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Free Online Games and eTraining that Tackle Serious Issues
Added: (Tue Sep 04 2007)
The University of Wales, Newport has launched an innovative new range of online learning materials including free interactive games that help people explore topics such as disability, age diversity, racial equality and homelessness.
The 'Addressing Barriers: Enhancing Services' series of Equality and Diversity toolkits, which incorporate expert video tutorials alongside interactive 'Bytesize Basics' serious games, have been developed by the Institute of Digital Learning at the University of Wales, Newport to help further understanding of the many barriers people face in education and the workplace.
“These innovative open source etraining resources, which are free to all users in Wales, the UK, Europe and overseas at http://equal.newport.ac.uk, take a fresh approach to equality and diversity guidance in order to engage today’s workforce in staff development training,” said Matt Chilcott, Learning Technologies Development Manager at the Institute of Digital Learning, who has led the team which has been showcasing the toolkits at national and international conferences and other events.
“Working through the Equinex project we have used the latest new media educational technologies to create interactive games which explore a range of serious issues. The new resources were primarily developed for frontline workers in RISE, the Adult Learning Network of South East Wales, and provide an opportunity for people to practise and 'play' with inclusive service approaches at their own pace away from the front line.
“We have been delighted by the diversity of demand for these new training resources and will continue to promote the use of the latest digital learning tools in partnership with the key organisations which have contributed to their development, including Disability Equality Wales, the South East Wales Racial Equality Council, the Princes Trust's Prime Cymru, Shelter Cymru, Cymorth Cymru and the Big Issue Cymru,” he added.
The innovative new toolkits were welcomed by Peter Scott, Manager of the Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) Regional Support Centre Wales, who commented, “The Equality and Diversity etraining resources serve as exemplars of the latest innovations in learning technologies to engage the modern day workforce in staff development training. The use of the Serious Games approach is particularly welcome.”
For further information and to access the free resources visit the website of the Institute of Digital Learning at http://equal.newport.ac.uk
Notes to Editor
The Equinex Development Partnership is a Welsh Equal funded partnership under round two of the European Community Social Fund Initiative. The partnership has been developed to address inequalities and barriers faced by disadvantaged people when trying to access employment, training and educational opportunities at domestic and transnational levels. The partnership is managed from the Centre for Community and Lifelong Learning at the University of Wales, Newport which has extensive experience in widening access issues. For further information about the Equinex Research and Development projects visit www.equinex.newport.ac.uk
The newly founded Institute of Digital Learning (IDL) is a key cornerstone in the University of Wales, Newport’s Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching (CELT). Based within the Newport School of Education the Institute (formerly known as the Education Development Unit) operates under the strap line of ‘enabling education research, development and enterprise in the digital age’. The IDL hosts research and enterprise funded Learning Technologists, New Media and Video Developers, eResearchers and eCurriculum Developers. This team works collaboratively with Research Centres in the University of Wales, Newport, Cardiff University, University of Glamorgan, University of Wales Institute Cardiff and Swansea University utilising the latest new media learning technologies to enhance the learning experiences of students studying on Welsh Assembly Government Knowledge Exploitation Fund and other directly funded projects. The team also make a key contribution to Welsh Equal Equinex development partnership whose partners include the National Autistic Society, the South East Wales Racial Equality Council, Careers Wales and Newport City Council.
The IDL has a recognised specialism in applying the latest e-learning tools (including games based learning, video expert tutorials and interactive case studies) to develop blended learning curriculum across a broad spectrum of curriculum areas and delivery and accreditation levels. The IDL learning material outputs are accessed across education, service and manufacturing workplace setting throughout Wales.
The RISE Learning Network is a partnership of all those involved in lifelong learning, and the provision of learning, across South East Wales, and is a network of over 200 centres. RISE has been developed to give learners a voice, by enabling them to influence the facilities and provision that are available across the Five Counties, and to develop curriculum to meet these requirements. Being demand-driven will help to achieve greater engagement with learners, and assist in the cultural, social and economic regeneration of the region.
The RISE initiative is funded by the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG), and the ESF Objectives 1 and 3 with the aim of helping to promote the development and structural adjustment of a region that has fallen behind other parts of the European Community.