This month, Bill Rammell, MP, Minister for Lifelong Learning, Further and Higher Education, announced Becta's Technology Strategy for further education, skills and regeneration.

The strategy will ensure that the whole further education system has the guidance and support it needs to use technology confidently and imaginatively in teaching, learning and business systems. It has been developed in partnership with CEL, LLUK, LSC, Ofsted and QIA and with assistance from a number of providers, employers, learners and experts from across the FE and skills system.

Many colleges and providers are already demonstrating how the effective use of technology can lead to greater motivation, satisfaction and progression, as well as savings in cost and time. The advance of technology in further education will continue, and Becta's strategy aims to ensure that the whole further education system has the guidance and support needed in order to realise these benefits.

The benefits to business

Mr Rammell said: "We owe it to learners and employers to reap the many rewards technology offers. The practical support the strategy offers will have a real impact on how colleges and providers deploy technology. That's why we will invest an extra £4.25 million a year up to 2011 in this strategy. This Government is committed to technology in learning, recognising the contribution it will bring to the nation's economy and social cohesion."

Businesses in the UK should be a key beneficiary of this investment as government funded learning providers make better use of technology to deliver more flexible accessible fit for purpose programmes.

Karen Price Chief Executive, e-skills UK commented on the new strategy: "We are delighted that Becta is championing how technology can, and should, be used to deliver flexible and tailored learning that is fit for purpose and better meets employer and individual needs. We need to invest in technology, but everybody tends to forget to invest in the skills of the people - we mustn't underestimate the importance of that."

Jane Williams, Executive Director of Further Education, Regeneration and Delivery at Becta, said: "Technology changes everything. We want to see colleges and providers capitalise on its potential, to engage effectively with learners, manage resources and design the curriculum when today's geographical, physical, temporal and cultural boundaries are being swept away by technology. Becta's Next Generation Learning campaign is key to this as it aims to put technology at the heart of learning to improve education and training in the UK."

The priorities for the technology strategy 

The priorities for the technology strategy are to:

* Implement a systematic national professional development programme and regional support for the FE workforce and leaders in the effective use of technology, linked to professional standards

* Develop a supported network of business leaders who will be advocates for flexible and online delivery, to give employers and providers the opportunity to share best practice and support innovation

* Provide learning opportunities through technology for the 'digitally excluded', for disadvantaged learners and for small businesses

* Take forward the Next Generation Learning campaign to raise awareness of, and increase demand for, learning through technology

* Raise the quality of technology products and services via a system-wide National Digital Infrastructure, advice on effective procurement and a focus on digital content

* Accelerate quality improvement by considering how the effective use of technology might best be embedded in any revision to the inspection process, and initial scoping to see if the incentives are right for delivering technology-based-services.

Becta and Towards Maturity CIC 

Towards Maturity community interest company's main aim is to identify practices from the world of work to improve the impact of learning technologies in work. It is important that these lessons are not just shared within the world of work but also with those learning providers looking to support businesses. As a result we look forward to working closely with Becta , as they implement this strategy.

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