The first meeting of the MirandaNet Associates Funding Consortium was held on 28th April at UKIE 21-27 Lamb’s Conduit St London WC1N 3BD. You can link to the recording of the associates comments recorded on Brothers’ Video Conferencing and Webinar software, OmniJoin, here. Email christina@mirandanet.ac.uk for the password.

Joining the funding community

If you are interested in the community we have set up to develop strategies for sustaining projects after the initial funding we invite you to join our web space: MirandaNet Funding Consortium. I cannot invite you into our private community until you have registered with the Education Communities website here.

Expect a gap while I get the message and accept you. Our community appears in Featured Communities on the Front Page – see the orange list in the bottom half of the page. It will appear in ‘My home’ which is your personal list. If you are not registered, you will be prompted to do so. You can amend your profile which is a key way of getting to know people.

Mapping sources of funding

The map of our knowledge has already started. Do add any thoughts that you have here.

Our first submission to Matt Hancock MP

MirandaNet has been invited to submit an agenda item for  meeting on May 9th at BESA with Matt Hancock. The meeting is taking a broad definition of the educational technology sector; and recognising a theme of the Education Industrial Strategy as ‘leading the world in education technology’, the group is focusing on:

• defining what is the UK’s international offer – in what areas is our system leading edge and what leading edge products, solutions and services we can offer internationally,
• which organisations best reflect and support the offer – understanding the UK capability and best practice with successful exporters,
• how best to generate or respond to business opportunities internationally – encouraging those seeking system change to look to the UK and facilitating the UK response,
• areas of third country collaboration – working with global players.

You will find my draft submission here. Either send me suggestions on email or ask for an editors’ invitation on the Google doc. This has to be done by May 2nd.

Our second submission to Ed Milliband

Maggie Philbin (as seen on TV’s Tomorrow’s World) has been asked by Ed Milliband, The UK Labour Party Leader to ‘look at what can be done to develop home grown talent for our digital industries and for the digital needs of all sections of the economy.’

The call to evidence is out and the  closing date of Sunday 12th May.

There are 11 focus questions, but we don’t have to respond to all of them- but they do seem to encapsulate some pressing concerns that are global not just UK focused.

1. Which digital skills are most urgently needed? What are the digital skills that will be needed in the future?
2. How can perceptions of digital careers be improved? How can we help students, parents and teachers better understand the breadth of opportunity and the different entry points?
3. What responsibility do businesses have in helping to improve digital skills across every age group?
4. How can schools ensure students acquire the digital skills and understanding they will need in the future? What support is needed? What are the tripwires? How can schools make better use of technology in and out of the classroom?
5. How can we encourage better use of technology across all stages of education to teach students better, enrich their learning and improve efficiency?
6. What needs to be done to ensure that the new computing curriculum in England is successfully implemented?
7. What role can apprenticeships play in boosting the UK’s home grown talent for digital skills? What would a really good apprenticeship in digital skills/IT look like? What would help companies of all sizes offer apprenticeships?
8. How can further education and higher education better equip students with the digital skills which are needed?
9. How can careers guidance at every stage be improved to ensure that people receive the necessary information, advice and guidance to help them make informed choices? Who should deliver this advice and how?
10. Ongoing learning and re-skilling of the existing workforce will be a vital component of ensuring that the UK responds to the challenge of technological advance. How do we up skill the existing work force – both in and out of employment? How can we provide better opportunities for career transitions, career pathways for all ages?
11. What can be done to ensure that politicians recognise the importance of digital skills?

Either send me suggestions on email or ask for an editors’ invitation on the Google doc. This has to be done by May 10th. Details here.