Colleges let their IT slip

COLLEGES are failing to embrace information technology, according to a report published this week by the Further Education Funding Council.

The report, which is being seen as a warning to ministers planning the government's flagship, technology-based University for Industry, found that most colleges lack a comprehensive strategy for using IT.

It found that managers were ill-informed about the technology, staff lacked expertise and confidence, and good practice in a minority of colleges was not being disseminated. "Effective use of technology can be achieved through more dissemination of good practice," said FEFC chief inspector Jim Donaldson.

The report, The Use of Technology to Support Learning in Colleges, warned that improvements could be hindered by a lack of capital funds to develop the technology infrastructure.