Naace Strategic Conference 2007

Professor Steven Molyneaux, Director of Learning Lab

This keynote will address the issues regarding Virtual Learning Environments and their possible unsuitability in providing support for 21st Century Learners. It will look at the characteristics of the Neo-Millennium Learner and offer debate as to the suitability of current software applications in exploiting these characteristics.

The session will challenge some of the current DfES/Becta thinking in this area and stimulate debate between practitioners, vendors and policy makers.

Robin Ball, Manager Learning Services and Andy Tyerman, Assistant Director Content, Becta

Following the Learning Platform Services framework announcement I will focus on engagement and implementation for schools and institutions. The deployment of Learning Platform technologies, a central theme to the delivery of the e-Strategy, needs to be carefully planned and manager through a clear statement of requirements for the institution and its learners. We will address the development of a strategic vision using available tools and resources to support the process of change management

Chris Wood, Portal Manager, London Grid for Learning

Learning platforms have the potential to touch every aspect of the way schools communicate and organise their data. This session some of the latest developments and issues.

Roger Broadie, Broadie Associates Ltd and Member of the Naace Executive Committee

Assessment of ‘Quality of use’ of ICT in schools is currently geared to doing the best we can with what we have – in the way the school currently operates.

This is optimisation.

To aspire to transformation will require a systemic rethink of the way that learning is organized so that schools can achieve significantly greater impact upon pupil achievement – for all.

Some schools are now doing this, stretching the gap between schools in educational offering and achievement.

The Transformed Education project has created practical tools for schools to assess and develop the best approach to fit their culture and community.

Mel Philipson, Head of the Northern Grid for Learning; David Mason, London Grid for Learning and Hilary Guckian, Chief Exec, South West Grid for Learning

We will explore the role and impact of RBCs in supporting the Government’s agenda to provide online personal learning spaces for teachers and pupils. Covering the range of strategies employed by RBCs working in partnership with their LA and schools to identify learning platforms fit for local needs. Strategies for support, development and embedding will be explored. (Case studies, examples and improvement).

Ian Usher, E-Learning Co-ordinator, School Improvement Service, Buckinghamshire CC

This session will tell the story of how one Local Authority started out on the road to using Moodle as a core component of its Learning Platform offering to schools. It will include the requisite technical background as well as lessons learned from both successful and unsuccessful strategies in supporting schools in developing their use of Moodle. It will show examples of practice from primary, secondary and LA levels as well as reflections on the experience of staff and pupils. The rationale behind and implications of not buying into a “commercial” VLE product will also be explained.

Laurie O’Donnell, Director of Learning and Technology

This session outlines the key strategic drivers for change in Scotland, touching briefly on the role that Learning and Teaching Scotland plays in relation to learning, teaching, curriculum, assessment and technology. The issues facing the education systems across the UK have much in common but divergent political and structural contexts have enabled different responses. This session will outline some of the thinking that has underpinned the development of Glow in Scotland as the focus shifts away from the technology towards realizing the promised benefits of ICT for learning and teaching.

Jill Collison, Education ICT Adviser, Partnership for Schools

This session will look briefly at issues around the procurement of a learning platform, including use of the Becta Learning Services Framework. It will consider the transformation potential afforded by an area-wide learning platform procured within a BSF ICT managed services solution.

And finally will explore the value of third party content in support of teachers’ lesson planning and preparation.

Miles Berry, Headmaster, Alton Convent Prep

Drawing on his experience of implementing a virtual learning environments. Including blogging systems in primary education, Miles will discuss the contributions which learning platforms can make to extending the best practices of primary education into the home environment.

As well as a ‘digital show and tell’, to bring informal, independent and home-based learning into the school. He will discuss some aspects of the research and policy landscapes and explore some of the choices facing primary schools as they look to implement learning platforms in their own contexts.

Mary Le Breuilly, E-Learning Adviser, Solihull LA

This session will look at how the Authority has developed a shared definition and understanding of personalised learning and the significant role of ICT.

It will look at some practical examples, from learning platforms to e-mentors