Assisting FE College Managements in Assessing Their ILT Development Status

Assisting FE CollegeAssisting FE CollegeManagements in Assessing Their ILTManagements in Assessing Their ILT

Development Status Development Status

22 May 2009NCI Lecture Room 1.02

The FE System in Northern IrelandThe FE System in Northern Ireland

• 16 colleges merged into 6 Area-based Colleges in 2007• The same number of campuses exist as before – 47 campuses

Map Courtesy ANIC

• Each college is an incorporated body that manages its own estates and finance

• Funded via a formula by Department of Employment and Learning• Also earn additional income from self-financing activities• Approx 25% students are full time and remainder part time• Courses range from ‘Entry’ level to Foundation Degrees

RSCni Support for CollegesRSCni Support for Colleges• One of 13 RSCs in UK• Role of promoting and supporting developments in e-learning (ILT)• Staff team of 6 people• Support provided to:

• Senior managers;• Network staff;• Teachers;• Librarians;• Other learning support staff;

• Support is via website; workshops; consultancy; guides; and the services of JISC

• ILT Health Checks were begun in 2005 as an advisory service to senior management on how the colleges were progressing in their use of ILT

• Focus of the activities and reports is the Demonstrating Transformation framework of the inspection process carried out by ETI

Demonstrating Transformation Framework in ILTDemonstrating Transformation Framework in ILT

• The framework has 5 levels of development:• Localised;• Coordinated;• Transformative;• Embedded; and • Innovative

• The 5 levels are set against 14 dimensions (see later)• In 2007 the Department set a policy objective for all colleges to

achieve ‘Embedded’ status by 2010 (has since been adjusted to 2011)

• RSCni re-focused on a programme of diagnosis and support in colleges via its ILT Health Checks

• 13 of the 16 former colleges used the service before 2007• 4 of the 6 new colleges have also now used it – and are using it as

a benchmark for the new organisations

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Demonstrating Transformation Grid – 2003-08

Activity/Theme 5 Localised

4 Coordinated

3 Transformative

2 Embedded

1 Innovative

Strategic Management

Responsibility for ILT is delegated to identified staff.

A coordinated approach to ILT development is encouraged and supported.

Staffing structure is reviewed and appropriate new posts created and supported by senior management.

Management ensures that ILT is used across the curriculum and for management and administrative applications.

Significant strategic commitment to the use of ILT in learning

ILT Management

ILT use takes place mainly in isolation, with little coordination across the organisation.

A central IT management function is identified. Management is involved in curriculum development to coordinate ILT practice across the organisation and to plan for staff development needs.

ILT acts as a catalyst for change. Management takes account of current applications of ILT in education and supports the development of differentiated learning programmes through ILT.

Management monitors and supports ILT integration across the curriculum and is able to advise on models of good practice and innovation.

Learning Resources Management

Learning resources are managed without reference to ILT.

A senior member of staff has overall responsibility for learning resources. Learning resource and ILT management is coordinated.

Learning and ILT resource provision is coordinated and integrated into the curriculum.

Learning resources are available in a range of formats and locations to provide support for a variety of needs and learning styles.

ILT Strategy

ILT strategy is not developed but some staff, or departments, are integrating ILT into their schemes of work.

A draft ILT strategy is in place which bears reference to the overarching college mission. Extent of use of ILT is identified and recorded. Full inventory of resources available.

Staff actively contribute to the process of updating and expanding existing ILT strategy and to its implementation in the curriculum.

ILT strategy takes account of changes in teaching and learning styles arising from the potential of ILT now being exploited.

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Demonstrating Transformation Framework of IQ:RS

Activity/Theme

5 Localised

4 Coordinated

3 Transformative

2 Embedded

1 Innovative

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Strategic Management of ILT

A corporate ILT strategy is not developed but some staff, or departments, are integrating ILT into their work.

An ILT strategy is in place which refers to the overarching college mission. Some of the use of ILT is specified.

The ILT strategy is used as the source of all ILT action-planning and for evaluation of its implementation in the curriculum and business processes. ILT strategy is regularly reviewed and updated.

Management ensures that ILT is used across the curriculum and for management and business processes.

Significant strategic commitment to the integration of ILT in learning and other business processes. Monitoring and development processes fully integrated into organisational management. Innovative methods of funding to encourage ILT developments are explored and exploited.

Operational Management of ILT

ILT use takes place mainly in isolation, with little coordination across the organisation. Funding of IT is left to individual management units on an ad hoc basis.

A coordinated approach to ILT development is encouraged and supported by managers. Management coordinates developments in ILT practice in the curriculum.. Procurement of ICT is centrally coordinated.

Management takes account of current applications of ILT in education. They promote the development of differentiated learning programmes through ILT and create plans for all ILT staff development needs. A significant proportion of the budget is dedicated to ILT staff development.

Management monitors and evaluates ILT integration across the curriculum and promotes good practice and innovation.

Curriculum development

ILT use within the curriculum limited to early adopters of the technology operating in isolation.

Use of ILT in curriculum development and programme design is planned. Some targets set for the use of ILT in key areas of the curriculum.

Curriculum design clearly linked to the ILT strategy and external priorities. Opportunities created for students to develop a wide range of e-learning skills

ILT curriculum development integrated with other areas of college development. and opportunities taken to make full use of new and emerging learning technologies

Staff development

Training for individuals’ personal and professional development in relation to ILT is provided on an ad hoc basis.

A coordinated approach is taken to generic IT training. There is provision of some additional training to support the integration of ILT in the curriculum and in wider business processes.

Curriculum- and MIS-focused ILT training is provided for most staff in line with an organisation-wide plan. There is assessment of training needs to facilitate changing teaching and learning styles.

ILT is integrated routinely into all areas of the work of the college. Staff take responsibility for reviewing and responding to their own ILT staff development needs.

Staff routinely manage and seek improvements in their own ILT skills – using responsive organisational support systems.

Learning Resources Management

Learning resources are managed without reference to ILT. Budgets are ad hoc.

A senior member of staff has overall responsibility for development of learning resources. Learning resource deployment is coordinated across the whole organisation.

Learning and ILT resource provision is regularly reviewed and their use is integrated into the curriculum. Access management is used to make them available to all users.

Learning resources are available in a range of formats on and off campus to provide support for a variety of needs and learning styles.

Learning resources are always integrated into course materials for direct use by learners.

Demonstrating Transformation Grid - 2009

Getting to EmbeddedGetting to Embedded

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ILT Health Check – The Processes

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Summary Summary GridGridAssessment of status against DT framework

Content of Health Check ReportsContent of Health Check Reports

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Sample of Assessment of College Status Against DT Framework

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ILT Progress in the FE System in Northern ILT Progress in the FE System in Northern IrelandIreland

• All engagement with colleges is on a confidential basis between RSCni and the client colleges

• Each college has different structures and processes

• The purpose of the Health Checks is not about making comparisons between colleges

• It is to advise managements about the progress towards ‘Embedded’ so that they can meet Department targets – and to offer pointers towards solutions

• Periodic engagement by colleges with the Health Checks allows those college to track their own progress

• Colleges can, if they wish, share their HC outcomes with the inspectorate (ETI) – but RSCni does not provide information to ETI

• No college is at ‘Embedded’ across all 14 dimensions – but all are making demonstrable progress – that is showing up in inspection reports and other internal markers

• The DT Framework has just been revised and RSCni is working on a web-based guidance tool to allow colleges to self-check and to manage progress

Attaining ILT Quality StandardsAttaining ILT Quality Standards

• The Demonstrating Transformation Framework remains at the heart of efforts to get to ‘Embedded’

• RSCni has provided and will continue to provide the following assistance and support to Colleges in their move towards this state:

– ILT Health Check;

– Post Health Check review – known as HC LITE;

– Advice and guidance on what ‘Embedded’ might look like;

– Support for senior managers in developing college ILT Strategies and Operational Plans;

– Support for senior management on security issues via Balanced Security Reviews;

– Pedagogical support for course leaders and their teams;

– Support for Learning Resource staff in college provision of online services




RSCniRSCni

Any questions?Any questions?

RSCniRSCni

Web: Web: www.rsc-ni.ac.uk

Contacts:Contacts:

Support [email protected]

Kate Guy [email protected] Moran [email protected] Gormley [email protected] Graham [email protected] McDaid [email protected]

Documents

Assisting FE College Managements in Assessing Their ILT Development Status