English: I want our further education sector in Wales to be at the leading edge of innovation, creativity and collaboration. I am very pleased to see many examples of this type of activity in our FE sector. Our colleges are sharing knowledge and experiences of exploring the use of virtual and augmented reality, exploring creative partnerships with hi-tech industries, and working with partners to deliver digitally focused qualifications. In December, I wrote to further education college principals to launch a call to action for the FE sector under 'Digital 2030'. Moving on from experiences of emergency remote education during the height of the pandemic, I have asked every college to develop its own strategic plan for digital learning by the end of this academic year. I want to ensure that we embed a sustainable, strategic approach to digital learning and offer high-quality learning experiences that both engage and enthuse our learners. To support this call to action, I have earmarked a total of £8 million capital funding over three academic years for digital equipment and infrastructure improvements in FE institutions. This will bring the total Welsh Government investment in FE digital learning to over £30 million by the end of the 2024-25 academic year. I know that the FE sector supports a very diverse range of individuals, offering a variety of different subjects and qualifications at various levels, and there is no simple one-size-fits-all approach to digital learning, so each college will need to develop its own unique plan. To ensure that, together, these plans create a cross-cutting strategic approach across the whole of the FE sector, I have set out four key priorities for colleges to reflect in their plans. Firstly, to work collaboratively to widen access to learning opportunities. Secondly, to develop learners' and staff's digital capabilities and confidence for learning, life and work. Thirdly, to maximise the potential of technology to empower, enthuse and inspire learners, and fourthly, to embed agile, resilient and sustainable approaches to delivery. As a result of annual Welsh Government funding, colleges benefit from a comprehensive support offer from Jisc. Jisc will continue to be our key partners for 'Digital 2030', developing our research and evidence base, and ensuring that best practice is shared and, indeed, extended across the post-16 sector. We've commissioned a unique piece of research from Jisc, which will identify the opportunities to use digital and blended learning to create maximum impact into the future. I look forward to the results of this research being shared in the spring.
Welsh: Hoffwn i'n sector addysg bellach yng Nghymru fod ar flaen y gad o ran arloesedd, creadigrwydd a chydweithio. Rwy'n falch iawn o weld sawl enghraifft o'r math hwn o weithgarwch yn ein sector addysg bellach. Mae ein colegau yn rhannu gwybodaeth a phrofiadau o archwilio'r defnydd o realiti rhithwir ac estynedig, gan archwilio partneriaethau creadigol gyda diwydiannau uwch-dechnoleg, a gweithio gyda phartneriaid i ddarparu cymwysterau â phwyslais digidol. Ym mis Rhagfyr, ysgrifennais at benaethiaid colegau addysg bellach i lansio galwad i weithredu ar gyfer y sector addysg bellach o dan 'Digidol 2030'. Gan symud ymlaen o brofiadau o addysg frys o bell yn ystod anterth y pandemig, rwyf wedi gofyn i bob coleg ddatblygu ei gynllun strategol ei hun ar gyfer dysgu digidol erbyn diwedd y flwyddyn academaidd hon. Hoffwn sicrhau ein bod ni'n ymwreiddio dull cynaliadwy, strategol o ddysgu digidol a chynnig profiadau dysgu o ansawdd uchel sy'n ennyn diddordeb a brwdfrydedd ein dysgwyr. I gefnogi'r alwad hon i weithredu, rwyf i wedi clustnodi cyfanswm o £8 miliwn o gyllid cyfalaf dros dair blwyddyn academaidd ar gyfer offer digidol a gwelliannau i seilwaith mewn sefydliadau addysg bellach. Bydd hyn yn dod â chyfanswm buddsoddiad Llywodraeth Cymru mewn dysgu digidol addysg bellach i dros £30 miliwn erbyn diwedd blwyddyn academaidd 2024-25. Gwn fod y sector addysg bellach yn cefnogi amrywiaeth eang iawn o unigolion, gan gynnig amrywiaeth o wahanol bynciau a chymwysterau ar wahanol lefelau, ac nid oes un dull dysgu digidol syml sy'n addas i bawb, felly bydd angen i bob coleg ddatblygu ei gynllun unigryw ei hun. Er mwyn sicrhau, gyda'i gilydd, bod y cynlluniau hyn yn creu dull strategol trawsbynciol ar draws yr holl sector addysg bellach, rwyf i wedi nodi pedair blaenoriaeth allweddol i golegau eu hadlewyrchu yn eu cynlluniau. Yn gyntaf, gweithio ar y cyd i ehangu mynediad at gyfleoedd dysgu. Yn ail, datblygu galluoedd a hyder digidol dysgwyr a staff ar gyfer dysgu, bywyd a gwaith. Yn drydydd, manteisio i'r eithaf ar botensial technoleg i rymuso, i gymell ac i ysbrydoli dysgwyr, ac yn bedwerydd, i ymwreiddio dulliau ystwyth, cydnerth a chynaliadwy o ddarparu. O ganlyniad i gyllid blynyddol Llywodraeth Cymru, mae colegau yn elwa o gynnig cymorth cynhwysfawr gan y Cydbwyllgor Systemau Gwybodaeth. Bydd y cydbwyllgor yn parhau i fod yn bartneriaid allweddol i ni ar gyfer 'Digidol 2030', gan ddatblygu ein sylfaen ymchwil a thystiolaeth, a chan sicrhau bod arferion gorau yn cael eu rhannu ac, yn wir, eu hymestyn ar draws y sector ôl-16. Rydym ni wedi comisiynu darn unigryw o ymchwil gan y cydbwyllgor, a fydd yn nodi'r cyfleoedd i ddefnyddio dysgu digidol a chyfunol i greu'r effaith fwyaf posibl i'r dyfodol. Edrychaf ymlaen at weld canlyniadau'r gwaith ymchwil hwn yn cael eu rhannu yn y gwanwyn.