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17 September 2008
September Newsletter
MirandaNet Technologies for Visual Learning Unconference
27th November 2008WLE Centre, Institute of Education, University of London
Nearest tube Russell Square
5 - 6pm networking
Unconference - 6 - 9pm GMT
Free beer and sandwiches
After our very successful unconference on social networking last term, practitioners and researchers are invited to give 10 min. presentations for discussion - no PowerPoint! Let me know if you can present
Those of you who cannot get to London can attend online. Mark it in your diary and look out for more details.
Web 2.0, communities of practice and new forms of engagement between policy makers, researchers and practitioners - where are the academics?
MirandaNet symposium at BERA 08
Marilyn Leask, Sarah Younie, Christina Preston and Hilary Constable gave a symposium at BERA in Edinburgh in September about how Communities of Practice are beginning to have an impact on knowledge creation within and beyond school. The symposium attracted about 30 enthusiasts. The discussion was lively and we are planning to develop the thinking at CAL09 in Brighton 23rd - 25th March 09. We hope some of you will join us. The CAL09 theme is ‘Learning in Digital Worlds'.
The first call for papers, symposia and posters is now out.
The Symposium we have submitted is New Rules for Engagement: Technology, professional development and communities of practice.
quickly if you want to join our symposium.
The titles of our BERA symposium papers are below. Members can see our paper and two presentations here.
Paper 1: A challenge or an opportunity for the academic world? Emerging models of knowledge creation and transfer through the online Communities of Practice for local government
Dr Marilyn Leask Improvement and Development Agency for local government
Paper 2: Case Studies in IDeA Communities of Practice for local government initiative
Professor Hilary Constable and Dr Diane Pearson : Evaluation consultants
Paper 3: Relationships between communities of practice within and beyond the school
Dr Sarah Younie: De Montfort University
Paper 4: Teachers building theories about teaching and learning with digital technologies
Christina Preston, Institute of Education, University of London
The PITRG - Pedagogy and Interactive Technology Research Group
27th November - 10:30am - 4:00pm
The PITRG (which was the IWB Research Group) will be holding their next meeting at the WLE Centre, Institute of Education, 27th November 2008. This is a group of academics who meet regularly. If you would like to know more about the work of this group email .
Mapping Addicts: Members Only
Exploring semiotic approaches to analysing multidimensional concept maps using methods that value collaboration.
This is the title of the draft of a chapter for a book on collaborative concept mapping edited by Joseph Novak that I have just finished. I'd be glad of some reviewers if you would like to volunteer.
Futurelab Invitation: Breakfast event on Games
Learning on Gaming Platforms
Creating a dialogue between the education and gaming communities
David Lean Room, BAFTA, London
Wednesday 8th October 2008
Breakfast will be served
8.30 am - 10.30 am (presentations will begin at 9.00 am)
9.00 am: Opening address: on ‘Engagement between the Education Community and Gaming Industries' from a leading practitioner in the field
9.30 am: ‘An update on the current debate and challenges around games and learning including an evaluation of Sony PSP's educational potential' by Futurelab, presented by Stephen Breslin, CEO Futurelab
10.00 am: ‘Sony PSP in Education, the story so far', Ray Maguire, Senior Vice President and Managing Director Sony Computer Entertainment
10.30 am onwards: educational practitioners who are actively using games based devices will be available to demonstrate and share information and experiences for any interested attendees
Further to the recent BYRON REVIEW, Futurelab in association with Sony Computer Entertainment invites you to a breakfast event to engage in a dialogue between the Education Community and the Games Industry. Attendees will hear first hand experiences from educational practitioners who are now working with students, parents and teachers using games based devices. The event offers the opportunity for an update on the current debate and challenges around games and learning, as well as discussing how mobile gaming devices (like Sony PlayStation Portable / PSP) can be used effectively in education.
RSVP by 1st October 2008 to:
Futurelab: events at futurelab.org.uk or tel: +44 (0)117 915 8200
Please provide your name, job title, organisation and e-mail address www.futurelab.org.uk
Tribal: New MirandaNet Associates
In the highly competitive Building Schools for the Future (BSF) market place, education and ICT consultant, Tribal, is developing a creative and unique approach that is helping it to stand out from the competition. Tribal has fused its education and ICT expertise through Embrace® a change management approach to support education transformation and ICT implementation. Whether working directly in support of the local authority's BSF project team or as adviser to bid consortia, the company is developing a high quality approach through deployment of its expert team.
Contact
www.tribalgroup.co.uk
Find out more about our new Associate Partner here.
Apples at Lanway
More Apples in Schools
www.mirandanet.ac.uk/associates/lanway.htm
Lanway who sponsored our first unconference are now fully accredited as an Apple Authorised Reseller. Many of our members will be pleased to see more Apples in schools
James George, The general manager says:
"With the continuing convergence of the AV and IT worlds, Lanway is becoming a driving force in helping schools and authorities realise their educational dreams. Clearly Apple has its part to play in making this happen.
Most importantly for the first time we are able to work with our customers in providing the quality of support which has become synonymous with Lanway across both the PC and Mac format.
The NANO detail will shortly be hosted on our Lanway wiki.
In the mean time, if you have any questions or comments then please do not hesitate to contact me (j.george at lanway.co.uk). 07919334128"
Opportunity to hear Marc Prensky
We would be glad to welcome any colleagues who would like to take advantage of the opportunity to attend Worcestershire's Learning Technologies Conference at the Chateau Impney, Droitwich, on October 7th, which presents Marc Prensky (check him out here) as a keynote speaker.
Go to this link for the flier which gives full details of the conference with booking information.
Marc is an internationally acclaimed speaker, writer, consultant, and designer in the critical areas of education and learning, including Digital Game-Based Learning. He has taught at all levels and was named as one of training's top 10 "visionaries" by Training magazine. In his first keynote Marc gives us practical, useful examples to ‘turn on the lights' and bring engagement back to our pupils. Later in the day, in Keynote 3, Marc challenges our thinking about the nature of the 21st century learner and will lead an interactive session with current pupils from year 6 to 13... 21st century Worcestershire learners. You will be invited to question these youngsters yourselves to gain an insight into their thoughts on learning and technology.
Hope to see some of you there!
The venue is worth a look too! It even has a helipad - should you need it!
Cost: £190 Contact 01905 740122 to book
Jane Finch
Senior MirandaNet Fellow
Members' News
Katya Toneva
Senior Fellow
I have been working on a research project that was based on the e-facilitation course that John Cuthell ran a couple of years ago. This is a relatively new teaching/learning approach that used online forums to effect. This project has resulted in significant improvements in my A2 ICT students exam results.
The updated versions of my reports can be seen here on MirandaNet.
New Scholars
Marshal Anderson
I have been creating digital resources, mostly for primary schools, since 1980 and I've watched a lot of things come and go. Right now I think ICT in education is a mess - but then so is education generally - with a huge number of different interests pulling it in a lot of different directions. I think we suffer from a 'because we can' attitude that can force ill-researched ideas based on whatever the latest internet buzz is to be pushed onto teachers whose heads are still spinning from the last Big Idea. I think we need to stop letting the technology define the pedagogy and look for ways ICT can support learning, rather than seeing education as a huge Lego set for ICT to try its ideas out with.
Polis Aniftos
I am a design and technology teacher. I have a QTS (since 1998), and I also I have two years experience in teaching physics and computers (GCE A-Levels and O-Levels). I have received my e-learning MSc in e-learning in 2007. For a few years now, I have been involved in e-learning projects with my students. Recently, I have established a virtual multicultural academy.
As I have been politically active on peace making projects, the academy aims at promoting peace amongst the two communities in Cyprus and reunification of the island. Sustainable peace can only be achieved if education cultivates tolerance in coexistence and cooperation between the members of the two communities, not excluding love for sharing.
I have met the founder of MirandaNet in a conference here in Cyprus last year and when I heard about MirandaNet I was so surprised for the global embracement of this network.
I would be interested to participate in e-learning projects within this network.
My motto is:
United we stand!
Anne Stafford
After a brief career in the e-learning world, I studied an Msc Information Systems. Whilst studying I taught Internet skills to disabled adults and computer skills to partially sighted or blind older people.
It was then that my real passion & commitment to technology being accessible to all really began.
I was very lucky to get the opportunity to run a 3 year project when I graduated from my Masters, running a computer suite giving homeless men and women access to computers & the Internet. I ran workshops in basic video making, music technology, web design - generally helping people to use computers for creativity, communication, life and learning.
I gained a City and Guilds 7307 adult education qualification during this time.
I now work for iT4Communities, a charity that gives IT professionals the opportunity to volunteer their time and skills for IT projects in the UK charitable and not-for-profit sector. And we are successfully spreading the word! With about 70 new volunteers every month adding to our community of nearly 5,500 volunteers we are an invaluable source of independent advice and guidance to thousands of charities and community groups across the UK.
And I still volunteer of course! I am an IT Can Help volunteer, offering disabled people help with computers and technology in their homes.
Martin Švanda
I have been a teacher of English at a basic school in South Moravia Czech Republic.
I also study English at Masaryk University in Brno and now I have been working on my bachelor thesis. Its topic is using IWB in English language lessons. This is the reason for my joining this interesting site.
New Members
Brian Kerslake
An ex-teacher, I've designed software for schools and published other peoples' software since 1983. My company Topologika has had its 'ups' (BETT Awards, great comments from customers) and cyclical 'downs'. The latter are always triggered by technological changes with VLEs and SCORM being the latest sliced bread. Everyone is hoping that companies like mine will convert proven software to run on the web so it will run on VLEs; what's more, we have to tag it with a system that was designed for the US military. Many of smaller and still independent companies are finding this a challenge. Why, please, are we making life difficult? Why have we moved from (finally) stable Windows and Mac platforms to a variety of (from our early research) VLEs and SCORMs? Why are we making teachers learn a whole new skill set just as they've just about got competent with Windows? Is the industry mad or just in it for the money?
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