News & Events - General

Kingston College has been accepted as a member of the prestigious Technology Exemplar Network – a national group of further education colleges and skills training bodies – which promotes and shares innovative and excellent use of technology.
Success in being appointed to the network is a huge achievement for Kingston College, as only 61 out of more than 220 applicants across the country were selected. It recognises the strength of Kingston College’s commitment to transforming its teaching, learning and management through the use of digital technology.

As a member of the Network, Kingston College will also contribute effective practice and its positive experiences to other colleges and training groups, locally, regionally and nationally.

The Technology Exemplar Network was launched in 2008 to help colleges and other learning and training organisations use technology more effectively by sharing best practice. It is led by Becta – the government’s educational technology agency – and the Learning and Skills Council (LSC).

The initiative gained a major boost recently when Lord Mandelson, the government’s Business Secretary, speaking at the World Forum for Learning and Technology in London, announced a doubling in the size of the operation.  The expansion of this network will benefit 2 million learners and 50,000 FE teachers and trainers across the UK.

Kingston College will now join this important and influential network of 113 members. The national network is led by 16 ‘Exemplars’, each working with a mini-network of 8-9 members including colleges, work-based learning providers, adult and community learning and the Offenders' Learning and Skills Service (OLASS).

Membership of network is recognition of Kingston College’s commitment to the government strategy, Harnessing Technology, and its efforts to improve achievement and have an impact on learners.
 
Jane Williams, Becta’s Executive Director for Further Education and 14-19, said: “The effective and creative use of technology in learning is the key to better results for learners, their local communities and employers. Becta is committed to helping FE and skills providers harness the power of technology to improve the learning experience and attainment while offering greater efficiencies. The addition of Kingston College to the Technology Exemplar Network is clear evidence that more organisations in the FE and skills sector are recognising the benefits ICT can bring.”

Becta is pleased to be working with the LSC on the Technology Exemplar Network at a time when the FE and skills sector is becoming increasingly confident in its use of technology.  Research from Becta shows that 35% of colleges, 37% of work-based learning providers and 31% of adult and community learning providers are now mature in their use of technology (up from 25%, 35% and 20% in 2007).   

Geoff Russell, Chief Executive of the Learning and Skills Council, said:  “The highly successful Technology Exemplar Network has promoted the unique, added value of technology in learning. In recognition of this the LSC will be continuing its support for the Network as it enters this important, second phase.  The Exemplar Network itself is a fine example of peer-to-peer knowledge cascade and effective practice transfer, which will continue to drive further improvements in provider capability and learner achievement and retention in our sector.”

To see the full list of participating providers please go to: www.becta.org.uk/feandskills/exemplarnetwork.