A couple of months ago my daughter came home from school with an interesting new project: everyone in her year group was being asked to imagine what the classroom of the future might be like.
After a few weeks of frantic activity, parents were invited to school to view the children’s creations. There were models made of papier-mâché, Lego, and even shoe boxes and old loo roll holders. My daughter decided to make an entire model school in Minecraft on her iPad.Fast forward to late January 2015 and all eyes were on Bett 2015 this week, opened by education secretary Nicky Morgan - who also happens to be my constituency MP. In her speech, Nicky launched the report of the Department for Education’s independent think tank the Education Technology Action Group (ETAG).ETAG, chaired by Bournemouth University’s Professor Stephen Heppell, has also been imagining the classroom of the future. In this blog post I thought it would be interesting to compare their conclusions.ETAG's view of the learning landscapeA graphic by ETAG member Bryan Mathers from City and Guilds summarises the group’s perspective on what the learning landscape of 2025 (or perhaps even 2020) will look like.The ETAG report makes 19 pragmatic recommendations that the group believes will help us to prepare for this new reality. Some of these are principally about establishing a level playing field in terms of core infrastructure services, eg high speed internet connectivity and a safe, secure and resilient organisation-wide wireless network. These could be viewed as potential capital projects to ensure equitable provision across schools, colleges and universities.The ETAG report makes 19 pragmatic recommendations that the group believes will help us to prepare for this new realityAlongside the pure technology plays, ETAG also make a number of recommendations that are about developing digital skills. For example: a “digital Duke of Edinburgh Award” scheme to inspire learners and enhance employability outcomes, and a programme of continuous professional development for staff which would showcase, reward and celebrate innovation in digital technologies.The group felt strongly that the voice of the learner should feature in all of this, such as digital residents from what they called the ‘iPad generation’.Forward-thinking[[{"fid":"2281","view_mode":"default","type":"media","attributes":{"height":"263","width":"350","class":"media-element file-default media--left"}}]]Talking to my own digital resident, I was struck by the fact that she had constructed a school which was practically a self-contained community, with technology seamlessly woven into its very fabric. Her school scored well on sustainability, with wind turbines and solar panels for power, and composting toilets. It had practically every wall usable as a screen, and of course all the children had tablets and computers at hand when required.At the same time the school also featured its own farm, growing vegetables and farming animals for the children to look after. At break time the children would collect eggs from the school chickens to give to the cook, and after some practice (and a few hints and tips) even I eventually learned how to dye a sheep in Minecraft – a vital skill that would sit nicely on any LinkedIn profile.the key message of the ETAG report is all about bringing the technology we now use every day into the classroom and lecture theatreAs my daughter and I discussed her project, I was reminded of our Jisc Digital Festival, and last’s year’s keynote speaker Sugata Mitra’s School in the Cloud initiative, which is all about giving children just the right amount of encouragement to support their own self-directed learning. In a world where technology is ambient and ever present, learners can potentially range far and wide beyond the narrow boundaries of the material that is present in the school or college library, set texts and so on.For me the key message of the ETAG report is all about bringing the technology we now use every day into the classroom and lecture theatre. Albert Einstein once said “never memorize something you can look up”, and there is a real sense in which today’s digital technologies may well mark ‘the end of remembering’, as I recently suggested in Jisc’s technology foresight and horizon scanning activity.Technology access for allHowever, there is a big ‘but’ here: many learners do not have home broadband and access to a device of their own. I was therefore particularly pleased to see the ETAG report reference the Open University’s Your Own Technology Survey (YOTS) project, which is aimed at giving schools a snapshot of the technology that their pupils have access to – including whether they are allowed to bring their own device to school.many learners do not have home broadband and access to a device of their ownYOTS is aimed at schools, but is just as relevant to colleges and universities. I hope to use it in the near future in collaboration with the FE Sussex college consortium to explore their options in connection with implementing the government’s targets for online delivery following last year’s FELTAG recommendations.How might it work?I recently visited the Perry Beeches II Free School in Birmingham, and learned from pupils that they were able to use the school facilities for long periods outside of formal school hours. This gave them access to a comfortable and safe working space with state of the art facilities in what is one of the most deprived boroughs in the UK, and I was delighted that Perry Beeches was recently rated outstanding in all categories by Ofsted, with a 97% pass rate at A level.Assessment and accountabilityThe ETAG report also looks at assessment, accountability and issues around collection of learner data and the uses to which it is put. This became a hot button topic after the failure of analytics firm InBloom. The scandal around InBloom led to the development of the Student Privacy Pledge, which now has 91 signatories including the likes of Apple, Google, and Microsoft, and the support of President Obama. I should mention in passing here that we recently launched a Jisc code of practice for learning analytics as part of our learning analytics co-design challenge.Looking aheadSo there we are – do take a look at the ETAG report, and let us know what you think about its recommendations. As Stephen Heppell says in the foreword “this is not a time to stand still or to simply finesse the past”, but at the same time we have to square our enthusiasm for progress and continuous improvement with the realisation that it could easily mean ever-increasing workloads for teachers, lecturers and administrators.we have to square our enthusiasm for progress with the realisation that it could mean ever-increasing workloadsI will close by reiterating the report’s key messages about access and inclusion, much which could be facilitated centrally by a supporting agency, and bringing everyday technologies into the classroom and lecture theatre.As my daughter and her friends say when I ask them a tricky question, “just Google it, Daddy!”On Monday 19th January, partners, associates and supporters of The Community Matters Partnership Project (CMPP) come together to reflect on the accomplishments of the Partnership over the past year and to celebrate the collaboration with our chosen charity, The Gaming Zone (TGZ). The CMPP is a group of local companies and organisations working together as a local network to engage and support their local community. The College is proud to be a member along with many other local organisations.
The event was held at The Aviator Hotel, who generously provided the room and a delicious afternoon tea and was hosted by Andrew Lloyd, CEO of Rushmoor Borough Council and the newly elected Chair of CMPP. During the event Adrian Sadler from Farnborough International spoke about his personal highlights for 2014 and Cllr Sue Carter, Rushmoor Borough Council and Tracy Clement, CEO of TGZ were on hand to present awards to thank companies for their involvement and contributions to CMPP and the community throughout 2014. Katy Marlow, Community Engagement and Events Coordinator said "I'm proud to have been able to accept the award on behalf of the College, which highlights the support, hard work and commitment given to the local community by both students and staff."
Christine Eustace, CMPP Project Manager was delighted to be able to present TGZ with a cheque for £55,000, the collective total funds raised by the partnership over the past two years. In addition to the support to our chosen charity, the partnership has raised £102,625 and given 12254 hours of volunteering hours to the local community.
Moving into 2015 the Partnership have taken a new spin on fundraising and will now be looking to fundraise for local projects which aims to raise aspirations and progression in young people. With this in mind, the End of Year Event was the host for our first fundraiser in 2015, The Grand Prize Draw. The total raised is yet to be confirmed but is the region of £8,000! Thank you to everyone who bought tickets and donated prizes.
On Monday 19th January, partners, associates and supporters of The Community Matters Partnership Project (CMPP) come together to reflect on the accomplishments of the Partnership over the past year and to celebrate the collaboration with our chosen charity, The Gaming Zone (TGZ). The CMPP is a group of local companies and organisations working together as a local network to engage and support their local community. The College is proud to be a member along with many other local organisations.
The event was held at The Aviator Hotel, who generously provided the room and a delicious afternoon tea and was hosted by Andrew Lloyd, CEO of Rushmoor Borough Council and the newly elected Chair of CMPP. During the event Adrian Sadler from Farnborough International spoke about his personal highlights for 2014 and Cllr Sue Carter, Rushmoor Borough Council and Tracy Clement, CEO of TGZ were on hand to present awards to thank companies for their involvement and contributions to CMPP and the community throughout 2014. Katy Marlow, Community Engagement and Events Coordinator said "I'm proud to have been able to accept the award on behalf of the College, which highlights the support, hard work and commitment given to the local community by both students and staff."
Christine Eustace, CMPP Project Manager was delighted to be able to present TGZ with a cheque for £55,000, the collective total funds raised by the partnership over the past two years. In addition to the support to our chosen charity, the partnership has raised £102,625 and given 12254 hours of volunteering hours to the local community.
Moving into 2015 the Partnership have taken a new spin on fundraising and will now be looking to fundraise for local projects which aims to raise aspirations and progression in young people. With this in mind, the End of Year Event was the host for our first fundraiser in 2015, The Grand Prize Draw. The total raised is yet to be confirmed but is the region of £8,000! Thank you to everyone who bought tickets and donated prizes.
An affordable cloud-based infrastructure has been launched by Jisc and the University of Leicester to manage a growing volume of data that is overwhelming medical researchers. The Biomedical Research Infrastructure Software Service (BRISSKit) platform seeks to make data sharing and collaboration easier, saving time and reducing infrastructure costs.
The post Data platform launched to encourage more efficient medical research appeared first on Efficiency Exchange.
Constitutional experts have raised concerns over the division of responsibilities between the UK and Scottish Governments, following the publication of draft legislation on greater devolution to Scotland. Academics have suggested that the draft legislation raises more questions than it answers in several areas.
The most evident of these areas of confusion is the concept of ‘no detriment’, the notion that the actions of one government should not harm another.
On Devolution
Professor Michael Keating, Director of the CCC, explains that:
“’Detriment’ could be read more widely to cover tax competition. So if Scotland were to abolish Air Passenger Duty and divert traffic from Newcastle to Edinburgh airport, England might complain about the lost revenue. Wealthy residents could be lured across the border by different taxes on high incomes.
“Determining what should count as ‘detriment’ will remain politically contentious and technically complex.”
On Tax
This lack of clarity on the issue of taxation policy is also problematic, explains CCC Fellow Professor Paul Cairney:
“The rhetoric has been about greater financial responsibility and accountability but, in fact, what they have produced is a confusing system providing a complex interplay between reserved and devolved taxes. The result is great confusion about what tax-and-spending decisions we can meaningfully describe as being made by the Scottish Government.”
On Welfare
In the area of welfare the draft legislation increases the powers of the Scottish Government but also its dependence on UK policymaking, says Professor Nicola McEwen:
“The draft clauses reveal the complexity of the new arrangements. At the same time as increasing powers, it also increases the Scottish parliament’s dependence on UK policy and decision-making.
“In the area of welfare, the draft clauses specifically create concurrent powers, where new powers given to Scottish ministers to affect the delivery of Universal Credit will be shared with the UK Secretary of State, and subject to his agreement. Similar provisions are established in relation to energy efficiency, where the Scottish government will be given the power to ‘make schemes’, through regulation, for the purposes of reducing fuel poverty, subject to the agreement of the UK Secretary of State.”
Across a range of policy areas there will be a greater need for new approaches to intergovernmental relations and greater clarity and communication based on mutual respect and cooperation. Professor McEwen continues:
“These and other complexities point towards a need for much closer and ongoing intergovernmental collaboration between the Scottish and UK governments, way beyond the Joint Ministerial Committee. Unless such joint working can be conducted on the basis of equality of status and mutual respect, the complexities and interdependencies are likely to create new sources of tension and dissatisfaction, and lead to growing pressure for a further revision of the devolution settlement. The Prime Minister’s hope that today’s announcement will lead to ‘an enduring settlement’ may seem forlorn.”
ENDS
Experts believe that perhaps the greatest area of potential need and growth for 3-D printing is in the medical field. Indeed, in April 2013 The Wall Street Journal ran: ‘Next to Use 3-D Printing: Your Surgeon’.
At RAFT we see ourselves playing a major role in this amazing future through a collaboration with the UCL Eastman Dental Institute. This will provide for a three-year PhD scholarship to research using 3-D medical printing to treat major bone problems in the facial, head and neck region due to congenital deformities, cancer or trauma.
Defects in this area are extremely hard to treat and currently, reconstructive surgeons rely on metal implants or external prosthetics – both of which are associated with particular problems.
According to surgeons, there is a risk of corrosion with metal implants that can lead to metal toxicity, while the use of external prosthetics impairs aesthetic functions that can lead to pa...
» more
We're at BETT 2015 this week chairing the Technology in Higher Education Summit - a space for higher education professionals to share ideas, future-gaze and streamline technology decision-making. It's day three and today Jisc's Tim Marshall has been chairing a series of sessions on maintaining your institution's competitiveness. Here, Tim runs through some of the day's highlights, including discussions on using technology to boost national student survey scoring, lecture capture as standard, and collaboration between industry and universities in the form of MOOCs.
Find out more at http://www.bettshow.com/Content/Technology-in-Higher-Education-Summit
Jisc's very own digital festival, #digifest15 takes place in Birmingham on 9th and 10th of March. You can book your ticket now by visiting www.jisc.ac.uk/digifest
Collaboration in procurement is nothing new, but is becoming ever more important as universities seek to double their capital spending, Rex Knight writes.
The post The benefits of collaboration in procurement appeared first on Efficiency Exchange.
In October 2014, the University of Dundee was awarded a £2 million Institutional Strategic Support Fund (ISSF) from the Wellcome Trust. This follows £3 million previously awarded in October 2011 over a 3-year period. The ISSF provides UK-based universities flexible funding, which they are required to match, to invest in areas of strategic importance and thereby supports a diverse range of initiatives. It is particularly encouraged to invest in areas of unmet need such as early careers, collaboration and interdisciplinary initiatives.
The Centre for International Studies and Diplomacy (CISD) at SOAS, University of London has entered into a formal, multi-year collaboration with the Global Mechanism (GM), the financial facility of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).
City College Plymouth’s new university-level course guide for 2015/16, showcasing all of their Foundation Degrees and Higher National Certificate courses, is now available.
Foundation Degrees are two year, full-time, degree-level courses which are the equivalent to studying for the first two years of an Honours Degree at university. They can be converted to an honours degree by completing a final year at university. They are designed in collaboration with employers and offer students the opportunity to combine academic study with the skills and attributes needed in the workplace.
The guide also includes information on the range of part-time Foundation Degrees and Higher National Certificates the College offers, making further study more accessible to those who want to remain in employment.
The College’s guide has been designed with the input from a number of focus groups - to ensure that the College is providing information that prospective students really want.
Sam Smith, Digital Marketing Officer at the College, said: “People looking to enrol on a university-level course are savvier than ever - they want to know exactly what value they are getting from a course, or a college or university, and demand to be better informed about what they can expect.”
The guide has a full page of information on each course, which includes a section on progression routes and the all-important job prospects a student can expect after completion.
Sam continued: “We also understand that deciding to take your studies further is a difficult decision at the moment, so we wanted to make sure that our guide was as clear and straight forward as possible.”
To find out more, the College is holding an Open Day on Saturday 7 February between 10.00am and 1.00pm at its Kings Road site in Devonport. For further information or a free copy of the guide please contact the College on 01752 305300 or visit our publications page.
Printing for Progress
Back in 2013, Wall Street Journal ran the headline ‘Next to Use 3-D Printing: Your Surgeon’. It is a belief that we share at RAFT. At RAFT we see ourselves playing a major role in this amazing future through collaboration with UCL. Our research goal is to develop a 3-D printed scaffold which can be customized to the exact size to repair defects in the head and neck region caused by trauma, cancer and congenital disease.
“We are working on...
» more
The Royal College of Music (RCM) used the London Universities Procurement Consortium's consultancy services on a cleaning contract in collaboration with the Royal College of Art and Heythrop College. Through the consultant's management of the process, the RCM saved £9,000 and also achieved other significant benef
The post Procurement consultancy – LUPC – case study – January 2015 appeared first on Efficiency Exchange.
The common room has been phased out of some Higher Education institutions in the name of efficiency. But writing in Wonkhe, Paul Greatrix observes that the need to encourage more collaboration may see its return.
The post Could the common room be coming back? appeared first on Efficiency Exchange.
A couple of months ago my daughter came home from school with an interesting new project: everyone in her year group was being asked to imagine what the classroom of the future might be like.
After a few weeks of frantic activity, parents were invited to school to view the children’s creations. There were models made of papier-mâché, Lego, and even shoe boxes and old loo roll holders. My daughter decided to make an entire model school in Minecraft on her iPad.Fast forward to late January 2015 and all eyes were on Bett 2015 this week, opened by education secretary Nicky Morgan - who also happens to be my constituency MP. In her speech, Nicky launched the report of the Department for Education’s independent think tank the Education Technology Action Group (ETAG).ETAG, chaired by Bournemouth University’s Professor Stephen Heppell, has also been imagining the classroom of the future. In this blog post I thought it would be interesting to compare their conclusions.ETAG's view of the learning landscapeA graphic by ETAG member Bryan Mathers from City and Guilds summarises the group’s perspective on what the learning landscape of 2025 (or perhaps even 2020) will look like.The ETAG report makes 19 pragmatic recommendations that the group believes will help us to prepare for this new reality. Some of these are principally about establishing a level playing field in terms of core infrastructure services, eg high speed internet connectivity and a safe, secure and resilient organisation-wide wireless network. These could be viewed as potential capital projects to ensure equitable provision across schools, colleges and universities.The ETAG report makes 19 pragmatic recommendations that the group believes will help us to prepare for this new realityAlongside the pure technology plays, ETAG also make a number of recommendations that are about developing digital skills. For example: a “digital Duke of Edinburgh Award” scheme to inspire learners and enhance employability outcomes, and a programme of continuous professional development for staff which would showcase, reward and celebrate innovation in digital technologies.The group felt strongly that the voice of the learner should feature in all of this, such as digital residents from what they called the ‘iPad generation’.Forward-thinking[[{"fid":"2281","view_mode":"default","type":"media","attributes":{"height":"263","width":"350","class":"media-element file-default media--left"}}]]Talking to my own digital resident, I was struck by the fact that she had constructed a school which was practically a self-contained community, with technology seamlessly woven into its very fabric. Her school scored well on sustainability, with wind turbines and solar panels for power, and composting toilets. It had practically every wall usable as a screen, and of course all the children had tablets and computers at hand when required.At the same time the school also featured its own farm, growing vegetables and farming animals for the children to look after. At break time the children would collect eggs from the school chickens to give to the cook, and after some practice (and a few hints and tips) even I eventually learned how to dye a sheep in Minecraft – a vital skill that would sit nicely on any LinkedIn profile.the key message of the ETAG report is all about bringing the technology we now use every day into the classroom and lecture theatreAs my daughter and I discussed her project, I was reminded of our Jisc Digital Festival, and last’s year’s keynote speaker Sugata Mitra’s School in the Cloud initiative, which is all about giving children just the right amount of encouragement to support their own self-directed learning. In a world where technology is ambient and ever present, learners can potentially range far and wide beyond the narrow boundaries of the material that is present in the school or college library, set texts and so on.For me the key message of the ETAG report is all about bringing the technology we now use every day into the classroom and lecture theatre. Albert Einstein once said “never memorize something you can look up”, and there is a real sense in which today’s digital technologies may well mark ‘the end of remembering’, as I recently suggested in Jisc’s technology foresight and horizon scanning activity.Technology access for allHowever, there is a big ‘but’ here: many learners do not have home broadband and access to a device of their own. I was therefore particularly pleased to see the ETAG report reference the Open University’s Your Own Technology Survey (YOTS) project, which is aimed at giving schools a snapshot of the technology that their pupils have access to – including whether they are allowed to bring their own device to school.many learners do not have home broadband and access to a device of their ownYOTS is aimed at schools, but is just as relevant to colleges and universities. I hope to use it in the near future in collaboration with the FE Sussex college consortium to explore their options in connection with implementing the government’s targets for online delivery following last year’s FELTAG recommendations.How might it work?I recently visited the Perry Beeches II Free School in Birmingham, and learned from pupils that they were able to use the school facilities for long periods outside of formal school hours. This gave them access to a comfortable and safe working space with state of the art facilities in what is one of the most deprived boroughs in the UK, and I was delighted that Perry Beeches was recently rated outstanding in all categories by Ofsted, with a 97% pass rate at A level.Assessment and accountabilityThe ETAG report also looks at assessment, accountability and issues around collection of learner data and the uses to which it is put. This became a hot button topic after the failure of analytics firm InBloom. The scandal around InBloom led to the development of the Student Privacy Pledge, which now has 91 signatories including the likes of Apple, Google, and Microsoft, and the support of President Obama. I should mention in passing here that we recently launched a Jisc code of practice for learning analytics as part of our learning analytics co-design challenge.Looking aheadSo there we are – do take a look at the ETAG report, and let us know what you think about its recommendations. As Stephen Heppell says in the foreword “this is not a time to stand still or to simply finesse the past”, but at the same time we have to square our enthusiasm for progress and continuous improvement with the realisation that it could easily mean ever-increasing workloads for teachers, lecturers and administrators.we have to square our enthusiasm for progress with the realisation that it could mean ever-increasing workloadsI will close by reiterating the report’s key messages about access and inclusion, much which could be facilitated centrally by a supporting agency, and bringing everyday technologies into the classroom and lecture theatre.As my daughter and her friends say when I ask them a tricky question, “just Google it, Daddy!”On Monday 19th January, partners, associates and supporters of The Community Matters Partnership Project (CMPP) come together to reflect on the accomplishments of the Partnership over the past year and to celebrate the collaboration with our chosen charity, The Gaming Zone (TGZ). The CMPP is a group of local companies and organisations working together as a local network to engage and support their local community. The College is proud to be a member along with many other local organisations.
The event was held at The Aviator Hotel, who generously provided the room and a delicious afternoon tea and was hosted by Andrew Lloyd, CEO of Rushmoor Borough Council and the newly elected Chair of CMPP. During the event Adrian Sadler from Farnborough International spoke about his personal highlights for 2014 and Cllr Sue Carter, Rushmoor Borough Council and Tracy Clement, CEO of TGZ were on hand to present awards to thank companies for their involvement and contributions to CMPP and the community throughout 2014. Katy Marlow, Community Engagement and Events Coordinator said "I'm proud to have been able to accept the award on behalf of the College, which highlights the support, hard work and commitment given to the local community by both students and staff."
Christine Eustace, CMPP Project Manager was delighted to be able to present TGZ with a cheque for £55,000, the collective total funds raised by the partnership over the past two years. In addition to the support to our chosen charity, the partnership has raised £102,625 and given 12254 hours of volunteering hours to the local community.
Moving into 2015 the Partnership have taken a new spin on fundraising and will now be looking to fundraise for local projects which aims to raise aspirations and progression in young people. With this in mind, the End of Year Event was the host for our first fundraiser in 2015, The Grand Prize Draw. The total raised is yet to be confirmed but is the region of £8,000! Thank you to everyone who bought tickets and donated prizes.
On Monday 19th January, partners, associates and supporters of The Community Matters Partnership Project (CMPP) come together to reflect on the accomplishments of the Partnership over the past year and to celebrate the collaboration with our chosen charity, The Gaming Zone (TGZ). The CMPP is a group of local companies and organisations working together as a local network to engage and support their local community. The College is proud to be a member along with many other local organisations.
The event was held at The Aviator Hotel, who generously provided the room and a delicious afternoon tea and was hosted by Andrew Lloyd, CEO of Rushmoor Borough Council and the newly elected Chair of CMPP. During the event Adrian Sadler from Farnborough International spoke about his personal highlights for 2014 and Cllr Sue Carter, Rushmoor Borough Council and Tracy Clement, CEO of TGZ were on hand to present awards to thank companies for their involvement and contributions to CMPP and the community throughout 2014. Katy Marlow, Community Engagement and Events Coordinator said "I'm proud to have been able to accept the award on behalf of the College, which highlights the support, hard work and commitment given to the local community by both students and staff."
Christine Eustace, CMPP Project Manager was delighted to be able to present TGZ with a cheque for £55,000, the collective total funds raised by the partnership over the past two years. In addition to the support to our chosen charity, the partnership has raised £102,625 and given 12254 hours of volunteering hours to the local community.
Moving into 2015 the Partnership have taken a new spin on fundraising and will now be looking to fundraise for local projects which aims to raise aspirations and progression in young people. With this in mind, the End of Year Event was the host for our first fundraiser in 2015, The Grand Prize Draw. The total raised is yet to be confirmed but is the region of £8,000! Thank you to everyone who bought tickets and donated prizes.
An affordable cloud-based infrastructure has been launched by Jisc and the University of Leicester to manage a growing volume of data that is overwhelming medical researchers. The Biomedical Research Infrastructure Software Service (BRISSKit) platform seeks to make data sharing and collaboration easier, saving time and reducing infrastructure costs.
The post Data platform launched to encourage more efficient medical research appeared first on Efficiency Exchange.
Constitutional experts have raised concerns over the division of responsibilities between the UK and Scottish Governments, following the publication of draft legislation on greater devolution to Scotland. Academics have suggested that the draft legislation raises more questions than it answers in several areas.
The most evident of these areas of confusion is the concept of ‘no detriment’, the notion that the actions of one government should not harm another.
On Devolution
Professor Michael Keating, Director of the CCC, explains that:
“’Detriment’ could be read more widely to cover tax competition. So if Scotland were to abolish Air Passenger Duty and divert traffic from Newcastle to Edinburgh airport, England might complain about the lost revenue. Wealthy residents could be lured across the border by different taxes on high incomes.
“Determining what should count as ‘detriment’ will remain politically contentious and technically complex.”
On Tax
This lack of clarity on the issue of taxation policy is also problematic, explains CCC Fellow Professor Paul Cairney:
“The rhetoric has been about greater financial responsibility and accountability but, in fact, what they have produced is a confusing system providing a complex interplay between reserved and devolved taxes. The result is great confusion about what tax-and-spending decisions we can meaningfully describe as being made by the Scottish Government.”
On Welfare
In the area of welfare the draft legislation increases the powers of the Scottish Government but also its dependence on UK policymaking, says Professor Nicola McEwen:
“The draft clauses reveal the complexity of the new arrangements. At the same time as increasing powers, it also increases the Scottish parliament’s dependence on UK policy and decision-making.
“In the area of welfare, the draft clauses specifically create concurrent powers, where new powers given to Scottish ministers to affect the delivery of Universal Credit will be shared with the UK Secretary of State, and subject to his agreement. Similar provisions are established in relation to energy efficiency, where the Scottish government will be given the power to ‘make schemes’, through regulation, for the purposes of reducing fuel poverty, subject to the agreement of the UK Secretary of State.”
Across a range of policy areas there will be a greater need for new approaches to intergovernmental relations and greater clarity and communication based on mutual respect and cooperation. Professor McEwen continues:
“These and other complexities point towards a need for much closer and ongoing intergovernmental collaboration between the Scottish and UK governments, way beyond the Joint Ministerial Committee. Unless such joint working can be conducted on the basis of equality of status and mutual respect, the complexities and interdependencies are likely to create new sources of tension and dissatisfaction, and lead to growing pressure for a further revision of the devolution settlement. The Prime Minister’s hope that today’s announcement will lead to ‘an enduring settlement’ may seem forlorn.”
ENDS
Experts believe that perhaps the greatest area of potential need and growth for 3-D printing is in the medical field. Indeed, in April 2013 The Wall Street Journal ran: ‘Next to Use 3-D Printing: Your Surgeon’.
At RAFT we see ourselves playing a major role in this amazing future through a collaboration with the UCL Eastman Dental Institute. This will provide for a three-year PhD scholarship to research using 3-D medical printing to treat major bone problems in the facial, head and neck region due to congenital deformities, cancer or trauma.
Defects in this area are extremely hard to treat and currently, reconstructive surgeons rely on metal implants or external prosthetics – both of which are associated with particular problems.
According to surgeons, there is a risk of corrosion with metal implants that can lead to metal toxicity, while the use of external prosthetics impairs aesthetic functions that can lead to pa...
» more
We're at BETT 2015 this week chairing the Technology in Higher Education Summit - a space for higher education professionals to share ideas, future-gaze and streamline technology decision-making. It's day three and today Jisc's Tim Marshall has been chairing a series of sessions on maintaining your institution's competitiveness. Here, Tim runs through some of the day's highlights, including discussions on using technology to boost national student survey scoring, lecture capture as standard, and collaboration between industry and universities in the form of MOOCs.
Find out more at http://www.bettshow.com/Content/Technology-in-Higher-Education-Summit
Jisc's very own digital festival, #digifest15 takes place in Birmingham on 9th and 10th of March. You can book your ticket now by visiting www.jisc.ac.uk/digifest
Collaboration in procurement is nothing new, but is becoming ever more important as universities seek to double their capital spending, Rex Knight writes.
The post The benefits of collaboration in procurement appeared first on Efficiency Exchange.
In October 2014, the University of Dundee was awarded a £2 million Institutional Strategic Support Fund (ISSF) from the Wellcome Trust. This follows £3 million previously awarded in October 2011 over a 3-year period. The ISSF provides UK-based universities flexible funding, which they are required to match, to invest in areas of strategic importance and thereby supports a diverse range of initiatives. It is particularly encouraged to invest in areas of unmet need such as early careers, collaboration and interdisciplinary initiatives.
The Centre for International Studies and Diplomacy (CISD) at SOAS, University of London has entered into a formal, multi-year collaboration with the Global Mechanism (GM), the financial facility of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).
City College Plymouth’s new university-level course guide for 2015/16, showcasing all of their Foundation Degrees and Higher National Certificate courses, is now available.
Foundation Degrees are two year, full-time, degree-level courses which are the equivalent to studying for the first two years of an Honours Degree at university. They can be converted to an honours degree by completing a final year at university. They are designed in collaboration with employers and offer students the opportunity to combine academic study with the skills and attributes needed in the workplace.
The guide also includes information on the range of part-time Foundation Degrees and Higher National Certificates the College offers, making further study more accessible to those who want to remain in employment.
The College’s guide has been designed with the input from a number of focus groups - to ensure that the College is providing information that prospective students really want.
Sam Smith, Digital Marketing Officer at the College, said: “People looking to enrol on a university-level course are savvier than ever - they want to know exactly what value they are getting from a course, or a college or university, and demand to be better informed about what they can expect.”
The guide has a full page of information on each course, which includes a section on progression routes and the all-important job prospects a student can expect after completion.
Sam continued: “We also understand that deciding to take your studies further is a difficult decision at the moment, so we wanted to make sure that our guide was as clear and straight forward as possible.”
To find out more, the College is holding an Open Day on Saturday 7 February between 10.00am and 1.00pm at its Kings Road site in Devonport. For further information or a free copy of the guide please contact the College on 01752 305300 or visit our publications page.
Printing for Progress
Back in 2013, Wall Street Journal ran the headline ‘Next to Use 3-D Printing: Your Surgeon’. It is a belief that we share at RAFT. At RAFT we see ourselves playing a major role in this amazing future through collaboration with UCL. Our research goal is to develop a 3-D printed scaffold which can be customized to the exact size to repair defects in the head and neck region caused by trauma, cancer and congenital disease.
“We are working on...
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The Royal College of Music (RCM) used the London Universities Procurement Consortium's consultancy services on a cleaning contract in collaboration with the Royal College of Art and Heythrop College. Through the consultant's management of the process, the RCM saved £9,000 and also achieved other significant benef
The post Procurement consultancy – LUPC – case study – January 2015 appeared first on Efficiency Exchange.
The common room has been phased out of some Higher Education institutions in the name of efficiency. But writing in Wonkhe, Paul Greatrix observes that the need to encourage more collaboration may see its return.
The post Could the common room be coming back? appeared first on Efficiency Exchange.
A couple of months ago my daughter came home from school with an interesting new project: everyone in her year group was being asked to imagine what the classroom of the future might be like.
After a few weeks of frantic activity, parents were invited to school to view the children’s creations. There were models made of papier-mâché, Lego, and even shoe boxes and old loo roll holders. My daughter decided to make an entire model school in Minecraft on her iPad.Fast forward to late January 2015 and all eyes were on Bett 2015 this week, opened by education secretary Nicky Morgan - who also happens to be my constituency MP. In her speech, Nicky launched the report of the Department for Education’s independent think tank the Education Technology Action Group (ETAG).ETAG, chaired by Bournemouth University’s Professor Stephen Heppell, has also been imagining the classroom of the future. In this blog post I thought it would be interesting to compare their conclusions.ETAG's view of the learning landscapeA graphic by ETAG member Bryan Mathers from City and Guilds summarises the group’s perspective on what the learning landscape of 2025 (or perhaps even 2020) will look like.The ETAG report makes 19 pragmatic recommendations that the group believes will help us to prepare for this new reality. Some of these are principally about establishing a level playing field in terms of core infrastructure services, eg high speed internet connectivity and a safe, secure and resilient organisation-wide wireless network. These could be viewed as potential capital projects to ensure equitable provision across schools, colleges and universities.The ETAG report makes 19 pragmatic recommendations that the group believes will help us to prepare for this new realityAlongside the pure technology plays, ETAG also make a number of recommendations that are about developing digital skills. For example: a “digital Duke of Edinburgh Award” scheme to inspire learners and enhance employability outcomes, and a programme of continuous professional development for staff which would showcase, reward and celebrate innovation in digital technologies.The group felt strongly that the voice of the learner should feature in all of this, such as digital residents from what they called the ‘iPad generation’.Forward-thinking[[{"fid":"2281","view_mode":"default","type":"media","attributes":{"height":"263","width":"350","class":"media-element file-default media--left"}}]]Talking to my own digital resident, I was struck by the fact that she had constructed a school which was practically a self-contained community, with technology seamlessly woven into its very fabric. Her school scored well on sustainability, with wind turbines and solar panels for power, and composting toilets. It had practically every wall usable as a screen, and of course all the children had tablets and computers at hand when required.At the same time the school also featured its own farm, growing vegetables and farming animals for the children to look after. At break time the children would collect eggs from the school chickens to give to the cook, and after some practice (and a few hints and tips) even I eventually learned how to dye a sheep in Minecraft – a vital skill that would sit nicely on any LinkedIn profile.the key message of the ETAG report is all about bringing the technology we now use every day into the classroom and lecture theatreAs my daughter and I discussed her project, I was reminded of our Jisc Digital Festival, and last’s year’s keynote speaker Sugata Mitra’s School in the Cloud initiative, which is all about giving children just the right amount of encouragement to support their own self-directed learning. In a world where technology is ambient and ever present, learners can potentially range far and wide beyond the narrow boundaries of the material that is present in the school or college library, set texts and so on.For me the key message of the ETAG report is all about bringing the technology we now use every day into the classroom and lecture theatre. Albert Einstein once said “never memorize something you can look up”, and there is a real sense in which today’s digital technologies may well mark ‘the end of remembering’, as I recently suggested in Jisc’s technology foresight and horizon scanning activity.Technology access for allHowever, there is a big ‘but’ here: many learners do not have home broadband and access to a device of their own. I was therefore particularly pleased to see the ETAG report reference the Open University’s Your Own Technology Survey (YOTS) project, which is aimed at giving schools a snapshot of the technology that their pupils have access to – including whether they are allowed to bring their own device to school.many learners do not have home broadband and access to a device of their ownYOTS is aimed at schools, but is just as relevant to colleges and universities. I hope to use it in the near future in collaboration with the FE Sussex college consortium to explore their options in connection with implementing the government’s targets for online delivery following last year’s FELTAG recommendations.How might it work?I recently visited the Perry Beeches II Free School in Birmingham, and learned from pupils that they were able to use the school facilities for long periods outside of formal school hours. This gave them access to a comfortable and safe working space with state of the art facilities in what is one of the most deprived boroughs in the UK, and I was delighted that Perry Beeches was recently rated outstanding in all categories by Ofsted, with a 97% pass rate at A level.Assessment and accountabilityThe ETAG report also looks at assessment, accountability and issues around collection of learner data and the uses to which it is put. This became a hot button topic after the failure of analytics firm InBloom. The scandal around InBloom led to the development of the Student Privacy Pledge, which now has 91 signatories including the likes of Apple, Google, and Microsoft, and the support of President Obama. I should mention in passing here that we recently launched a Jisc code of practice for learning analytics as part of our learning analytics co-design challenge.Looking aheadSo there we are – do take a look at the ETAG report, and let us know what you think about its recommendations. As Stephen Heppell says in the foreword “this is not a time to stand still or to simply finesse the past”, but at the same time we have to square our enthusiasm for progress and continuous improvement with the realisation that it could easily mean ever-increasing workloads for teachers, lecturers and administrators.we have to square our enthusiasm for progress with the realisation that it could mean ever-increasing workloadsI will close by reiterating the report’s key messages about access and inclusion, much which could be facilitated centrally by a supporting agency, and bringing everyday technologies into the classroom and lecture theatre.As my daughter and her friends say when I ask them a tricky question, “just Google it, Daddy!”On Monday 19th January, partners, associates and supporters of The Community Matters Partnership Project (CMPP) come together to reflect on the accomplishments of the Partnership over the past year and to celebrate the collaboration with our chosen charity, The Gaming Zone (TGZ). The CMPP is a group of local companies and organisations working together as a local network to engage and support their local community. The College is proud to be a member along with many other local organisations.
The event was held at The Aviator Hotel, who generously provided the room and a delicious afternoon tea and was hosted by Andrew Lloyd, CEO of Rushmoor Borough Council and the newly elected Chair of CMPP. During the event Adrian Sadler from Farnborough International spoke about his personal highlights for 2014 and Cllr Sue Carter, Rushmoor Borough Council and Tracy Clement, CEO of TGZ were on hand to present awards to thank companies for their involvement and contributions to CMPP and the community throughout 2014. Katy Marlow, Community Engagement and Events Coordinator said "I'm proud to have been able to accept the award on behalf of the College, which highlights the support, hard work and commitment given to the local community by both students and staff."
Christine Eustace, CMPP Project Manager was delighted to be able to present TGZ with a cheque for £55,000, the collective total funds raised by the partnership over the past two years. In addition to the support to our chosen charity, the partnership has raised £102,625 and given 12254 hours of volunteering hours to the local community.
Moving into 2015 the Partnership have taken a new spin on fundraising and will now be looking to fundraise for local projects which aims to raise aspirations and progression in young people. With this in mind, the End of Year Event was the host for our first fundraiser in 2015, The Grand Prize Draw. The total raised is yet to be confirmed but is the region of £8,000! Thank you to everyone who bought tickets and donated prizes.
On Monday 19th January, partners, associates and supporters of The Community Matters Partnership Project (CMPP) come together to reflect on the accomplishments of the Partnership over the past year and to celebrate the collaboration with our chosen charity, The Gaming Zone (TGZ). The CMPP is a group of local companies and organisations working together as a local network to engage and support their local community. The College is proud to be a member along with many other local organisations.
The event was held at The Aviator Hotel, who generously provided the room and a delicious afternoon tea and was hosted by Andrew Lloyd, CEO of Rushmoor Borough Council and the newly elected Chair of CMPP. During the event Adrian Sadler from Farnborough International spoke about his personal highlights for 2014 and Cllr Sue Carter, Rushmoor Borough Council and Tracy Clement, CEO of TGZ were on hand to present awards to thank companies for their involvement and contributions to CMPP and the community throughout 2014. Katy Marlow, Community Engagement and Events Coordinator said "I'm proud to have been able to accept the award on behalf of the College, which highlights the support, hard work and commitment given to the local community by both students and staff."
Christine Eustace, CMPP Project Manager was delighted to be able to present TGZ with a cheque for £55,000, the collective total funds raised by the partnership over the past two years. In addition to the support to our chosen charity, the partnership has raised £102,625 and given 12254 hours of volunteering hours to the local community.
Moving into 2015 the Partnership have taken a new spin on fundraising and will now be looking to fundraise for local projects which aims to raise aspirations and progression in young people. With this in mind, the End of Year Event was the host for our first fundraiser in 2015, The Grand Prize Draw. The total raised is yet to be confirmed but is the region of £8,000! Thank you to everyone who bought tickets and donated prizes.
An affordable cloud-based infrastructure has been launched by Jisc and the University of Leicester to manage a growing volume of data that is overwhelming medical researchers. The Biomedical Research Infrastructure Software Service (BRISSKit) platform seeks to make data sharing and collaboration easier, saving time and reducing infrastructure costs.
The post Data platform launched to encourage more efficient medical research appeared first on Efficiency Exchange.
Constitutional experts have raised concerns over the division of responsibilities between the UK and Scottish Governments, following the publication of draft legislation on greater devolution to Scotland. Academics have suggested that the draft legislation raises more questions than it answers in several areas.
The most evident of these areas of confusion is the concept of ‘no detriment’, the notion that the actions of one government should not harm another.
On Devolution
Professor Michael Keating, Director of the CCC, explains that:
“’Detriment’ could be read more widely to cover tax competition. So if Scotland were to abolish Air Passenger Duty and divert traffic from Newcastle to Edinburgh airport, England might complain about the lost revenue. Wealthy residents could be lured across the border by different taxes on high incomes.
“Determining what should count as ‘detriment’ will remain politically contentious and technically complex.”
On Tax
This lack of clarity on the issue of taxation policy is also problematic, explains CCC Fellow Professor Paul Cairney:
“The rhetoric has been about greater financial responsibility and accountability but, in fact, what they have produced is a confusing system providing a complex interplay between reserved and devolved taxes. The result is great confusion about what tax-and-spending decisions we can meaningfully describe as being made by the Scottish Government.”
On Welfare
In the area of welfare the draft legislation increases the powers of the Scottish Government but also its dependence on UK policymaking, says Professor Nicola McEwen:
“The draft clauses reveal the complexity of the new arrangements. At the same time as increasing powers, it also increases the Scottish parliament’s dependence on UK policy and decision-making.
“In the area of welfare, the draft clauses specifically create concurrent powers, where new powers given to Scottish ministers to affect the delivery of Universal Credit will be shared with the UK Secretary of State, and subject to his agreement. Similar provisions are established in relation to energy efficiency, where the Scottish government will be given the power to ‘make schemes’, through regulation, for the purposes of reducing fuel poverty, subject to the agreement of the UK Secretary of State.”
Across a range of policy areas there will be a greater need for new approaches to intergovernmental relations and greater clarity and communication based on mutual respect and cooperation. Professor McEwen continues:
“These and other complexities point towards a need for much closer and ongoing intergovernmental collaboration between the Scottish and UK governments, way beyond the Joint Ministerial Committee. Unless such joint working can be conducted on the basis of equality of status and mutual respect, the complexities and interdependencies are likely to create new sources of tension and dissatisfaction, and lead to growing pressure for a further revision of the devolution settlement. The Prime Minister’s hope that today’s announcement will lead to ‘an enduring settlement’ may seem forlorn.”
ENDS
Experts believe that perhaps the greatest area of potential need and growth for 3-D printing is in the medical field. Indeed, in April 2013 The Wall Street Journal ran: ‘Next to Use 3-D Printing: Your Surgeon’.
At RAFT we see ourselves playing a major role in this amazing future through a collaboration with the UCL Eastman Dental Institute. This will provide for a three-year PhD scholarship to research using 3-D medical printing to treat major bone problems in the facial, head and neck region due to congenital deformities, cancer or trauma.
Defects in this area are extremely hard to treat and currently, reconstructive surgeons rely on metal implants or external prosthetics – both of which are associated with particular problems.
According to surgeons, there is a risk of corrosion with metal implants that can lead to metal toxicity, while the use of external prosthetics impairs aesthetic functions that can lead to pa...
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We're at BETT 2015 this week chairing the Technology in Higher Education Summit - a space for higher education professionals to share ideas, future-gaze and streamline technology decision-making. It's day three and today Jisc's Tim Marshall has been chairing a series of sessions on maintaining your institution's competitiveness. Here, Tim runs through some of the day's highlights, including discussions on using technology to boost national student survey scoring, lecture capture as standard, and collaboration between industry and universities in the form of MOOCs.
Find out more at http://www.bettshow.com/Content/Technology-in-Higher-Education-Summit
Jisc's very own digital festival, #digifest15 takes place in Birmingham on 9th and 10th of March. You can book your ticket now by visiting www.jisc.ac.uk/digifest
Collaboration in procurement is nothing new, but is becoming ever more important as universities seek to double their capital spending, Rex Knight writes.
The post The benefits of collaboration in procurement appeared first on Efficiency Exchange.
In October 2014, the University of Dundee was awarded a £2 million Institutional Strategic Support Fund (ISSF) from the Wellcome Trust. This follows £3 million previously awarded in October 2011 over a 3-year period. The ISSF provides UK-based universities flexible funding, which they are required to match, to invest in areas of strategic importance and thereby supports a diverse range of initiatives. It is particularly encouraged to invest in areas of unmet need such as early careers, collaboration and interdisciplinary initiatives.
The Centre for International Studies and Diplomacy (CISD) at SOAS, University of London has entered into a formal, multi-year collaboration with the Global Mechanism (GM), the financial facility of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).
City College Plymouth’s new university-level course guide for 2015/16, showcasing all of their Foundation Degrees and Higher National Certificate courses, is now available.
Foundation Degrees are two year, full-time, degree-level courses which are the equivalent to studying for the first two years of an Honours Degree at university. They can be converted to an honours degree by completing a final year at university. They are designed in collaboration with employers and offer students the opportunity to combine academic study with the skills and attributes needed in the workplace.
The guide also includes information on the range of part-time Foundation Degrees and Higher National Certificates the College offers, making further study more accessible to those who want to remain in employment.
The College’s guide has been designed with the input from a number of focus groups - to ensure that the College is providing information that prospective students really want.
Sam Smith, Digital Marketing Officer at the College, said: “People looking to enrol on a university-level course are savvier than ever - they want to know exactly what value they are getting from a course, or a college or university, and demand to be better informed about what they can expect.”
The guide has a full page of information on each course, which includes a section on progression routes and the all-important job prospects a student can expect after completion.
Sam continued: “We also understand that deciding to take your studies further is a difficult decision at the moment, so we wanted to make sure that our guide was as clear and straight forward as possible.”
To find out more, the College is holding an Open Day on Saturday 7 February between 10.00am and 1.00pm at its Kings Road site in Devonport. For further information or a free copy of the guide please contact the College on 01752 305300 or visit our publications page.
