Transcript New Opportunities Fund ICT Training

New Opportunities Fund
ICT Training
Libraries and Information
Service
North Lanarkshire Council
Wendy Bennett - Lending Services
Manager (North)
7/18/2015
North Lanarkshire Libraries
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7/18/2015
With a population of over 326,000 North
Lanarkshire is the 4th largest unitary
authority in Scotland
We operate our services through 24
libraries and 5 mobile libraries
We have 207 staff involved in the ICT
training programme
We are currently in year 2 of the NOF ICT
Training Programme
Information Service
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The Information Service operates from 3
Area Information Centres at Motherwell,
Coatbridge and Cumbernauld
There are 4 Learning Centres at
Motherwell, Coatbridge, Cumbernauld
and Wishaw
Open Learning Outreach Services
operate from a further 8 libraries
All libraries have free public access to the
Internet
Information Service
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7/18/2015
Motherwell Library is an approved test
centre for ECDL
A further 10 libraries are awaiting
approval
Motherwell Library is also an SQA
accredited centre
A further 11 libraries are awaiting
accreditation
Information Service
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The service manages the Council’s web
site www.northlan.gov.uk
The service also manages a separate
library web site, the I Base, which
provides access to quality assessed web
sites chosen to provide the information
required by users www.nll.org.uk
Information Service
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The I Base is the first point of call for staff at all
libraries when answering enquiries. It contains
access to search engines, web sites, including the
Council site, to World Book Online and KnowUK.
Through the I Base the public can access these
resources and also electronic books and the
Oxford Reference Collection from their own
homes. In theory providing a 24 hour service.
Year One Training
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7/18/2015
As the library service already operates high
degree of ICT based systems it was decided to
carry out the Advanced Training in Year One.
This was in order to allow staff to more effectively
utilise, and further develop the systems already in
use, and to introduce new systems as required
It also meant there would be a more controlled
gap between completing ECDL training and the
PN rollout
Year One Training
Net Navigator
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All 30 library supervisors were trained as Net
Navigators. The target was 30 but class sizes
allowed us to train a further 6 staff within the
budget. These staff have since undertaken
advanced training to further enhance their search
skills.
Increasing the number of staff receiving training
first hand raised morale and made staff feel more
involved and “special”
All training was provided by Informatics CTEC
Year One Training
Educator
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8 staff from a variety of posts volunteered to
become educators to assist in the cascade
training for staff and to act as mentors to support
staff going through the ECDL.
The staff received training in the NETg IT based
ECDL training system. They also attended an inhouse practical “training the trainer” course
The “Educators” were also fast tracked through
the ECDL in Year Two
NETg training was provided by Informatics CTEC
Year One Training
NETg
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NETg ECDL Skillbuilder software was purchased
using an award from the NOF Special Fund. The
system consists of management software and a
49-user licence. The management software
assists in following the progress of the individuals
and monitors areas where they need assistance
and highlights when they have reached the
appropriate skill levels.
The system is used by staff who cannot attend
training courses in person or by any staff who
wish to revise and practice the skills they have
learned.
Year One Training
IT Gatekeeper
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Our original target was to train 2 staff as
IT Gatekeepers. However, as before, we
were able to extend the numbers within
the allocated budget to 4 staff
Training was provided by Informatics
CTEC
Year One Training
Information Consultant
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Our original target was to train 4 staff as
Information Consultants. However, as
before, we were able to extend the
numbers within the allocated budget to 6
staff
Training was provided by Informatics
CTEC
Year One Training
Information Manager
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4 staff received training as Information
Managers.
Training was provided by Informatics
CTEC
Year Two Training
ECDL
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We are required by the Council Financial
Regulations to tender for the supply of services
over £20,000
A specification was drawn up and formal tenders
were received from 11 companies offering to
provide their services at costings varying from
£35,000 to £206,883
The tender was awarded to a consortium of 2
local colleges, Coatbridge and Cumbernauld
Year Two Training
ECDL
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We held a series of meetings with the colleges
and they agreed to train over an extended period
to meet our operational requirements.
Classes are run from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. with a 15
minute break. While this is intensive it does avoid
problems of covering lunches and evenings.
It was calculated that we could release a
maximum of 25 staff and still maintain an
adequate service during the 4 hours. Not all staff
are from lending services which shares out the
load
Year Two Training
ECDL
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We asked the colleges to prepare and follow a
structured timetable
The timetable is organised into modules and each
module is broken down into 4 days
The first and second days are tutored learning
The third day is a mix of tutored learning and a
mock assessment
The fourth day is a mix of tutored learning and an
assessment
Year Two Training
ECDL Skills Checklist
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All staff completed a skills checklist. This was
processed by the colleges and gave a resultant
skill level to allow us to tailor classes to like levels
It highlighted that 62 staff had level 1 and needed
an initial pre-ECDL course to at least have the
basic skills to undertake the ECDL.
Those who were rated as having level 4 or 5 were
fast-tracked
Year Two Training
ECDL Fast-tracking
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Fast-tracking meant attending college on 2
mornings a week over 14 weeks. In all 19 staff
were fast-tracked. This included the Libraries and
Information Manager, John Fox. We felt that it
was important for staff morale that all staff were
seen to be affected by the training.
The fast-track class finished in January and all 19
achieved the award
Year Two Training
ECDL Standard Classes
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Standard classes are held on Monday, Tuesday,
Thursday and Friday mornings over 28 weeks.
The first classes began in October and 48 staff
are now just over half way through the course.
The second phase began in February and a
further 49 staff are now almost completed the 2nd
module
A third phase will be due to start in June
Year Two Training
ECDL Open Learning
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Several Information Services staff indicated a
preference to undertake the ECDL through the
Open Learning service
To date 7 staff have achieved the award through
this route
A further 4 Lending Services staff will shortly be
beginning the course
One person had already begun the course on
their own initiative at night classes and we have
picked up the fees for this
Problems and practicalities
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In the early standard classes there was deal of
concern and reticence about how staff would cope
with learning after being away from further
education for so long
We found that the “educators” were able to help in
confidence building as well as solving practical
problems
We made practice time available during the
working day and moved staff to quieter libraries in
evenings to increase their practice time
Problems and practicalities
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We arranged short term loans to staff of laptops
and PCs
An Open Learning Officer was appointed to
support staff going through ECDL
The Officer was given a mobile phone to be easily
contacted and had a remit to work where he was
required. This meant in evenings as required.
The Open Learning Service is able to take staff
through any modules they may miss
Problems and practicalities
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Once the training was underway staff began to
enjoy the challenge and where we thought illness
and annual leave might be a problem we found
that this was not the case. Staff often changed
days off to half days and attended college in the
mornings
We found that having the course timetabled by
the colleges allowed staff to plan which days they
could afford to miss and which they couldn’t
We agreed to reduce all non-essential
commitments during the year to concentrate on
the project
Impact of training
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We have found a positive response from staff
While there have been real pressures on covering
service points no one has been pulled out of
college for the day
Staff all feel they are going through the process
together and it has increased morale/ confidence
Staff have a better understanding of how ICT
skills can enhance the service and assist in
managing tasks
We have now amended our personnel
specification to include ECDL as a “desirable”
quality
Year Two Training
Review of Progress
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207 staff were required to undertake
ECDL
26 now have ECDL
– 19 through fast tracking at college
– 7 through open learning
97 are currently at college
4 about to undertake open learning
1 at night school
Contacts
Further information
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7/18/2015
John Fox, Libraries and Information Manager
0141 304 1843 [email protected]
Charlie Bennett, Information Services Manager
01698 332604 [email protected]
Wendy Bennett, Lending Services Manager
(North)
01236 725664 [email protected]