|  | Who are Vital? |
| | | | | | ViTaL Partnerships Ltd (ViTaL) is a non-profit social enterprise working with the Graduate School of Education at the University of Bristol. It was formed in 2004 to handle the development work, much in demand in schools, from research into Values Development and Learning Power at the Graduate School of Education. The research showed that people achieve more and work better together when their personal development as learners is understood as the foundation of academic performance. ViTaL’s aim is to enhance lifelong learning and facilitate change in individuals, organisations and communities. ViTaL’s expertise lies in designing and managing innovative Research and Development projects in partnership with schools and other learning organisations, offering school-based training, consultations, evidence-gathering, data-analysis, oral feed-back and report-writing. Through the ELLI R&D programme, for example, students, teachers and researchers all learn alongside each other and school self-evaluation is built into the project. In this way, ViTaL forges links between research, policy and practice: making research practical and accessible to teachers; bringing evidence of effective practice back into the research academy; disseminating findings and building a case for influencing policy, by demonstrating the impact of values on teaching, learning and shared goals such as those of ‘Every Child Matters’. Coupling research with best practice For five years, ViTaL has provided workshops and consultancy for leaders and staff in nursery schools (kindergarten), primary schools, secondary schools, special schools (providing for special educational needs) and sixth form colleges, a young offenders’ institution and training programmes across the South West region of England for ‘NEET’ learners (not in education, employment or training). Over eighty schools have so far benefited from our expert facilitation and training. We have also worked with fourteen universities and three Local Authorities and have run projects in Australia, Bahrain, Malaysia and the USA. This work has trained professionals to understand, interpret and apply the acclaimed research into values and learning, including the Effective Lifelong Learning Inventory (ELLI) from the Graduate School of Education. ViTaL is responsible for providing access to the ELLI online survey whilst assuring the quality, ethical standards and research-validity of its use in practice. The ELLI workshops ask participants to ‘wear three hats’: first, as learners in their own right; secondly, as classroom practitioners; lastly, as prospective project leaders. They are facilitated, interactive and intensive and engage participants in creative, collaborative activity: interpreting data, designing learning experiences, mentoring learners on a change programme, project planning and managing innovation. Metaphor and story are used to bring concepts to life and the experience has many times been described as ‘inspirational’. Quality materials, in both printed and electronic format, are supplied. Digital projection and internet access are normally needed for the ELLI workshops. ViTaL also runs the Assessment for Learner Centred Practices, an evaluation tool to assist teachers understand how to improve class room learning and engagement. Built on the same principals as ELLI, you can learn more about both ELLI and ALCP by clicking the menu on the right. | | |
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