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As part of transforming learning and teaching through the effective use of technology, a further £41 million of capital is being allocated to local authorities this year to improve the National Digital Infrastructure for their schools. The intention of this funding is to:
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help move institutions to a position where ICT is treated as a utility
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drive aggregation of demand across institutions and between Local Authorities
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achieve the highest quality services and best value-for-money for the optimum collective spend at regional or multi-authority levels
The expected procurement approach is for regional or multi-authority competitions using collaborative arrangements provided by Regional Broadband C onsortia and Becta’s national framework agreements.
This capital funding is designated as Standards Fund Grant 121a and has been allocated using the current Grant 121 formula. This is a 100% grant and match funding is not required. But Local Authorities are free to supplement it from other sources if they wish.
Authorities should consult with their schools’ forum or equivalent body and target funding to achieve maximum impact.
Building “a common digital infrastructure to support transformation and reform” is a key objective of the DfES e-Strategy: Harnessing Technology: transforming learning and children’s services, published March 2005 http://www.dfes.gov.uk/publications/e-strategy/ .
The National Digital Infrastructure is Becta’s (British Communications and Technology
Agency) model for ICT infrastructure and will meet the e-Strategy challenge of:
“Developing high-speed access to robust and sustainable e-systems for all organisations across the sectors based upon a common systems framework and technical standards for the software and systems needed to support the strategy, and providing best value ICT procurement frameworks that are available to all organisations.”
The model has four elements that combine to deliver a vision for ICT in schools and other learning settings over the next five years. It aims to:
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improve data flows within and between schools, regionally and nationally
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unify interoperable systems which provide a stable platform for learning and innovation
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reduce the technical burden on institutions, allowing them to focus on the use of technology in teaching and learning rather than its management
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introduce a coherent and reliable technology at an affordable and sustainable price
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Authorities are expected to use the extra funding to achieve the outcomes originally described in Standards Fund Grant 121 guidance in support of the e-Strategy, and in particular:
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to exceed t he Prime Minister’s target “…to deliver broadband connections to every school by 2006” (keynote speech to the e-Summit on 19 November 2002) by accelerating improvements in broadband connections, especially through increasing the coverage of schools connected to the National Education Network and by increasing the speed and capacity of connection to allow for enhanced access.
Particular attention should be given to the needs of schools that are reaching the limit of their existing connections.
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to accelerate progress towards achieving the 2008 target for
“every school learner in England having access to a personalised online learning space with the potential to support eportfolios”. This will require schools to have access to a service that conforms to, at least, the initial requirements specified by Becta
– see Annex A . To support this it would be necessary for example to: o put in place the necessary directory structures and services required to join the UK Access Management Federation for Education and Research.
Authorities and/or their Regional Broadband Consortium will need a suitably populated directory to enable learners and the school workforce to access on-line learning resources with a single username and password using
Shibboleth identity provider software see http://schools.becta.org.uk/index.php?section=lp&rid=11277
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to assist schools in the purchase of National Digital Infrastructure services through aggregated purchasing using best value frameworks such as those provided by
Becta
– these include infrastructure services
(announced 8 August 2006) , consultancy services, software licensing, interactive whiteboards, internet safety provision and soon to be announced (December 2006) learning services. For further details see www.becta.org.uk/procurement
Authorities should note that Becta is the Government's lead agency for technology in education and is putting in place standards and procurement arrangements that will ensure our vision becomes a reality.
Becta is establishing European Union (EU) compliant framework agreements to enable the procurement of technology products and services through aggregated, cost-effective arrangements that still provide for local educational institution choice. Suppliers appointed to the EU compliant frameworks have undergone a rigorous evaluation process.
Authorities should seek advice from Partnership for Schools or Becta where authorities are likely to be involved with the Building Schools for the Future programme.
Advice and guidance on implementing the National Digital Infrastructure is available at http://schools.becta.org.uk/ or from Christian Faulkner, chris.faulkner@becta.org.uk
or
024 7679 7182
Advice and guidance on DfES technology and funding policies is available from
Susan Fletcher, susan.fletcher@dfes.gsi.gov.uk
or 020 7273 5932
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1. Introduction
Schools are doing a great deal to transform learning and teaching through the appropriate use of educational technologies. Learners and teachers rightly expect easy access to more wide-ranging and continuously improving digital resources. We believe that an effective school infrastructure is an essential part of meeting these needs.
The vision for future schools infrastructure is d escribed in Becta’s Institutional
Infrastructure Functional Specifications found at: http://schools.becta.org.uk/index.php?section=lp&catcode=_le_pp_po_03&rid=11280 .
Our aspiration is that by 2010 all schools will have integrated learning and management systems. Schools and Local Authorities (LAs) should be planning towards an integrated learning and management solution that provides the full range of functionality across every aspect of school life. An intermediate target is outlined in the DfES Funding Guidance for
Schools and Local Authorities 2006-2007 which states that:
“……funding provision, in part, is for Local Authorities to ensure that by spring
2008 all schools have available to them a learning platform service with at least core functionality”.
This guidance is designed to clarify the expectations for the personalised online learning space and its relationship to the Learning Platform Services Framework for schools and to outline priorities in different circumstances. The guidance defines the initial functionality and provides a way of measuring and monitoring progress. It is important that Local
Authorities encourage all schools to take advantage of the initial service offered, where they haven’t already done so or they have a service which matches or exceeds its specification. We know that some Local Authorities, many through their Regional
Broadband Consortium (RBC), already offer schools a much wider ranging service for learners. This is very positive and we want Local Authorities and schools to be as bold as they feel able in developing their learning services. This initial requirement is not intended to inhibit ambitions.
Section 2 outlines the expected requirements for the personalised online learning space for the 2008 target. Many LAs and/or RBCs already provide elements of a personalised online learning space, although currently there are cases where coverage may not be comprehensive for all schools and access may not be available to learners beyond the school.
The Learning Platform Services Framework is designed to identify suppliers who can provide comprehensive learning services which include more complex functionality (e.g. pupil tracking) and interoperability (e.g. software interoperability). The solutions procured through this framework are expected to have an important service component and are considered to be the next step from the entitlement offered within the personalised online learning space target. Becta is putting the framework in place and it will be available from early 2007 for LAs and other groups to procure from and ensure best value for money.
LAs and/or RBCs are expected to review their current provision and choose the most appropriate next steps which will be in line with the national targets for provision in 2008 and 2010:
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where the functionality in section 2 does not exist, it is expected that the LA (where appropriate working in association with the RBC) will ensure this level of provision and the associated access is available by 2008
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where the functionality is provided but coverage or potential for access does not match the requirements, it is expected that the LA (where appropriate working in association with the RBC) will ensure the appropriate access is available by 2008
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in all circumstance, but in particular where the functionality and potential for access is provided, LAs should consider carefully the next steps for working towards the
2010 target. In this situation the new framework for Learning Platform Services will provide a vehicle for procurement of more comprehensive services. When a body uses the framework they conduct a mini-competition across the approved suppliers in which they offer a Statement of Requirement, which whilst it will be based on the functional and technical requirements of the framework, in most instances will need to interoperate with parallel or legacy systems
2. Requirement for a personalised online learning space
The actual provision may vary between schools, LAs and RBCs but the common requirements should include the three areas of functionality and appropriate access to the service as outlined below:
1 Communication: Communication and collaboration tools to enable both peer - peer and peer - mentor dialogue
Communication and collaboration tools can be delivered using two main methods:
1.1 emails or messaging that may be one to one or one to many. These are push technologies where the recipient usually receives the message without taking any action other than accessing the email service
1.2 discussion boards where all approved participants can access common areas and may make contributions which are publicly readable. These are pull technologies where the user is usually required to visit the discussion area to obtain updates
Some systems combine the push and pull methods by sending a notification when there is any change to a discussion.
The expectation is that both email (or messaging) and discussion boards will be provided. It may also be assumed that exchanges in both methods can be monitored by teachers
2 Individual Working Space: Individual online working spaces, for the school workforce and pupils
Individual online working space is expected to include private file storage where other users can be given permissions to read. In the case of pupils this should include parents.
It should include some degree of personalisation, i.e. welcome screens that
“recognise” the user, and where the user can alter or configure layout and interfaces to some degree.
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It would be desirable if those with particular visual needs could be supported by the capacity to select appropriate font size and colour and screen background colours.
This would most commonly be provided as a web-based, hosted service.
3 Management: Tools to enable teachers to create and manage digital content to match user needs and learning styles and to report on usage
Teachers should be able to create or adapt existing digital materials, where required linking them to other online resources and then make them available to appropriate groups or individual pupils.
There are many tools that enable teachers to create digital content, such as appropriate word processors, art applications or on and off-line html editors. These may be external to the service but the assumption is that once resources are created they can be loaded in to the service and offered to users.
The requirement to match user needs and learning styles is not one which is expected to be provided inherently by the tools, but is at the teacher’s and/or learner’s discretion. However, the functionality offered must support this e.g. offering the ability to mix visual, audio, textual and other material in their offerings.
With regard to reporting on usage, tools should include summary reporting on the usage of the service as well the content, and as a minimum offer users the opportunity to confirm they have accessed or completed a task/activity.
Functionality to enable teachers and learners to manage more sophisticated digital content is included in the Learning Platform Framework. It includes authoring, tagging, searching, packaging, sequencing and so on.
4 Access: Safe and secure, anytime, anywhere access
Safe and secure means protecting the user from inappropriate content and ensuring data security and integrity, commonly achieved through appropriate use of user identification to manage access rights for appropriate parties. This also means that in any work within the system, particularly when using collaboration tools, users can be reassured that others using the system are known to be bona fide users so that online safety can be assured.
Enabling anytime, anywhere learning means that the service must be accessible from a range of devices with internet access enabled and that the service is available continuously, subject to maintenance agreements.
However, it may not be practical to ensure 24 hour access to all areas or all resources, particularly if a mentor is needed to monitor the service or there are commercial resource licence restrictions. At the very least, a user must be able to have anytime anywhere access to their individual working space from 2 above, in order to complete assignments; must be able to load and download their own files; and must be able to use standard asynchronous communication tools as in 1 above.
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