Key Outputs

SHELL: Southwest Hosts Enhancing Lifelong Learning

University of Plymouth

Developing and piloting a multi-institutional lifelong learning record based on qualifications across a geographically dispersed partnership. The project aimed to provide single registration processes for students at their college, access to online learning materials at the University, long-term access to a lifelong personal learner record and smoother transition between institutions.

Key outputs

• Specification of a qualifications-based multi-institutional learner record
• Administrative portal for single registration of students
• Learner record web site
• Student portal with provision for selection of visual preferences to support accessibility
• ioNode middleware solution for brokering messages and providing data exchange between otherwise incompatible systems
• ioAgent hub interface transport mechanism
• ioNode test bed infrastructure for transferring learner information to a learner record and testing the interoperability of new applications

MUSCLE: Managed University, School, College, Learning Environments

Blackpool & the Fylde College

Supporting lifelong learning across different educational sectors and institutions by sharing and exchanging electronic learning resources and learner record data.

Key outputs

• Issues papers on organisational and cultural issues for sharing learner records and resources across schools, colleges and university:
• Placing the VLE/MLE project in the institutional strategy context
• Organisational and cultural issues
• Personnel issues in MLE/VLE interventions

Progress Files and PDP

Loughborough College

Exploring the use of learner profiles developed in FE through Progress File, how they could be developed electronically and effectively transferred to support PDP in HE.

Key outputs

• A learner-focused electronic Progress File to capture and present learner data from the student record system, combined with a process for encouraging student reflection
• Use of ACCLIP for enhanced accessibility and personalised learning opportunities
Variants have been developed for use in schools (key stages 3 and 4), adult learning and HE.
• Successful piloting of transfer of UKLeaP compliant student data between the Loughborough College e-Progress File and the Loughborough University e-PDP system
• Guidance pack and staff development programme for staff and learners on e-Progress Files and Individual Learning Plans

Delivering a Foundation Degree through a Managed Learning Environment

University College Worcester

Exploring the use of technology to facilitate the effective delivery of Foundation Degrees across a partnership.

Key outputs

• Issues papers and reports, including:
• Key factors for successful Foundation Degrees
• The Quality/IT/Resource triangle
• Partner institution staff requirements
• Development Cycle Reports:
• Institutional registration processes
• Implementing web services
• Staff attitudes to e-learning
• Student IT skills
• Partner college access to facilities
• A case study on the problems and positives of embedding e-learning in a Foundation Degree for mature students with mature tutors

Specifying an e-Portfolio

University of Nottingham

Developing a technical framework for enhancing the learner information contained in a web-based personal statement, as part of a more flexible HE admissions process, responsive to the needs of a wider range of applicants. Work with UCAS provided the catalyst required for the complete UCAS system to be mapped to UKLeaP.

Key outputs

• Specification of an e-portfolio to enhance the learner experience and aid progression
• Learner data transferred from City eProgress File to University system to support wider access to HE
• UCAS systems mapped to UKLeaP and learner data transferred between UCAS and the University
• Illustration of implementation of structured personal statements mandated by HEIs via web services
• Set of documents proposing a soft template for structured personal statements providing enhanced learner information linked to UCAS Course Entry Profiles and PDP
• Integrative methodology for developing scenarios and building use cases
• Various issues papers and executive briefings:
• Developing scenarios of policy and practice
• Issues for employers
• Integrating an e-portfolio within a University and the wider community
• Reference model and map of use cases for achieving sustainable lifelong learning
• Scottish perspective on pedagogical issues
• European perspectives and developments

Implementing the e-College Wales MLE

University of Glamorgan

Evaluating the effectiveness and consistency of learning, teaching and administration and support facilities provided by the e-College Wales MLE for online distance learners supported by the University and a network of partner colleges.

Key outputs

• Various reports and papers including:
• Benchmarking Report - initial views of course designers, tutors and student
• Viable Systems Modelling Report - examination of functional areas using VSM methodology providing a detailed picture of the management communications and control channels
• Quality and Management Report - evaluation of the effectiveness and consistency of quality management across the partner college network
• Reports on the views of various stakeholder groups including technical support staff, tutors, senior managers, graduates and withdrawn students

TransPortALL: Transfer of Portfolios Assisting Lifelong Learning

University of Liverpool

Exploring the issues around supporting learners through the transition from a college and university, in the context of a degree course in Psychology, where the first two years took place within a partner FE college, and the final two years at the University. The project extended the use of the University of Liverpool online PDP system to the college, and trialled its use with students in order to support learners as they moved from a high support context (college) to a low support context (university).

Key outputs

Recommendations for those responsible for the provision of PDP particularly relating to learners who are moving from one educational context to another, where there may be a decreasing level of individually-delivered support for learning.

NIIMLE: Northern Ireland Integrated Managed Learning Environment

Queen's University Belfast and Belfast Institute of Further and Higher Education

Building a cross-institutional MLE for the Northern Ireland region to support collaboration between FE and HE institutions and facilitate the mobility of the lifelong learner. The portal also included a pathways service to all courses in the region as well as providing students with access to their records of achievement.

Key outputs

• Integrated MLE for institutions in Northern Ireland, giving students access to a lifelong learning record through a web portal.
• Technical infrastructure - central portal server and eighteen partner institutional servers, software configuration for secure data transfer through an implementation of the IMS specification Enterprise Web Services (ESWS), producing a sustainable and scalable solution
• Portal research and evaluation - methodology for assessing the functionality and evaluating portals
• PDP service supporting student reflection on educational and career options
• Consortium agreement and data protection model for data sharing across partnership
• Report on the effectiveness of ESWS for secure data transfer
• Case study describing the potential impact of the NIIMLE services for the learner and for institutional business processes

PROSPERO: Processes for Support of Personal Development Records Online

Queen Mary, University of London

Exploring the challenges facing work-based learners on degree courses in terms of how they join up their learning

Key outputs

• Open source 'personalised learning environment' designed to complement students' learning and promote personalised, reflective learning
• Competency management functionality allows the upload of competencies specified in an RDCEO format and their association to particular degree module
• Mechanisms allow administrators to carry out tasks associated with course management, including timetabling and updating learner profile information Learners can compile a portable, exportable e-portfolio that can be shared with course tutors and employers

UEO: Union Education Online

Stow College, Glasgow

Providing nationally enrolled training for union representatives through a UK-wide network of colleges, with centrally hosted learning materials. Project partners included the TUC and Open Learning Partnership.

Key outputs

• How to Guides:
• Moderation Guide
• Managing data-flows between partners
• UML activity diagrams
• Case Study on TUC Online Enrolment
• Paper on effective project management 'Stating the obvious? A project management method which works'

Legal Study

University of Bristol, Centre for IT and Law

Exploring the legal and records management issues relating to the concept of the lifelong learner record. Assessment of the legal risks to the main objectives of the lifelong learner record including linkages to external data sources.

Key outputs

• Report assessing the legal risks to the main objectives of the lifelong learning record
• Assessment of the legal risks that might arise in relation to the wider use of lifelong learning record data including linkages to external data sources
• Short FAQs on:
• Legal Aspects of e-Portfolio Systems
• Data Protection, Lifelong Learner Record Systems and e-Portfolios
• Consortia Agreement
• Report on a consultation with selected professional associations on national developments regarding the lifelong learner record and e-portfolios

Lifelong Learning Support Project

Centre for Recording Achievement

Providing a focus for consultation, development and acceptance by the community and the implementation of e-standards to support the implementation of lifelong learner records.

Key outputs

• Website serving as a resource for projects and a signpost for other members of the PDP community
• Collation and presentation of scenarios of use from the MLEs for Lifelong Learning programme, with supporting material
• Developing scenarios of practice - a short overview of the scenarios approach
• Report on developing and implementing a methodology for reviewing e-portfolio products
• Generic guidance for institutions implementing PDP through e-portfolio