JISC Service Case Study - JISC RSC West Midlands, Janet UK and JISC Techdis
Derwen College has become involved with the Exemplar Network for its pioneering use of technology in teaching and learning, thanks to strong partnerships with three JISC services - the JISC Regional Support Centre West Midlands, JISC TechDis and JANET UK.
Connecting to e-learning
Derwen College has been recognised for its achievements through accoladesDerwen is an independent specialist college which, prior to the installation of a networked internet connection, had limited engagement with e-learning. Thanks to strong partnerships with three JISC services - the JISC Regional Support Centre West Midlands, JISC TechDis and JANET UK, it has since become involved with the Exemplar Network for its pioneering use of technology in teaching and learning.
In recent years, Derwen College has gone from strength to strength. It is recognised for its achievements through accolades such as Beacon Status and a nomination for ‘Provider of the Year’ as part of the 2009 LSIS ‘Leading the Learner Voice’ awards.
About the services
JISC Regional Support Centres
The JISC Regional Support Centres support the development of e-learning and Information and Learning Technology (ILT) in the post-16 learning and skills sector. They provide advice and guidance, host events, build regional partnerships, share good practice and signpost learning providers to national initiatives and services. Support areas include ILT strategy development, learning technologies, staff development and technical infrastructure.
JISC TechDis
JISC TechDis provides advice and guidance to the education sector on technology to support accessibility and inclusion. Amongst its services, TechDis provides resources for practitioners and explores emerging technologies to identify implications for accessibility. Support areas include web accessibility, e-assessment and the creation of learning materials.
JANET UK
JANET UK manages the Joint Academic Network (JANET) which connects the UK’s universities, FE colleges, Specialist Colleges, Research Councils and Adult and Community Learning providers together, and to the rest of the world via the internet. It also provides services such as video conferencing, media streaming and SMS text messaging for teaching and learning.
Challenge
In 2004, Derwen had only a very localised internet connection with a limited number of college PCs able to access the staff intranet. As part of a project to get the UK’s specialist colleges connected to the JANET network, Derwen benefitted from a free 2MB connection. This was part of a wider programme funded by the Learning and Skills Council and supported by the JISC to encourage the use of ILT in specialist colleges.
The JANET connection was made available on the proviso that specialist colleges submit an ILT strategy to JISC TechDis who administered the connection project. JANET and JISC TechDis introduced Derwen to the JISC Regional Support Centres who subsequently helped the college to develop their ILT strategy, and introduced the staff to ways of engaging its learners through technology.
Solution
The JANET connection facilitated the growth of the college intranet and, with a new e-mail system in place, opened up lines of communication such as JISCMail discussion lists, which in turn facilitated easier access to other specialist colleges, information on e-learning, and the other JISC Services such as the RSCs and JISC TechDis.
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"In the early days, the college felt quite isolated and underdeveloped. The RSC (West Midlands) really helped us to get off the ground by showing us how we could effectively use technology for teaching and learning – simple technologies for high impact, such as the use of MP3s for recording evidence. They were able to tap into the best practice in the region and present us with relevant examples.”
Russell Pentz (Learning Resources Centre Manager, Derwen College) |
Derwen also became more involved with JISC TechDis through their specialist college forums, meetings and online updates. The college successfully applied for funding through the TechDis Innovation 2 project which enabled Derwen to install video conferencing facilities, initially to support students during the transition process. This gave Derwen the chance to be at the forefront of using video conferencing effectively and the opportunity to participate in subsequent Beacon projects. Derwen is now an example of best practice for video conferencing, with JISC TechDis referring other specialist colleges to their work in this area.
The video conferencing has also strengthened the college’s partnership with JANET UK through a pilot project to record video conferences for training purposes.
Impact on the provider
Through its strong relationships with these three services, Derwen has developed into a confident, e-mature college. It is seen as exemplary amongst the specialist college community for its innovative use of technology, sharing good practice with other specialist colleges, and enthusiasm for trying out new technologies such as JANET’s SMS text messaging service and developing its own e-portfolio system.
Russell says, “We have gone from being a college relying on a few networked computers and an ISDN line to being an example of best practice. We just couldn’t have done it without these relationships.”
“Over the years, we have had excellent support and have really taken advantage of the expertise and networking opportunities that these services offer. Our staff, for example, have attended numerous RSC events over the years. This has really helped develop their confidence in using new technologies, and increased their awareness of what is out there and how such technologies can be used. The events have also informed us of new offerings from the JISC services – without those events, we wouldn’t have known about certain things that we have since gone on to explore. Similarly, the JISC TechDis online updates have been invaluable – we have heard of projects that other colleges are doing that could be of interest for us.”
Russell adds, “It’s not just about the technology, it’s how you use it and the impact it has on the learner. The confidence that we have developed through these partnerships has given us the confidence to try things, and discard technologies that haven’t worked for us.”
The partnership with JISC TechDis has also facilitated more strategic work through the Specialist Colleges Advisory Group. Derwen was recently involved in producing a paper on e-safety for specialist colleges – a contribution that is relevant for the whole sector. The college’s involvement with The Association of National Specialist Colleges (Natspec), has given Derwen the opportunity to highlight good practice across the UK.
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“We have gone from being a college relying on a few networked computers and an ISDN line to being an example of best practice. We just couldn’t have done it without these relationships”
Russell Pentz (Learning Resources Centre Manager, Derwen College) |
Impact on learners
Derwen’s confidence has allowed them to tap into technologies that the learners are familiar with such as mobile phones and video cameras. It has also allowed staff to keep ahead in order to challenge the learners further.
Russell says, “The learners love using different technologies. They are more in control and really take ownership of their learning, particularly when we introduced e-portfolios. They are the ones who take the lead and value the importance of capturing evidence to celebrate what they do. They have developed new skills as well as their confidence.”
The college has also developed confidence to use technologies which can present safety concerns such as social networks, as Russell explains:
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“Because we are a residential college, students expect to access sites that everyone else is using. If we didn’t have that confidence, we would be blocking access and preventing them from exploring and experimenting with new technologies, which is not something we want to do.”
Russell Pentz (Learning Resources Centre Manager, Derwen College) |
Derwen is currently involved in a number of e-learning projects and continues to push the boundaries. The college is in constant communication with the RSC, JISC TechDis and JANET UK, and attributes its success to the continued support from these services.
Key messages
- RSCs can help providers develop their ILT strategy, and provide a wealth of information and expertise on the uses of technology in teaching and learning
- JISC TechDis often provide opportunities for providers to bid for funding for e-learning projects
- The JANET connection propelled the college into the world of technology
- The collaboration of all three services has had a great impact on the specialist colleges sector. Alison Boulton, Chief Executive of The Association of National Specialist Colleges (Natspec) says, “Collaboration can be particularly effective when a receptive organisation with a history of innovation is offered the chance to tap into the expertise of others. Derwen College is an excellent example of this in practice, where a specialist college quickly understood the benefits to learners from engaging with technology. The whole college approach adopted by Derwen has been crucial, ensuring that staff across the college promote technology with confidence, knowing that there is always support available.
Many other specialist colleges have productive partnerships with their local RSC and also benefit from their JANET connection and innovative thinking from JISC TechDis. These colleges often find themselves at the leading edge of technology, devising creative ways to increase learners’ independence and enhance their learning. Technology has had an impact on all our lives over the last decade or so, but for disabled people it really has opened up exciting new opportunities and working collaboratively has ensured that these opportunities are taken up positively and shared widely.”
Case Study Video
Further information
Derwen College
JISC Regional Support Centres
JISC TechDis
JANET UK