The Learning Lab - Where Technology Enables Knowledge

A new round of seminars from the learning lab have been announced - including What makes elearning effective for different sectors (22nd March), VLE's and beyond (3rd May), and e-Assessment (24th May).

A focus on personalised learning in schools was announced by the DfES recently (DfES, News Centre).  An expert panel has been created to review the current state of play, "recommend ways to ensure that personalised learning is a reality in every classroom and set out a vision for how teaching and learning should develop between now and 2020".The review, which is expected to report by the end of 2006 will look at: • teaching and learning strategies, especially in literacy and numeracy;• best use of setting and grouping;• improving parental engagement;• how personalised learning can close the achievement gap and boost social mobility;• addressing the needs of gifted and talented children;• use of ICT and pupil data to personalise learning; • the potential for workforce reform to support personalisation;• utilising flexibilities in the National Curriculum;• collaboration between schools to deliver educational opportunities.    

This article from business week online highlights the growing use of social network analysis (SNA) in the corporate secter, and provides several interesting real-world examples of its use. However the question of confidentiality is also raised, and is a tricky one - maps can reveal sensitive information about the interconnections within an organisation, and as such access must be carefully monitored.

Orgnet also have a useful introduction and overview of SNA.

What happens to a problem deferred?
Does it dry up
like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore—
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over—
like a syrupy sweet?
Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.
Or does it explode?

The impact of an individual deferring problems, regardless of their role, can be devastating for an organisation. In the article, "Thinking through problem solving" (pdf), Valerie A Washington outlines the 6 stages of the 'Ladder of Problem Solving'model:

• Detection
• Inclination
• Capability
• Inquiry
• Skilled response
• Directed results

which she believes will "help to develop personal accountability, collaborative problem solving, and growth.

Congratulations to Loughborough College who have been voted as the Times Educational Supplement's website of the month.

Loughborough College are one of the partner institutions involved with the CAMEL (Collaborative Approaches to the Management of ELearning) project, which Inspire Research are currently evaluating.

This recent article, "On-line Focus Groups: Pushing the Boundaries of Public Sector Research" highlights some of the benefits of conducting qualitative research online, and specifically discusses focus groups.

efocus.com provide a hosting service for both online focus groups and discussion boards.