The document presents an overview of Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs) in schools, highlighting the need for clarity in terminology and expectations for their implementation by 2010. It addresses various pressures faced by the education system, including financial constraints, technical support challenges, and the necessity for professional development among teachers. Recommendations include the need for improved communication strategies, government funding for technology access, and greater support from local authorities to ensure effective use of VLEs.

1. Presentation for Schoolszone at BETT 2008 A short CV General Expectations VLEs – a need for clarity Pressures for VLEs in Schools The Present Situation for Schools Recommendations & Challenges Or School – Anywhere, Anytime?

2. My CV 45 years in teaching, initially trained in Design & Technology. Always keenly involved in professional development. Attended 400+ courses as participant, organiser or deliverer. Many examples of innovation, esp electronics & communication. Adv Dip Ed. – Special Needs - (also ‘invented’ CEFAX subtitling). Adv Dip Tech. – Electronics, CNC, TVEI Staff-side General Secretary for Health & Safety in Croydon LEA.

3. My CV National President, (1988) Educational Institute of Design, Craft & Technology (EIDCT), Hon Fellow. Visited many schools throughout the UK. Several articles: ‘Computers in Control’ etc. Negotiated with manufacturers for low-cost CNC in schools. Member of NC working party for Design Technology and IT. Became Advisory Teacher for IT in Croydon (6-years).

4. My CV Appointed to Emmanuel CTC as Director of Technology. £4M spend on Technology and total IT infrastructure. Teacher-representative on CTC Trust’s Appointment of Advisors. 1996-7 – studied for HNC in Quality Management. Project management for a small rural comprehensive. Becta research grant for Speech Recognition & Dyslexia. Major initiative into broadband and VC for distance learning. Whole-school installation and development of IWBs. Presently researching VLEs in schools and e-Portfolios.

5. A Need for Clarity? 1. Communicating Innovation It’s an ‘old-un’ but Bob Newhart’s skit on ‘Introducing Tobacco to Civilisation’ is a real illumination on how not to communicate Innovation. Perhaps there has been an abysmal failure to understand how the introduction of VLEs should have been managed.

6. The Present Situation

7. The Expectation The aspiration is that by 2010 all schools will have integrated learning and management systems. Schools and local authorities (LAs) should be planning towards this target that provides the full range of functionality across every aspect of school life. An intermediate target for 2008 is that all learners should have access to a personalised online learning space with the potential to support e-portfolios. learning platforms and personalising learning An essential guide, Becta 2007

8. The Present Situation It may be that far too many teachers are looking into their future ‘highway’ with little thought for what is immediately upon them. Or even if they are aware of the present massive pressures, can they see what is beyond the brow of the hill?

9. The Present Situation For some the VLE is a Trojan Horse but they don’t yet know it!

10. A Need for Clarity? 2. Defining Terminology a) A Learning Space b) A Learning Platform c) A Virtual Learning Environment d) A Personalised Learning Environment e) An e-Portfolio A Learning Space A very vague term that can refer to any ‘space’ – not necessarily on line, could be a ‘handheld’ in the playground or a user-file within a stand-alone application. Some critics of VLEs suggest that the Internet itself is the best learning space. However, schools have a duty of care to ensure that any learning space is safe for children.

11. A Need for Clarity? 2. Defining Terminology a) A Learning Space b) A Learning Platform c) A Virtual Learning Environment d) A Personalised Learning Environment e) An e-Portfolio A Learning Platform The whole network including topology, hardware, operating systems, software, resources and user-files that go towards providing an ICT environment for students. It usually combines several functions, such as organising, mapping and delivering curriculum activities, and the facility for learners and teachers to have a dialogue about the activity, all on-line.

12. A Need for Clarity? 2. Defining Terminology a) A Learning Space b) A Learning Platform c) A Virtual Learning Environment d) A Personalised Learning Environment e) An e-Portfolio A VLE It is Virtual ie it can be accessed remotely and securely from any Internet connection, anywhere. It enables Learning through the support of not only teachers but a whole range of advisory and technical support. It should allow students to study at their own pace. It is a working Environment adapted to the student’s age, aptitude, ability, and accessibility.

13. A Need for Clarity? 2. Defining Terminology a) A Learning Space b) A Learning Platform c) A Virtual Learning Environment d) A Personalised Learning Environment e) An e-Portfolio A PLE Within a Learning Platform a PLE can help learners take control of and manage their own learning eg: set their own learning goals; manage their learning; managing content and process; communicate with others; respond to formative assessments; monitor their progress.

14. A Need for Clarity? 2. Defining Terminology a) A Learning Space b) A Learning Platform c) A Virtual Learning Environment d) A Personalised Learning Environment e) An e-Portfolio An e-Portfolio Essentially a personal workspace adapted to the age, aptitude, ability, accessibility and attitude of the student. It should be ‘portable’ from one institution to another. 'A purposeful aggregation of many digital items – ideas, planning, evidence, reflections, collaboration, feedback etc., which 'presents' a selected audience with evidence of a person's learning and/or ability.'

15. Teachers - and information overload Learning Platform Teachers are hard-pressed enough. Just how many innovations can one stand? Over and above the normal pressures, how many of the following has the average teacher read?

16. Learning Platform Plagiarism Viruses LSAs Teachers Internet Access Standard Desktop Central Government Local Authorities Parents DCFS Lack of Technicians Inclusion Niace SSAT Becta OfSTED M.I.S. Higher Education Further Education Professional Associations Employers B S F Naace Home Tuition Alternative O/Systems Web3.0 Web2.0 Futurelab Tomlinson Report Independent Schools Mobile Technologies 2020 Vision OSS ROSLA 2 Software Houses QCA Report Leitch Review EEP Roadmap SocITm Teacher Training Legacy hardware DEMOS Freedom’s Orphans Every Child Matters Extended Schools

18. QCA - The Market for Qualifications in the UK PricewaterhouseCoopers Report - April 2005 1.14 One of the main supply side drivers for consolidation is the move online. Given QCA’s vision that, by 2009 , all awarding bodies will have e-assessment capability, it is likely that some of the smaller players will be unable to stay in the market unless they make significant changes.

19. QCA - The Market for Qualifications in the UK PricewaterhouseCoopers Report - April 2005 Analysis of supply side and drivers for change 1.2 There are currently 115 awarding bodies recognised by QCA, ACCAC and CCEA in the UK compared to an estimated total number of unrecognised awarding bodies in the region of 900 organisations.

20. QCA - The Market for Qualifications in the UK PricewaterhouseCoopers Report - April 2005 Widening participation 1.24 Target groups include those with low-level qualifications or no qualifications and traditionally underrepresented groups such as women, learners from ethnic minorities, learners with disabilities, asylum seekers, economic migrants and offenders.

21. QCA - The Market for Qualifications in the UK PricewaterhouseCoopers Report - April 2005 1.153 It has been estimated that industry losses through lack of basic skills are as high as £10 billion per year. The Labour Force Survey 2002 for the UK shows that one third of people of working age are not qualified to Level 2 and within that group nearly a half have no qualifications at all.

22. QCA - The Market for Qualifications in the UK PricewaterhouseCoopers Report - April 2005 1.153 It has been estimated that industry losses through lack of basic skills are as high as £10 billion per year. The Labour Force Survey 2002 for the UK shows that one third of people of working age are not qualified to Level 2 and within that group nearly a half have no qualifications at all.

23. QCA - The Market for Qualifications in the UK PricewaterhouseCoopers Report - April 2005 Social forces for change 1.160 Government policy on social inclusion aims to ensure that all sections of society have the opportunity to participate fully in their community. By increasing the skill levels of all underrepresented groups we will develop an inclusive society that promotes employability.

24. QCA - The Market for Qualifications in the UK PricewaterhouseCoopers Report - April 2005 E-learning 1.170 New delivery formats is an area likely to change the future of the qualifications market, with a greater shift from traditional lecture-based delivery to mixed modes of delivery, such as work-based learning and blended learning (e-learning, learning via telephone support etc).

25. QCA - The Market for Qualifications in the UK PricewaterhouseCoopers Report - April 2005 1.176 Compatibility of systems across the sector will be fundamental to ensuring the successful implementation of e-initiatives. Training providers will require a system that interacts with all awarding bodies that they deal with rather than a separate system for each. This will become much more important if unitisation is introduced.

27. Our nation’s skills are not world class! We also have very considerable weaknesses. Today, more than one third of adults do not hold the equivalent of a basic school-leaving qualification. Almost one half of adults (17 million) have difficulty with numbers and one seventh (5 million) are not functionally literate. Lord Leitch – Review of Skills – Dec.2006 Prosperity for all in the global economy - world class skills

28. We recommend radical change right across the skills spectrum. We express concern and suggest action for 14-19s. Unless the UK can build on reforms to schools, colleges and universities and make its skills base one of its strengths, UK businesses will find it increasingly difficult to compete. Lord Leitch – Review of Skills – Dec.2006 Prosperity for all in the global economy - world class skills

29. Vocational skills must be demand-led rather than centrally planned. The Review emphasises how critical reforms to GCSEs are to improve functional literacy and numeracy. The new 14-19 Diplomas must succeed. Employers to voluntarily commit to train all eligible employees up to Level 2 in the workplace. Lord Leitch – Review of Skills – Dec.2006 Prosperity for all in the global economy - world class skills

30. Summary of Pressures There are a vast number of pressures throughout all sectors of education. It would seem that the whole system is ‘creaking at the seams’. Becta appears incapable of responding effectively to any of these issues. The following pages attempt to look at some of the issues relating to VLEs in schools. All Schools 2008, 09, 10 E-learning Assessments Inclusion for all Adult ‘ illiteracy’ Expansion of FE, HE

31. Summary of Pressures Needs of the School Present Status of VLEs Financial Situation of Schools Technical Support Staff Competencies Home Access Supplier Access All Schools 2008, 09, 10 E-learning Assessments Inclusion for all Adult ‘ illiteracy’ Expansion of FE, HE

32. Summary of Pressures Needs of the School Present Status of VLEs Financial Situation of Schools Technical Support Staff Competencies Home Access Supplier Access All Schools 2008, 09, 10 E-learning Assessments Inclusion for all Adult ‘ illiteracy’ Expansion of FE, HE Crisis !

34. The Present Situation Needs of the School Needs of the School Present Status of VLEs Financial Situation of Schools Technical Support Staff Competencies Home Access Access to Suppliers Who defines the school’s needs? Generally a good Headteacher will lead the staff and governors to get to a whole-school vision. They will identify the school’s needs and have long- and medium-term plans and criteria. But not all schools have a shared vision – they just muddle on. Differing priorities might be more demanding and VLEs may not even appear on their horizon.

35. The Present Situation Present Status of VLEs Needs of the School Present Status of VLEs Financial Situation of Schools Technical Support Staff Competencies Home Access Access to Suppliers Everyone does that which is right in their own eyes. Of some 35 suppliers everyone has a different solution. Many of the leading names appear coy about disclosing numbers. Some schools have exceptionally good VLE services, used well. Many might have a system installed but are not using it educationally. A small number have no internet access and thus no functional VLE.

36. The Present Situation Financial Situation of Schools Needs of the School Present Status of VLEs Financial Situation of Schools Technical Support Staff Competencies Home Access Access to Suppliers Financial autonomy is probably the major cause for inconsistency. Ring-fencing of monies for ICT hardware and infrastructure is not always happening. Monies are spent by accountants and not by those who have the experience. BSF, as with previous incentives, invariably provides start-up funding but not the long-term CPD, replacement costs and depreciation.

37. The Present Situation Access to Suppliers Needs of the School Present Status of VLEs Financial Situation of Schools Technical Support Staff Competencies Home Access Access to Suppliers Every degree of support and direction by LAs, from total to none. Some LAs only allow selection from the Becta-approved list. A post-code lottery – well, more a case of who is allowed to see what. Serious unease about the quality of advice and understanding of educational matters. Lack of understanding of the educational implications of things like ‘interoperability’.

38. The Present Situation Technical Support Needs of the School Present Status of VLEs Financial Situation of Schools Technical Support Staff Competencies Home Access Access to Suppliers Once installed some schools noted the difficulty to get prompt support. Some have very pro-active support. DIY/Moodle installers are often staff in schools. Problems of continuity? Demand will seriously outstrip supply as more and more schools increase their ICT requirements. Adverts for MIS and VLE technical staff indicate higher salaries than schools can afford.

39. The Present Situation Staff Competencies Very few schools run an audit of staff competencies, neither of general personal ICT skills nor of subject-specific competencies. It is therefore not surprising that few staff can point their students towards the higher study skills in ICT which should match their academic expectations. CPD must be more specific and firmly directed by competent leaders. Above all perceptions of the use of VLEs are minimal. Needs of the School Present Status of VLEs Financial Situation of Schools Technical Support Staff Competencies Home Access Access to Suppliers

40. The Present Situation Home Access Most schools have not invited Parents to initial discussions about the reasons for installing a VLE. The range of family ownership of computers in the home varies from 90% down to 30%. This does not include traveller families, those in care or asylum seekers. But the introduction of the sub-£200 laptop could turn all these issues upside down! Needs of the School Present Status of VLEs Financial Situation of Schools Technical Support Staff Competencies Home Access Access to Suppliers

41. Some Recommendations OfSTED-like hit squads need to enter every school in the country to identify: each school’s VLE status, timelines etc; policy documents, suppliers’ contracts/services; technician support and on-call strategies; CPD provision for all staff including accreditation; exemplar lesson-plans indicating how the VLE will enhance teaching and learning; Local Authorities to provide additional support where schools are ‘failing’.

42. Some Recommendations DCSF to develop powerful communications strategy: Parents to be persuaded - to understand why the school’s VLE is of such a benefit to their children’s progress; Provide support for low-cost PCs for home use; Encourage publishers to understand that VLEs demand the supply of e-books on line; OLCOS and NDRB resourcing initiatives to be supported by significant government funding. (Open Learning Content Observatory Service EU) (National Digital Resource Bank UK)

43. Some Recommendations ICT Advisory Bodies to do more Future Gazing: Becta to provide good clear, unambiguous and detailed advice and practical Case Studies; Naace to support active dialogue between known advanced VLE practitioners; ICTMark and Self Review Framework (SRF) to be updated with references not only to Remote Access, but also to related teaching/support strategies; Universities (SOLSTICE?) and training agencies to consider the convergence of best practice and support for Lifelong Lifewide Learning.

44. School, anywhere, anytime? The Implications of 24/7/365 Access: Learning styles, resources, differentiation; Feedback – how when where, Assessments; Schemes of Work, Lesson Objectives; Use of and Access to MIS, Counselling; Technical Support, Monitoring, Filtering; LSA support and competence? Collaboration and Web2.0; Parental Access

45. Beyond this Remit Mobile Devices Open Social Software Changes in pedagogy Defining an e-portfolio Higher Education ‘ Enhanced Learning’ 12 Mandates for an e-portfolio Adult ‘ illiteracy’ Functions of the PLE

46. Beyond this Remit Mobile Devices Open Social Software Changes in pedagogy Higher Education ‘ Enhanced Learning’ Personal Learning Environments Adult ‘ illiteracy’ Ownership of the PLE e-portfolios ‘ Enhanced Learning’ No longer just ‘e-learning’. Sometimes called ‘Braided Learning’ or ‘Blended Learning’. A mixture of on-line learning, F2F and group lectures/discussions. However, the impact of a wider range of communications systems and the move towards ‘ the democratisation of learning’ suggests that it should be called ‘c-learning’. The use of a wide range of ‘rich media’ must be involved.

47. Beyond this Remit e-portfolios - the JISC definitions 'An e-portfolio is a purposeful aggregation of digital items – ideas, evidence, reflections, feedback etc., which 'presents' a selected audience with evidence of a person's learning and/or ability.' ‘ Learners create ‘presentational’ e-portfolios through the use of e-portfolio tools or systems, and in the process can be inherently supported to develop one or more key skills such as collecting, selecting, reflecting, sharing, collaborating, annotating and presenting. ‘ Learners draw from both informal and formal activities to create their e-portfolios, which are personally managed and owned by the learner, and where items can be selectively shared with other parties such as peers, teachers, assessors or employers.’ Mobile Devices Open Social Software Changes in pedagogy Higher Education ‘ Enhanced Learning’ Personal Learning Environments Adult ‘ illiteracy’ Ownership of the PLE e-portfolios

48. Beyond this Remit Mobile Devices Open Social Software Changes in pedagogy Higher Education ‘ Enhanced Learning’ Personal Learning Environments Adult ‘ illiteracy’ Ownership of the PLE e-portfolios Higher Education Ever since the internet was developed within the confines of universities there has been an assumption that the universities’ perception of on-line communications and learning must be definitive. Watching the progress as noted by JISC and FERL it is of concern that the progress of VLEs in FE and HE might not be sufficient for the needs of Primary and Secondary Education.

49. Beyond this Remit Mobile Devices Open Social Software Changes in pedagogy Higher Education ‘ Enhanced Learning’ Personal Learning Environments Adult ‘ illiteracy’ Ownership of the PLE e-portfolios Changes in pedagogy It is noticeable that early adopters of any new technology will tend to use it in order to replicate previous modes of delivery. Thus, for some, the IWB became no more than an electronic OHP – displaying slides in a predetermined order - the many other capabilities of the IWB being totally ignored. Teachers will need to spend time in understanding the full range of tools operable over the VLE and how this will revolutionise teaching and learning strategies.

50. Beyond this Remit Mobile Devices Open Social Software Changes in pedagogy Higher Education ‘ Enhanced Learning’ Personal Learning Environments Adult ‘ illiteracy’ Ownership of the PLE e-portfolios Open Social Software Social software, ‘groupware’ or Web2.0 lets people rendezvous, connect or collaborate by use of a computer network or other mobile devices. The term has only become relatively popular within the last two or three years. The emergence of ‘open software’ allows low-cost or free access to tools and applications thus increasing the popularity of social interaction. The dramatic impact that the sub-£200 notebooks will have will be even more accelerated by the open software.

51. Beyond this Remit Mobile Devices Open Social Software Changes in pedagogy Higher Education ‘ Enhanced Learning’ Personal Learning Environments Adult ‘ illiteracy’ Ownership of the PLE e-portfolios Mobile Devices The definition: ‘Any portable device used to access the internet’ appears somewhat narrow . Communications devices such as the mobile ’phone, the DS Nintendo with Bluetooth enabled or an iPod etc may connect to a PC without necessarily connecting to the Internet or may just communicate to other handheld devices such as a PDA or a tablet PC etc. Potentially very useful in schools but teachers need to have a clear vision of how to use the technology.

52. Beyond this Remit Mobile Devices Open Social Software Changes in pedagogy Higher Education ‘ Enhanced Learning’ Personal Learning Environments Adult ‘ illiteracy’ Ownership of the PLE e-portfolios Adult ‘illiteracy’ Our nation’s skills are not world class! Today, more than one third of adults do not hold the equivalent of a basic school-leaving qualification. (Leitch Report) Almost one half of adults (17 million) have difficulty with numbers and one seventh (5 million) are not functionally literate. All-age classes, access to schools’ facilities (VLEs?) etc are demands most schools have still to face.

53. Beyond this Remit Mobile Devices Open Social Software Changes in pedagogy Higher Education ‘ Enhanced Learning’ Personal Learning Environments Adult ‘ illiteracy’ Ownership of the PLE e-portfolios Functions of the PLE Personalisation: The PLE should ‘belong’ to the child. The interface should be appropriate to the student’s needs – not ‘one size fits all.’ Links to the e-Portfolio would be beneficial. Intelligence: The PLE should be the ‘hard wired’ data-handling processor which links MIS data with diagnostic and profiling software. It should thus be capable of suggesting appropriate test-levels etc. It should also display grades and suggest avenues for further study. 3. Residence: Inevitably the data-management processes require that the PLE is part of the VLE system and thus will be located on the school’s server.

54. Beyond this Remit 12 Mandates for an e-Portfolio For an e-Portfolio to be successful, it must be: Portable – ie can move through the Key Stages Personal – templates and ‘skins’ create own environment Generic – not dependent on any institution’s VLE MIS-free – not directly linked to any MIS system Web2.0 – supporting different means of collaboration Lifelong – permanently ‘owned’ by the user Lifewide – whatever their social standing or style ‘5-95’ – continually adjustable to the user’s age Accessible – whatever a person’s disability or needs Credible – Display of credentials must be secure Lite+Fast – Capable of working on basic systems Low-cost – available to all sections of society Mobile Devices Open Social Software Changes in pedagogy Higher Education ‘ Enhanced Learning’ Personal Learning Environments Adult ‘ illiteracy’ Ownership of the PLE e-portfolios

55. Presentation for Schoolszone at BETT Or School – Anywhere, Anytime See the website for further info’