KEYNOTES

Ewan McIntosh (Scotland)

Ewan McIntosh is an educational technologist and teacher of French and German. Based in the Edinburgh area he frequently gives talks and workshops around the world, trying to find new and better ways of using emerging technologies in education.

Ewan currently works as a new technologies consultant for various groups, including the BBC, British Council, General Teaching Council of Scotland, the national press and Learning and Teaching Scotland.

In particular, Ewan advises on how social media can be harnessed for public service and education management and used to improve learning. He will also bring to Ulearn07 his knowledge of Web 2.0 technologies in education across stages and curricular areas.

More information and previous talks are available on his regularly updated blog: http://edu.blogs.com.

Keynote: The Leading Edge: Harnessing New Technologies in an Ever Changing World

Abstract:

When you are a teacher, manager, Head Teacher or administrator of several schools, it can seem difficult or impossible to keep track of the latest technology, know whether it’s useful for learning and design ways of putting it into practice. For two years Ewan McIntosh has been finding out more sustainable ways of doing just that for Scotland’s national education agency, Learning and Teaching Scotland, and has been helping one Scottish Local Authority to successfully harness the latest technology that lends the biggest impact on improving teaching and learning.

What are the main messages to remember in choosing technologies and planning our teaching and learning? What impact have some of the latest social media had on learning and why should we strive to always be on the
leading edge of technology?

Helen Baxter

Helen is the Managing Directrix of Radio/NetTV production house Mohawk Media, and co-founder of digital label TMet Recordings. A Strategist for Creative Kiwi Community The Big Idea, she also shares a fortnightly 'Virtual World' slot with Chelfyn & Jim Mora for National Radio, New Zealand.

Kiwi born and British bred, Helen is also a Mentor on the ART Venture Programme. She writes a fortnightly column 'The MsBehaviour Files' for the Big Idea, with a slot on Kiwi FM and Creative Bizi NZ blog. Helen is a regular speaker with a focus on Collaboration, Education and Knowledge Management. Helen has been involved in e-learning and Knowledge Management for over ten years. She was founding Editor of Knowledgeboard.com, a global community for Knowledge & Innovation, developed under the European Commission's IST Programme. Voted 'Best of the Web' by the Harvard Business School in 2002, the KnowledgeBoard community went on to win 'Best User Experience' from
the International Information Industry Awards in 2003.

Helen was based in Bristol (UK) for 10 years as a writer, Community Producer, and Internet Training Manager for an ISP. She also appeared as a technology commentator on BBC Radio Bristol, BBC Radio 5 Live, HTV & SKYTV UK. She crewed for WOMAD (World of Music, Arts & Dance), and was a stage manager in the Theatre & Circus fields at Glastonbury Festival of the Performing Arts throughout the 1990s. 

Keynote: Renaissance 2.0 - Educating the New Leonardos

Abstract:

Generations Y and Z face a myriad of future career possibilities, in an age of desktop fabrication, robots, and nano-technology. In a fast changing digital age, how do we prepare them for jobs that haven't been invented yet? How do we support our future Designers, Knowledge Traders, Power Searchers and Webtop workers? How do we support their individual learning styles, nurture creativity and facilitate innovators?  How do we create effective knowledge flows across generations, countries and cultures? 

Tony Ryan (Australia)

Tony Ryan is an educational consultant and writer, and offers professional support to school organisations throughout the world on issues such as change leadership, lifelong learning and quality classroom practice. He has presented numerous keynotes and workshops at state, national and world conferences in the past 10 years. He has been engaged as a teacher-in-residence in over 400 schools throughout several countries. In this role, he teaches extensively, and offers guidance to teachers with their everyday practice.

Tony is a prolific author of books on effective thinking and learning. These books include The Ripple Effect, Thinkers Keys for Kids, Mindlinks, Brainstorms, Thinkfest and The Clever Country Kits. His latest CD-Rom features an extensive update of Thinkers Keys.

He is the Chairman of the Board of School Aid, a non-profit organization that encourages 10 000 schools around Australia to co-ordinate their fund-raising activities for major local and global disasters. School Aid also provides invaluable assistance to schools in the encouragement of active citizenship opportunities. See more on www.tonyryan.com.au.

Keynote: Inspiring Classrooms

Abstract:

Classrooms are all about learning. Let’s not distract ourselves here. In spite of the plethora of social and technological issues that are endlessly foisted upon school curriculum, our key focus must always be placed upon the quality of the students’ learning experiences.

Yet, these learning experiences can no longer be fashioned by tedium and rote learning behaviours. The competition is too strong these days.  Already, there are online learning opportunities that can create the magic and action that stimulate young brains in 2007.

Our response to all of this? One option is to develop energetic and spirited classrooms that actually encourage students to return, day after day. If you were a child, would you want to be in your classroom each day? In fact, even at your present age, do you want to be in your classroom each day??

This keynote will provide some succinct pedagogical outlines that can create a vibrant and productive classroom for young people. Perhaps, even an inspiring classroom! Yet this type of environment can only be created by those who are inspiring in themselves.

Thus, this session also will directly challenge you to determine your own level of commitment and inspiration to your daily work. Inspiring teachers change the world. Are you one of these?

SPOTLIGHT PRESENTERS:

Julia Atkin

Julia Atkin is an independent education and learning consultant who, from her home in rural NSW, works across education systems, in schools, Universities, TAFE Colleges and with business in Australia and internationally to develop education and learning services that are effective and appropriate for the Knowledge Era.

Julia has a passion for learning and understanding how we learn and what supports and enhances learning. She has a vital interest in helping others learn how to develop educational services that:

Sharon Friesen

Dr Sharon Friesen is a Founding Partner, with Dr Patricia Clifford, in the Galileo Educational Network in Calgary, Canada. The Galileo project (www.galileo.org) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to supporting systemic change in education through technology integration. Sharon has been teaching for nine years including grades one to eight, as well as graduate and undergraduate courses in education. The Canadian Education Association (CEA) recognised Patricia and Sharon for their award-winning book (written with Dr Jardine) "Back to the Basics of Teaching and Learning: Thinking the World Together.

Time Canada reviewed their book (written with Brenda Gladstone) entitled “Enquiring Minds”:
“Patricia and Sharon are on education’s front lines, leading a team of tech-savvy mentors dedicated to the professional development of classroom teachers on a long-term basis. The Galileo-trained teachers fuse technology with learning, to guide students in creating knowledge rather than regurgitating received information.”

The heart of Galileo is inquiry-based learning. Teachers fuel students’ curiosity by pursuing their questions in the context of curriculum. “You learn how to listen to questions kids bring collectively to you, to say, ‘How do I open this up in a way that everybody in the class can find something to be interested in?’” Clifford says. “The rule is that everybody has to sweat the same so there’s a dignity, and everybody’s work contributes to a larger understanding of the subject.”

Derek Wenmoth

Derek has been involved with CORE since its inception in 2003. Derek, Nick Billowes, and Vince Ham set up Ultralab South (now CORE) – which was to embody their vision of an e-learning research and development centre. 

Following the various educational roles of teacher, principal, and lecturer in educational technology Derek took up his role as director of e-learning in April 2003. The role allows him to be involved in a wide range of e-learning activities from exploring innovative use of the latest technologies and researching e-learning practices, to helping establish policy and strategies to guide the implementation of e-learning. 

Derek’s role at CORE perfectly combines his passion for teaching and learning along with his long held fascination with the use of technologies in education. After convincing his wife he needed a computer – as that was where the future of education would lie - Derek bought his first one shortly after getting married. This was back in the days when you had to use tapes to load programmes and when mobile phones were the size and weight of a brick. 

Derek maintains a blog on matters relating to e-learning and other aspects of interest to educators: http://blog.core-ed.net/derek.