Priority themes from pre-meeting questionnaires

1. Priority themes from pre-meeting questionnaires

2. Priority themes from pre-meeting questionnaire

3. Facilitating progression • Targeted groups: rural communities, farmers, those disadvantaged through the digital divide. • Widening participation by raising aspirations and then provide appropriate support to non-traditional students once they’re in HE • Transfer of learner information between FE and HE partners

4. Facilitating progression • Empowering graduate retention • Looking at progression right the way through from 14-16 into FE and HE • Data sharing between colleges in a region • Enlargement of level 2 participation • Increasing participation in learning post-19 • Information and transition to HE for young people with disabilities • An ePortfolio framework to support APEL and CAT processes.

5. Sharing resources and collaborative teaching • Training people to teach using e-learning. • Collaborative teaching and sharing of resources across institutions, at foundation degree level • Making HE students in FE feel part of the HE institution • Linking FE and HE colleges’ VLE resources, and promote links in from CTCs • Flexible, modular delivery of foundation degrees • Collaboration across NTIs in developing courses • Addressing the aspiration-attainment gap for the AimHigher client group by making available “bite-sized” accredited learning opportunities across a wide spectrum of subjects at FE/HE level.

6. Sharing resources and collaborative teaching • Providing relevant learning modules to support work-based learning for learners with large employers (NHS) or SMEs. • Subject focus mentioned: • E-Business • IT - Web Development, Digital Imaging, Networking, Internet, Wireless Communication, new media • Basic skills • Key skills • Design and technology • Health informatics

7. Supporting the independent lifelong learner • Systems which deliver tools and information from a range of sources to the learner at home, in the workplace or community centre • Exploring how eLearning systems, tools and resources can be used within a community. • Sustainable community e-learning -- making communities/ learning centres self-sufficient in supporting/developing the infrastructure. • Support in the workplace for students who are employed – eg part time students

8. Afternoon Session Feedback from Regional Groupings

9. Lancs and Cumbria • Current activities/interests • supporting FE students learning in HE • encouraging progression from 14-16 as well as post 16. • supporting staff within institutions to use e-learning • explore how a learner can realise their aspirations to gain access to HE. • empowering communities using ICT, in rural areas use existing network etc. • Encourage progression at all ages to enter all stages of education in geographical communities • Network West. NTI Initiative and AimHigher activities

10. Lancs and Cumbria • Create a development framework in East Lancashire Regional, to provide a support network. Looking at developmental routes for non-traditional learners eg technicians. • e-Portfolio for learners in SME and education. • Building on the NTI – New Technology Initiative • Digital Development Agency – could provide a basis for some of the projects.

11. Lancs and Cumbria • Address issue of distance between populations with the region • Increasing aspiration – to encourage participation in HE. Building on the Aim Higher. • Welcomed this opportunity to consider how outputs form JISC development projects can be used to realise and address real issue at local level.

12. Merseyside • Would like to use technology to make information and sign-up about courses and modules available to learners • Building on an existing initiative in the region – JMU and Liverpool • Each institution retains control over their courses, but students can pick from a wider pool of modules • More choices for the learner • Actual courses can be delivered in any way: face to face, blended, or e-learning

13. Merseyside • Can chunks of learning be offered through this mechanism to non-traditional learners and those new to HE? • This would raise a number of issues: • Need to be able to transfer learner records and learner data between participating institutions • Students need support in making choices about which courses to follow next – how would this be provided? Supported by electronic PDP? • How would these courses be reached out to learners new to HE? • How would these new learners be supported in their HE experience?

14. Merseyside • Subject focus – suggested that it might be appropriate to start with healthcare – clearly involves work-based learning • Another initiative that could be built on is PGCert North – informal collaboration and resource-sharing network. • Resources were primarily developed for PG Cert in Education, but many are also relevant to other trainers • Might they also be useful to prepare students for the HE experience?

15. Merseyside • Liverpool Hope are interested in making use of their existing networks into schools in the region to bring learners from non-traditional backgrounds into HE – and supporting these learners once they’re in HE

16. Greater Manchester • Bolton Uni • Progression FE – HE • Existing consortium • Greater Manchester Strategic Alliance • Consensus on FDs GMFD • Different teaching environments • NHS – Health Care Teaching • Whole region • FE HE

17. Greater Manchester • MMU • UniLinks Whiteboard Virutal Presence+ • JORUM • Demonstrate Interoperability • Flexible Learning and Support • Cultural Impact of using eLearning • Pedagogy / Technology balance.