Q14. Who will manage the administrative element of the Learning Platform? For example, who will create new users and delete old ones?
Schools will be expected to manage the day to day operational elements of the LP but full training and support will be provided within the Surrey Fronter Offer. An appropriate training and support package should be part of any package when an alternative Learning platform is procured.
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Q15. How will the Surrey Learning Platform work with my Management Information System (MIS)?
Becta are leading the development of Frameworks which will ensure that MIS, Learning Platforms and other systems, as well as content, are increasingly integrated and provide a complete managed learning environment (MLE) for schools. This will avoid duplication of data, data entry and the need for multiple passwords. Surrey is working with partners and suppliers to ensure this integration will materialise for Surrey Schools. The standards have not been finalised, but they are likely to include SIF and Shibboleth.
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Q16. Will my broadband connectivity be sufficient to run the Surrey PLS?
VT Four S will monitor how PLS impacts on the performance of the broadband network to any Surrey school. VT Four S will be trialing the PLS system before it is fully deployed to all schools. As part of this trial, we will be monitoring carefully any potential impact the system may have on the existing broadband network. This work will be used to inform the requirements for the new broadband contract to be procured.
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Q17. Where does a Learning Platform fit into school strategy?
As part of Headteacher and senior management team planning to improve learning and teaching within a school, learning platform technology can be used to help realise goals. This works best when it is properly embedded and used where appropriate and across the whole school. A learning platform can help bridge any gap that emerges once the school leadership has considered where the school is now, in terms of learning and teaching delivery, against where it would like to be in the future.
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Q18. The staff at my school are under pressure due to workload and other initiatives, how will this programme help to address this?
ICT can help to address workload issues and support school staff and students in working more effectively. There are a number of case studies available to illustrate this. The introduction of any new system or change in general does require some resources and this is true for Learning Platforms. VT Four S will develop case studies of practice with schools. This will include considering implementation issues and how the ongoing management of a Learning Platform can be effectively managed.
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Q19. How should a school prepare for a Learning Platform?
Effective implementation of a learning platform will lead to improvements in the delivery of learning and teaching. However, to ensure success, it is essential that the school leadership team consider how the school currently manages:
- Knowledge and on-line resources inside the school
- Motivation of pupils and staff
- Involvement of pupils in their learning
- Out of school access for pupils to their work and learning resources
- Involvement of parents in encouraging and monitoring their child's achievement
- Pupil behavioural management
- The creation of opportunities for teachers' professional development.
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Q20. How long will it take for a school to implement a Learning Platform?
The process of successful implementation usually involves changing culture and practice within the school. This takes time. However, the length of time taken will depend upon the knowledge levels and current usage already in place. These factors should be taken into account by the Headteacher and senior management team when planning delivery, with a realistic timescale for full implementation across the school. There are case studies in the Secondary and Primary schools booklets Learning Platforms - Making IT Personal. These publications can be found on the information and guidance section of the Surrey MLE website at www.surreymle.net . The full implementation of learning platform needs to be seen as long term initiative and is best viewed as a 3 year project in a typical school.
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Q21. Is there any best practice about how schools should implement a Learning Platform?
In practice, successful learning platform implementation is only achieved when the whole school community, led by the senior management team, understands and is committed to the cultural change/change management exercise needed to fully support e-learning throughout the school. An example of how some schools implemented learning platforms can be found at the back of the Secondary and Primary schools booklets Learning Platforms - Making IT Personal. These publications can be found on the information and guidance section of the Surrey MLE website at www.surreymle.net. Additionally, VT Four S will be working with schools to develop examples of good practice in relation to Learning Platform implementation.
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Q22. Is there now an assumption that every teacher MUST have internet access at home?
The DCSF makes no presumption that every teacher must have internet access at home. The requirement is that a school's learning platform should be available for anytime/anywhere access. It is up to the head teacher and senior management team in each school to decide upon and agree measures, or protocols, for managing the e-workload. Planning will undoubtedly need to reflect available resources, including the capacity for learners and teachers to connect to the system outside school.
There are tools and information that can help head teachers plan their approach to this, for example information on the Becta website at http://schools.becta.org.uk/. In particular the self-evaluation matrix and the learning platform matrix will help schools assess their readiness to evolve with a learning platform.
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Q23. Is the intention that children as young as 5 year olds should be accessing the Learning Platform from home?
The DCSF does not have an expectation that all pupils of any age will be logging on to their school's learning platform services from home. The DCSF does have an expectation that all schools' learning platform systems should be available for access from outside school premises and hours, for teachers and students that want to and can take advantage of anytime/anywhere accessibility.
Primary schools that have successfully embedded a learning platform agree that a child aged 5 years can benefit from digital technology applied to learning. However, the level of out-of-school activity expected from a very young child, with regard to accessing a learning platform, is a matter for the individual school and parents to agree upon, taking into account the availability of out-of-school resources and a child's ability level.
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Q24. Whilst there are obvious benefits from Learning Platforms for Secondary Schools and their pupils — what are the benefits for Key stage 1 and Foundation pupils?
As with both the primary and secondary sectors, there is a commitment in the Foundation Stage to use ICT to enhance learning and teaching across all areas of education. The use of technology — for example digital photos, video, electronic toys and the use of internet — will help children at Foundation Stage begin to recognise the importance of ICT. The concept of learning platforms will underpin the use of ICT as an important tool in learning and teaching. Additionally a learning platform has real potential for extending parental engagement to support young learners. A number of Surrey infant schools have started implementing a Learning Platform and VT Four S will consider how their expertise can best be shared. Early indications are that even for very young children a learning platform is a motivational and engaging resource. It is recognised that the use of a Learning Platform with younger children needs to complement other methods of supporting their learning and not replace them.
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Q25. What work has been done in preparation for Learning Platforms in Special Schools?
The issue of inclusion is fundamental to learning services technology. The Surrey Learning Platform procurement specifies how the learning platform interface must cater for those with special needs (e.g. is compatible with a screen reader or follows accessibility guidelines). In addition, Becta is exploring with industry and other stakeholders the 'reasonable adjustments' for accessibility and inclusion, and how these could be addressed in a range of content and systems.
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Q26. How much support will VT Four S offer schools if they choose not to go with Fronter?
On behalf of Surrey, VT Four S will be providing the training and support package associated with the Surrey Fronter Learning Platform Offer. It will also provide general advice and guidance on implementing Learning Platforms and how they can contribute to pupil learning and the management of the school. This guidance should be applicable to any learning platform which a school chooses to procure. Currently, VT Four S will not be providing specific training on alternative Learning Platforms as this should be part of the package when an alternative Learning platform is procured.
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Q27. When do schools need to sign up for Fronter if they want to take up the offer?
Full information about the Surrey Fronter Offer is available on the Surrey MLE website at www.surreymle.net along with dates by which submissions of interest should be sent to VT Four S.
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Q28. How will costs be reduced for a smaller school or an Infant and Nursery school?
As part of the negotiation of the Surrey Fronter Offer, VT Four S have ensured that different size schools are taken into account and that there is flexibility within the training packages in order that costs are reduced for smaller schools.
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Q29. What happens to a pupil’s PLS if they move to a school within Surrey. Can the work be transferred to another LA if they leave Surrey?
Currently if a pupil moves to another school within Surrey they will retain their access to their PLS storage through their individual log in. If a child leaves to go to another LA then they will need to be advised to download any work they have saved to a different storage location. VT Four S are looking at ways to ensure that users of the PLS system are given sufficient time to retrieve their work if they move from a Surrey school.
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Q30. What plans are there to deal with the issue of children with no internet access at home?
This will need to include a range of strategies and might include the following: school provision before and after school, access to libraries and community facilities, appropriate use of learning platforms within the normal school hours and potential use of the school’s ICT provision for pupils beyond the school. Consideration will also need to be given to any home access schemes which are currently being planned nationally.
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