JISC

The JISC e-Learning programme (October 2003 to March 2009) aims to identify how e-learning can benefit learners, practitioners and educational institutions, and advise on its implementation.

The aim of the JISC e-learning programme is to enable UK further and higher education to create a better learning environment for all learners, wherever and however they study, in order to realise the vision outlined below.

The vision is of a world where learners, teachers, researchers and wider institutional stakeholders use technology to enhance the overall educational experience by improving flexibility and creativity and by encouraging comprehensive and diverse personal, high quality learning, teaching and research.

In order to achieve its vision, the e-Learning Programme intends to produce the following outcomes:-

1. Improved understanding at practitioner and senior management level of the potential of ICT to support learning and teaching at departmental, institutional, regional or national levels, and the strategic implications of this
2. The stimulation of positive and informed change in the sector through the enhanced capacity, knowledge and skills around the use of ICT to support learning and teaching, especially lifelong, workplace and flexible learning
3. Support for personalization, and pedagogic and institutional diversity, at departmental, institutional, regional or national levels
4. The continuing development of a flexible technical infrastructure which supports a service oriented approach, is based on community involvement and collaboration, and aims to maximize cost effectiveness and flexibility
5. Support for the delivery of national policy on lifelong, workplace and flexible learning and the provision of strategic leadership to the sector
6. Enhanced knowledge of, and experience in, the current use and potential of e-Learning as a basis for future funding decisions for the JISC and its sub-committees

If the eLearning Programme is successful the resulting benefits will be

1. Learners will be able to access a wide range of different learning experiences, to make informed choices about their use of e-learning services and materials, and to progress between courses and institutions with their own learning records;
2. Practitioners will be developing the confidence and skills to manage and facilitate e-learning in different contexts, with a variety of innovative pedagogical approaches;
3. Institutions will be using e-learning as an integral part of their approach to widening participation, work-based learning, flexible delivery and personalised learner experiences;
4. Technical infrastructures will support flexibility, diversity and extendibility, and have the potential to reduce the cost of implementation
5. There will be effective and responsive e-learning policies, systems and structures in place at local, regional and national level; guidance and support will be available to help institutions make more informed decisions on the strategic use of e-learning
6. All participants in the learning/teaching process will have easy access to appropriate, high-quality learning materials and to flexible learning systems and tools, which they will be able to customise to suit their own preferences and needs

JISC is working in partnership with Becta and the Higher Education Academy to realise the DCSF/DIUS e-Strategy and the HEFCE e-Learning strategy with its updated statement of policy (due Dec 2008).

The programme structure is currently being reviewed, see a summary of the new structure and approach (Word) and the priority areas for development work (Word).   

For further information about the e-Learning programme, please see the e-Learning Focus website which is aimed at the wider community.

The programme is funded by the JISC Learning and Teaching committee