JISC Learning and Teaching Innovation Grant

It is not so often that I get to update this blog , especially with good news! We have just been informed that our application for the JISC Learning and Teaching Innovation Grant has been successfull and we have been awarded a one year project to create WIDGaT, an easy-to use authoring toolking for adaptable widgets.

This project aims to explore, design, develop and evaluate a WIDG@T toolkit that will support the design, development and sharing of widgets by those directly involved in the teaching and support of disabled students. Following on from the successful JISC WIDE project, we will build on our established Community of Practice  and utilise the Users and Innovation Development Model (UIDM) approach to the specification, design, development,  trial of the prototype. By engaging pedagogical and technical experts in the design and development of elearning support with our intended end users the objective is to produce a prototype authoring tool that will enable teachers or students to develop and share bespoke widgets. The WIDG@T toolkit will contribute towards the personalisation of learning for individual students, complement existing JISC initiatives in the area of personalisation, elearning tools and the commitment to open access and sharing of tools and resources. Both the toolkit itself and the resultant widgets will be freely available through a range of dissemination methods for use and adaptation by the wider learning community.

The Learning and Teaching Innovation Grants programme supports one year projects of up to £50,000 each dealing with any aspect of e-learning. You can find more information  and details of past and current funded projects under this strand athttp://www.jisc.ac.uk/whatwedo/programmes/elearning/ltig.aspx

The project team includes Dr Elaine Pearson (Principal Investigator), myself (Project Manager), Franck Perrin (Developer) and Dr. Steve Green(Technical Director). My role will involve day to day project management, financial management, workshop organisation, evaluation, dissemination, and reporting.

Everyone at ARC is excited and delighted with our latest funding success and we cant wait to start our WIDGaT project.