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Londonlearning news update

March 2011

Londonlearning CMS shows ICT has an impact on educational outcomes

The Londonlearning Course Management System provides schools with a modern, effective tool to monitor the impact and use of ICT across the curriculum.

Many teachers believe that Londonlearning’s online courses in  ICT actually empower teachers and learners, transform teaching and learning processes from being highly teacher-dominated to student-centered, and that this transformation results in increased learning gains for pupils and help develop learner autonomy. Many teachers also think that using ICT in class offers capacity to change the very nature of pupil learning. Surprisingly, given the scale of investment in ICT there have been very limited surveys to support what many teachers ’know’, and what the pupil assignment evidence in the Londonlearning Course Management System demonstrates.

It is worth recalling, one survey -The big picture: The Impact of ICT on Attainment, Motivation and Learning (2003) helpfully summarized and discussed some large-scale studies on the impact of ICT. The key findings from this review were that:

• Generally something positive happens to the attainment of pupils who make (relatively) high use of ICT in their subject learning
• School standards are positively associated with the quality of school ICT resources and quality of their use in teaching and learning, regardless of socio-economic characteristics
• Use of ICT in class generally motivates pupils to learn
• Achieving positive impact of ICT on attainment, motivation and learning depends critically on the decisions of schools, teachers and pupils on how it is deployed and used

The study suggested that ‘ Overall, the weight of evidence presented here suggests clearly that ICT provision and pupil ICT use do in fact impact positively on pupil attainment and on school standards – though there is no definitive study demonstrating causality’,

It also found that the effective use and impact of ICT varies, considerably, between subjects.

The Londonlearning CMS now empowers schools to carry out a more up-to-date survey.

February 2011

UK wide IT competition open for 9-11 year olds

Over 230 schools have already registered for Make IT Happy. And over a hundred MPs and members of the House of Lords have pledged their support to Make IT Happy. 

Make IT Happy is an annual competition for primary schools, run by the Parliamentary IT Committee (PITCOM) in association with e-skills UK, and designed to showcase the exciting and inspiring work that schools do in IT. It is now in its fifth year, the competition is a chance to highlight pupil’s skills and compete for substantial prizes.

The theme of this year’s Make IT Happy is ‘Pass IT On’, with schools being challenged to show how they use IT to connect with others and make a positive impact on their lives. Schools might choose to showcase how IT is used to bring parents and grandparents into the school; or help younger children or community groups make the most of the school’s facilities; or perhaps show how pupils are making longer-distance links with schools overseas. Many schools use the internet to help young people share experiences with their peers in the developing world, or to connect with service personnel overseas.

Being recognized by MPs for their IT skills is a great incentive for many of the schools that enter Make IT Happy – but there are excellent prizes on offer too, generously sponsored by the Nominet Trust and the Institution of Engineering and Technology. 12 winning schools will be awarded £1,200 - one from each of the UK’s regions and nations. Additional cash prizes of £4,000, £2,500 and £1,500 will be awarded to those placed 1st, 2nd and 3rd overall. Winners will also be invited to a day out in London, culminating in an awards ceremony at the Houses of Parliament.

Registration is now open at http://makeithappy.cc4g.net/Make-it-Happy-2011/Register/

Entries must be submitted by April 10. The prize-giving will take place on June 28 2011.

November 2010

First home educated learner to achieve national ICT qualification with Londonlearning

Parents of young people between the ages of 11 and 18 being educated at home in the United Kingdom will join Londonlearning in congratulating Sam Connolly from Aylesbury in Bucks in achieving the Institute of Administrative Management’s Award in ICT.

Sam is the first young person in the UK to achieve the qualification who is not attending a school or college full time. The IAM Award in ICT is broadly similar to a GCSE Grade A* -C pass, so Sam can add this vocationally related qualification to his other qualifications already achieved, that include IGCSE History A*, Maths A, English A, and Physics A.

Sam, a keen swimmer, musician and wood carver studied the Londonlearning course at home for over a year. He developed his IT competency using the interactive course online tutorials and online assessment exercises and applied his IT skills to submit an online portfolio of assignments where he demonstrated how he could apply his skills.

“Sam submitted an excellent iportfolio of assignments demonstrating his application of ICT” said Londonlearning’s Connie Elsner, “he can show any future employer or University his actual competence. We congratulate Sam and his family and are certain that Sam will excel in his future studies. We wish him every success”.

Note: The IAM Award in ICT qualification has been superseded in the national Qualifications and Credit Framework by the new IAM Level 2 Certificate in IT User Skills (ITQ) (QCF).

October 2010

HMC conference in London addressed by Secretary of State for Education

Shaping the future and reaching out to business and wider communities were platform themes at the annual HMC conference held at the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge, London; so Londonlearning’s emphasis on modern online learning and improving the ICT capabilities of young people is well placed to support the UK’s leading independent schools in this important area.
During the conference Londonlearning was pleased to share with delegates the latest research from e-Skills UK on the opportunities and requirements involving the country’s key Telecoms and Business & Information Technology sectors. Headteachers from the leading independent schools in the country visited the Londonlearning exhibition stand and learnt more about the role of the IT sector and particularly how their schools can use Londonlearning online courses to reach a wider learning community.

The Secretary of State for Education, Michael Gove, MP, addressed the conference and applauded the excellent education that HMC schools provide. He said he wanted every pupil in the state sector to have the same high quality education that pupils in HMC schools receive and highlighted the support of new Academies by some progressive HMC schools. The examples of good practice he gave are unsurprisingly Londonlearning customers.

Other key speakers at the HMC Conference included the explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes; Chair of the Independent Commission on Youth Crime and Anti-social Behaviour, Anthony Salz; and Camilla Cavendish, Chief Leader Writer of The Times.

September 2010

New ICT qualifications nationally accredited

Londonlearning is delighted to announce with the Institute of Administrative Management that its new IT User Skills qualifications are now accredited by Ofqual with a start date of 1st September. These are the full details:
501/1610/1   IAM Level 1 Award in IT User Skills (ITQ) (QCF)
501/1611/3   IAM Level 1 Certificate in IT User Skills (ITQ) (QCF) 
501/1612/5   IAM Level 1 Diploma in IT User Skills (ITQ) (QCF) 
501/1614/9   IAM Level 2 Award in IT User Skills (ITQ)
501/1613/7   IAM Level 2 Certificate in IT User Skills (ITQ) (QCF)
501/1615/0   IAM Level 2 Diploma in IT User Skills (ITQ) (QCF)
501/1616/2   IAM Level 3 Award in IT User Skills (ITQ) (QCF)
501/1617/4   IAM Level 3 Certificate in IT User Skills (ITQ) (QCF)
501/1618/6   IAM Level 3 Diploma in IT User Skills (ITQ) (QCF)

These are shown on the National Database of Accredited Qualifications (NDAQ)

August 2010

Londonlearning to offer online courses in the new ITQ framework

Londonlearning is pleased to offer its centres and individual learners the IAM ITQ in IT User Skills. The online programmes, supported by the Sector Skills Council for the IT and Telecoms Industry, e-Skills UK, will lead to the award of:

• The IAM L1 ITQ Award, Certificate and Diploma in IT User Skills (QCF)
• The IAM L2 ITQ Award, Certificate and Diploma in IT User Skills (QCF)
• The IAM L3 ITQ Award, Certificate and Diploma in IT User Skills (QCF)

The new qualification for IT users (ITQ 2009) was developed as part of a comprehensive project that involved a full review of the National Occupational Standards (NOS) for IT users. The NOS have been brought up-to-date in the light of the rapidly changing IT user environment, and in readiness for transition to new national qualifications frameworks - the new Qualification and Credit Framework (QCF) in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) in Scotland.

The ITQ Suite comprises 9 separate qualifications: with Award, Certificate and Diplomas at each of Level 1, 2 and 3. There will not be any other qualifications for IT users accredited in the QCF.

Each ITQ unit is assigned a Level and a Credit value in the ITQ framework. The QCF is the new way of recognising skills and qualifications supported by the ITQ Framework. The QCF does this by awarding credit for Units and Qualifications. It enables learners to gain qualifications at their own pace and along flexible routes by applying ICT across the curriculum.

The accreditation for the previous IAM qualifications in ICT expires this month and therefore the qualifications built from the units below will be accredited in the new format in the new QCF from September 2010.

ITQ Units

At Level 2 the Certificate in IT user skills is 25 credits, or 43 performance points, broadly equivalent to a GCSE Grade A*-C

For further details of the application procedure to offer IAM online courses please contact: Enquiries@London-learning.com

The full specifications can be obtained from the Institute of Administrative Management: info@instam.org

July 2010

Prior Park College, Bath, enrols with Londonlearning

Prior Park College, an HMC co-educational independent day and boarding school in Bath, United Kingdom is the latest school to enrol with Londonlearning to ensure all its pupils have the ICT skills they will need for advanced study and later life.

From September 2010, all new pupils at the school will begin the e-learning course that they can access anywhere in the school and from home too. Headmaster James Murphy-O’Connor is delighted that all pupils will be able to benefit from this modern approach to learning. “We introduced the Londonlearning online courses in my former school, so I am delighted that the decision has been made that this is what we need at Prior Park too”.

Pupils will spend up to three years studying with Londonlearning with the goal of gaining national accreditation from the Institute of Administrative Management.

June 2010

Schools and Colleges prepare for ITQ at the Museum of London

IT teachers from Britain’s top schools have attended a new Qualification Briefing day held at the Museum of London. The purpose of the briefing was to introduce the new ITQ suite of qualifications that will be offered in Londonlearning centres from September 2010.
The update to the National Occupational Standards for Using IT and their associated assessment strategy are a key part of the Sector Skills Agreement for IT, where educators, employers, government and others have created a coherent strategy for IT skills based development to ensure that:

• The UK to be a world leader in its exploitation of IT for innovation, service and business competitiveness
• All individuals in the UK will have – and will continue to develop – the IT user skills necessary to participate in the e-economy
• IT user skills will enhance individuals’ employability, social lives and ability to benefit from online services

The ITQ framework is a new, simplified, flexible framework for recognising achievement in IT skills to operate throughout both the education system and industry. The ITQ framework will be used to organise and position learning qualifications within a coherent environment. From now on, all IT qualifications in the framework must now use approved Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) units. The QCF is the new way of recognising skills and qualifications supported by the ITQ Framework
The QCF does this by awarding credit for units and qualifications.
Teachers attending the day at the Museum of London broadly welcomed the new ITQ. “It enables learners to gain qualifications at their own pace and along flexible routes, I like the new flexibility it gives us” reported Derek Grainge from Wellington College.

More information on ITQ is available from the Institute of Administrative Management or the Sector Skills Council, e-Skills UK, www.e-skills.com

March 2010

NAIS Annual Conference USA
"If yours is not a ‘school of the future,’ it may not be a school with a future."
– Pat Bassett, President of NAIS

Londonlearning made lots of new contacts and friends by exhibiting for the first time at the USA’s National Association of Independent Schools Annual Conference, in San Francisco.
“We enjoyed meeting a wide range of delegates from across the USA and around the world, including CEOs, principals, teachers and councilors at this important event,” said Londonlearning’s Managing Director Gerry Barnard. “There is a realisation that if USA independent schools are to be sustainable, they have to adapt to the forms of e-learning that we are experienced in delivering, just as top independent schools in the UK have done. Schools with a future will be imaginative and quickly learn to adapt and engage online with the community, embracing Information and Communication Technology.“

One highlight of the NAIS 2010 Annual Conference was the presentation by Juan Enriquez, one of the world’s foremost authorities on how the extraordinary advances in life sciences are changing the way we live and do business. He had an important message for school leaders about how to compete effectively in the world’s knowledge economy as the digital and genomic revolutions create the wealth of the future. The founding director of Harvard Business School’s life Sciences Project made it very clear that an education in science and computing was essential for future success.

The winner of Londonlearning’s Prize Draw was Joe C. Rice, President and CEO of Mid-Pacific Institute, Honolulu, who took home a Kensington laser pointer.

Mr Rice was particularly interested in Londonlearning’s online ICT programmes that offer authentic online assessment and the opportunity to participate in peer review of electronic portfolios. At the Londonlearning stand he was introduced to how Londonlearning’s assessment provides schools with information about how much students learn, or fail to learn, in developing Information Technology skills throughout their school careers.

February 2010

NAIS Annual Conference USA, a first for Londonlearning

Londonlearning is pleased to be making new friends and exhibiting for the first time at the USA’s National Association of Independent Schools Annual Conference, in San Francisco.

With over thirty years experience of managing change in education around the world, Londonlearning’s Managing Director Gerry Barnard is looking forward to meeting many school heads, board chairs/trustees, admission directors, business directors, diversity directors, division heads and department chairs, associate heads, development directors, and teacher-leaders, against the climate of today's enormous and sometimes unsettling change.

“In San Francisco we hope to share our experience of working with the United Kingdom’s leading independent schools to tackle the similar challenges faced by our American friends. I know that teachers are often called upon to do what sometimes seems impossible, but I am confident that with our Institute of Administrative Management backing, we have much to offer that can help our USA colleagues to triumph and, therefore, all young people to succeed and grow”.

At the 2010 Annual Conference, NAIS intends to model the power of divergent thinking by profiling unique success stories and by bringing together thought-leaders who are known for their resilience, adaptability, and achievement. In addition to the Exhibitors in the Main Conference Hall there will be more than 125 one-hour workshops and speakers for delegates to attend. Thousands of conference participants will come from across the USA and over 150 international visitors have registered.

San Francisco offers a symbolically rich home for the NAIS conference, where independent school leaders will gather to change, adapt, and build new muscle for the continued challenges that lay ahead.

January 2010

Teaching Assistants train with Londonlearning

It is not only young people that are learning online with Londonlearning. Primary school teaching assistants are now being trained at St Mary Magdalene Academy in Islington to develop their own ICT skills, using Londonlearning’s e-learning course.

Annah Sigola, Head of ICT at the award winning City Academy has enrolled the adult teaching assistants so that they can soon help very young learners in the neighbouring primary school.

Earlier last year Annah enrolled a number of secondary school teaching assistants so that they too could be competent and confident in ICT at Level 2.

Teaching assistants support learners in classrooms across the curriculum at the City Academy. As pupils can access the Londonlearning tutorials and assessments anywhere at school, having a qualified teaching assistant at hand to mentor their progress is an excellent development.

December 2009

A new office in Guernsey

Londonlearning wishes all its customers and learners a happy, peaceful and successful 2010.

For the New Year we have moved to a new office in the centre of Guernsey.

Avenue House
St Julian’s Avenue
St Peter Port
Guernsey
GY1 1WA

November 2009

Confronting cyberbullies.
Londonlearning launches new online staff development programme in e-Safety

For many young people, the online world offers unprecedented opportunities to communicate, create, discover, learn and be entertained in a virtual environment.

However, we know that some people have used the internet for grooming children and young people with the ultimate aim of exploiting them sexually. We also know that ICT offers new weapons for cyberbullies, who may torment their victims via websites or text messages. We know that children and young people have been exposed to inappropriate content when online, which has sometimes led to their involvement in crime and anti-social behaviour.

Schools today must therefore be concerned with e-safety. The Londonlearning staff development programme in e-safety poses key questions for schools and teachers, the answers to which will help them to formulate effective policies, as well as to review and keep those policies up to date with today’s rapidly changing online environment.

The e-Safety staff development programme

Aim
To ensure greater understanding of e-safety issues in organisations working with children
To develop effective solutions that contribute to safe practices and safer systems for children

The programme includes:

• flexible staff development programme for in-house delivery
• e-safety policy and procedure templates
• facilitator guidance notes
• individual and group exercises
• monitoring and reporting facility for senior managers
• online resources for continuing study
• support for teachers that is tailored to their existing levels of expertise

The Londonlearning resources have been developed by expert schoolteachers, and take account of the increased capabilities and wider uses of new technologies.

To find out more about this essential online staff development programme, please contact: info@London-learning.com

October 2009

October 2009 Update

Once again, Londonlearning was pleased to support the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Annual Conference, this year held in Liverpool.

HMC Annual Conference is a key event for Londonlearning, providing an opportunity to exhibit and meet with Heads of leading independent schools from the UK, and around the world, in a relaxed, professional environment.

“As well as meeting up with some of our important customers in Liverpool, we were delighted this year to meet leaders from as far away as Bangalore and South Africa” said Gerry Barnard, Managing Director, Londonlearning.

This year the Annual Conference was opened by a head teacher, the Right Worshipful Cllr. Mike Storey CBE, Lord Mayor of Liverpool.

During the three days of seminars and presentations, delegates heard a wide variety of speakers including, Brian Barwick, Simon Singh, General Sir Mike Jackson GCB, CBE, DSO, Roger McGough CBE, and Phil Thompson, former Liverpool FC Captain.

Londonlearning, ready to meet HMC delegates, Liverpool 2009

September 2009

Breaking down the barriers to learning from home

Londonlearning’s Course Management System (CMS) now helps more and more students to study from home.

Learners are able to study for a nationally recognised qualification in ICT, thanks to improvements in Internet access for so many homes in the UK now.

“Online learning does not mean just passively sitting in front of a computer screen”, says Terry Clark at Londonlearning, “learners at home have to interact with the programmes and mark their exercises online too”.

New features in the Londonlearning CMS now enable learners to upload their assessment evidence from home, as well as allowing tutors to set different reviewers to comment on a learner’s assignment.

Terry reports that both learners who are taught at home, as well as school pupils who are doing homework, benefit from using the CMS. “We believe this is a good way for schools to reach out into the community and help break down the barriers to learning that sometimes exist.” Further information on the CMS is available by e-mailing info@London-learning.com

April 2009

Advanced ICT qualification now available in short course format

The Institute of Administrative Management will now offer unit accreditation for Londonlearning’s advanced ICT online course.

The IAM Certificate in ICT will now be available to candidates in 30 hour, short course modules, as well as the full qualification mode. Candidates not able to undertake the full 180 hour, Level 3 Certificate qualification can now study for individual Level 3 unit certification from the Awarding Body instead.

Advanced online short course modules available include:

• Programming
• Data handling
• Web design
• Internet research
• Word processing

“IAM’s decision should be very popular with our centres,” said Gerry Barnard, Managing Director, Londonlearning. “Sixth formers and FE students will find it easier to fit an online short course into their curriculum programme and pick up specialist skills for example in web design. It should also prove a popular extension opportunity for Level 2 students who complete their studies in good time”. 

Further information is available by e-mailing info@London-learning.com

March 2009

New assessment technology upgrade

Londonlearning is pleased to announce an assessment technology upgrade.

ICT centres and individual online learners can now download the latest Marking Engine Upgrades from the Londonlearning CMS, for Windows 2000-2003, XP and Vista users.

February 2009

Important information for all our customers
Londonlearning increases Server capacity to meet demand

More customers, and more products, mean Londonlearning has had to review its server capacity to make sure there is enough capacity for increased user traffic.

Consequently, we have moved to a new server farm and all ICT customers will need to know our new online address from 1^st March. Existing customers will see a click through link to the new site until the end of the month.

Londonlearning’s new address is:

http://74.50.120.150/ll-cms/ for online ICT learners

All My-iPortfolio customers will use the same address stem

http://74.50.120.150/  followed by their centre logins.

January 2009

New demo discs for learners

Londonlearning has made available three new demo discs to help new customers and online learners.

The first demo aims particularly at international customers and shows how the Londonlearning ICT courses work in Britain’s finest schools and colleges.

The second short demo shows online students how to use the course Marking Engine to assess their ICT skills….

And thirdly, another demo is available for teachers now, showing how SARA, the course online reporting system works.

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