NewsFeed | RSCs Scotland
Fortnightly bulletin from the Scottish Regional Support Centres
10th October 06
Welcome to the latest edition of Newsfeed, designed to bring you up-to-date information on the current issues relating to the use of ICT for teaching and learning. As always, we welcome feedback on NewsFeed (or any RSC service you may have used) through either of the Scottish RSC websites.
As always, we welcome feedback on NewsFeed (or any Regional Support Centre service you may have used) through the RSC website.
1. New look for the JISC
JISC UK
Last week saw the launch of the revamped JISC UK (Joint Information Systems Committee) website. As well as an updated look there is improved functionality, easier searching, RSS feeds for latest news, funding opportunities and upcoming events. See for yourself at www.jisc.ac.uk.
JISC Collections
To coincide with the new JISC UK website, JISC Collections has also launched its new web site designed to make it easier to find everything you need to know about resources in the JISC Collections portfolio, licences and other relevant information.
Intute
Remember too that the RDN (which used to be known as the Resource Discovery Network) has been re-branded as Intute. The FE section in particular has been revamped and includes new tools and case studies incorporating lesson plans and student activities. All is revealed at www.intute.ac.uk.
2. JISC news
Survey of UK university/college staff and students
JISC is conducting a review of the role of a national Internet search and training service for UK universities and colleges. Please help to ensure that views from the Higher and Further Education community are taken into account by filling in this short online survey.
A £50 Amazon voucher will be awarded each week the survey runs. The Deadline is 25th October 2006.
New bibliographic e-resource hailed by librarians and publishers
A major new resource giving librarians access to a wealth of information on key academic resources was launched last week. The free resource, developed by JISC Collections in association with Nick Andrews Consultancy, provides quick and easy comparisons of the major bibliographic and citation databases currently in use by the academic community, including Web of Science, Scopus, ABI Inform, British Humanities Index and many more.
Read more on the JISC website.
Social Networking Toolkit
Over the summer, while many of us were sunning ourselves and taking it easy, those tireless folk at JISCinfoNet were turning out their latest 'infokit'. This one is on 'Social Networking' and describes the software that supports group interaction – and how to use it.
3. News from JISC Legal
Accessibility Law Webcast on 15 November 2006
The JISC Legal Accessibility Law Webcast on 15 November 2006 is going to be an intensive session of presentations and questions and answers on the legal issues of accessibility in the development and delivery of e-learning materials and access to online content. For updates and further information keep checking the JISC Legal website at: http://www.jisclegal.ac.uk
New publications for Autumn 2006
JISC Legal has several new publications in the pipeline for this autumn covering topical and relevant areas of technology and the law. Watch out for:
- Podcasts and the law
- Intellectual Property Rights in Student
- Discussion Groups, Chat Sites and the Law
- Performance Rights and Moral Rights in FE and HE
- The Database Right
- Digital Rights Management and the Law
- Data Sharing and the Law in FE and HE Administration
- E-Repositories and the Law: Deposit Checklist
- Web Streaming and the Law
More details on the JISC Legal publications page.
4. Scotland's Colleges: unlocking opportunity
Colleges are vital to the growth of Scotland’s economy according to a new report from the Scottish Executive. A monetary value has, for the first time, been placed on the contribution that Scottish colleges make to enhancing the skills of the country's workforce. Launching the report, 'Unlocking Opportunity', Deputy First Minister Nicol Stephen said that the findings outlined the breadth of the activities that colleges undertake in transforming the lives of hundreds of thousands of learners each year. "Colleges are pivotal to lifelong learning. They help drive economic growth and tackle poverty and disadvantage. We are currently investing £598 million on colleges in 2006/07, rising to £615 million in 2007/08".
The study shows that for every £1 invested in Scotland's colleges the economy benefits by at least £3.20, a big return on investment.
5. Support for deaf learners
Creating accessible PowerPoint materials for deaf learners
A new case study created by James Watt College of Further & Higher Education in partnership with the RSC South & West and TechDis has been published. The materials themselves, a case study of how it worked with learners and a case study outlining the production process and issues that arose are availabe through RSC Scotland South & West's website.
TechDis - Watch Words - deaf awareness for tutors
A unique feature in Watch Words, new materials from TechDis the JISC specialist service on accessibility, is the video simulation "Try It Yourself" where the user changes places with a deaf student to participate in a lesson delivered solely in sign language. This provides a powerful insight into the isolation someone can feel when facing accessibility barriers.
Visit the TechDis website.
BRITE Centre Guide to Support for Deaf Students
This interactive resource has been developed for students who are deaf, or have hearing loss, and the people who work with them. Featuring contributions from students and professionals in Scottish FE colleges plus experts from organisations providing services to deaf people, the guide features information on a range of support options and technology.
Full details on the Brite website.
6. New resources & useful websites
Fifteen years of the Web - a timeline
This is a nice little resource from the BBC - a timeline "to trace the explosion of the web from a tool used by a few physicists to an indispensable part of everyday life". Fifteen years of the web.Free image software guide from TASI
TASI (the JISC specialist service on digital images) has just published a brand new advice document: Using GIMP software for teaching and research. GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) is a free open source image editing program with a comprehensive set of tools comparable to those available in commercial software such as Adobe Photoshop. This guide, also available in a print-friendly PDF version, looks at the GIMP features of most use to those wanting to use images in teaching and research.
Download GIMP software for free and get free advice on using GIMP fromTASI.
Dimdim – web conferencing service
Looking for a free web conferencing service for your live, e-learning sessions? Dimdim is Open Source web conferencing software which can show presentations, applications and desktops to any other person over the internet. You can chat, show your webcam and talk with others in the meeting and all without leaving your favourite chair. Try it at www.dimdim.com.
Notemesh
NoteMesh is a free service that allows college students on the same course or the same classes to share notes with each other. Notemesh works by creating a wiki for individual classes that all users can edit.
NVU – A complete free web authoring system
Finally! A complete Web Authoring System for suitable for Windows and Macintosh and Linux users to rival programs like FrontPage and Dreamweaver. NVU (which stands for "new view") makes managing a web site a snip. Now anyone can create web pages and manage a website with no technical expertise or knowledge of HTML.
7. The Learner Driver Conference - videos available
Downloadable files of the keynote presentations from this prestigious conference which took place this May are now available from the Learner Drive Conference website. Highlights include:
- Looking to the future: transforming learning in Scotland (Dr Bill Harvey, Deputy Director of Learning & Teaching, Scottish Funding Council)
- Looking to the US: A transatlantic perspective on the transformation of learning (Dr Carol Twigg, President and CEO of the National Center for Academic Transformation, New York)
- Putting into Practice a Learner Centred Vision (John Stone, Chief Executive, Learning & Skills Network)
8. More podcasting
Podcasting basics
An "introductory course on the basics of educational podcasting, designed for educators wanting to find out more about this topic". The course, produced by Recap Ltd from West Yorkshire, is delivered using Moodle guest access is available.
Podcasts from SETT
There are 47 podcasts from the Scottish Learning Festival (formerly known as SETT, which took place on 20-21 September in Glasgow) now available from the Scottish Learning Festival website and iTunes.
9. Graduates drawn towards 'talent magnet' Scotland
The number of graduates leaving Scotland's FE and HE institutions is at an all-time high, and a record number are staying here to work. So says the Herald.
10. ALT-C Conference highlights
Last month saw the 13th International ALT-C conference held at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh. The title of the conference was The Next Generation with themes on next generation learning, learners, technology and providers. Interest in personal learning environments and the effect their widespread use will have on institutions was high. A report on the conference highlights can be viewed at the JISC e-Learning Focus website.
11. Conferences and events
VLEs: Pedagogy and Implementation, 16th – 19th October 06
The theory and practice of learning platforms and virtual learning environments. This four day online conference is aimed at everybody who is responsible for using and implementing learning platforms, including Virtual Learning Environments, in education. It has two themes: Pedagogy: looking at the teaching and learning aspects of using learning platforms. Implementation: looking at issues around the implementation of learning platforms.
VLEs: pedagogy and implementation website.
About the Academy and JISC workshop – 2nd & 3rd November 06
Building a Partnership for Higher Education! The Higher Education Academy (the Academy) and the JISC are currently engaged in a number of collaborative projects, programmes and activities to support the effective use of e-learning in UK HE. This two-day event aims to:
- Explore current priorities and future plans
- Share ways of working and approaches to sector engagement, providing a context for the new brokerage service
- Identify potential areas for further collaboration
- Explore the mechanisms for effective partnership working
More details and booking instructions.
Digital Curation Conference 2006 – 21st & 22nd November (Hilton Hotel – Glasgow)
With a particular focus on Digital Data Curation in Practice this conference will address different aspects of the curation life cycle including managing repositories, educating data scientists and understanding the role of policy and strategy. More details and booking instructions.
12. Training from the RSCs in October & November
RSC South & West
- 12th & 13th October: Macromedia Flash MX 2004 Application Development
- 23rd - 27th October: MOC 2400c Implementing and Managing Microsoft exchange server 2003 (5 days)
- 24th October: Managing Change 31 st October – Blogs, Wikis and Social Networking
- 1st November: Effective eLearning with Moodle
- 7th November: Making Your Computer more Accessible - Changes You Can Make for Free!
- 14th November: Effective Management of eLearning: JISC InfoNet
- 15th November: Change Management: JISC InfoNet
RSC North & East
- 11th October: Introduction to videoconferencing
- 26th October: Blogs, Wikis and Social Networking
- 27th October: Writing for the Web
- 2nd November: Information Skills: Is Google Enough?
- 3rd November: Train the Trainer
- 9th November: CSS - A Complete Web Style Toolkit
- 10th November: Accessibility, Usability & Your Web Site
The full listing of all the workshops currently being run by both RSCs in Scotland is available at: