International success for a Jisc Collections innovation
Hairdressing Training has just scooped the prestigious award for ‘Tertiary, FE, HE and Adult Innovation’ at the Handheld Learning 2008 Conference. The UK’s first freely available mobile educational service, this pioneering online learning package has already proved immensely popular in supporting hairdresser training up to NVQ, SVQ, Diploma and Apprenticeship level.
With funding from the Learning and Skills Council, Jisc Collections has made Hairdressing Training free to all UK Further Education institutions through Mimas, the Jisc national data centre based at the University of Manchester. Its users access the resource on readily available handheld devices such as mobile phones or PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants). The project aims to roll out mobile learning to hundreds of learners on vocational learning programmes, to increase participation and achievement by young people and to attract non-traditional learners and those not currently in education, employment or training.
Representatives of Jisc Collections and Mimas were thrilled to accept this prestigious award from TV personality Johnny Ball. Stuart Smith of Mimas reflects on the success of the resource. ‘Delivery on mobile devices enables students to access this invaluable and highly practical resource, without a computer, at any time and any place.’ He went on to say that the win ‘brought great recognition that I hope will help encourage the development of other innovative and imaginative digital services.’
‘This is an example of innovation in e-learning at its best’ said Dr Jackie Carter of the University of Manchester.
Read more about Jisc's Hairdressing Training resource
Discover more about the launch
Go straight to Hairdressing Training’s homepage
Read Manchester University’s full press release of the win