Background to the project

The National Learning Network (NLN) Materials

The NLN materials consist of over 500 hours of e-learning materials across a wide range of subject areas, commissioned by the NLN Materials Team based at Becta in partnership with subject experts in FE colleges and commercial developers. These developers have proven experience in the design, creation and development of educational materials using multimedia, which is used to enhance the learning experience. They have used a clear pedagogic approach to online learning and also knowledge of the FE curriculum. Access to the first three rounds of materials is currently available: http://www.nln.ac.uk/materials/.

The materials have been created as small chunks of learning, which take about 20 - 30 minutes to complete. They do not comprise whole courses but individual elements of topics (units) selected from the curriculum. Tutors can use these self-contained units as part of their own teaching materials. There is a range of approaches but they all contain some new learning (based on approximately one or two learning objectives). They allow learners opportunities to practise and embed new information, and some form of assessment to check that the learning has been understood and the learning outcome(s) achieved.

The materials have been packaged to IMS/IEEE technical specifications that should enable them to work in local (compliant) Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs). They can also be downloaded by colleges to local intranets.

The materials are being purchased for UK post-compulsory education and training and are free at the point of use. The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) will hold a licence for these materials in perpetuity.

The NLN Learning Materials Delivery Project

The Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) and British Educational Communications and Technology Agency (Becta) are collaborating to provide access to the UK Further Education sector as part of the National Learning Network (NLN) programme.

Becta exists to further the use of information and communications technology (ICT) to raise educational standards and to improve the effectiveness of educational professionals and institutions. It is a controlled, executive, Non-Departmental, Public Body, serving the needs of the UK as a whole. It is a company limited by guarantee with charitable status. Becta is the Government's lead agency for ICT in education and is charged with developing the National Grid for Learning (NGfL).

The JISC is a strategic advisory committee working on behalf of the funding bodies for further and higher education (FE and HE) in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. It also works in partnership with the Research Councils. The JISC promotes the innovative application and use of information systems and information technology in FE and HE across the UK. It provides vision and leadership, and funds the network infrastructure, Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and information services, development projects and high quality materials for education. Its central role ensures that the uptake of new technologies and methods is cost-effective, comprehensive and well focused.

Becta commissioned Granada Learning (GL) to produce a Content Access Tool (CAT), through which FE Colleges can view the NLN materials. A download facility, enabling download of packages of materials to the local server or VLE, has been added to the CAT by GL.

The JISC-funded Data Centres, MIMAS and EDINA, based respectively at the Universities of Manchester and Edinburgh, are hosting the CAT and the NLN materials, and also providing access and support services.