Gloucestershire ITE Partnership Deploys Paragon to Enhance Initial Teacher Training For Students and Staff

Innovative e-portfolio solution from Vantage streamlines teacher training programme and cuts the burden of traditional paper-based learning for trainees and assessors

28 January, 2009 - The Gloucestershire Initial Teacher Education Partnership (GITEP) has deployed Paragon, an e-portfolio and continuing professional development (CPD) tool, to simplify and further enhance its Graduate Teacher Programme.

The web-based e-portfolio supports trainee teachers’ development and training requirements by allowing them to record and keep track of their training in one easy-to-access area, and their assessors to access and validate the evidence and provide feedback online.

Developed by e-portfolio and performance management specialist Vantage Technologies, Paragon lets trainees upload evidence of their training into their portfolio and assess themselves against the Professional Standards for qualified teacher status.

Having an up-to-the-minute record of work lets mentors effectively track and monitor trainees’ progress and helps trainees to be more aware of their professional development needs, providing a basis upon which they can focus their learning.

A key benefit of Paragon is its ability to save time for both trainees and assessors. All uploaded information is securely accessible over the Internet at anytime so non-school based staff can access and assess evidence remotely instead of having to make a trip to school.

This makes the trainee development process easier to monitor and manage and the appraisal process more continuous and effective as assessors can identify and address any issues as and when they arise.

Furthermore as Paragon stores all CPD information electronically in a single location, it significantly reduces the amount of paper work for both parties. This removes the burden of in-efficient and time-consuming paperwork which was involved with the former paper-based system.

Joy Sullivan, training manager for GITEP, said: “The GITEP scheme operates as a very effective partnership between schools and higher education in the country and with Paragon we’re able to further enhance the training programme we deliver to our trainees.

“The students who have been using it have given very positive feedback and are recommending it to fellow trainees, the software actually includes prompts for target-setting which is very useful.

"Paragon is extremely easy to use and access, meaning mentors for those trainees who have moved onto other school placements will still be able to access their students’ e-portfolios for assessment purposes.

“We looked at a couple of solutions but Paragon better suited our needs, it’s flexible and can be tailored to what we want and is also geared to working with the qualified teacher status (QTS) standards. It’s definitely a best-practice solution for schools and universities looking to improve their teacher training programmes.”

Paragon has initially been rolled out to a pilot group within a secondary school graduate teacher training programme.

The Gloucestershire Initial Teacher Education Partnership GTP programme is overseen by the University of Gloucester and Gloucestershire Association of Secondary Heads.

For more information on Paragon visit: www.paragoneducation.co.uk

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Issued on behalf of Vantage Technologies, contact 01142 479500

Press contact:  Context, Priya Mistry

T: 01625 511966 

www.contextpr.co.uk

vantage@contextpr.co.uk

About Vantage Technologies Limited

Vantage Technologies Limited is an IT services and solutions company, founded in 1988, specialising in the delivery of innovative software solutions for the improvement of working practice.  Vantage is active in a variety of market sectors including local authorities, healthcare, police and professional institutions. Its product portfolio of web-based solutions includes risk management, professional development and e-learning.  For further information visit: www.vantage-technologies.co.uk