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26 January 2010
MirandaNet Newsletter January 2010
New Members' News
Another spread of outstanding experts in digital technologies in education from all over the world have joined MirandaNet in order to share in our discussions. What is so inspiring about all your profiles are your aspirations as a members. Have you updated your profile recently? It is often the first information that comes up on Google about you. Check it out...
This new batch of members (which should of course have gone out last week - we will soon have a new list for February) provides some engaging headlines. In 2010 one of the the first new teacher scholars is Dawn Hallybone is particularly interested in the use of Games within the classroom, as a way of enhancing the curriculum and engaging them with their learning. Do have a look at look at Dawn’s excellent blog: http://hallyd.edublogs.org Dawn will be earning her Fellowship very soon by presenting her games practice on Tuesday March 9th at the WLE centre in London at the seminar 1600-1800 that precedes our MirandaMods, 1800-2030 “Computer games, learning and the curriculum: uneasy bedfellows?” With the current argument about games causing rickets means this should be another lively debate. You can sign up to attend in person or online. You can also be an author of our collaborative map on this topic.
Full details at: http://www.mirandanet.ac.uk/mirandamods/march10_mod.htm
Other new teacher scholars include: Rob Harrison who is passionate about teaching, and how best to facilitate and contribute to the learning of others through ICT; Andrew Curtis also a doctoral student who has a wealth of knowledge in curriculum development and part of the 14-19 curriculum development steering committee, which develops the new Diploma in different lines of learning; Dorian Love has the sense that all schools in the future will have a virtual component, and that this is desirable not just because of economics or context, but because it makes pedagogical sense, and forms part of the solution in an age when critical thinking, and the ability to evaluate what is important from the overwhelming babble of data we are exposed to daily, has never been more important. Alfredo Tifi is a chemistry teacher who freelances as a researcher in his spare time in different fields: concept mapping and meaningful learning, collaborative concept mapping, deep understanding and its relations with problem based learning, inquisitive approach to teaching-learning of science in primary school. So many members are using generic emails now that I do not know which country they come from. An example of increasing globalisation in the profession.
We also have educators joining from many other fields. Dave Smith, an advisor from Havering, was invited to join as a result of his outstanding publications for teachers about the use of visualisers. Dave believes passionately in the power of ICT to transform teaching and learning and overall school effectiveness and recognises that effective ICT in schools can only be achieved through partnerships and collaboration both public and commercial – sharing good practice and engaging with the end users – the pupils. The on-line magazine that earned Dave’s Fellowship can be found here: Visualiser - Hints and Tips Across the Curriculum
Stephen Fessey, an advisor at Central Birmingham City Learning Centre aims to integrate ICT seamlessly into learning and teaching. Stuart Oliphant from the Glow Centre is interested in visual learning.
Keri Culver, an evaluator, is eager to hear about others' experiences with projects in ICT in education and also to discuss her experiences.
Celine Llewellyn-Jones is a free lance teacher at fe and he level studying for her Ph.D. whose dream is to deliver learning experiences that help students love learning and engage them in ways I could only have dreamt of being engaged when I was a student myself.
Lastly Robert Walker, a professor from Brazil, is currently wrestling with a question that I thinks that MirandaNet members may be able to enlighten me on: is the marriage between a new technology (ICT) and an old technology which, in many countries, is getting rather decrepit (public schooling), really viable? Or, with the rise and rapid dissemination of mobile internet technology (netbooks, etc.), would governments do better just making top quality materials available on the internet? This seems like a good topic for MirandaLink?
With this latest group of scholars joining we have growing opportunities to develop debates and MirandaMods in a range of areas. Let’s hear from you...
Regards
Christina Preston
Summary profiles
You can read a full summary profile about these new members below. Please get In touch directly with these new members where you have common interests. We will be happy to support a MirandaLink debate on your topic. Do discuss with me how to get this going if you are not sure how to start.
Christina Preston
New Scholars
Keri Culver
How and when does ICT work best in education? As an evaluator, I'm seeking to learn more about the process of acquiring ICT knowledge at different stages of life, and how to take positive practices and share that information. I'm eager to hear about others' experiences with projects in ICT in education and also discuss my experiences.
Andrew Curtis
I am an experienced qualified teacher of ICT and served as Head of ICT for 2 years responsible for implementing ICT across the curriculum. I am currently the team leader in our school's Triad systems research projects on VLE and advises the ICT Director on how ICT is to be integrated across other curriculum areas. Since joining Westminster Academy as a teacher, my interests in developing and promoting effective use of ICT in teaching and learning has led in collaboration with other members of staff, to the development best practices that colleagues and students can apply in teaching and learning to improve attainment and motivation amongst learners. In addition to having completed several postgraduate qualifications and series of professional development courses, I have a wealth of knowledge in curriculum development and part of the 14-19 curriculum development steering committee, which develops the new Diploma in different lines of learning. My Doctoral Research relates to Educational Technology approaches to enhance independence learning and community of learners. In addition to my ongoing work in this area, I have recently entered into collaboration with Crown International College London and have written one proposal for the multi-skilled agency partnership, with the aim to use ICT centred-based to develop learning for learners with diverse needs.
Stephen Fessey
My name is Stephen Fessey and I am Assistant Manager at Central Birmingham City Learning Centre. My role is to help integrate ICT creatively into the lessons of our network schools (both Primary and Secondary, about 25 in total) through delivering to pupils and through staff training.
Rob Harrison
Just someone who is passionate about teaching, and how best to facilitate and contribute to the learning of others through ICT. I come from managing and marketing non-traditional youth sports culture back into teaching. Having previously specialised academically on database development and soft systems, I used those experiences and my education to follow my passions in life and gain a more European outlook. I'm in teaching because I want to perpetuate that through technology and motivation.
Dawn Hallybone
I am a Primary School Teacher interested in embedding ICT in a creative way in the classroom. I am particularly interested in the use of Games within the classroom,as a way of enhancing the curriculum and engaging them with their learning. As one of my pupils said - 'It puts the learning in our hands'.
Celine Llewellyn-Jones
I have 7 years experience as a Learning Technologist, working in the business and academic sector with a specific interest in games for learning, tangible media, location-based experiences and virtual worlds. I work part-time as a Learning Technologist at London Metropolitan University and part-time as a research fellow at SMARTlab, UEL. As a freelancer I have taught children, young adults and adults and designed a number of analogue and digital location-based games and experiences. My background is in Fine Art and Electronic Arts and I recently began a PhD exploring the use of tangible media to support online learning communities. I come from a family of instructors, from which I have inherited a passion for engaging and inspiring instruction. My dream is to deliver learning experiences that help students love learning and engage them in ways I could only have dreamt of being engaged when I was a student myself.
Dorian Love
I teach ICT in a secondary school. I am trained as an English teacher, and my passion is finding ways in which technology can be used to enhance the teaching of English and indeed all subjects across the curriculum. I am particularly interested in online environments and blended solutions. I have a sense that all schools in the future will have a virtual component, and that this is desirable not just because of economics or context, but because it makes pedagogical sense, and forms part of the solution in an age when critical thinking, and the ability to evaluate what is important from the overwhelming babble of data we are exposed to daily, has never been more important.
Stuart Oliphant
Member of the technology team of Glow Scotland. Professional emphasis on visual communication.
Dave Smith
I am currently ICT Consultant and Curriculum Advisor for London Borough of Havering Inspection and Advisory Services (Joint Winners in the 2009 ICT Excellence Awards for 'Support for Schools').
I worked as a primary school teacher for a number of years, and then moved on to become a Senior National Tutor/Assistant Marketing Director for mPowerNet - ICT Training for Teachers at Anglia Ruskin University and then Leader for School Improvement at Engayne Primary School (Runner-up in the 2009 ICT Excellence Awards for Leadership, Management and Collaboration), where I led the development of ICT to support all aspects of the school.
I am Chair of The Visualiser Forum, an organisation of educational professionals and manufacturers promoting the effective use of visualiser technologies. I am at present involved in the Becta Next Generation Learning Campaign including a video case study on a Primary Capital Programme School called 'The Journey'. I was the joint organiser of TeachMeet NorthEast London 2009 and Editor of the "Visualiser – Hints and Tips Across the Curriculum". I am also a regular contributor on ICT issues to TeachPrimary! Magazine and Merlin John Online blog.
I believe passionately in the power of ICT to transform teaching and learning and overall school effectiveness and recognise that effective ICT in schools can only be achieved through partnerships and collaboration both public and commercial – sharing good practice and engaging with the end users – the pupils.
Alfredo Tifi
I'm a teacher of chemistry and (when I find enough time and as "free-lance") an educational researcher in different fields: concept mapping and meaningful learning, collaborative concept mapping, deep understanding and its relations with problem based learning, inquisitive approach to teaching-learning of science in primary school.
I use ICT in my daily work of teaching and interacting with students (google docs, wikis, dokeos platform, Cmap Tools) and also (recently) for collaborative purposes in research studies. You can see some of my contributes divided in two categories in my web-page www.divini.net/alfredo.
I would be glad to join with other teachers or researchers from research institutions and contribute to any kind of study in the above-mentioned areas.
Robert Walker
I am a professor at the University of Brasilia and am striving to apply ICT in my teaching and research. At the same time, I am currently doing an evaluability assessment of ICT programs in elementary and secondary education in Brazil.
I am a program evaluator with both academic and practical experience. I have taught program evaluation in the departments of education of several universities in the United States and Brazil. I was programme officer at the United Nations Development Programme in Brazil, and have been engaged in numerous consultancies for international and multilateral organizations and their projects.
My book, Impacting Social Problems: Writing and Evaluating International Development Projects, is available via amazon.com .
At the present time, I am preparing to teach courses related to translation into English, generally and specifically in the field of economics, as well as an introduction to British institutions and culture. (I'm having to brush up on that, as I am a U.S. citizen, and have been living and working in different parts of Brazil since 1974).
I am currently wrestling with a question the other members may be able to enlighten me on: is the marriage between a new technology (ICT) and an old technology which, in many countries, is getting rather decrepit (public schooling), really viable? Or, with the rise and rapid dissemination of mobile internet technology (netbooks, etc.), would governments do better just making top quality materials available on the internet?
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