1. Virtual Student Exchanges – Expanding the Learning Network Bob Hallawell – University of Nottingham, UK

2. Aims of the VEP To develop collaborative links between global Universities. To link students of nursing in an international forum for learning. To bring study-elsewhere experiences into the student’s own setting. To identify and implement web based technologies suitable for institutional and individual collaboration. To create a pedagogical framework suitable for interactive technologies.

3. The Partners and the Technology The Partners: University of Nottingham, UK; University of Queensland, Australia; University of Auckland, New Zealand; University of Lund, Sweden; and University of Birmingham, UK. The Technology: Blackboard Learning System/WebCT

4. The VEP Entry Page in WebCT

5. The Cultural Crates

12. The Discussion Forum

13. The Task Briefing – Nursing Education & Regulation Review of current nursing governance and nurse education arrangements Nursing Governance Which organisation is responsible for the registration of nurses in your country? How are they funded and organised? Who is responsible for setting and monitoring standards for nursing practice in your country? How do they do this? Nurse Education Who is responsible for approving programmes of nurse education in your country? Are nursing programmes based in Universities or elsewhere? What is the length of time needed for a programme leading to registration as a nurse? What are the main elements of the pre-registration nursing programme/s? How are students assessed? How are nurse education programmes funded? What financial support is available to nursing students?

14. Aims of the LD/ID VEP To develop collaborative links between UK/Irish Universities. To link students of LD/ID nursing in an national/international forum for learning. To bring study-elsewhere experiences into the student’s own setting. To identify and implement web based technologies suitable for institutional and individual collaboration. To develop core subject learning materials e.g. safeguarding.

15. Initial interest Queens University Belfast; Trinity College, Dublin; University College Cork; University of Hertfordshire; University of Glamorgan; University of Bangor; University of York; University of Nottingham

16. References Laurillard, D. (2009) ‘The pedagogical challenges to collaborative technologies’, Computer Supported Collaborative Learning, Vol.4, pp. 5-20. Maas-Garcia, L. (2009) ‘Nursing keypal exchange: an effective acculturation strategy to prepare for an international experience’, International Nursing Review, Vol.56, No.1, pp. 142-144. Mazzolini, M. and Maddison, S. (2002) ‘Sage, guide or ghost? The effect of instructor intervention on student participation in online discussion forums’, Computers and Education, No.40, pp. 237 – 253. Paloff, R.M. and Pratt, K. (2001) Lessons from the cyberspace classroom – the realities of online teaching, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Sharples, M., Taylor, J. And Vavoula, G. (2007) ‘A theory of learning for the mobile age’ in Andrews, R and Haythornethwaite, C. (eds) The Sage handbook of e-learning research, London, Sage Publications Ltd. Tuijnman, A. And Bostrom, A.K. (2002) ‘Changing notions of lifelong education and lifelong learning’, International Review of Education, Vol.48, No’s 1 & 2, pp.93- 110.