The aim of the regional pilot projects is to explore the use of e-Learning systems and tools across a number of institutions across higher and further education within a region to facilitate wider participation in higher education and provide better opportunities for lifelong learners.

Regional pilots

The aim of the regional pilot projects is to explore the use of e-Learning systems and tools across a number of institutions across higher and further education within a region to facilitate wider participation in higher education and provide better opportunities for lifelong learners. These pilots are focusing on three themes: Stories from the regional pilot projects

  • facilitating progression
  • collaborative teaching and sharing of resources across institutions
  • supporting the independent lifelong learner

The projects started in January-April 2005 and completed their activities as originally planned at the end of March 2006. The projects were given the opportunity to propose a further phase of activity in order to increase the impact of their original project. Most of the projects are therefore continuing, and will now finish and deliver their final reports between October 2006 and July 2007.

The final report (PDF) is available from the study to synthesise the lessons learned from the regional pilots.

Funded projects

Topics Lead Site Project Description Region
e-portfolio, lifelong learner records Bradford University ELP: Enhancing Learner Progression Use of e-portfolios at transfer into HE and from HE to employment or placement. Transfer of portfolio data between different systems. Yorks & Humber
e-portfolio, lifelong learner records University of Newcastle upon Tyne EPICS: North east regional collaboration around e-portfolio progression pathways with illustrative case studies Region-wide infrastructure for transfer for progress files, e-portfolios and PDP data. North East
e-portfolio, progression pathways University of Central Lancashire FILE-PASS: Facilitating independent learning using ePortfolio & associated support systems Using e-portfolio tools with links to information on HE opportunities to reach isolated learners. North West
e-portfolio Oxford Brookes University myWORLD:Wider opportunities for reflective learning & development Building on Petal project to trial the e-portfolio tool in different situations, with a wide range of learners. South East
e-portfolio Wolverhampton University ePistle: e-Portfolios student learning Piloting two or more e-portfolio systems (generic and structured) with different institutions and age groups to investigate how they support lifelong learning. West Midlands
e-portfolio / PDP University of Bolton MANSLE: Manchester self-directed learning and ePortfolios Trialling of system built on services from HORUS and ePET to support reflection in students on foundation degrees North West
e-portfolio / PDP Nottingham University RIPPLL: Regional interoperability project on progression for lifelong learning PDP - making all major systems (LEA and uni) in Nottingham interoperable. Trialling of systems with wide range of users. East Midlands
Lifelong learner records, e-portfolios Bournemouth University PDP4Life: Personal development planning for progression and lifelong learning Investigation of PDP practice; transCreation of a specification to include informal learning information from PDP systems in individual learner record; transfer of such data using IONodes. Based on creative industries. South West
Lifelong learner records, e-portfolios Hertfordshire University EELLs: East of England lifelong learning Ssport Transfer of LLL records between FE and HE, with personal web space and e-portfolio tool. Builds on SHELL Eastern
Portal delivering content, personal course planning Loughborough University G4L: East Midlands NTI gateway for learning Portal providing access to repository of content and personal course planning tools. Supports NTI curriculum - target users include SMEs. East Midlands
Portal providing content and tools, e-portfolio / PDP Kent University PLPP: Personal learning portal pilot Portal delivering e-portfolio (PETAL) and PDP tools, with induction and support resources. Also provides links to learning materials. South East
Portal providing content and tools, LAMS Greenwich University JISC eLISA independent lifelong learning project Portal providing content on study skills, delivered through LAMS. Investigation of PLE concept. London
Portal supporting learning pathways, PDP Liverpool John Moores University The learning matrix PDP tools in FE linked in to information on progression and sign-up for bridging courses. Transfer of learner records. All delivered through college intranets/VLEs North West
Portal supporting learning pathways, PDP / e-portfolio Birkbeck College, University of London L4All: LifeLong Learning in London for All Portal providing course information and some content, allowing learners to plan and investigate learning pathways and publish their own successful ones. London
Portal supporting learning pathways, repository Hull University P4P Pathways for progression: mapping curricula to facilitate student progression Repository of curriculum modelling and mappings to show progression routes and pathways. Yorks & Humber
Portal with student information Staffordshire University SUNIWE Build on NIIMLE project to provide portal for students giving them access to MIS and course information, access to University online resources, and launch them out to study in the VLE. West Midlands
Repository Essex University EERN: The East of England's educational resource network Repository of content with ability to 'grow context'. Uses semantic web. Will integrate with VLEs. Builds on DELTA. Eastern
Repository University College Worcester Promoting shared use of digital content across the region Linking up existing repositories with AAA work. Investigation of models of repository use and development, piloting repositories, user needs. West Midlands
RLOs, e-portfolio Anglia Polytechnic University Regional collaboration for e-Learning A range of mini-projects around content sharing, use of shared services, and progress files. Eastern
RLOs, repository Southampton University L2O: Sharing language learning objects Creation of repository of RLOs for language learning from existing resources. Trialling their reuse in a variety of situations. South East
RLOs St George's, University of London REHASH Re-purposing existing health assets to share Re-purposing existing RLOs to be used in Access, Foundation and HE Diploma courses for Medicine and Healthcare. London

Distributed e-Learning and Framework and Tools programme meeting
A cross-strand programme meeting was held in Birmingham on 5-6 April 2005, to enable projects to find out about activities across the programme and to share experiences and ideas. See presentations from the event. 

Background information on the regional pilots circular

For further information, please contact Sara Davies

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