Learnwise Learning Platform helps schools turn reforms into a reality for students and teachersGranada Learning warmly welcomes Ruth Kelly’s announcement that the Government is committed to give LEAs funds for core learning platform provision for schools in 2006/7 (1). The publication of recent Standards Fund arrangements for 2006-2008 supports this commitment by stating that Local authorities must ensure availability of a Learning platform to all their schools by Spring 2008. Granada Learning is one of the UK’s most established vendors of learning platforms to education. Our Learnwise learning environment has long been market leader in the Further Education Sector and is increasingly being adopted in sixth form colleges. We also work in close partnership with Capita Education Services to deliver Learnwise to schools as part of the Sims. net Learning Platform managed service. Geoff Broadbent, Head of Online Learning at Granada Learning says, “We are delighted that the Government has decided to fund the introduction of learning platforms in schools. Harnessing this technology is central to increasing the standards and opportunities for all students, by personalising their learning experience and broadening access to quality resources. We are really looking forward to working with more LEAs and schools over the next two years to turn these reforms into reality for students and teachers.” Paul Metcalfe, Schools eLearning Manager at Capita Education Services, comments, “The new funding for Learning Platforms gives schools and Local Authorities the opportunity to introduce systems that will best meet their needs. The schools that we work with benefit enormously from integration of the Learnwise VLE with their existing SIMS MIS system - a service called SIMS Learning Platform. We are confident that our solution will not only deliver the e-portfolio and digital curriculum requirements outlined in the latest white papers, but will also give schools and their improvement partners in Local Authorities better joined-up data.” So what does Learnwise do? The Learnwise virtual learning environment is powerful web-based software that can transform learning for students and teachers. It offers the means to manage, deliver and measure learning, to create and publish professional learning materials and to integrate student performance data with school management information systems. Learnwise is an ideal way for schools to deliver the Government’s commitment to give students personal online spaces to accesss services and store work. It also offers a whole host of features, such as collaboration and communication tools, forums, content creation tools and detailed tracking and reporting for tutors, that develop and enhance learning beyond the requirements of an e-portfolio. Learnwise is compliant with the Becta Learning Platform Conformance Regime framework (2) that aims to raise levels of interoperability between learning, assessment and information management systems in schools, and to inform the investment decisions taken by schools purchasing these systems. Granada Learning upholds the Learning Interoperability Scheme of Conduct. We work with a range of content partners across the educational publishing industry such as Nelson Thornes, Boardworks, The North West Grid for Learning, Letts, and many others, to create standards-based materials that are SCORM-compliant (3) and certified for schools’ use within the Learnwise learning platform. Learnwise is also used by the National Learning Network to deliver its extensive post-16 materials programme to colleges.
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Notes to editors: 1. Rt Hon Ruth Kelly MP, Check Against Delivery address to the BETT Conference 11 January 2006 2. http://www.learningplatforms.org.uk/ 3. SCORM stands for Sharable Content Object Reference Model. It is the name of the new international standard specification for e-learning materials. The standard has been introduced to ensure that there is a high level of interoperability between learning platform software and the content that is designed to run within it. Put simply, SCORM standards mean that content vendors, whoever and wherever they are, create material in such a way that it can be broken into small blocks (Sharable Content Objects). SCO’s, like Lego, can fit seamlessly together, regardless of size, shape or colour, and work in any SCORM-compliant learning management system.
Background on Granada Learning: Granada Learning provides resources for the full spectrum of teaching and learning. It develops and publishes curriculum software, resources for children with special educational needs, revision guides and home learning materials, assessments, school management tools, learning platforms and professional development materials. These are used in all sectors of the market from nurseries, primary and secondary schools through to colleges and universities.
For further information, please contact: Danielle Morgan PR Manager, Granada Learning Tel: 020 8996 3632 E mail: danielle.morgan@granadamedia.com
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