Skip Navigation Links
Home
Learner Voice
Buildings
Research
C Space
About Us

ICTHorizons Blog

Blog
Planning
noreply@blogger.com - 21/10/2011, 12:54

We've got our new course planning system C_Planner launched and being used widely across college. Thousands of resources have been uploaded already.

Now we're busy planning our next project. Not much - just a complete rebuild of CSpace itself...!

Vision On
noreply@blogger.com - 17/05/2011, 16:10



A few posts ago I mentioned the Infuse Radio site and how this could lead to learners uploading their work to C_Space (our intranet) independantly and the ability for peers to review and comment on the published work.

With the Initial Teacher Training Gallery site we have taken our first definite steps in this direction.

Working closely with the teaching and Learning Development team we've knocked together a simple site which allows learners on the Certificate of Education and PGCE to upload images of posters they've created to a gallery page. The posters are all themed to highlight inequalities or misconceptions within education and are used as a basis for further discussion around the topics raised.

The posters themselves are displayed as thumbnails, framed as if hanging on a gallery wall and visitors to the gallery can click on an image to view the full sized version of the poster. The artist can also upload a commentary about their creation, detailing why they chose their subject and how their poster reflects the issue being highlighted.

Peers viewing the posters and reading the commentaries can then add their own comments, reviewing the affectiveness of the artist's work and the validity of their topic. The project has proved to be a great success and a bank of work has been collected for display as well as running commentaries critiquing the work.

We've now got a gallery even Tony Hart would have been proud of!

Hopefully, we'll now be able to roll this idea across the curriculum and get more learners involved in uploading their work for peer evaluation and a demonstration of their achievements whilst studying at the College.
The Early Bird!
noreply@blogger.com - 17/05/2011, 09:37





Converting prospective students into fully fledged, signed up members of the College can be a difficult and frustrating task. On paper a large number of eager applicants can lead to a false sense of security and conversion rates during ernolment time can be disappointing despite the early promise. Ultimately, a tutor's valuable time can be wasted phoning round and chasing up applicants who have suddenly changed their minds, disappeared off the face of the planet or, worse still, enrolled at another institution.

To try to ease this situation and maximise on the conversion rates of applicants we've been working closely with our colleagues in Information Systems, IT Users, Marketing and the Faculties to bring applicants into the fold as early as possible...a truly collaboritive effort to solve a difficult problem.

What if we create logon accounts for applicants so that they can access our network, systems and information before they even step foot within the building? What if we make them feel part of the College and its culture and give them the opportunity to ask questions, engage with our online environment and each other before they've signed on the dotted line?

The plan was hatched...

Each FE applicant now has a logon account created for them pre-enrolment, enabling them to logon to C_Space (our intranet) from anywhere off-site. Marketing have sent mail shots to each applicant giving them their unique credentials and instructions on how to logon via our website.

We can identify the 'pre-enrolled' learners via their credentials and also the faculty inwhich their course is based. This enables us to automatically re-direct them to specially created faculty homepages, filled with useful information and links, messages from tutors, examples of specific events and trips, contact points and FAQs.


We've also set up a special forum where applicants can ask questions and engage online with each other forming a shared sense of community.

Perhaps most importantly, applicants can access C_Space and explore the wealth of information, applications and features it contains. The knock-on effect is that they will already be familiar with our online environment and know how to access information and resources online before they start their course. In effect, they can 'try before they buy'and the induction process has been initiated well in advance of the learner coming in for their initial orientation and thus aleviating some of the anxiety they feel on those nerve wracking first few days.

Hopefully, the early bird really does catch the worm and we'll see an increase in the number of applicants converted into full time students at the start of the new academic year.

There's Something in the Air!
noreply@blogger.com - 09/05/2011, 15:59



We're ready to rock!

For some time now we've been working closely with the tutor for BND Media Production (Radio) and his learners to broadcast some of their radio recordings and podcasts around the College.


The first challenge was how are we going to do this without spending a small fortune on high maintenance, expensive broadcasting equipment; without setting ourselves up as an illegal pirate radio station taking up valuable radio bandwidth or interfering with air traffic control at Southend airport!


Fortunately, the answer was simple! We'll build a dedicated radio station site, place it on C_Space (our intranet), upload the recordings of the shows and podcasts and stream them across the network to the learners on demand.

To get the message out there we set up a number of forums so that the Radio students could advertise their shows, ask for requests and gauge interest in their productions. The news spread fast and it was clear there was a huge demand for the shows. Learners would no longer need to whistle while they worked but instead plug in their headphones, choose a show which interested them and rock away to their heart's desires, all with their tutor's consent of course!

To stay on the right side of the law, we've purchased the appropriate broadcasting license and to get the ball rolling we started airing the shows in Scoff our student refectory. Again, simplicity is the key and we've merely hooked up a laptop to an LCD screen positioned on the wall in Scoff and the shows play via i-Tunes. So far the reaction has been great and the shows are certainly more popular than the derivative MTV drivel we used to pump out of the screen!

Now the site containing pre-recorded shows and podcasts is live and learners can stream the show of their choice at tghe click of a button.

This, however is just the beginning.

If the site is successful we can allow the learners to upload their own podcasts and radio broadcasts without our direct involvement and perhaps allow other learners to rate their favourites. We can also use this idea across the curriculum and work with other tutors and learners to showcase their work by uploading it to a dedicated site on our intranet which they can control. This will not only give the learners ownership of their own intranet pages but also allow them to demonstrate and showcase the work they do. We can allow our learners to create content for each other which is relevant and make the online environment really work for them while their studying with us. This notion could completely change the face of our intranet and the way in which we think about content control and content creation.

There's definitely something in the air and its signalling a clear change in the way we think about our intranet and the ownership of the content it contains!
Testing Times!
noreply@blogger.com - 09/05/2011, 11:15




Nope, not a reference to the current economic climate and all the woes that brings but, instead, some thoughts on e-assessment and how this technology could potentially aid us in these troubled times.


At South Essex College we've been using TOIA (Technologies for Online Interoperable Assessment) for a number of years. The system allows tutors with the aid of our support to set up online exams, quizzes and assessments which self-mark and store results and reports in a number of formats for later digestion. Initially funded by JISC, TOIA is, unfortunately, no longer supported but has proved to be an invaluable tool in delivering curriculum outcomes, assessing learner progress, saving tutor time and helping shape and define the very nature of e-learning and online curriculum delivery within the College. Indeed, in a world where definitions of e-learning are at best hazy and understanding of the concepts limited, online assessment has proved to be the star of the show. It's easy, for example, to demonstrate and justify why going 'online' is more advantageous than using traditional pen and paper and it can clearly open up the curriculum to blended learning solutions.


This year we've been using TOIA to run online assessments for Bricklaying and Carpentry courses and so far we've set up and run over 40 separate assessments for 11 groups of learners. The results for each assessment are sent off to the examining body in order to evidence the learner's progress and count towards their final grades. It's clear that this would have been a logistical nightmare to organise using printed question sheets, pens, exam halls and invigilators, not to mention the huge amount of marking involved for the tutors.


Unfortunately, TOIA is past its prime now. Browser updates have rendered some of its features impotent, the clanky database back-end occasionally throws a 'hissy fit' and the process of setting up assessments can be lengthy, complicated and laborious...BUT...it is still an essential and well loved tool. Ideally we'd like to replace it with something 'shiny and new' but alternatives which offer the same set of powerful features are prohibitively expensive especially in these days of budget shrinking, cost saving and cut backs. The irony is, tools such as TOIA can save both time and money. Tutor time is liberated from hours of marking, courses can be delivered off-site reducing 'on' costs and tutor costs, class sizes are no longer dependant on room size or tutor availability, learners can complete a course at times which suit them etc etc...the benefits are many and clear.

So JISC, any chance of a TOIA resurrection? The timing couldn't be any better.


Jim










Video Conferencing
noreply@blogger.com - 06/05/2011, 15:31



Working in a distributed environment, it's important to keep in touch with colleagues who are either based in a different location, or frequently on the move between sites.





At South Essex College we have 4 dedicated Video Conferencing suites spread across the 3 main campuses, a mobile unit and a number of desktop clients and HD webcams. Having access to these facilities means that less time and money is spent on travelling between locations, and also eases the difficulty of bringing together large groups of people that work on different sites.

Enrolment
noreply@blogger.com - 05/05/2011, 14:04






Enrolment time is creeping up on us again, and it’s no mean feat to ensure the smooth running of such a large operation across 4 locations.
Enrolment involves the deployment and use of


  • over 100 pcs

  • 14 printers

  • 15 photocopiers

  • 17 water coolers

  • 4 video conference centres

  • 21 deskphones

  • 7 tills

  • 7 air con units


And that's just the basics!



Once again we will be using Audrey, our custom built queue management system. Audrey is directly connected to our Student Information Systems, and to our courses database. This means that when an applicant arrives, we can straight away allocate them to see someone directly related to the course they wish to enrol on, minimising their overall waiting time.

Outlook Live Single Sign On
noreply@blogger.com - 05/05/2011, 13:21



Once again we have Single Sign On (SSO) working again for our students. This means that once students are logged into college systems, they can access their Outlook Live email inbox without having to enter a second username and password, thus upholding our ‘log-in-once, access-everything’ principle. Continuously having to enter usernames and passwords to navigate from one resource to another is a serious hindrance to the learning experience, and we’re committed to making resources as accessible and highly available to students as possible.

Students also have available to them:


  • 25gb of free, online storage via skydrive

  • access to Microsoft Office Web Apps

South Essex College: Learner voice – a 360-degree approach
noreply@blogger.com - 22/11/2010, 12:48

The Excellence Gateway has just published a case study on South Essex College’s use of ILT and students use of communication tools on C_Space, the College's online environment.


Commissioned by JISC the case study is a report on how the College is making effective use of ILT to improve teaching and learning. One of the main findings of the report is that students are using C_Space to find new ways to promote the learner voice.


"The online tools and increased learner voice are making an impact on the whole college, as tutors and senior management can keep abreast of what is going on and what is wanted by reading students' comments."


You can view the report here.

Heads down!
noreply@blogger.com - 09/11/2010, 15:21

Whew! It's been a busy time, with requests for work coming from everywhere!

The last few weeks have been full on e-portfolio building. It seems the word is spreading and more and more HE tutors are interested in their students using the e-portfolio pages we've developed to support their students' professional development planning.

It's quite a time consuming process to design templates, add resources and documentation and then build individual pages for whole groups of learners...but we're getting there! Thankfully Sharepoint makes life a little easier and is relatively quick to get the basics in place...alas, my organisational skills (or lack of them) make getting all the e-portfolios finished and in place all at the same time to the tutors' satisfaction a logistical nightmare!

So far we've built new e-portfolios for first year Sports Science students, first year Fashion and Marketing students, first year Photography students and added additional pages to the second year Fashion and marketing students exisitng pages. We've also desingned new templates for the Animation Degree students and the Business Degree students which are almost ready to go into production. After this we have interest in e-portfolios from the Televsion Production and the Engineering degree courses...

...ooooppppsss, sorry, got to keep my head down and get back to work!



College Sports
noreply@blogger.com - 25/10/2010, 11:39


The College Sports site has been fully upgraded on the College's intranet. It now features a full Content Management System, which allows tutors and staff to keep the site up to date.
Summer of Change
noreply@blogger.com - 10/07/2010, 12:05

This summer sees the start of some major developments at all 3 campuses (Basildon, Thurrock and Southend). As well as an all round tidy up and fresh coat of paint, we've rethought the way we deliver our services in ILT and multimedia. At the forefront of these changes, and the places where they will be most visible, are the libraries.




At each campus we're building a C Space centre, which will be the contact point for all ILT and Multimedia queries, the flagship location for all ILT training, and also a useful help point for IT Helpdesk queries.



This brings ILT team members closer to both teaching staff and students and gives us the opportunity to transform the library into a hub of support for teaching and learning - whether it's through the use of technology, the development of tailored resources, or sharing good practice.




All systems full ahead!!
noreply@blogger.com - 24/06/2010, 10:50


Got alot on at the moment. Course plan system, av equipment and inventory system, my_skills training system, and rolling out a comprehensive range of training from bitesized to advanced levels for pretty much all staff.All of it is top priority, urgent and will result in widescale change. Difficult, challenging, interesting and stressful times !!













Increase in the number of users of online services
noreply@blogger.com - 11/05/2010, 12:01

South Essex College now has up to 20,000 students and up to 2,000 members of staff. The represents a large increase in the number of users who can now access the College's online environment.

Usage stats don't normally mean a great deal but it's interesting to note that since 28 January of this year the student homepage of the College's intranet (C_Space) has been accessed 1066054 times.

In order to ensure that teaching staff are familiar with C_Space we will be running training sessions each week on C_Space resources and services.

Technology Exemplar Network News
noreply@blogger.com - 29/03/2010, 11:58

The Technology Exemplar Network has just published its first newsletter.

As part of our contribution to the Network, South Essex College will be working with students to promote the use of technology in teaching and learning.

During the past couple of years students have had a major impact on the way the College uses web-based services in its teaching. It is therefore appropriate that students should now act as advocates of ILT as South Essex College.
More on the 'learner voice'
noreply@blogger.com - 09/03/2010, 09:20

South Essex College has developed a range of social networking tools that allow students to share experiences and ideas regarding their teaching and learning. Students can create blogs, post status updates using an in-house Twitter type application (Seek), vote in online polls and post messages in online forums.



These tools are becoming increasingly popular amongst students. During the last academic year, for example, 25855 messages were posted in 1023 topics in 245 forums. Since the start of the current academic year students have posted over 8000 messages in the forums.

Students here hardly need encouragement to make their views known. We are though planning to issue a number of netbooks to students to enable them to access the College’s social networking tools via the wireless network. Informal soundings to date have indicated that we will not be short of volunteers when it comes to allocating netbooks to students.

Technology Exemplar Network
noreply@blogger.com - 26/01/2010, 09:18

South Essex College is now a member of the Technology Exemplar Network. The network is a group of FE Colleges and skills training bodies which aims to promote and share the use of technology to support teaching and learning.

The Network was launched in 2008 to help colleges and other learning and training organisations use technology more effectively by sharing best practice. It is led by Becta – the government’s educational technology agency – and the Learning and Skills Council (LSC).

South Essex College will be working with the following Colleges on the network

More information about the network can be found here.

Updates on the work of the network will be published on ICTHorizons.com

This week's poll of the week
noreply@blogger.com - 25/01/2010, 15:14

This week's poll has been suggested by a student. The poll went live this morning and so far over 450 students have voted.


We have been running a poll of the week for students since 2002. The first ever poll was on the UK voting age and attracted 278 votes. Currently over 2000 students vote in the poll each week.
seeK: the first three weeks
noreply@blogger.com - 14/12/2009, 11:17


As you may know, we launched an all new version of our student intranet last week. At the same time, we also unveiled a brand new student area called c_live. The launch went as smoothly as could be expected, there were some small issues (broken links etc) but no major problems in application logic.

There is a lot to be said for how to best manage a transition between systems, our school of thought is to flip the switch and see how it all works out, trusting in our robust design. This, to a large degree was the correct decision as few students struggled with the new system although there was much discussion on the system in our forums.

When we did 'flick the switch', it was with a sense of personal trepidation as included in the upgrade was a web application called seeK. seeK is a twitter/facebook style status sharing application designed to provide students with the social networking & collaborating functionality they crave whilst ensuring it takes place in a secure and managed environment. I was nervous, as it can easily been seen as a chat application with no benefit to teaching and learning.

This is a similar argument that was levelled at the internet when it was first offered as a resource, however it is my thinking that unsupervised or unmanaged any resource can be a distraction (doodling in a text book is a good example).

So what happened?

From uploading the application to the live server, it took under a minute for the first seeK status to be posted, that in itself is a record. The thing is seeK isn't on the main page of seeNet, it's a completely different section called c_Live, which means:
  • The students recognised a new version of seeNet
  • Realised there was a new section called c_live and clicked the link
  • The Student was presented with a range of new applications they hadn't seen before 
  • Posted a status update
All within a minute and with no guidance from us.

Say what you want about the term digital natives, the students took to the concept of seeK like ducks to water.

So all went well?

When I first unveiled the system to the team for testing, we messed around and posted silly status updates, if we did that, I wouldn't expect anything less from our students. Students will test the boundaries of the system they are given and boy howdy did they do exactly that. The one that stands out from the rest was a student  using an harmless css injection attack to change the background image of c_live to a picture of himself!

The Scunthorpe issue

To protect our students from inappropriate status updates I've created a simple regex function that parses the status checks for certain words. My opinion is that swear filters are an exercise in futility, in that it a machine cannot detect (at the time of writing) the intent of the sentence. That means that the system can only check for a range of string values and execute the correct response based on the validation of the string. We can easily create a sentence that will pass through the swear filter, but can still be offensive. Better yet we can legitimately use swear words in a sentence e.g. Literary students can discuss the character of Phillip the Bastard from Shakespeare's King John. The system won't know of the play, let alone the character, all it will see is a word that is in the list of banned words and block the update.

It begs the question, if users can circumvent the system and the system itself can block legitimate discussion is there any point to a profanity filter?

Leaving the censorship debate aside, seeK has given us unparalleled access to the learner voice and their opinion of the changes on seeNet. I think that seeK gives us access to a previously unheard majority within the College as not everyone uses the Forums or emails us with feedback.  In fact I've spent the last week modifying seeNet based on the feedback received via seek including swapping the two column layout for a three columns and making it fixed width. Alongside feedback, I've set up a default MyseeNet account that is auto associated with all student feeds, it allows us to ask questions, give answers and in some cases help students find lost memory sticks!

The bottom line is that we need to find new ways to communicate with students, whatever your thoughts are on e-learning, web 2.0, digital natives etc. Social networks and the internet aren't going to disappear just because some in education are afraid of change, students are expecting their learning experience to match their social one.

Students want it, if we're not listening to our learners we're not being good educators.

At the time of writing 793 seek profiles have been created,  3048 status updates have been posted and 1085 friends have been added since the launch of seeNet 2.0 on the 25/11/2009.
c_live
noreply@blogger.com - 23/11/2009, 16:40

I've reached a milestone, apart from some CSS layout bugs c_live is 99% done.This has been a big project of mine and although I've mentioned it here and there I haven't really done a full blog post about it. I should probably start at the beginning, for the last year or so the Interactive Learning Strategies Team have been thinking about our long awaited upgrade to our bespoke learning platform, seeNet.

A lot has changed within education since seeNet's inception in 1999, google was a relative unknown, there was no such thing as mobile internet and Apple's ipod was just a twinkle in Steve Job's eye.

The main problem of current VLE's is they have, for lack of a better word baggage.

When e-learning was first being thought of, it was such a radical concept that people talked and championed and enthused and discussed and presented..... you catch my drift. This continual fervent chatter created the impression that e-learning was something in a box that you could just unleash and suddenly everything would just work. It didn't and for a range of reasons that are probably best left to another blog post. The failure of e-learning create a deep suspicion of technology within the education sector, right at the time students started to expect it.

I finished my diploma at South East Essex College just before seeNet was switched on, so I was part of the last generation to go through a course without online ILP's,Wikis, Courseplans, online collaboration even the internet was restricted. Compare that to now, you can access anything, anywhere, you can check your bank accounts whilst grabbing a cup of coffee from Starbucks.

Let's look at our typical student (for now, lets assume there is such a concept as a typical student), they are comfortable with technology, they can happily surf the internet, chat with friends, share content, shop, use mobile phones etc. So we can comfortably say they know how most things work in an internet browser on a superficial level. Yet most in education are still stuck in the late nineties, especially our learning platforms, this got me thinking. If I was a student now, what would I expect when I logged on? Now I should preface this by saying I'm not talking about "College of the future" that wouldn't even require the student to log on.


And so c_live was born.

I looked back to my college and university experiences to see what technologies and services would have made my life easier.

seeLinks:

The one thing that always annoyed me is that you're doing some research on campus and you find something really useful on the internet, so you do the sensible thing and bookmark it. Except that when you go home, you've forgotten the address and you can't get at the bookmark as its stored on your user profile on the network. We're almost through the first decade of the new millennium and our student has two options, trudge back up to campus, log on and email it to your home account or have the foresight to jot it down in a notebook?

We shouldn't be making our students life harder, so to led a helping hand I created seeLinks, its a xml based web app that allows students to store useful links within the browser, all you need to do to access them is log into the vle, this can be at home, work, or even at starbucks.

seeFeeds:

Information overload, TMI  are just a two terms demonstrating the problems of living in the information age. We get content fired at us from every angle and sometimes it makes it difficult to sort the wheat from the chaff. seeFeeds is a simple to use RSS feed aggregator, RSS feeds can help, instead of looking for the information, you can get your favourite websites to send information to you. This means that the information that will populate your c_live experience is tailored to you.

seeNotes:


You remember I mentioned scribbling down the url when talking about seeLinks? This takes the same concepts and applies it to a notepad, got a deadline? note it down here. What about a study meeting with students from your class? Instead of jotting it down in margin of your book, you can write it here and you can be sure that it won't be misplaced.

Seek:


Seek is probably the biggest change in what we're offering students. There's been a lot of talk this past year of how online collaboration tools can help students. Twitter has been cited as an example of how we can quickly update and share information with friends and colleagues alike. Currently education has no such tool to offer, however giving students unfettered access to a micro blogging site is full of pitfalls and makes it hard to manage students use of it. So I took the quick microblogging features of sites like digg and twitter and developed an application that would enable students to interact with each other and share information whilst being in a secure and manageable space.

Blogs:

Blogs have been a big buzz word in education for a long time now, but they've always been an external application that students have to log into. I've given students the ability to create blogs and share them with the rest of the student body (subject to our approval) with one click. If students elect to share their the blog with other students, it's published to a live feed that is available direct on c_live.

Look and feel:


c_live doesn't look like your typical learning space, or any other learning software for that matter. That's because instead of creating the application logic and interface myself, I posted on our student forums that I was looking for students to help shape the way c_live looked. A games development student offered to design the interface for c_live, I accepted and the design that he came up with was completely left field but epitomised the ethos of c_live completely:




Simple, effective and like nothing in education today.


Crunch Time
noreply@blogger.com - 16/11/2009, 09:46

Apologies for the lack of updates but we're in the final weeks of development of seeNet 2.0.

Hopefully it will all be launched at the end of the week and we can back to normal!
Nook
noreply@blogger.com - 22/10/2009, 12:34

The battle is on in the land of the ebook readers (ebooks are digital versions of paper books), Amazon released the Kindle and now American publisher Barnes & Noble has unveiled the Nook.



One thing you couldn't say about the Kindle is that it pushed boundaries, it read ebooks and that's all. Not so with the Nook.

First of all it runs Android, Googles' mobile operating system, Okay so that may not set your world on firew. This is understandable but think of it this way an ebook reader (or a book for that matter) has one function - to display books. The Nook can do this, surf the web and has the ability to extend its functionality via its support Android Apps Store. I don't know about you, but I struggle to justify a £156 device that just does one thing (no matter how good it is), the Nook may offer the extra functionality that will make me pull the trigger on ebook readers....


The ICT Bill of Rights
noreply@blogger.com - 14/10/2009, 09:46

I've been thinking, well scratch that the team has been working flat out on the finishing touches to c_space, our staff and student vle/intranet.


If you're a regular reader of this blog you'll know I've been working on a section (once known as seeSpace), called c_live which is a brand new concept for the College. c_live is a new area on our vle that is the first step in changing how our students view what a vle really is and gives educators an idea of what can be created in browser.

For those who don't follow this blog (shame on you!), c_live gives all students persistent, pervasive access to a range of tools and services they have not had available to them before.

For too long the answer to many of educations problems has been to grab a box off the shelf and make it fit the need, this is not only a self defeating exercise but it also makes it harder for the learner to use. I say this as that more often than not the user will have to click through to find the system, log on and only then get to do what they aimed to do in the first place!

So what should we be doing?

Make the system easier to use and ensure that its provides the information that students want.

Simple eh?

To this end, when our new VLE seeNet launches the VLE will be broken into four main areas:

myInformation:
  • The current week view of their scheme of work
  • A weekly view of their tutorial
  • Upcoming assessments reminders
  • Up to date attendance data
  • Timetables
  • Email with 25 gigabytes of storage
  • Most recently set targets in their ILPs
Learning Resources:
  • Online databases of curriculum resources
  • Library catalogue and resources
  • Key skills and functional skills materials
  • Study skills, literacy and numeracy resources
  • Interactive learning resources
  • The Learning Resources Pool, which currently contains over 3000 staff authored curriculum resources
Student Information:
  • Student policies and procedures
  • Equality and diversity resources
  • Health and safety information
  • JobShop vacancies
C_space:
  • Online forums, (in which last year students and staff posted over 25000 messages in 1023 topics in 24 forums)
  • Student Blogs, that can be shared with all student and staff with a click of a button.
  • A student noticeboard that allows students to inform students and staff of events
  • A feature to allow Student Council members to publish their own content that is shown direct to all students via c_live
  • seeLinks - a pervasive bookmark creator that will enable students to bookmark key websites and have them available where ever they are
  • seeK - a tool modeled on Twitter which will allow students to share updates regarding their work and collaborate both with staff and students
  • seeNotes - an in browser notepad providing students with a personal space for them to post notes, reminders or even a shopping list to seeSpace
  • An RSS feed aggregator allowing students access to the latest news and information
  • Weather updates! (one of the largest requests from students)
All that from just a browser, available inside and outside of College.

So how does the ICT Bill of rights come into it? (Apart from being a rather catchy title...)

VLE's have in one form or another been around since the early nineties and yet they're still finding their feet, I suppose, you could say that they're running to stay still. I feel that this is in part to do with how they came to be and the damaged that caused, the hyperbole created inflated user expectations and the resultant dismay has had lasting repercussions.

And the fact that application and service development within education was in its nascent form.

It's not been possible with the available technology to give students what they need.

The ideas have been there, blogs, wiki's, collaboration, sharing, giving students the ability to talk back; but the technology has always been the millstone dragging the system down.

Until now...

With c_space we can guarantee the following:
  • Students can know what is happening with their College life at any time, day or night
  • That every student will be able to have a blog, just by opening the browser
  • That students can have bookmarks, and take them with them
  • That students can share links with their friends and peers
  • That Teachers can share important documents without having to use email
  • That students can get to the information and resources quickly and easily
  • That students can access all of this via a single sign on process
It sounds simple, but think about it, this isn't miriad of different applications, this is one system.

And this is just the beginning.

Vive La Revolution!


Doctor in the House
noreply@blogger.com - 29/09/2009, 09:58

Whilst at ota09, one of the sessions I joined was hosted by the NHS and discussed how they wanted developers to create web apps/widgets that use NHS data. Examples that were thrown around included suggest a medication, in conjunction with a major pharmacy or store, so far so good.

But following on from my discussions yesterday of how to make a VLE more relevant to Students, could we reposition the VLE as not just a learning tool but one to help in general?

We've already started with the creation of seeSpace onto our VLE, which gives Students access to Forums, personal blogs, Notepads, Twitter Style communications tools that give Students the ability to comment and a whole lot more.

But lets take it a step further, what if we could enhance our VLE by creating an application/service that could help Students find answers to questions they'd rather not ask someone face to face?

It may be slightly pie in the sky at the moment but if we could create an application such as that, it would really change how we view VLEs.

I'm hoping to meet with the session leaders in the next month to discuss what we can do, my first, my first idea is a postcode search based 'Find my GP/NHS Clinic'.

Exciting times.
Don't believe the hype?
noreply@blogger.com - 28/09/2009, 11:26

So many questions and so few answers....

How indispensable is the VLE? Or more the point, how can we make VLE the defacto tool for education? Do we really need to, will it happen organically or will another platform march in and change the game? Are we reinventing the wheel once again?

What's the solution?

In all honsety there is not a silver bullet that will make a VLE essential for everyone as by its very name it's a learning tool and we all learn differently. Which leads me to 'Personalisation', this is the latest buzz word in education and I'm a big fan.

I should say I'm a fan of the concept and not the name, in that as it is a current ICT buzz word, it will be forever be perceived as another in a long line of fads within education and thus enthused, rubbished and abandoned in fairly short order.

But if we ignore the hype surrounding personalisation and look at what it wants to achieve:
  • Moulding the tool or the environment around the user,
  • Making the users experience unique
  • Giving users the ability to share and comment
We can see that it is something to get excited about

Catch 22 then? we can't get excited about something, without damaging it? (Perhaps an e-learning observer effect?

Well, not quite what we can do is work damn hard to ensure that we under promise and over deliver. Whilst observing current trends, but at the same time not being restricted by them.