HALTON parents will be able to check up on their child's progress in school at the click of a mouse after schools minister, Derek Twigg, unveiled radical plans to exploit technology to personalise education for young people.
The new scheme will enable schools, colleges, universities and adult and community learning organisations to tailor education around the particular needs of their learners.
Halton MP Derek Twigg said: 'Imaginative use of information and communications technology (ICT) will open up a new world of possibilities in education.
'Digital technology is already changing how we do business and live our lives, we need to embrace this revolution within the education sector.
'Already, online information services are opening up real possibilities to keep parents far more engaged with what their children are doing, and give them the ability to work with schools on how they are progressing.
'For teachers, lecturers and tutors it means greater access to good quality ICT resources, more efficient ways of keeping in touch and giving feedback on students' progress.
'Technology is the key to personalised learning and putting learner's needs at the heart of education.'
The E-Learning Strategy sets out plans to:
Enhance ICT services available to schools with every school having broad-band access by 2006.
Encourage schools to use their online networks to provide parents with more information about their child's performance promoting greater parental involvement.
Use Internet channels to give teachers, parents and learners greater access to information, advice and guidance.
Enable institutions to offer every learner their own on-line learning space to store coursework, course resources, results and achievements.
Help engage 'hard to reach' learners, with special needs support, more motivating ways of learning, and more choice about how and where to learn.
