In 2011, the JISC e-Learning Programme produced a series of web-based radio shows, known as JISC on Air, on how digital technologies are supporting institutional practices. These shows offer an informative and engaging discussion with leading experts around how technology is supporting colleges and universities in addressing the challenges they currently face.

Your input

They now need your assistance in the development of the next series of shows due to be produced this year. Please can you provide your views, opinions and experiences of the JISC on Air shows? You may have listened to all the shows, intend to listen to them or have, to date, been unaware of them, however they would be very grateful if you could assist them with the completion of a short questionnaire.

As an incentive, there is a prize draw – two prizes of £50 Amazon vouchers for completed questionnaires. The survey will close at midnight on Friday 10th February. To access the survey and the JISC on Air Radio Shows please click here.

The RSC London e-Bulletin January 2012 is now available.

If you are a supported learning provider you can subscribe to our mailing list, just mailto:admin@rsc-london.ac.uk

Getting things right first time and collaborating with others can save your organisation time and money. Take part in our free short online events and we’ll show you how!

Presented by experts from across JISC Advance services, we focus on three key topics which can improve cost efficiency and effectiveness within your organisation.

• 10am Thursday 19 January  – Cloud Computing and the Law presented by John Kelly, Principal Legal Information Specialist at JISC Legal
• 10am Tuesday 24 January – Project Management presented by John Burke, Senior Adviser at JISC infoNet
• 10am Wednesday 1 February – How can Generic eMarketplace (GeM) save my institution money? Presented by John West, Director of JISC Procureweb and Cost Efficiencies with GoogleApps presented by Pete Scott, Manager RSC Wales

The events are suitable for management, senior staff and policy makers from all post-16 education sectors throughout the UK.

To book your place or for more information please visit http://www.jiscrsc.ac.uk/wales/events.aspx or contact events@rsc-wales.ac.uk

~via JISC Advance~

JISC Advance has appointed Nigel Ecclesfield to manage its new FE and Skills Development and Resources Programme. This new project – secured with over £1 million of UK-wide funding – will see us offering a wider range of resources and information to the FE and Skills sectors.

JISC Advance services have offered expert advice and guidance to the FE and Skills sectors for many years. This two stage project will overhaul existing provision, identify gaps and then create high quality content to ensure the development of a complete package of support.

John McLaughlin, Team Leader for ICT and Technology for Learning at BIS described the vision of the project as:

“the application of technologies which will transform teaching and learning in the Further Education and Skills sector, with significant improvement in the quality of student experience [and] significant improvement in organisational efficiency”

Nigel has worked as a practitioner, manager and researcher working with FE providers since 1978. Since 2003, Nigel has worked with JISC Advance services and JISC through Becta and LSIS projects.  His knowledge and experience of a wide range of sector agencies and providers will be pivotal to the success of this project.

The 2011 JISC news round up highlights the stories, videos and reports that generated most interest from visitors to the JISC website last year. Worth a check to see if you have missed something that others found useful!

http://www.jisc.ac.uk/news/stories/2011/12/jiscroundup.aspx

Would you prefer a video?

…and

A short report of our key outputs to date before it snows.

The year has been very productive so far, with a number of activities involving your RSC and its supported organisations. In this first quarter, our events have attracted in excess of 500 people since our support has yet again been extended to include ULCC’s FOTE11, and the AoC Conference, two key events in the RSC London calendar. Our role is to ensure that the target audience includes all our supported sectors, as well as higher education. Our annual visits are well under way and the whole RSC London Team are looking to engage with 100% of our providers this year.

At the AoC Conference, JISC Advance led a session organised by the JISC RSC London and Yorkshire and Humber to offer delegates two presentations to demonstrate best practice and how our support has enabled colleges to tailor and integrate systems to achieve specific needs. The presentations from Barnsley College and College of Haringey, Enfield and East London were extremely well received, prompting a delegate to say,

“This is excellent. How do I get that in my college?”

Under JISC Advance, the JISC RSCs continue to develop services, strategies and systems to respond to the increased demands to avoid duplication wherever possible, without stifling creativity and innovation, and to find efficiencies. You will have seen our new website that functions as a brochure for all RSCs. Under the banner of One RSC, we have also delivered nationally-planned events online (Mobile Learning and The RSC Green Conference), which have attracted delegates from all over the UK and abroad. As you know, this year the RSC had a 5% reduction in its funding and next year the reduction may be up to 10%. The good news is that the Department for Education have agreed to continue to fund our support to Sixth Form Colleges until 2014.

In the JISC arena, Martyn Harrow has been appointed as the new Head of JISC and he will have the ultimate responsibility to take us into the New JISC. The JISC Transition Group has now received the three interim reports. Strand A continues to investigate new business and governance models for the New JISC after Strand B reported that it is feasible, and indeed advantageous, for JISC to take most of its services in-house. Strand C’s review concluded on the importance and value of JANET to the UK education sector.

Colleagues at the RSC continue to work hard to engage with our communities and the feeling of achievement is overwhelming. This is all backed up by the continuous positive response we get from those who engage with us. Our 2010-11 Value for Money Report highlights the importance of the work of the JISC RSC delivered through the JISC Advance services.

If you’re already looking for how you or your organisation can benefit from our support after the New Year, make sure to have a look at our latest e-bulletin.

With best wishes for Christmas and the New Year period from all of us in the RSC London Team.

Graciano Soares
JISC RSC London Manager

The RSC London e-Bulletin December 2011 is now available.

If you are a supported learning provider you can subscribe to our mailing list, just mailto:admin@rsc-london.ac.uk

~via JISC legal~

As Christmas approaches and thoughts turn to Christmas cheer, let’s sneak a look into Santa’s sack and see what’s coming to your college and whether JISC Legal has any recent complementary offerings to help with any compliance issues which arise.

Firstly, how about that shiny new large screen to be unwrapped and used for a variety of purposes in the college, including

the showing of films for teaching, the setting up of a film club and the showing of  films to the wider community or even  to raise funds for a local charity. UK copyright law provides a defence which allows the showing of a film in a classroom to teachers and students for the purpose of teaching and learning. However, any activity beyond this will usually need additional permission.  JISC legal offers FAQs to keep you up to date on what you need to know about licensing and what licence is necessary in this area:

• Are FE and HE institutions required to purchase the MPLC Umbrella Licence to view pre-recorded films in public?
• Are screenings of films by the university or college film club covered by copyright exceptions or is a separate licence required?
• Our film and media department would like to upload film content into our VLE in order to deliver it to students. Is this possible?

Next out of Santa’s sack, for those Learning Resource Centres  involved in or considering  experimentation with Kindles,  how about a couple of e

asy to read, relevant, not too legalistic FAQs to set you straight as to what to do with your Kindles after unwrapping:

• What are the copyright issues in lending Kindles and ebooks to our students?
• How can we legally lend digital content to our students via a Kindle?

Use of Facebook (other social networks are available!) has become more widespread in colleges and some staff have set up Facebook groups with students to aid in teaching and learning. If Facebook access has already arrived or is a new ‘useful gift’ for the new year in your college, check

out our FAQ on this which may set your mind at ease, or read the accompanying guide, Facing up to Facebook:

• Do the legal risks of using Facebook in education outweigh the benefits?
• Facing up to Facebook: A Guide for FE and HE

Finally out of Santa’s sack comes some new recording equipment, as the college has decided to record lectures for later download by learners and for reuse in teaching. A convenient paper and accompanying webcast from JISC Legal is also available to accompany the new equipment, and will help to ensure that you can legally reuse the material and have all the necessary consents in place:

• Recording Lectures and Screencasts

This followed on from our earlier paper Recording Lectures: Legal Considerations – now a vintage but valuable gift from JISC Legal’s 2010 collection:

• Recording Lectures: Legal Considerations

We hope these items will bring you some seasonal comfort and cheer and ensure that your New Year gets off to a good (and legal) start.

Netskills workshop programme running from 24th January to 23rd March 2012 in London, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Glasgow, Newcastle, Bristol, Nottingham and online.

~via LSIS~

Congratulations to the following organisations that have been awarded LSIS funding to conduct projects in the following areas:

Equality and Diversity Partnership Grants 2011/12: Ealing Council; Redbridge ACL; Uxbridge College

Stepping Up in Sustainability (SUS) initiative: Lewisham College; Redbridge Institute; South Thames College;

Resource Utilisation: Stanmore College

Developing HE in FE in PRD: Pan-London PRD Havering College leading

Curriculum Design development projects: Barnet and Southgate College; ELATT; SCOLA;

Teaching and Learning: City of Westminster College; Southgate College; Newham College;Queen Mary’s College; Bexley Adult Education; City and Islington College; ELATT; Havering SFC; Westminster Kingsway College.