The first group of enthusiasts have been trained to administer the VLE in their school.  The most important bits of learning included:

• getting your head around the finer points of the system
• being able to use a property to show RSS feeds
• gaining confidence in the methods of sharing
• realising that pupils will use this and to see their part in it
• getting to grips with the admin tools and seeing how can allocate different parts to different people
• never having seens this before, I'm impressed with what it can do
• introduction to the software and seeing the potential for creating a learning network between 3 schools in the Sustaining Succes Project
• general introduction and beginning to understand its application in school 

Norfolk Advanced Skills Teachers had an opportunity to consider the power of blogs during their last network meeting.  There are already a number of ASTs, who run their own websites or contribute to educational sites.  I've started a list here. The session focused on how blogs could be used to share the excellent practice and create learning communities at the same time.  I will upload the slideshow into my files area shortly.  If you were not at the session, please talk to one of your AST colleagues to help you identify how you might use your blog. 

ASTs - please click on the Norfolk ASTs community on the right hand side and apply to join.  It's 'apply to join', so that I can make sure this is ASTs only.  Someone will need to take ownership of the Community in the near future, as I'm not an AST.

 The powerpoint presentation can be found here: Blogging and social bookmarking

Steve Lepper spoke at the Norfolk e-learning Conference on November 2nd 2006 to outline the support available for strategic leadership of ICT.  Norfolk will be working with NCSL to support schools in developing this aspect of school leadership.  The redesign SLICT coursed offered by NCSL will be one approach to ensure a school is in a good starting position.  Steve outlined recent developments and highlighted some of the publications already available to schools.

Secondary Leadership Toolkit:
http://www.ncsl.org.uk/programmes/slict/slict-sltt.cfm

Becta: The self-review framework: guidance for leaders direct reference is:
http://becta.org.uk/corporate/publications/publications_detail.cfm?show=latest&orderby=title_asc&letter=ALL&pubid=337&cart=

It is currently out of print, but there is a PDF copy for download - I understand it is being reprinted as SLICT are also using it on events.

BECTA have also just published a guide to the SRF and Primary Strategies.
the generic SRF link on BECTA is
http://schools.becta.org.uk/index.php?section=srf

The ICT Mark is the next big development on the agenda in relation to ICT and leadership.  Norfolk's e-learning team will be running courses to support schools in obtaining this quality standard from 2007/08. 

Last week I had the opportunity to talk to the NASH and outline some of the key developments in e-Learning.  The Learning Platform Programme and the Norfolk e-Learning Strategy were on key parts of what I had to say. 

Outlining the key targets for 2008 and 2010, the need for collaboration was emphasised.  There seem to be a broad agreement to share work, resources and teacher expertise through electronic platforms across Norfolk.  The reaction to some of the procurement and service arrangements was somewhat more cautious.  It is difficult to see how the Learning Platform functionality suggested by Becta can be implemented with a plethora of different systems and approaches to technical architecture across the county.  The e-learning strategy should allow all schools to develop a joint statement of requirements to procure a managed service for the county.

A good overview of how learning platforms will affect schools can be found in a key DFES publication:

"Learning Platforms (Secondary): Making IT personal"  which can be obtained from:

Teachernet Publications  - Search using ref 2102-2005DBW-EN

We will have copies available at the PDC, as soon as they are in print again. 

Supporting strategic leadership of ICT is a key element of the e-Learning Strategy.  A number of different arrangements are in place to address this:

• Reserved courses for Norfolk leadership teams on the NCSL SLICT course
• Support for the BECTA/NCSL “Self Review Framework” through the Learning Programme
• ICTAC Support (contact Andy Fidler via Anne Mitchell)
  
• The NCSL Leadership Toolkit (available from Anne Mitchell @ PDC

 The presentation slides are available here:Presentation to NASH on e-Learning .