KTP BENEFITS

Knowledge Transfer Partnerships are designed to benefit everyone involved

Businesses will acquire new knowledge and expertise

KTP Associates will gain business-based experience and personal and professional development opportunities

Universities, colleges or research organisations will bring their experience to enhance the business relevance of their research and teaching

Knowledge Transfer Partnerships Accelerating business innovation; a Technology Strategy Board programme

http://www.ktponline.org.uk

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Redbridge is a diverse London borough that has a vibrant multicultural community of nearly 240,000 residents. Its schools are currently ranked second in the country for the progress pupils make in secondary schools and it is in the top ten for primary schools.

The Local Authority was aware that the best staff development for teachers occurs when they meet to discuss issues about teaching and learning. However, it also acknowledged the practical and financial limitations of disseminating good practice throughout the borough, if this was the only approach taken. The KTP project offered the opportunity to provide an online extension in the exchange of good

practice, by developing an online community of teachers who could learn from each other.

ABOUT THE PROJECT During this project, the KTP Associate worked towards developing and implementing the systems necessary to launch the RNLC Online Knowledge Exchange. The RNLC consisted of over 50 schools that worked together on a number of networked themes.

The exchange formed a vital part of the system by enabling all schools in the borough to submit examples of their practice, experience, ideas and resources to the network.

The Company

FAST FACTS

Development of an online resource has enabled teachers throughout the borough to exchange pedagogical information

Over 50 schools had online access to the Redbridge Networked Learning Community (RNLC) exchange

Streaming video used to capture and disseminate teaching and learning good practice

Case study materials used in BSc courses by the School of Systems Engineering

After a successful project, the KTP Associate became the Web Marketing Manager of Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College

ABOUT THIS CASE STUDYRedbridge Local Authority (Redbridge LEA at the time of the KTP) worked in partnership with the University of Reading in this two-year Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) to develop a metadata scheme to enable the storage, retrieval and dissemination of educational materials, and support online collaboration and knowledge transfer between educational practitioners.

ABOUT THE SPONSORThe Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) is the UK’s leading research funding and training agency addressing economic and social concerns, providing high quality research to business, the public sector and Government.

REDBRIDGE LOCAL AUTHORITYVIRTUAL LEARNING COMMUNITY ENABLES TEACHERS TO EXCHANGE PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE ONLINE

The Associate The Academic Partner

“The project has provided case studies for use on the BSc Computer Science and BSc Information Technology degree courses. For example, technical aspects regarding the development and use of rich media systems have been integrated into teaching materials for the web and multimedia design modules.”

Dr Shirley Williams and Dr Rachel McCrindle, School of Systems Engineering, University of Reading

BENEFITS One of the benefits of the project was that a framework and production system for the delivery of rich media was developed that could be used in any teaching situation to capture best practice.

RESULTS A number of academic papers were produced for submission to education and computing journals that contributed to the dissemination of information about the project and raise the profile of the University.

BENEFITS Although, at times, the management process was not easy, her project management abilities ensured a tangible product and facility was produced. This brought lasting benefit after the KTP was completed and produced a possible model for other local authorities.

RESULTS Jess helped promote the RNLC exchange across the borough and took part in a ‘Beacon’ conference, explaining the features of the exchange during workshop sessions. This generated interest from representatives from outside the borough and from the National College of School Leadership.Following the KTP, Jess took up a full time role in another local council, for a short period, before accepting a role at Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College where she is continuing to work with both web and streaming media technologies as the organisation’s Web Marketing Manager, and is currently undertaking a part-time research degree studying internet television and cultural identity.

An innovative feature of the exchange was the development of video hosting, tagging and streaming. This provided the capture of best practice footage; highlighted learning points with text and narration; and catalogued (tagged) materials so that they could be retrieved easily.

BENEFITS The borough’s teachers had an online resource that helped to support and raise the standard of teaching and learning. The Local Authority gained a greater awareness of technical and communication issues associated with, for example: domain and web hosting,

bandwidth and buffering issues, and Internet video streaming.

In addition, the KTP gave a better understanding and realisation of the legal and cultural issues involved in recording best practice, e.g. the sensitive and complex issues that arise if children are included in video footage.

RESULTS The KTP resulted in the delivery of:

the metadata scheme first outlined for the project

a handbook providing information on a variety of issues, e.g. updating web content and submitting resources

a CD-ROM containing the complete website and project files

Overall, the project resulted in other local authorities across London, and beyond, becoming interested in adopting similar systems.