London authorities join to promote school video conferencing use

The Videoconferencing Development Group (VDG) has been established by the London Grid for Learning Trust (LGfL) and will meet four times in 2010 (twice by videoconference). Members include ICT advisers who are in charge of buying av equipment for their authority.

One of the aims of the LGfL is to ‘enhance learning attainment and the development of key skills by promoting and facilitating the creative and effective use of videoconferencing’.

Speaking to AV, Mina Patel, curriculum consultant for LGfL said the group’s functions would be to offer guidance and support. ‘Just as there is a need for the learning platform to have support, videoconferencing also needs that kind of support. And if its London-wide then it will have a larger impact on the schools.’

‘We want to show there are videoconferencing opportunities for them (schools) and all the different ways they can bring it into classrooms,’ Patel added.

At the end of 2010 the group hopes to offer examples of good practice, a progression matrix for videoconferences, a guide to usage schools should aim for, instructional videos and case studies. All the information collected will be placed on a public area (nationally) for interested parties.