Kent LA approach to Learning Platforms

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Kent LAapproach toLearning Platforms

• Steve James,
• Senior Officer
• Strategy Innovation - EIS

Donna Rogers, e-Learning Officer Digital
Curriculum, CFE
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Key messages from schools now
We want to involve parents in their childrens
learning
We need a school calendar all staff can use

• Online system
• Secure, local control
• Ease of use
• Familiar MS Office tools
• MIS integration
• Access information
• Collaboration beyond school
• Parental involvement
• E-Portfolios
• Flexibility, personalised to match educational
  vision.

We need an easier way to lighten to load and
bring likeminded people together
We need a system that works with our MIS
Our students need personal portfolios
We still want to choose whats best for our
school
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DCSF (DfES) Learning Platform Targets

• 2008 Personal Online Learning Space
• internet-based secure, anytime, anywhere
• upload/download of files individual online
  working space.
• basic communication tools enable both peer to
  peer and
• message boards/chat peer to mentor dialogue

• 2010 Comprehensive learning platform.
• learner support
• learner tools, publishing tools within KLZ e.g.
  blogs etc
• VLE (Virtual Learning Environment)
• digital curriculum management assign to
  students, quizzes returned marked
• management tracking of learner activity
• authoring, tagging, searching,
  packaging/bundling, sequencing, exporting
• Assessment, input within KLZ returned to your MIS
  e.g. SIMS

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What is a Learning Platform?BECTA Definition

• A learning platform brings together hardware,
  software and supporting services to enable more
  effective ways of working within and outside the
  classroom. They can vary considerably, but every
  learning platform should provide a range of
  ICT-based functions
• Content management
• Curriculum mapping and planning
• Learner engagement and administration
• Tools and services
• A learning platform is therefore not a single
  'off the shelf' product but a collection of tools
  that are designed to support teaching, learning,
  management and administration.

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A Learning Platform brings together
anytime, anywhere!
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Kent Offer Kent Learning Zone (KLZ)

• Built on Microsoft SharePoint 2007 technology
  (MOSS2007), including Office communications.
• Kent wide Active Directory - secure data store.
  If you move between schools, your MySite moves
  with you!
• Community Groups create learning communities
  and share online events, news, resources and
  discussions. You create and invite!
• LA supporting communities to improve
  communication across clusters and schools.
• Teachers and students have a My Site area
  (online personal space).
• Designed for Kent schools! Developed by Kent
  schools!

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Kent Learning Zone (KLZ) Delivers

• KCN broadband delivers the EIS Kent Learning Zone
  online personalised space.
• Email and live communications included, who
  receives what is tailored for school use. Putting
  schools in control.
• Integration with your MIS (SIMS), web part is a
  licence option. CAPITA release anticipated to be
  Nov 2007.
• Heavily reduced school subscription rates
  compared to commercial provider products. Value
  for money, not for profit service.
• In time for schools to be up and running in order
  to meet the DCSF August 2008 timetable.
• Technical installs and provisioning preparation
  required prior to Aug 2008.
• Schools retain choice to purchase an approved VLE
  to meet their educational goals 2010 DCSF
  target.

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Kent Learning Zone 2007 Academic Year
Timescales

Summer
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What do you get?

• EIS User Provisioning and Management tool
• School site (500Mb)
• KLZ collaboration community site (gt500Gb)
• MySite (50Mb)
• Exchange 2007 based email (50Mb)
• EIS helpdesk support

What does it cost?

• 2.50 per user per annum pay as you grow
• teacher / student / manual accounts
• School setup fee waivered prior to July 2008.
• Modular Training programme.

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Early Plug-in Extra Applications

• 2 x VLE providers school subscription
• its Learning
• Studywiz
• Online direct text filtering
• Capita SIMS web-parts licence option
• Nintex Podcasting
• Supporting mobile devices
• All BECTA accredited suppliers have been invited
  to
• interoperate with KLZ, as schools start to
  purchase.

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Build as you grow
2010 Comprehensive Learning Platform incorporates
two main applications possible extras
Infrastructure KLZ, often referred to as
Portal
2.50
average together
Cost when you are ready to combine the two
gt 5.00
Digital curriculum management VLE
Pick Mix offers best of breed applications to
meet your educational needs. Extra application
services available at additional subscription
cost, putting you in control.
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Whos Interested?
Early Adopters

• Clusters
• Thanet 1 2
• Primary
• Goudhurst Kilndown
• Rusthall
• Secondary
• Maidstone Grammar - Boys
• Herne Bay High
• Specialist
• Ifield

• 4 Clusters
• 18 Primary schools
• 26 Secondary schools
• Corporate KCC
• Advisory Service for Kent (ASK)

School enquiries are currently being received
almost daily!
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How can KLZ help?

• KLZ enables schools to take a cost effective step
  into the world of online learning and management
  without committing to a full blown LP.
• Are schools really ready for a fully featured LP
  huge cultural change in teaching and learning.
• Enables future web based applications to be
  integrated via (MOSS2007) web part plug in or
  Shibboleth access.

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EIS builds Partnerships

• Microsoft communication collaboration tools
  individual online working spaces tools to enable
  teachers to create and manage digital content
  safe and secure, anytime, anywhere access.

• SIMS active directory role based experience,
  for staff, pupils and parents.

• VLE management tools to enable teachers to
  create and manage digital content to match user
  needs and learning styles and to report on usage.

Schools control engagement empowerment! Your
way in Your time
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KLZ Considerations

• Only available to KCN connected schools.
• Works from your web browser.
• Uses your SIMS data so you dont have to enter
  users.
• Provides Outlook with email to agreed users.
• Kent Learning Zone, Learning Platform
  infrastructure

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Managing Change
Success
Jacqueline S. Thousand Richard A.
Villa Managing Complex Change 2001
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BECTA Self Review Framework Support schools Self
Evaluation Framework related to Ofsted
Success
http//schools.becta.org.uk/
3 Steps to success
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Vision
Action plans
Vision

• Focussed on school development aims, not hardware
  or software.
• Written in educational terms and outcomes.
• Supported with a clear strategy for achieving the
  vision (3 5 year plan?).
• Action Plans!

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People
Skills
Incentives

• Training
• New skills
• Map to CPD and personal successes
• Celebrate and your share experiences
• How will this benefit me?

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Planning strategically
Change Management

• New ways of thinking
• New ways of doing
• Access to data about learning
• Involving everyone
• New skills
• CPD
• Resources

• Where are we now where do we need to be
• School development planning
• Data flow
• Information management
• Accessibility
• FITS

• Connectivity
• Infrastructure
• Software
• Information management

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Together we can
Schools Action

• Clusters definition
• A network is a group of organisations working
  together to solve problems or issues of mutual
  concern that are too large for any one
  organisation to handle on its own.

• Clusters decisions
• It is strongly advised for clusters to choose the
  KLZ together as first stage engagement.
• It is recommended to then choose your VLE
  provider as a united decision where possible.

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What are you going to do next?
1) Register interest with EIS Email eis.support_at_
kent.gov.uk Alternatively richard.packham_at_kent.go
v.uk Tel [phone]

• Seminar Roadshows
• Kent Services for Schools Trade Fair 4th Oct
  2007, Ashford Int Hotel
• CFE / EIS Roadshows across Kent Term 2 watch out
  for e-bulletins

• 3) Use the self-review tools
• Self-review framework (SRF) matrix
• Institutional infrastructure matrix
• Learning platform functionality matrix
• Collaborative decision making over technology
  and resource purchase.

• 4) Leadership, Vision Whole School Development
  Action Plan
• Incorporated into schools Strategic Development
  Plan and mapped to staff CPD targets.
• Strong programme of ICT training.
• Foster an ICT Vision shared by all staff, SMT
  populated.

5) Refer to Kent e-Communications and
Publications Extranet www.eiskent.co.uk?learning
zone www.clusterweb.org.uk?learningplatform
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Kent working in partnership.Its
a fast-moving worldConstant dialogue with
schools is vital.

• Each individual to maximise their potential
  through the personalisation of their learning and
  development.

I never try to teach my students anything, I
only try to create an environment in which they
can learn. - A. Einstein