Notice to all members

As a result of the review (which was initiated in December, 2008), of ASSOCiate Online - OurSubject VLE, we are to launch a new, revised site in September 2009. The feedback we have received has fed into the review.

The new site will have the following:

• an improved, user-friendly interface
• clearer instructions and easier access
• focus on the popular facilities to make the site easier to navigate
• reduction on subject groupings to improve member interactivity
• repository for the uploading of member contributions (resources, lesson plans)
• a new facility - live chat

The new site will use your present username and password so there will be no need for you to set these up again. However, as the specialisms are regrouped in the new site, you may have to update your profile again.

FE Teachers TV Videos Project Ray Robertson gave a comprehensive demonstration of the TV Videos Project which West Suffolk has developed to support best practice in teaching. In addition he highlighted some web-sites that might be of interest to teachers to support their teaching .

He encouraged teachers to consider using the technology such as WII, PSP and Nintendos to increase the range of learning resources. He suggested that social networking sites were being used to reach out to students by institutions such as Open University, Harvard and Oxford eg:

ray.robertson@wsc.ac.uk

www.teachertube.com/video.php?category=mv
www.moletv.org.uk/Default.aspx?module=AllMovies

www.youtube.com/OxfordSBS

"More activity and fewer 'lurkers'!" More e-moderators are reporting that more trainees and other users are becoming more active as opposed to simply 'lurking'. See ASSOCiate Online Update February 2009 (opens in a new window).
 

Please see the the Ofsted Evaluation of VLEs (opens in a new window). This will be of interest to all of you who are concerned with the development of VLEs. This is also useful in the context of the use of ASSOCiate Online.