ELT2
From SLN e-Learning Project
Second eLearning Technology Conference (ELT2)
To be held at Creativity Centre, University of Brighton
On Tuesday 3rd June, 2008, 10.00 – 15.30
This is the final meeting of the Advisory Group and it will also offer another opportunity to explore and discuss a wide range of elearning technologies with colleagues and experienced practitioners.
ELT2 will offer:
- Conversations about established and developing technologies
- An opportunity to meet colleagues involved in using these technologies
- Input from recognised leaders in the field of elearning
Although we will be involved in workshop presentations at the SLN June conferences, this will be the final Advisory Group Meeting and elearning event of the project. We would welcome your views of the work we have done and suggestions for continuity beyond the end of the project.
Programme
- 10.00 - Registration and refreshments
- 10.30 - Welcome and keynote introduction (by video link): Martin Weller, Professor of Educational Technology, The Open University
- 10.30 - Welcome and keynote introduction (by video link): Martin Weller, Professor of Educational Technology, The Open University
- "Web 2.0, The Social:Learn project and finding the sweet spot."
Martin will talk about some of the issues web 2.0 raises for higher education, and how the Open University is addressing these through its social:learn project. He will also look at how boundaries between previous categories are breaking down and what this means for educators. For background read Martin's blog and the social:learn website
- "Web 2.0, The Social:Learn project and finding the sweet spot."
- 11.00 - Choice of workshops 1
- 12.00 - Break - refreshments
- 12.15 - Discussion groups. Forums for discussing the potential of elearning in the context of widening participation and vocational learning in Sussex.
- 13.00 - Lunch (During the lunch period there will be an opportunity to explore research into the pedagogical potential of Second Life.)
- 13.30 - Choice of workshops 2
- 14.30 - Plenary Session
- 15.15 - Endnote
Workshops available between 11.00 to 12.00
- On-line action learning using FlashMeeting - Jenny Lynden
- Visual Practice - Pauline Ridley
- TabletPC - Liz Thackray
- From open content to mobile content: a licence to travel - Jerard Bretts
- Making Connections using Web 2.0 - Nigel Gibson
Workshops available between 13.30 to 14.30
- Using blogs for teaching and learning - Catherine McConnell
- Using low-cost videoconferencing for supporting students on a Leonardo Project - Steve Rowett
- Mobile Technologies - Where are they going? - Adam Blackwood
- Community@Brighton - a campus wide social network - Katie Piatt
- Safari on the move - Anne Hewling
Panel Discussants
We are fortunate in having a diverse and expert panel who will respond to the challenges and opportunities arising from our workshops. They will also develop a discussion around your specific questions and ideas.
- Jerard Bretts - OpenLearn, Open University
- Nigel Gibson - SLN eLearning Team
- Robin Goodfellow - Institute of Educational Technology, Open University
- Stan Stanier - Learning Technologies Group, University of Brighton
Keynote listener
We are delighted that Pauline Ridley from the Centre for Learning and Teaching at the University of Brighton will provide an endnote to the day.
Workshops
Supporting students on a Leonardo Project
Many students at the University of Surrey undertake professional placements overseas, particularly in Europe . For some, this will be their first exposure to another language and culture.
A project sought to enhance the support offered to these students by using low-cost videoconferencing, based on freely available software such as Skype and inexpensive webcams, linked to home or office PCs. Tutors and students held video calls to assess and develop language skills and provide support for specific work or home situations.
Evaluation found that these calls had practical value, with one student noting, “The whole idea of using webcams is a very good idea. Just using the telephone is not the same as seeing someone face to face when you’re trying to explain something”. A tutor reported that during her calls “a learning process actually took place”, while another reported that he "had previously underestimated the value of combined video and voice".
As well as tutorials, this technology has been used for bringing in guest speakers to staff and student events, and for international student group discussions.
The workshop will include clips from the calls that have taken place, feedback from staff and students, and discussion of potential applications within education.
~ Steve Rowett, E-learning Adviser, University of Surrey
Mobile Technologies - Where are they going?
Last year, the LSC pumped £6M into around 32 mobile technology projects in Further Education establishments across England. With Mobile Phones more powerful than the central college computer of 10 years ago... are we making the best use of their potential and what are we doing to acoommodate the future? This workshop explores through a short presentation and discussion based activities, what is happening now and looks at how organisations are preparing themselves to do more! Podcasts, Vodcasts, SMS, GPS, GSM, 3.5G, MicroBlogging, Video Recording, Digital Pictures, Voice to Text, Mobile Assessments, E-Books, MS Office Applications, Mass Storage, Video Calling, ohh... and you can make a phone call.. on a phone.
~ Adam Blackwood, E-Adviser, JISC RSC South East
Community@Brighton - a campus-wide social network
Community@Brighton is a full social networking and blog service for students and staff at the University of Brighton. Community is available to all staff and students in the university. Community@Brighton was the world's first social network to be rolled out across a whole university, has gone from strength to strength. Katie will be available to talk about the changes in teaching practice we have seen, as well as discussing the institutional implications of the introduction of this technology.
~ Katie Piatt, Senior Learning Technologies Developer, University of Brighton
From open content to mobile content: a licence to travel
The internet is full of open content, although much of it still carries an all rights reserved licence. It is open to being accessed and used from where it is found but cannot openly be taken away to be reused, reworked or remixed somewhere else. An open licence provides a legal passport to travel for the content wherever someone wishes to take it. However, while a licence encourages mobility of the content, this is insufficient to encourage reuse, reworking and remixing. To help that requires the content to be in a suitable format. This workshop explores the experience of the Open University in trying to make elearning content as portable and reusable as possible through its OpenLearn initiative.
~ Jerard Bretts, OpenLearn Programme Manager, The Open University,
TabletPC - Grown up Etch-a-sketch or something more
TabletPCs look very like laptops, but they allow the user to write on the screen using a special pen. TabletPC is fun for doodling, but has ink technology got more to offer than being a relatively expensive gimmick? This workshop will offer an opportunity to look at how a TabletPC can be used for marking electronically submitted assessments, taking notes and annotating documents. Test the handwriting recognition for yourself and decide if this is a 'must have' piece of kit or one you would be happy to live without.
~ Liz Thackray, SLN eLearning Project Consultant, Sussex Learning Network/OU
On-line action learning using FlashMeeting
Action learning has long been used to support reflective practice and professional development by involving practitioners working in a supportive group or 'set'. It has been argued that action learning has extensive value in the workplace because the approach involves: identifying real-world problems; exposure to new ways of thinking about those problems; and a supportive environment in which to explore, adopt and evaluate new practices. Following a pilot on-line action learning set project, a module has now been developed in LabSpace. Come and explore the module, which includes a toolkit and section on how to get started, and find out about how different groups are using or planning to use this model of learning.
~ Jenny Lynden, SLN eLearning Project Consultant, Sussex Learning Network/OU
Making Connections
How might we use web 2.0 technologies to support learning? What can we do with the connections? I'm going to use this space to talk about a practical piece of work I did with some students where we used wikis and blogs and postings on other blogs to scaffold and develop learning.
~ Nigel Gibson, SLN eLearning Project Consultant, Sussex Learning Network/OU
Safari on the move
All the hardware, software and tools in the world cannot help our students unless those students can cope with the information that such new technologies generate. Traditional education systems expect to teach the print literacy skills required to enable students to deal with information and communication needs in face-to-face learning environments however, in many quarters there is an assumption that, increasingly, online literacy can be assumed simply because students arrive online with the technical ability to operate ICTs. In this session I shall present the argument that, contrary to popular opinion, information skills matter even more than ever as the digital age progresses. Participants with web-enabled devices will also have the opportunity to test their online information skills and try out some of the OUs information literacy activities themselves.
~ Anne Hewling, e-Learning Specialist, The Open University Library and Learning Resources Centre
Visual Practices
The University of Brighton is a member of the LearnHigher CETL, a partnership of 16 HEIs representing a broad cross-section of the university sector with expertise in different aspects of learning development.. The University of Brighton has lead responsibility for the Visual Practices learning area, which supports the development of visual, spatial and tactile knowledge in different disciplines. This session offers a chance to explore the Visual Practices website and other resources and discuss how these might be used in your own teaching
~ Pauline Ridley, Visual Practices Co-ordinator, LearnHigher, Centre for Learning & Teaching, University of Brighton
Using Blogs for Teaching and Learning
In order to collect regular student reflections whilst out on industrial placement, Northbrook BA(Hons) Fashion Design students have been asked to contribute to a personal online blog using www.fashionspace.com. “fashionspace.com is an international “social-trading” site for anyone who works or plays in the fashion & arts industry.” I will use this workshop to highlight some of the reflective commentary that students have submitted, and discuss the ways in which using the blog has developed the students’ approach to writing tasks, and enhanced their career networking skills within an industry focused network.
~ Catherine McConnell, Lecturer, Centre for Learning & Teaching, University of Brighton
Second Life
Earlier this year, students studying Interactive Learning Environments modules at the University of Sussex created Learning environments in Second Life. The projects were identified by colleagues in other institutions and the focus was on aspects of their courses which were difficult, dangerous or impossible to teach in real life. Machinimas of some of the learning experiences will be available to view during the lunch break. Judith Good and Liz Thackray will be available to provide further information about the project and how it is developing.
Changing expectations: Finding and using content
A Flash presentation by Tony Hirst which exhorts web users to change the way they engage and work together. We'll be showing the presentation during the event.
Book your place now
Follow this link to register, there is no charge to attend this event.
Numbers are capped at 40 so we cannot guarantee places!
