1. eLearning Regions and Cities 2004
Christine Lewis

2. Yorkshire & Humberside
South Yorkshire is a section of the Yorkshire and Humberside region, with a population of 1.27 million.
Objective 1 status was granted to South Yorkshire in 1999 because the sub-region had a Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the measurement of wealth per person, below 75% of the European average. Of particular importance in South Yorkshire was the decline in the Coal and Steel industries. Objective 1 status resulted in a substantial investment (€1b, £700m) into the sub-region to stimulate the economy, attract inward investment and raise the standard of living of people living and working in South Yorkshire.
Population of South Yorkshire m

3. Vision of South Yorkshire @ leading edge of e-learning
First point of reference for good practice by DfES and Europe
Core pathfinder for other local authorities
Lead the way in understanding the opportunities offered by e-learning and delivering vocational training
A place where innovators want to work
A region that has skills and flexibility to adapt and adopt new innovation in e-learning

4. The Objective 1 Context GDP in SY below 75% of European average
e-SY.info is one of the largest projects in the South Yorkshire Objective 1 programme <€70m
Funded by ERDF, ESF, LSC, YF & the four local authorities managed through effective Public-Private partnership with RM plc
Engaging the lifelong learning spectrum from the age of 10 through to the world of work
Training across educational sectors into the business sector
As you all know Objective 1 is funding a variety of projects across South Yorkshire to regenerate the sub-region. e-SY.info is one of the largest single projects that has been funded playing a central role in developing an economic step change and fostering a learning culture at all stages in life.
The project is funded by the European Development Fund, the European Social Fund, the Learning and Skills Council South Yorkshire, Yorkshire Forward and the four local authorities of South Yorkshire: Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield. It is delivered through an extensive public private partnership between the funding bodies and RM plc who lead the private sector consortium
This project is unique in that it engages learners from as young as 10 through secondary education, FE and into the small business sector all sharing a single virtual learning environment.

5. cluster network of 370 small businesses (SMEs)
Process
Dynamic Networks
149 organisations
cluster network of 370 small businesses (SMEs)
feeder primary schools
SMEs
High tech
manufacturing
SMEs
Creative &
Digital
all secondary
schools
SMEs
Environmental
sub-regional
Virtual Learning
Environment (VLE) 24/7
student
tracking
all FE colleges
SMEs
Bio-sciences
community
access
content repository
Creation of dynamic network across the sub-region
South Yorkshire – population of 1.27million people all with potential to engage with this learning portal. Must emphasis that the resources are targeted specifically for the regeneration of the region. E.g. return to lifelong learning, skills agenda, agenda, small businesses. Establishing a workforce for the 21st Century.
SMEs
Financial
Services
curriculum channels
SMEs
30% general
Libraries, community centres, sports clubs
© e-SY.info

6. Functionality of VLE Sharing content repository
Use of authoring tools to re-use learning objects
Organisation of learners into virtual groups across the sub-region
On-line assessment and marking tools
An intuitive system available 24/7
System must meet interoperability standards SCORM, e-GIF and IMS

7. VLE user home page
The VLE user home page that shows areas of the resources

8. Pedagogy, Beneficiary, Progress, Achievement, exit,
e-sy.info Delivery
Site Vision for e-sy.info
e-learning Development
Strategy
e-learning Strategy
Project
Site Output Plan
VLE Embedding
VLE Roadmap
Staff Development (Cascade Model)
Learner Pipeline
Staff Professional Development
Cascade Model
Content Creation
e-learning
The project side is a framework for project delivery, after exit strategy and project closure the strategic pathway will have become embedded.
Training Needs Analysis
PDP
Macromedia
TNA
VLE Champion
Curriculum
E-Mentor/ e-Tutor/ LeTTOL
VLE
Pedagogy, Beneficiary, Progress, Achievement, exit,

9. Timescales 2001 to 2002 Feasibility Study and procurement process
September Phase 1 organisations upgraded, VLE launched
April Phase 2 organisations upgraded
April 2004 over 100 SMEs recruited – ongoing to recruit 370 SMEs
September 2004 Curriculum Channels launched
December 2006 project ends

10. Sub-regional partnership
Process
Sub-regional partnership
Programme board
Evaluation committee
Contracts committee
Content sub-group
VLE sub-group
Innovations sub-group
Finance sub-group
Marketing sub-group
We have a comprehensive partnership structure that allows full consultation and clear governance pathways as well as practitioner representation.

11. Quality circle and e-SY.info
evaluation
Project
exit strategy
Virtual Learning
Environment
I have attempted to map our project structure to the quality framework. What is interesting is that the central investments, infrastructure, processes and services are being considered in our exit strategy, we need to make sure that we leave these resources in place in the authorities.
Programme Board
Committee structure
Marketing and
communications
strategy

12. Embedding skills Teachers
Vision
Embedding skills
Teachers
Skills developed using e-learning tools to focus on delivery of learner-focused resources
e-Learning used across curriculum
e-Learning central to organisational strategic development plan
Sharing of resources and best practice
Development of virtual expert communities
New pedagogies will emerge

13. Embedding skills Learners Increased confidence and motivation
Vision
Embedding skills
Learners
Increased confidence and motivation
Increased achievement
Peer to peer support
Develop own resources - e-portfolio
Learner driven access to resources for added value, testing understanding

14. Learning Champions – key role
Process
Learning Champions – key role
At least one per organisation
Trained as an e-mentor and e-tutor
Responsible for individual needs analysis in organisation
Cascade training
Part of developing network of specialists
Designed for sustainability

15. Project results Over 37,000 learners accessing e-learning
Over 1,500 trainers trained
Over 370 small businesses trained
Over 150 organisations upgraded
Learners using on-line materials
Practitioners developing and sharing innovative web-based learning materials
We expect over 50,000 learners will be involved in some way in the project. The trained trainers are very important to our sustainability plan.

16. Project outcomes: skills
Vision
Project outcomes: skills
E-Mentor & e-Tutor: competency based, accredited qualification
www, , applications (Microsoft Office etc.)
Asynchronous collaboration tools
Learning management system
Supporting learners needs
Facilitation and moderation of group discussion
Designing on-line activities including testing, assessing and evaluating learners’ performance
Effective deployment of web and application based learning content
ECDL and ECDL mentor, LeTTOL
Developing technical and networking skills through CISCO academies
These show the e-learning skills that are necessary to provide support for teachers when developing e-learning skills, this is a first step towards the emergence of a new pedagogy for e-learning.

17. Critical success factors
Senior Management buy-in
e-Learning becomes embedded into organisational development plans
Learning champions
Cascade training
e-Learning becomes embedded across the curriculum
It is very clear to us that these success factors have a critical impact on the project delivery, in particular having commitment at a senior level so that there is organisational support for the individuals involved and so that the project becomes embedded into organisational development

18. A Critical Success Factor for Growth: Creating the digital labour pool
The e-sy.info programme is focused on:
‘Creating a world class learning region’
Ensuring the workforce is digitally literate
Key transitions in lifelong learning, especially 10 though 19
Embedding ICT in KS3/4 (11-16) and vocational curriculum
Employability in the knowledge economy
Creating the learning habit in SMEs
Widening participation through e-learning
Without a comprehensive and cohesive approach to delivering a sub-regional vision we cannot create a world-class learning region
Smoothing transition and joining up the many educational initiatives has helped us to optimise the impact of the project

19. Project Evaluation Impact of the project
Process
Project Evaluation
Impact of the project
What is happening to learners and trainers
Where is it happening and who is involved
How the intervention works in particular learner contexts
How far embedding has progresses
Issues for sustainability
Specification of the evaluation focuses on the impact of the e-learning intervention to understand more fully the transformation process

20. Peer-reviewed research papers
Oct 2004: The implementation of a sub-regional VLE
Oct 2005: The impact of the SYeLP on the economic regeneration of SY
Oct 2006: SYeLP- overall impact, lessons learned and issues for sustainability
These papers are to share our experiences with others, offer guidance and focus on the impact on economic regeneration

21. By end of 2006, South Yorkshire will have:
Moved from large scale implementation to full scale embedding within learning organisations
Comprehensive training systems
Quality assurance processes in place
Adoption and adaption of e-learning across the curriculum
The emergence of online pedagogy
A sub-regional learning portal
Comprehensive case study material
Final slide – summary of project outcomes emphasising the cultural change and transformation in educational delivery across educational sectors