W:
edtechnology.co.uk | T: @Educ_Technology
MOOCS VS BOOKS
Is print your weakest link?
By Stephen Young, Xerox Public Sector Framework Manager
When you think of technology security, what springs to mind first? Smartphone? Tablet? Internet access? What about your photocopier or multi-function printer (MFP)? After all, it does store data, it could be networked and it could be open to misuse. You may have seen the recent news about
a hacker playing the game Doom on a printer user interface. Not malicious, perhaps, but it’s why we’ve integrated security features, including McAfee embedded software, that protect and stop hackers gaining access to your confidential data.
T
echnology here in 2014 has been used to study events exactly 100 years earlier, with FutureLearn
creating the BBC’s first MOOC, by facilitating a collaboration between the broadcaster and four of its university partners on a course portfolio on World War One. Since FutureLearn’s first courses
began in October 2013, the social learning platform has atracted over 550,000 learners from more than 190 countries and territories, clocking up more than a million course registrations between them.
FutureLearn.com, which was built to
support learning through conversation, has seen 38% of learners behaving socially and posting comments which themselves become a valuable source of learning material for others reading them. Almost a quarter (22%) of all learners are fully participating in the courses – that is completing the majority of steps in a course and all the assessments, a figure two–three times higher than comparable completion
www.futurelearn.com
rates reported by other providers. Over 120 courses have been created
to date, with courses offered by 40 partners, comprising leading UK and international universities, alongside the British Council, British Library and British Museum. Fourteen universities and specialist education establishments have joined the FutureLearn partnership since the website went live in September 2013, many from outside the UK. In the year, FutureLearn has welcomed its first partners from China, Korea, South Africa and mainland Europe. FutureLearn is liaising with the
National Film and TV School to create courses aimed at creative industry professionals and the ACCA, IET and BT operate as business sponsors of MOOCs for professional recognition. The ACCA is collaborating with the
University of Exeter to create a business course, for which learners can gain exemption from one of the accountancy body’s qualifying modules, upon successful completion and passing of the associated exam.
Students in the dark We’ve shared with you in the past the positive impact colour has on communication, retention and learning. Teachers around the country are under increasing pressure to develop more dynamic, interesting and effective lesson plans, however, we often find the supporting colour rich hand-outs fail to materialise. The experience leaves them downhearted and the students in the dark. In fact, on average 43% of the student population receive paper based hand-outs every day in class and the majority of these documents are still produced in black and white, even though they often include pictures, graphs and charts. Fortunately, printing in colour is now
much more affordable. Through managed government framework agreements, with approved suppliers, pre-negotiated pricing, robust terms and conditions and even online purchasing, the education sector can address this issue with confidence.
40% of orders now online Traditionally, this sector has procured print equipment via direct face to face contact, from a host of print manufacturers and dealers. Now this is definitely changing. We’re experiencing schools becoming more confident in buying standard products and services online. For example, our online procurement portal,
www.xerox.co.uk/ rm1599, is growing rapidly receiving over 2,000 visitors every term and offering savings of over 40%. For further information please visit www.
mfd-rm1599.com.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72