Published on:
04
April 2001
CLiCk - a new IT-based Community Learning Centre will open its doors tomorrow - and welcome its first ever Royal visitor.
Staff are hoping to get the royal seal of approval from Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal during her visit to officially open the centre on Thursday 5 April 2001.
CliCk, based in the heart of Alloa, will provide local people of all ages the opportunity to develop their skills, interest and knowledge in the following areas: The Arts and Creative Industries Business and Enterprise Education and Learning ICT Personal Development
Councillor Alison Lindsay, Convener of the Learning and Leisure Committee said: "We are delighted that Alloa now hosts one of the first learning centres of this kind in Scotland - one that provides opportunities for all ages and abilities to experience new technology at its very best.
"This is also a fantastic example of partnership working across the public sector. The Council along with its partners have worked well together to bring this vision to fruition. CliCk caters for everyone, young or old, to provide a dynamic, holistic approach to learning as well as access to creative industries and the newest cutting edge technology.
CliCk has a 'drop in' cybercafe and a learning plaza both equipped with high specification computers. It has a performance space, video-conferencing facilities, and plans are progressing for it to have a digital music recording studio and a video production and editing suite.It will provide a location for school pupils to further their learning as well. They will be able to spend extended periods of time undertaking project work supported by the centre's technology and other facilities. The Council believes the centre will make a significant contribution to raising standards of attainment in Clackmannanshire.
Jim Goodall, Acting Executive Director of Education and Community Services said: "The centre will use the latest learning technology and will change the relationship between pupils, teacher and subject. Young people will be guided by learning mediators to engage in open-ended, self directed project work.
"Rather than just writing an essay they will be able to set up a whole range of multi media projects and take far more responsibility for how and what they learn."
The centre will also be available for local businesses to use for employee training. Youth groups and adult learners will also be able to use the centre in the daytime, evenings and weekends, making it a community resource.
Clackmannan College is running courses at the college and to date 45 students from the Alloa area, new to Information and Communication Technology, have successfully completed an innovative course in computing. Full advantage is being made of CliCk's Learning Plaza with its easy access and bright décor giving a boost to those returning to learning in a hi-tech and locally based environment. There are plans for further ICT courses and taster sessions at the centre.
Clackmannan College Principal John Taylor said: "CliCk has allowed the College to pilot new kinds of courses that local residents have found attractive and useful. Whether they are Cyber Grans and Grandads keeping up with youngsters or building up skills and confidence by courses in ICT or electronics we hope that they find that further education is really only a CliCk away."
CLiCk is inspired by the Alameda Centre in San Diego, California. Like that centre, CLiCk aims to establish itself as a flagship centre that is at the cutting edge of learning. The challenge for CLiCk is to promote a vision of learning for the 21st century, which is based on individual success, and personal challenge for the whole community, emphasising that learning is for everyone.
David Miller, Deputy Chairman of Scottish Enterprise Forth Valley said: "Yet another red-letter day for Clackmannanshire! We at Scottish Enterprise Forth Valley are delighted to play our part in the growing tide of good news stories happening in the Wee County - and we will continue to make our contributions into the future."
The centre is funded by Clackmannanshire Council and its Social Inclusion Partnership, Clackmannan College, Scottish Executive Education Department, Scottish Enterprise (Forth Valley) and is supported by Time Computers, NVT and QIIS.