Learning Possibilities announced as winners of the ‘ICT Education Partnership’ category of the BETT 2010 Awards for our work with Wolverhampton City Council.

The winners of the BETT Awards 2010, the most prestigious and sought-after accolade for educational technology suppliers, were announced on the opening day of BETT, the world’s largest educational technology event.

The award-wiining partnership between Learning Possibilities and Wolverhampton has resulted in a wide range of successful outcomes – including the development of the ADOPT Framework.

The BETT Award judges said:

“Learning Possibilities demonstrated evidence of an effective partnership based on shared values and an ethos of transforming education. The partnership has enabled the local authority to provide bespoke support and entry points to the learning platform rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.”

A research study led by Lancaster University has shown the value of the LP+ learning platform within Wolverhampton schools.Schools included in the study described the value of being able to involve pupils in creative practices that can be captured and held on the learning platform.

The study, carried out in conjunction with Senior Research Fellow Don Passey, of Lancaster University, and the Wolverhampton Local Authority, looked at use of the LP+ learning platform within the city’s schools.

The summary report includes the key findings of research undertaken and highlights the benefits of using a learning platform. The report also indicates that use of the learning platform to support administration and communication, tasks such as sending newsletters to parents and photocopying, can save a two class entry primary school over £38,000 per annum – a benefit of over ten times the initial costs of the LP+ learning platform.

The research also provides feedback about the support, development and implementation practices and processes undertaken with evidence gathered from a number of sources including teachers, school managers and local authority staff.

The report shows that schools implementing and adopting the learning platform are establishing as a central service within the school – supporting pupils, teachers managers and parents.

Schools included in the study described the value of being able to involve pupils in creative practices that can be captured and held on the learning platform. This provides opportunities for pupils to review and reflect on their activities and experiences. Some schools are finding that reluctant writers and communicators are being supported through use of the learning platform’s discussion areas. These factors have resulted in more homework being completed and shows that pupils are engaging in learning over a longer period of time and during extended hours.

Schools that have focused on improving parental involvement and engagement are finding that the learning platform offers them further opportunities to extend their programmes.