Scottish Institute Launches 'The Learning Exchange'

The Learning Exchange, the world's first interactive library of digital learning resources for social work education was recently launched by the Scottish Institute for Excellence in Social Work Education.

Led by the University of Dundee and involving collaboration between nine Scottish universities, The Learning Exchange will be available to all social work educators in Scotland, placing at their fingertips a rich online library - or digital repository - where they can instantly access a wide array of innovative learning resources.

Bryan Williams, Director of the Institute, said, "This is a ground-breaking development in professional higher and further education and those studying to become 21st century social services workers and the users of those services deserve nothing less.

"The beauty of the Learning Exchange is the way that it enables educators to take small chunks of learning and incorporate them into their teaching according to their own needs and teaching styles. Educators can also upload their own materials into the Learning Exchange so that they can be shared with others.

"The universities and their partners will be the first to get access and we will then roll out the service to Scotland's colleges and to social services providers, making it a truly sector-wide resource."

University Principal and Vice Chancellor Sir Alan Langlands said, "The Learning Exchange is the culmination of two years of collaborative work by the nine university members of the Institute. They are to be congratulated on their success in working together to develop such a useful educational service for the social work profession."

Work on developing the Learning Exchange was led by the University of Strathclyde at a cost of £800,000, funded jointly by the Scottish Executive and the Scottish Funding Council.

Learning objects have been commissioned initially in the priority curricular areas of child development and protection, risk management, law, inter-professional work, service user involvement and preparation for practice.