City of Wolverhampton College

Year 1: Learning2Go further 2007/2008

Learners to be involved in the ‘Learning2Go further’ project are primarily those in workplaces remote from their responsible institution, those working across institutions (typically school plus college) and others with demands based on their mobility.

Devices that are standardised in both hardware and software configuration are being issued to tutors and learners. It is expected that relevant employers will be drawn into the use of technology for communication across the learner–teacher–mentor triangle.

The Wolverhampton project has a different timescale from other MoLeNET 2007/08 projects, with learners not receiving mobile devices until September 2008.

College and Project Background

The ‘Learning2Go further’ project builds on five years of experience implementing individualised handheld computing in Wolverhampton, mainly at primary school level with some secondary involvement, to extend across the 14–19 sector. It is a project that brings together what are felt to be the key institutions and partners in enabling true transformational education in the 14–19 sector.

This project combines the full local authority Learning2Go experience with the College and 14–19 provision in one scheme, so that progression through the education system will be seamless from the point of view of the client – the learner who should experience minimal disruption to their learning in their transitions across institutions, from key stage to key stage or from school to college to workplace. This approach is reflected in the Wolverhampton LA e-Strategy which has as its mission statement: ‘Placing children, young people and their families at the heart of an e-enabled system’. It is also at the heart of the Wolverhampton Building Schools for the Future strategy for change, as effective transition for learners and pedagogical transformation are seen as crucial. The mobile device could/should be the hub for the learner through which they access their learning platform and its resources – with increasing familiarity over time. ‘Learning2Go further’ is an integral step to achieving this area-wide strategic vision.

This is an ambitious project that seeks to combine and build on the established and nationally recognised Wolverhampton 14–19 city-wide collaborative approach to curriculum delivery and award-winning Learning2Go initiative in partnership with City of Wolverhampton College. The project will extend the use of data-enabled technology within learning contexts facilitated through the city-wide 14–19 curriculum framework that affords learners access to genuine “personalised, wherever, whenever” learning. These contexts include pre-cursors for the introduction of the first five lines of the Diploma, the Raising Awareness and Achievement (REAch) programme, the innovative programme to address inclusion in key stage 4 and employed work-based Apprenticeships.

The project has been delayed as a result of device procurement issues including fixed-cost connectivity and online safety factors. The College is ready to launch from September 2008 and the schools involved are being revised in the light of events. Some school groups are already identified for launch in September, others will follow shortly thereafter.

Learners to be involved are primarily those in workplaces remote from their responsible institution, those working across institutions (typically school plus college) and others with demands based on their mobility. Devices that are standardised in both hardware and software configuration are being issued to tutors and learners. It is expected that relevant employers will be drawn into the use of technology for communication across the learner–teacher–mentor triangle.

Project outline

The academic year 2007/08 has been a time of preparation, hard work and above all realisation that large-scale initiatives of this type need careful and measured planning to bring together all the necessary partnerships and procedures if they are to lay the foundations for growth and sustained development.

‘Learning2Go further’ is an ambitious project that seeks to combine and build on the established and nationally recognised Wolverhampton 14-19 City-wide collaborative approach to curriculum delivery and award winning Learning2Go initiative in partnership with City of Wolverhampton College. The project, coordinated by Wolverhampton Learning Partnership, will extend the use of data-enabled technology within learning contexts facilitated through the city-wide 14-19 curriculum framework that affords learners access to genuine personalised, wherever, whenever learning. These contexts include pre-cursors for the introduction of the first five lines of the Diploma, the Raising Awareness and Achievement (REAch) programme, the innovative programme to address inclusion in key stage 4 and employed work-based Apprenticeships.

Project aims

To provide mobile broadband connectivity to learners independent of their family circumstances thereby reducing the negative effects of the digital divide
To enable learning to be carried out, recorded and reviewed regardless of location, in line with the needs of the 1419 Reform programme.
To develop an insight into the logistics needed in the case of a learning partnership like Wolverhampton when switching to mobile devices to increase learner access, in preference to other technologies (Tablet PCs, desk or laptops).
To assess the effectiveness of mobile devices to: (a) widen access to technology-enhanced learning – not only be able to access the internet at home but also while travelling between locations and on an on-demand basis when in any of their formal learning locations (school, college, Work base); (b) to assess the sustainability of such an approach. In assessing sustainability the project will record the logistic demands, appropriateness of the devices and changes in pedagogy and the amount and type of centralised support needed; (c) to report the benefits to interested parties. The final report will be presented to the Wolverhampton City Strategy and Development Board, the Wolverhampton Learning Partnership Board and the LSN.
To have a positive effect on learner attainment through improved access to personalised learning, via mobile devices. Specifically, access to the software components that form a key strand of the City-wide 14–19 infrastructure: my-iPlan.com (web-based individual learning plan) Area-Prospectus.com (the local virtual learning environment) and associated formative processes embodied in CARD (Choosing a Real Deal) taster and progression activities. Increase and improve communication between tutors, mentors and other staff with learners in diverse locations for more effective learner management, mentoring and assessment for learning.
To develop new pedagogies relevant to the learners and subjects in the target cohorts, which exploit the technologies provided.
To enable more effective engagement of employers and other third sector stakeholders involved in the provision and delivery of learning to the target cohorts.