An online themed toolkit for Learning Resources and Activities has just been released by JISC Infonet (June 08). The website covers a wealth of information to supoprt the work of Library and Learning Resources teams. It is intended to make colleges think about how they are approaching the integration of learning resources into the curriculum at every stage of the learning creation process. Access the toolkit
The JISC funded Work-with-IT project is seeking input from the UK FE and HE community at a series of workshops during April and May 2008. A consultation workshop will be held in Glasgow on 8th May 08.
The overall aim of the Work-with-IT project is to gather up to date information on changing staff roles, relationships and associated skills that are evolving the impact of new technologies adopted within UK FE and HE. The focus is not on information skills or skills for harnessing technology per se, but on the impact on staff of new ways of working that arise from adopting ICT and technology supported practices. The ultimate aim of the project is to help inform future JISC work to support institutions to evolve their working practices.
The RSC Scotland South & West has been successful in securing an initial 20 trial licences for JANETtalk. The first to try this new application will be college & HEI network managers who will be best able to monitor any network impact there may be and just how robust the features are. The trial is expected to commence in mid April 2008.
This study involved a large-scale survey of Further Education college learners, exploring their experiences of and attitudes towards using technology within their current programmes of study, and also their access and use of technology for leisure purposes. Download the report from the Becta website.
This survey forms part of a major new 2-year initiative aimed at investigating new approaches to strategic planning and implementation within universities and colleges and developing innovative tools and techniques to assist in this process. This survey will be used to obtain an initial 'high-level' picture of some of the main strategic issues and concerns currently faced by senior institutional managers and will therefore help ensure that the outcomes of this project are both cognisant of and relevant to these challenges. Follow this link to start the survey.
Hairdressing students in further education colleges can now learn how to cut and style using
their mobile phones. Hairdressing Training is freely available to all further education colleges. It features specially formatted step-by-step guides demonstrating cutting and styling techniques.
Access the mobile version, or go to the JISC Collections website for more general information on Hairdressing Training.
Proposals should address up to three of the conference dimensions:global or local; institutional or individual; pedagogy or technology; access or exclusion; open or proprietary; private or public; for the learner or by the learner. Submissions close 9 March 2008. See the online submission system for ALT-C 2008
JISC infoNet has launched a resource to support the management of all types of internal information. The information management infoKit is based upon the well established principle of the information lifecycle which provides a consistent framework for good information management practice.
Inform plus+ is a web-based supplement to the printed JISC Inform containing additional materials available only on the web.
The retiral of Charles Sweeney at the end of 2007 has meant some changes for the team at the RSC. Continuity has been achieved with the appopintment of Fionnuala Carmichael as Manager of RSC Scotland South & West. Charles has been manager of the RSC since it was established in 2000 and Fionnuala was appointed to the team shortly afterwards. She said "Charlie's retiral will obviously mean some changes for the team but thanks to him we are a very strong unit and will continue to provide comprehensive ICT support to the sector."
This event will be of interest to all those in post 16 and higher education and research involved in planning for and supporting the use of ICT.
See the JISC website for further information.
JISC funds a wide range of projects, services, developments and infrastructure. Most of these initiatives originate from a successful response to a circular or tender, inviting organisations to bid for funding. Follow this link to future JISC funding opportunities for the period January - summer 2008.
The review documents a year of achievement in the key areas of JISC's activities and includes podcast interviews with senior JISC figures, an image gallery and a Year in View giving the highlights of JISC's activities during the academic year 2006-2007.Go to the JISC website to read the full online annual review.
A special report published today as part of the Times Educational Supplement praises the work of JISC's Regional Support Centres (RSCs) over the last seven years, saying that their establishment in 2000 marked a 'turning point' for the sector. Published to mark the award of further funding of the RSCs by JISC, the report explores various aspects of the RSCs' work over the last seven years and its impact on the post-16 education sector.
JISC invites applications for support from smaller UK FE/HE institutions to implement their Federated Access Management requirements. The JIAMSP will provide practical technical help for Institutions to join the UK Access Management Federation by becoming an Identity Provider (IdP) e.g. for installation/configuration.
The deadline for applications for cycle one is 10th December 2007.
The deadline for applications for cycle two is 25th February 2008.
See the JISC Call for Proposals for further information.
The eLearning Advisors for Accessibility and Inclusion in the JISC Scottish Regional Support Centres undertook a
survey to identify the training needs of Mangers and Practitioners responsible for learning support. A key aim of the
survey was to identify the training needs of Learning Support staff across the FE and HE sector. The survey is now closed. To download the report please follow this link.
This publication from the JISC e-Learning Programme which gives valuable insights into learners' motivations, beliefs and intentions about using technology for learning was launched on Tuesday 4 September. Designed as a flexible package to assist others in understanding the learner's perspective on e-learning, In Their Own Words also provides a range of resources for internal institutional use. These include two pull-out information sheets on the social software and personal tools and technologies used by the learners participating in the studies, and a CD-ROM containing the original reports from the studies, five video case studies and a series of short guides summarising key messages for different sectors and roles.
Copies of the publication may be ordered from publications@jisc.ac.uk or click here to download a copy.
Intute is a free online service providing access to the very best academic content on the Web for education and research. All material is evaluated and selected by a network of subject specialists to create the Intute database. Today, Intute launches a new range of integration services for the UK higher and further education communities which offer a flexible, personalised approach to using Intute resources via institutional websites and virtual learning environments.
The integration services are described in a new range of Quick Guides backed up by online help. These explain how to:
Use Intute newsfeeds
Search Intute directly from any Web page
Produce customised e-resource lists with MyIntute
Contribute new resources to Intute
Intute has developed the products as part of a project with the University of Leeds. "MyIntute has offered us an easy and effective way of promoting quality assured websites to our students" says Martin Gill, Faculty Team Leader, University of Leeds Library.
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