Last updated 27 May 2010

Teaching and Learning



eCPD - What's in it for leaders and managers?

What are the strategic challenges for leading technology in your organisation in relation to continuing professional development (CPD)?

  • Have you examined how technology can change the relationship between tutors and learners?
  • How are you supporting your tutors to build their confidence and maturity in using technology and working outside traditional boundaries?
  • How do your tutors stay up - to - date with new e-learning approaches?
  • To what extent are you confident that tutors are using technology to support outstanding teaching?
  • Are you engaging and retaining more learners by designing e-learning into your programmes?
  • Are you using well-proven online approaches to help you meet these challenges? The LSIS eCPD programme will help you to tackle one of the most fundamental challenges facing leaders - developing the expertise and skills of teachers in using technology to enhance learning.

"You need to get engaged with the eCPD programme. This training programme is the business. It really can positively transform teachers' attitudes towards e-learning"

What is the eCPD programme?

The eCPD programme is made up of two elements:

  • Professional Development Advisers (PDAs) who, working strategically with senior and operational managers, ensure that organisational approaches to the effective use of technology are made and sustained; and
  • E-Guides who are trained to teach and support colleagues to use e-learning and technologies within their practice.

Combined, these two elements provide a strong and coherent focus on using technology to enhance teaching and learning across the whole learning and skills sector, and fulfil part of the Institute for Learning's (IfL's) 30 hour (or pro rata) continuing professional development (CPD) requirement.

The programmes also form a cornerstone in the delivery of the employability strand of Becta's Harnessing Technology for Next Generation Learning.

eCPD online training programmes

[As at 30 March 2010] 641 PDAs and 30 Advanced PDAs, and 722 E-Guides and 30 Advanced E-Guides across the learning and skills sector have been trained to develop their understanding of e-learning and to champion e-learning approaches across the organisations.

Online versions of the PDA and E-Guides training are currently in development and will be available on the OLS soon for supported self-study. Featuring a wealth of stimulating activities and resources, users can enrol on the programmes and undertake a series of guided tasks which, on completion, will demonstrate their achievement of either PDA or E-Guide status.

The programmes also provide invaluable resources for existing PDAs, Advanced PDAs, E-Guides and Advanced E-Guides who are supporting the professional development of colleagues by cascading the training within their organisations.

eCPD Online Learning Space (OLS)

With an ever-growing membership of over 3600* practitioners and 70,000 visitors, the OLS provides a first-rate community of practice for e-learning. Practitioners create groups, contribute to forums and share their successful approaches and useful resources.

Managers with responsibility for CPD will find this site an invaluable resource for promoting e-learning.

You will find:

  • an eCPD framework which provides a nationally recognised structure for professional development;
  • an interactive CPD planning tool which has been designed to mirror and align with the structure of the IfL REfLECT tool; and
  • resources and case studies generated by PDAs and E-Guides and practitioners across the sector.

Harness these powerful online resources to underpin your strategy for eCPD. Get involved with the eCPD programme at http://ecpd.bdplearning.com


LSIS Guide to Services 2010-11

The new LSIS Guide to Services is out today highlighting the extensive range of programmes on offer to the learning and skills sector.

The guide, entitled LSIS: accelerating the drive for excellence, provides an overview of all the programmes LSIS offers as well as highlighting forthcoming events and resources available to the FE sector.

The comprehensive 57-page prospectus also features guidelines on how to enrol on a programme or sign up for a conference with all the programmes categorised by symbols to enable practitioners, leaders, managers and organisations to find exactly the courses geared for them.

Information on all the other services LSIS provides is also featured as well as details on signing up for an LSIS account- the virtual credit scheme which allows organisations to pay for courses and conferences.

Download the guide

 

The LSIS QCF Readiness Provider Support Programme.

Are you ready for the QCF (Qualification & Curriculum Framework)?

The LSIS QCF Readiness Provider Support Programme offers flexible support for managers and practitioners from colleges and learning providers.

Consultancy support is available to assist organisations to develop action plans to implement the QCF. Bespoke training is also available for practitioners to develop their understanding of the QCF and how to exploit its flexibilities to deliver responsive provision which meets the needs of employers, learners and communities.

You can register to hear the latest news from the programme by subscribing by email to the e-newsletter.  Copy the following in to the subject line of your email "subscribe to QCF e-news".

To view the latest issue of QCF e-news, please click here.