[senit] [Junk released by Allow List] Re: learning platform

Thanks for the useful info and links Sean. Is anybody doing anything

speaking as me rather than as Becta - although will pass along your concerns to those in this area who can speak as 'Becta'...

Sally - the sort of functionality and lifetime service you're talking about is what we're calling an E-portfolio, or just Portfolio.  again, like a learning platform, it isn't necessarily a single product but is a combination of technologies which gives access to a set of function  (or services) pretty much as you described.  It is anticipated that while at School a student would access their portfolio through the learning platform but this needn't be the only means of access.  How they access their portfolio wen they have left Schools rather depends on where they are within the system and what provision the respective local authority has in place.

Sean: continuity and sustainability are the exact reasons that we have a Becta learning platform procurement framework.  we have done our best to quality assure service providers so that by opting to purchase through the framework you have the best possible chance of a successful business relationship.  the framework isn't an approved list of products, it is a quality assuredset of service providers. What they provide you with depends wholey on what you ask them for (assuming they agree to supply it). - even down to named products.  you as a customer detail your requirements, and then run a mini competition between framework members to purchase what you asked for.

you most certainly should feel able to include meeting individual needs within your statement of requirements.

the Becta framework does include some access provision but this is there as a safety net and a test of the suppliers to meet a requirement layed down by us - if you have requirements state them. Ours are a minimum, not a benchmark.

Adrian Higginbotham
Project manager: Learning services
Becta
Tel: Direct dial 024 7679 7333 - Becta switchboard 02476-416994.
Email: Adrian.Higginbotham at becta.org.uk
Web: http://www.becta.org.uk/
BECTA, Millburn Hill Road, Science Park, Coventry, CV4 7JJ 

-----Original Message-----
From: senit-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk [mailto:senit-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk] On Behalf Of Sean O'Sullivan
Sent: 29 February 2008 20:26
To: senit at lists.becta.org.uk
Subject: [Junk released by Allow List] Re: [senit] learning platform

Hi Sally,

that's a very pertinent point in today's commercial services world.  
Individual schools, or whole LAs or RBCs may buy into learning platform solutions for their current students, but as time moves on of course we need to feed new students in and may quite reasonably feel that it's not fair to have to sustain the costs of keeping students online who are no longer on our roll. Equally, whether we do or don't accept such ongoing costs, what about the commercial supplier who goes out of business or gets bought up? I think that over the next few years we'll see a flurry of suppliers that get whittled down as one buys another out; obviously a big risk for us is that as SEN groups we have particular needs which may get overlooked or dropped by the big players down the line.

It's an issue that's not really been addressed by the general government spiel, and I don't know if anyone from Becta can shed more light on current thinking in this area?

Best,
Sean

Sean O'Sullivan
sean.frankwise at easynet.co.uk
Headteacher
Frank Wise School, Banbury
http://www.frankwise.oxon.sch.uk

http://www.parkroadict.co.uk

On 29 Feb 2008, at 16:17, Sally Paveley wrote:

> Thanks for the useful info and links Sean.  Is anybody doing anything 
> similar with PDAs?
>
> Am I right in thinking that once you are provided with space on a 
> learning platform then you can keep that space.  If so for how long?  
> Wouldn't it be great if our students could build up archives of their 
> achievements, connections with friends and fun activities that they 
> could carry on using and adding to beyond school into their adult 
> lives?
>
> Sally
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Sean O'Sullivan" 
> <sean.frankwise at easynet.co.uk
> >
> To: <senit at lists.becta.org.uk>
> Sent: Wednesday, February 27, 2008 10:57 PM
> Subject: Re: [senit] learning platform
>
>
>> Can I just chip in on this discussion? In between other things this  
>> past year I've been trying to research (a Becta grant) what options  
>> there are for learning platforms suitable for pupils with cognitive  
>> learning difficulties.
>>
>> The features I've been looking for have been: The ability to have   
>> symbols (as in Widget, PCS, not just designer icons) embedded in the  
>> interface; scanning support, a clean and simple interface that 
>> reduces  complexity without making it unnecessarily childish, built- 
>> in tools to  minimise the barrier of literacy such as at least a 
>> sound recording  tool, possibly a video tool (as in YouTube), and 
>> intuitive steps for  navigation right from the login stage through to 
>> tasks such as  choosing a person to send a message to, or storing a 
>> piece of your  work. I know from discussions with several developers 
>> that getting the  thinking of how supportive tools like these work 
>> threaded right the  way through a structure, rather than only 
>> existing on the first level,  is one obstacle to tackle.
>>
>> Some way back last year I came across My People and Places, being 
>> developed over in Swansea, and I do have to say it was way ahead of
>> anything else I'd seen at the time. like any software, it was   
>> developing as it went along, so things like being able to choose   
>> contacts from actual photos rather than just text names or the rather  
>> inadequate attempt to move in the icon direction of avatars were 
>> still  ideas to create rather than being shown up and running.
>> But definitely  some very good thinking there, and the audience was 
>> based on adults  with learning disabilities, so pretty well suited to 
>> the school  population of people with cognitive learning 
>> difficulties.
>> http://www.mypeopleandplaces.com/
>>
>> Recently, I've had a chance to see UniServity and RM's Kaleidos.  
>> From what I've seen of UniServity they have already successfully 
>> integrated symbols (and you can apparently choose to use Widget, PCS, 
>> or both),  have built in sound recording tools, and even a login 
>> option based on  clicking a sequence of images as a 'code'
>> that can be an approach  instead of having to type a text string in. 
>> Maybe not a perfect  solution, but moving in a good direction.
>> Apart from the focus on  meeting the needs of people with learning 
>> difficulties, their general  approach is very refreshing in terms of 
>> the emphasis on what I think  they term 'connected communities'
>> with really effective tools that  seem to be pretty easy to use for 
>> the teachers in schools to make good  educational use of.
>> http://www.uniservity.com/
>>
>> Another platform I'm interested in is StudyWiz, but at the moment I'm  
>> not aware of what they've achieved so far in meeting the needs of  
>> users with special needs. I do think that they have a very healthy  
>> attitude to innovation, and do know that they've been in discussion  
>> with at least one LA to develop an interface/tools to meet the needs  
>> of users with learning difficulties.
>> http://www.europe.studywiz.com/?page_id=2
>>
>> I think the work Inclusive are doing with Kowari is a powerful 
>> opportunity. At the moment, what I've seen of Kowari is that it 
>> offers  a childish interface, and the messaging is still essentially 
>> grounded  in the textual world of email. What I would hope to see is 
>> that their collaboration with Inclusive can result in their expertise 
>> combining  with deep SEN awareness to produce something  we would all 
>> want to buy  into.
>> http://www.simica.com/news.php?id=2
>>
>> I'd be very interested to hear of everyone else's views on these and 
>> other options that have been found.
>> Regards,
>>
>>
>>
>> Sean O'Sullivan
>> sean.frankwise at easynet.co.uk
>> Headteacher
>> Frank Wise School, Banbury
>> http://www.frankwise.oxon.sch.uk
>>
>> http://www.parkroadict.co.uk
>>
>>
>>
>> On 27 Feb 2008, at 19:08, Trish Hornsey wrote:
>>
>>> Again - commercial interest
>>>
>>> Apologies that the website has not been updated. The Kowari folk are 
>>> working so hard at development of the software .....
>>>
>>> I am asking the guys in the know to respond, but meanwhile if anyone  
>>> is going to the Education Show at NEC this week stand SN-X6, you 
>>> will be able to see it for yourselves. (or at the NAACE Conference 
>>> next
>>> week)
>>>
>>> Essentially each student has email, a journal, an activity area and 
>>> a place to store work. They can log on at school or from home, so 
>>> work  is shared.
>>> Email can be very simple, doodling, pictures, right up to something  
>>> that functions like standard email.
>>> The journal can be for a diary use, or the teacher or parent can 
>>> make additions as reminders etc.
>>> The activity area can hold and run software designed to run online, 
>>> links to websites etc.
>>>
>>>
>>> Trish Hornsey | Director
>>> Inclusive Technology Ltd
>>> Riverside Court, Huddersfield Road
>>> Delph, Oldham OL3 5FZ
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