Teaching and technology can have a positive impact on social inclusion by helping to close the digital divide. Evidence from learner progress records, individual learning plans, and achievement data show that teaching with technology helps learners gain confidence, skills, and opportunities that contribute to their well-being and employability. To maximize this impact, the organization takes a holistic view of learners' development and adopts comprehensive approaches to evaluating outcomes.

1. “ Teaching +Technology = Impact” in the context of social inclusion Irina Matthews ILT Coordinator (LETS) [email_address] 30 March 2011

3. Background: socio-economic The service delivers training and employability programmes across Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin. Shropshire is a predominantly rural and sparsely populated county with a small micro business culture. The economic geography is complex with economic flows operating towards Telford & Wrekin and the West Midlands. Telford & Wrekin is ranked in the top 30% of the most deprived districts in the West Midlands and in the top 40% most deprived nationally. There are challenges around the increasing proportion of older people (higher than national trends), lack of transport in rural areas (with resultant problems in accessing services), and a low wage economy, especially care workers and women. Implications in terms of digital inclusion : The latest ONS data suggests that 9.2m adults in the UK have never used the internet. The data suggests the key groups of non-users are: Older people–60% of over 65s have not used the internet. Socially excluded – often through unemployment, living in social housing, having low incomes or being single parents. The latest data suggest 31% of those on very low incomes are non users. Those with few or no qualifications -65% of those with no qualifications are non-users. http://www.statistics.gov.uk/pdfdir/iahi0810.pdf

4. Questions to answer What do we mean by impact? Where is the evidence? How to measure the impact? How to enhance the impact? Role of the ILT Co-ordinator is to apply cohesive and planned approach to the use of technology for business and educational needs. Following organisational restructuring and changes in political and economic landscape it was important to undertake critical review of ILT Development strategy and attempt to answer (among others) the following questions (in relation to using technology for teaching and learning):

7. Collecting evidence Student: 35029 Assertiveness Meditation (Intro) New You: Stress Free You Taking Charge of your life Future You Computers - First Steps Computers - Learn More Student 4467 Public Speaking Computer Essentials Computers - Learn More Digital Photography – Learn in a day eBay – How to buy and sell Student 32024 Looking good, looking great Yoga – Easy Going Psychology – Intro Computer – First Steps Computer – Learn More Internet, email and text messaging Creating a digital photo album Digital Photography, etc Student 14333 Assertiveness Yoga – Beginners Yoga – Mixed Ability Computers – First Steps Computers - Learn More Student 22928 Keeping up with children KUWC Numeracy & accreditation KUWC Literacy @ Harlescott… Alexander Technique Computer – First Steps Computer – Learn More Tracking learner progression using MIS

13. Innovations are disruptive http://www.microsoft.com/education/demos/scale / Innovation leads to deep, transformational changes that will cause disruption to established practices/procedures/policies. Successful transition from innovation to embedded practice requires organisational culture that is geared to accommodating constant change. Increasing the effectiveness of impact is determined by success in the change management.

14. Re-defining learning (Strategies) Strategies can be based around: Technology and its impact on development of cognitive skills, behaviours and actions – Digital taxonomy. Knowledge management – using intellectual capital for the purposes of creating culture of learning and growth. One of the key concepts is the development of skills of accessing, storing, sharing, validating knowledge through collaboration. http://www.openeducation.net/2008/04/11/blooms-taxonomy-and-the-digital-world/

16. Impact??? Is there an impact? What does impact mean? Is there supporting evidence? Can impact be measured? How to maximise the impact?

17. What next? Thank you. Just do it! And a little bit of luck …