Combining the needs of the Web 2.0 generation with those of less lliterate users presents a virtual learning challenge

Whether it's City & Guilds' own support portal SmartScreen or virtual learning environments (VLEs) such as Moodle, more and more of us are using online services in vocational education.

While these software systems are important tools for tutors and learners now, what will we all be logging on to in two, three or five years' time? The internet has evolved since SmartScreen first launched in 2002 and City & Guilds is looking to the future in order to bring a step-change in service enhancement.

A new project, codenamed 'Wavelength', seeks to give City & Guilds an even better understanding of what centres and learners really want in terms of a next-generation web support service.'

'Wavelength is essentially a listening exercise for us', says Project Manager Ian Sumner, 'where we talk to tutors to find out how we can help them as learning facilitators, and engage with learners to find out how to encourage their self-development.'

The overall focus is very much on the learner. After gathering feedback, a set of product features will be put together and a demonstrator will be built to gauge opinion. The result will be a future service that delivers City & Guilds - approved support materials into a learner-friendly environment that may include things like podcasts or videos.

'Learners are now taking our qualifications who were born after the introduction of the web,' says Sumner. 'Call them the cut 'n' paste generation, the Web 2.0 generation or whatever you want, but they are highly skilled at using computers, make the most of the internet, create their own content as well as their own networks.'

According to Sumner, the challenge for City & Guilds is to create a tool that caters for both the cut 'n' paste generation and less IT-literate users. 'Our products must be supportive of all kinds of learners, from the internet-savvy to the more mature NVQ candidates who operate in a variety of environments and may need an additional support structure.'

While much is said in education about collaborative learning, social networking and bringing together informal and formal learning, it is not actually very easy fortutors and learners to start doing these things. This is a problem Wavelength seeks to help address.

The project will seek feedback from focus groups at a number of centres and through online questionnaires. These will be available to centres on SmartScreen and www.cityandguilds.com. There are a lot of different ideas about how e-learning should be used. 'What we definitely don't want to do is try to replace or challenge our centres' existing IT infrastructure,' says Sumner.

'Centres will probably have a VLE already in place and we want to work alongside it. We want our users to find our new services invaluable, rather than another piece of technology that needs to be learned. The challenge is to make it easy enough to use but sophisticated enough to be useful.' Geoff Rebeck, a nationally-recognised leader and teacher of e-learning in further education, based at Thanet College, comments:

'The work City & Guilds is doing with Wavelength shows how well they understand where technical developments are going in the use of e-learning and more importantly, how they are trying to meet the Web 2.0 generation in using the web in so many new and exciting ways.

'This one is worth watching and engaging in as a genuine attempt to meet the needs of the next generation of learners rather than presenting them with fixed approaches to learning.'.

What is...?

VLE (Virtual learning environment)
Online environment used to manage the delivery of learning materials and assessment.

PLE (Personal learning environment)
Area available to the individual learner adapted to their particular needs.

M-Learning
Learning via a mobile device, such as a phone or a PDA.

Web 2.0
The first generation Web was about content produced by organisations and read by consumers. Web 2.0 is about content both produced and used by individuals, in other words, user-generated content.

Social Networking
People create and join a self managed community that shares interests and publishes to the web. Famous examples are MySpace.Com, Flickr and YouTube.