benchmarking, self assessment, e-learning strategies, exemplars of good practice and qualitymarks)
- Teaching and learning practice, staff development and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) links with Licence to Practice and Institute for Learning, content and resources, e-portfolios
- Infrastructure and equipment (how to use it, how to plan it etc)
There will also be workshops sharing good practice, content and resources. Participants will also be able to access a virtual resource library, chat facility and presentation area.
How they can apply their knowledge on return:
The online conference will give participants the opportunity to learn and share ideas about managing and implementing technology to improve the quality of their teaching and learning.
Participants will have access to information and resources after the online conference, which they can share with colleagues. A social networking group will also be set up through which information and ideas can continue to be exchanged and networks developed after the event.
Other important information:
The event will be mainly asynchronous, which means participants do not have to be online at the same time, to enable those working the most flexible route for accessing the conference.
However some activities will be synchronous, which means participants have to be online at the same time. These synchronous sessions will have a restricted number of participants to ensure the groups are focussed and manageable.
Every workshop or keynote address will include a way for participants to feedback their thoughts, questions and comments to the speakers or workshop leaders as the event progresses.
Those taking part in the online event are referred to here as participants because there is an expectation of engagement. While traditional events require you to be in one place, at one time the online conference allows much greater flexibility, in attendance. This does not remove an expectation that you will participate and commit time to take part. Therefore, you will be asked to commit to participate in at least 3 online activities, or sessions. By participation in activities we mean post a comment or idea to the group; ask or respond to a question; add items to the resource area; complete feedback tasks.
The Programme will include:
- Keynote speaker, David Lammy, Minister for Skills, Department for Innovation, Universities & Skills (DIUS)
- Annie Simpson (Skills for Life and Family Learning Manager, Pre-School Learning Alliance) talks about using the learning zone (The learning zone: VLE covers the whole country so practitioners and learners can access this as well as professionals outside of ACL)
- Martin Thompson, Head of Information Learning Technology (ILT), Cornwall Adult Education Service – Staff development and CPD, accredited and non accredited
- Sarah Sweetman, ILT Development Manager, Bromley Adult Education college – ELPS, and e-strategy development and the purchase of equipment from a senior management perspective
Workshops:
- Xerte online – creating exciting, accessible e-learning content: Exploring free online templates that allow tutors to quickly and easily create highly accessible content – Alistair McNaught, Senior Advisor, JISC Techdis Service
- SimVenture: How the latest simulation technology is being used to inspire people to learn
about business and enterprise, Peter Harrington, Director, Venture Simulations Ltd - Contribution of e-portfolios within adult education: Serge Ravet, Chief Executive, Eifel
- txttools.co.uk: TBC – Steve Sidaway, Sales and Marketing Director, txttools.co.uk
- TBC, Lisa Welsh, Chief Executive Officer, Meganexus Ltd
- TBC, Miles Maier, London ICT Champion, LASA
- Digital Literacy Curriculum, available on and offline, with tutor support and resources – Terry Killer, Skills Manager, Microsoft Ltd
Filed under: Events & Training | Tagged: Innovative Learning, NIACE
