Sharing Good Practice Videos

This toolkit contains information about practical resources, programmes and apps that staff can use to improve their Welsh and to improve their learner's Welsh. The website is completely bilingual and suitable for everyone, whatever their Welsh language skills.

Jisc is working in partnership with Welsh Government to drive forward Digital 2030, which aims to see learning providers in Wales harness the potential of digital technology underpinned by principles of innovation, collaboration, co-production and social partnership.

To support this, Jisc has sourced and developed six examples of successful collaborative initiatives using digital tools and technology in post-16 learning and teaching in Wales. We outlined the key success factors for these case studies and showed where each collaborative approach could be scaled up or was beneficial to address particular issues or subjects.

As a whole, these case studies offer an insight into the exciting possibilities opened up by collaboration within and across sectors, enabled by digital technology, when partners in a collaboration share a common vision and sustainable approach.

Key themes supporting Wales’ digital ambitions

The case studies can be seen as exemplars of the four key national priorities outlined in the Welsh Government’s call to action for FE institutions in December 2022:

1. Work collaboratively to widen access to learning opportunities
2. Develop learners’ and staff digital capabilities and confidence for learning, life and work
3. Maximise the potential of technology to empower, enthuse and inspire learners
4. Embed agile, resilient and sustainable approaches to delivery

The case studies

The six case studies encompass colleges across Wales and collaborations across FE and with sixth forms, HE, work-based learning and community learning (see Appendix 1). The digital tools and technology in use range from virtual classrooms and virtual reality technology to apps and collaboration platforms such as Microsoft Teams. In brief, the case studies cover:

Digital Diamonds: an active Welsh community of practice helping practitioners and managers deliver Essential Skills Wales (ESW) Digital Literacy across post-16 education and training.

Educ8 and CEMET (University of South Wales): developing virtual reality resources for work-based learning through a collaborative approach with HE and employers.

Growing Comms: installing connected active learning spaces in HE and FE through cross-sector collaboration, with strongly positive impacts on learners.

St David’s WeConnect: collaboration between sixth forms to provide a wider curriculum through virtual classrooms.

Target Tracker: colleges working collaboratively to develop digital tools to support learners with additional needs.

Urdd Gobaith Cymru and the Gwreiddio Scheme (Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol): developing Welsh language skills through collaborative learning for apprentices and teaching staff.

This collection includes a blog and a recording of a webinar on creating and using Welsh medium and bilingual resources that were created by JISC in summer 2021. The blog is bilingual and the webinar is in Welsh with bilingual slides. Guest contributors to the webinar included the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol (Dr Lowri Morgans, Joanna Evans, Mary Richards and Enfys Owen), Welsh Government (Gareth Morlais) and Sgiliaith (Helen Humphreys).

In collaboration with mXreality, and working with teams specialising in the subject from Cardiff and Vale College, the Welsh Government has developed an immersive, accessible and expansive 3D metaworld environment, comprising of five areas relating to different themes. They look forward to sharing their experiences, stories and anecdotes with you, and you are invited to engage in an immersive learning experience, which will enhance your understanding of the world. As you explore this world, you are asked to engage with the resources and reflect on their significance. This is an opportunity for you to learn about the cultures and traditions that make up part of our shared identity.

The Metaworld consists of the following sections:

• Experiences
  • The Metaworld of Experiences is situated on a street of representative semi-detached houses in Wales, with access to six houses (three on each side of the street). In each of the houses, you can learn more about the background and interests of the individuals who live there by watching the video playing on the TV and by clicking on some of the interactive items (identified by a three spot icon) in the living room.
• Immersive Studies
  • The Immersive Studies Metaworld consists of a main lower level area and three upper level areas. The main area has a variety of items of geometrical interest because of their shapes and patterns, which show the connection between mathematics, science and nature. You can learn more about these items by clicking on them. A QR Code is also visible on a panel near some items, which can be scanned with your mobile phone's camera to view a 3D or Augmented Reality (AR) version of the item on your device.
  • The higher level includes:
    •  Mathematics room – allows visitors to explore the importance and history of mathematical and geometrical numbers and shapes
    • Hair and Beauty Room – allows visitors to familiarise themselves with the history and origins of hair and beauty
    • Inventions Room – educates visitors about some significant inventions and early contributions to contemporary life
• World Timeline
  • The World Timeline Metaworld consists of a main central area and four geographic regions, all of which you can access via a tunnel from the central area. Each tunnel displays information that presents the background, identity and image of a representative individual from that region. Each of the four regions (detailed below), comprises four time periods, allowing visitors to experience architecture, images, and representational information in relation to ancient times, medieval times, early modern times, and the world today.
  • The four regions available in this Metaworld are:
    • Africa, Indian Subcontinent, Middle East and Northern Europe.
    • As you move around the world timeline, in the central area and in each of the regions, interactive items you can click on link to videos that present useful additional information. QR Codes are also available in some of the regions, which can be scanned with your mobile phone's camera to view a 3D or Augmented Reality (AR) version of the item on your device.
• Curriculum
  • This section allows you to engage with a wide range of carefully crafted topics in order to surmise that their plan will be anti-racist. The section consists of the following topics:
    • Sociology
    • Hair & Beauty
    • Health and Social Care
    • Black Feminism
    • Politics
    • Mathematics
    • Film Studies
    • African philosophy
    • English for speakers of other languages
    • Basic Education for Adults
    • Additional Learning Needs
    • Tutorial