Essex Adult Community Learning: PTLLS for distance and blended learning

Funded by the LSIS Excellence and Improvement Fund, Essex Adult Community Learning has produced a distance/blended learning resource on CD-Rom for tutors in the post-16 sector to achieve the City & Guilds PTLLS (7303 Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector) at Level 4. The aim of the resource is to improve teaching and learning by providing a flexible way to access initial teacher training where candidates may otherwise find it difficult or impossible to attend a taught course. It is also intended to increase tutors' own e-learning skills.

Essex ACL - Broadening horizons with blended learning - technology toolkit for foreign language tutors

As part of an LSIS Regional Response Fund project, Essex Adult Community Learning (ACL) has created a toolkit. The toolkit provides training for foreign language tutors in producing digital resources which combine audio, video, text and communication activities. The toolkit which is now an integral part of a blended learning language course, has also developed tutors' skills in using technology for teaching and learning. The main aim has also been to provide an alternative and flexible method of delivery, especially where funding cuts have impacted on the cost of running taught courses.

Hopwood Hall College: Touchscreen technology overtakes interactive whiteboards as interactive teaching tool of choice

Hopwood Hall is adopting the use of touch screen technology and gradually replacing its interactive whiteboards to improve access to interactive learning. The touch screen monitors connected to LCD TV’s provide a cheaper classroom build with technology that’s more user-friendly and better suited to classroom delivery. Until now, interactive boards had been the mainstay of classrooms but they created teaching barriers for staff including the additional software to learn and master. They are also expensive and often have usability issues with 'pens' not working or having a delay when used as the mouse tool.

Lancaster and Morecambe College: Uses serious computer games as a teaching tool

John Latham, International Projects Co-ordinator at Lancaster and Morecambe College (LMC), got involved with the project Serious Computer Games as a Teaching Tool (SCOGATT) after using the game EnerCities with his students. The web based platform at www.scogatt.eu serves as a One Stop Toolkit for vocational teachers and trainers who want to use serious computer games (SCG) in their teaching environments but might need a helping hand. There they will be able to find a compendium of serious games, SCOGATT pilot results, teacher reports and the exemplar games, EnerCities.

Curriculum innovation: pragmatic approaches to transforming learning and teaching through technologies

This report draws together outcomes from the JISC Curriculum Delivery Programme on behalf of JISC and includes recommendations for further investigation.

Case study: Technology - a fundamental aspect of teaching, learning and assessment

Case study on how Reading College is taking a holistic approach to developing their digital strategy, focusing on good practice in teaching and learning and extending learning beyond the classroom walls.

Digital ‘lens’ on the UK PSF: supporting the digital capabilities of teaching staff in UK HE

This resource can also be used by professional staff who are seeking accreditation via the UK PSF for relevant aspects of their role, e.g. staff who support the use of technologies for learning and/or support the development of digital literacies.