Keynote Speakers
Derek Law MA, DUniv, FCLIP, FIInfSc, FKC, FLA, FRSE
Emeritus Professor and chair of JISC Advance Board
Keynote: "Here Be Dragons.. or is it icebergs?"
Derek Law is chair of the JISC Advance Board and has worked in several British universities and has published and spoken at conferences extensively. He is a regular project evaluator for the EU. Most of his work has been to do with the development of networked resources in higher education and with the creation of national information policy. Recently he has worked on the use of wireless technology in developing new methods of teaching and learning. This has been combined with an active professional life in professional organisations related to librarianship and computing.
A committed internationalist, Derek has been involved in projects and research in over forty countries. He was awarded the Barnard prize for contributions to Medical Informatics in 1993, Fellowship of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 1999, an honorary degree by the Sorbonne in 2000, the IFLA medal in 2003, Honorary Fellowship of CILIP in 2004 and was an OCLC Distinguished Scholar in 2006.
Dr Paul Howard-Jones BSc(Manc), PhD(Exon), BSc, PGCE
Senior Lecturer in Education - University of Bristol
Keynote: "Technology, Brains and Learning"
Dr Paul Howard-Jones is a leading expert on the role of neuroscience in educational practice and policy and publishes in all associated areas. His research spans neuroscience and education: using our knowledge of the mind and brain to improve teaching and learning; game-based learning and creativity. Paul's particular area of interest is applying our understanding of cognition and neuroscience to enhance child and adult learning. His research explores the benefits offered to education by emerging technologies, aided by a critical consideration of underlying cognitive processes.
Paul has a special interest in how gaming engages the brain and the application of this knowledge in education. He was recently asked to review the potential effects of the internet on the brain, and delivered his findings at the 2011 Nominet Trust Annual Lecture at the UK's Royal Society for Arts.
Colin McLeod
Tree of Knowledge
Keynote: "Opening Minds"
Described by the Daily Record as "..a Sherlock Holmes of the mind",
psychological illusionist, Colin McLeod has been using his unique ability and incredible skills to motivate, inspire and educate thousands of pupils across the country. Originally trained as a forensic scientist, Colin quickly learned he had a real passion for working in Education and making a real difference.
Colin is also the inventor of the 'Eye-Pout'.
Twitter: @Tree_Of
www.treeof.com
Exploration Sessions
Dr Doug Belshaw
JISC infoNet
Educator and Researcher
Tim Riches
CEO DigitalMe
Session 1a
Moving into uncharted waters: are Open Badges the future for accrediting skills?
Mozilla's new infrastructure for enabling the accreditation of informal learning, Open Badges, has been gaining momentum over the last year. Aiming to 'solve the problem' of recognition for skills and achievements gained outside of formal education, the initiative has heavyweight backers in the form of the US Department of Education, NASA and HASTAC. In this session, Doug Belshaw will explain the need for a new system of accreditation as well as how Open Badges are well-matched to recognize 21st century skills as well as unlock career and educational opportunities. Tim Riches from DigitalMe (a DML Competition winner) will give a practical example of how they are testing Open Badges through the Supporter to Reporter (S2R) Medals programme, designed to recognise and reward the development of 21st century learning skills.
Jason Miles Campbell
JISC Legal Service Manager
Deborah Ferns
Legal Information Specialist
Session 1b
Keeping e-Safe From the Dragons
If the pen is mightier than the sword, we might up the ante with sustained online bullying via social networks. The law, in addition to morality, funders and quality inspection regimes, place a duty on learning providers to provide a safe, secure learning and work environment - and that applies to the online world too. This session offers practical tips to be compliant, and deal with the dragon in the chat room.
jason.miles-campbell@jisclegal.ac.uk
Kevin Wilson-Smith Professional Development Manager, Dumfries and Galloway College
Session 1c
Are We Virtually There Yet?
3-D technology can be used to add innovate and dynamically interesting dimensions to the teaching and learning process. The use of 3-D technology in a range of subjects can be used to emphasise, highlight and trigger attention processes to key learning concepts in the classroom.
The technology is above all else a fun and engaging way of introducing anatomical models with research data supporting its use is an aid to more successfully identifying, describing and replicating diagrams and models during the assessment process.
Markeda Cole
Off-Air Recording Officer British Universities Film & Video Council
Session 1d
Searching for Buried Treasure with BUFVC
Have you been searching for suitable tv or radio clips to enhance your teaching? Not sure which direction to point staff or students? Help is at hand!
The British Universities Film & Video Council (BUFVC) has recently added a brand new 'all-in-one' search function to its website, which provides users with access to nine of the BUFVC online databases, containing almost 14 million records via a single entry point. The new search also links directly into BoB National - the BUFVCs innovative online streaming service for staff and students - to view over 60,000 archived programmes available immediately. Markeda will explain how this dynamic duo provides a comprehensive link to content and will demonstrate the new features of both resources. What's more the new search function is free to use and you don't have to be a BUFVC member to start searching!
JISC RSC Scotland
Session 2a
Navigating the Journey with Augmented Reality
While mobile learning is really about the mobility of the learner and allowing them to move seamlessly between contexts, mobile devices do play an important role in this. It can also come from objects that the user is interacting with via for example, QR codes. Open up a world of information at your fingertips, contextualised for your personal convenience - a chance to have hands on experience of using the latest technologies with the latest gadgets.
Dr Ernesto Compatangelo
Technabling Ltd and University of Aberdeen
Session 2b
Making Waves - The Portable Sign language Translator (PSLT)
How can sign language users communicate with members of the wider community around them, who are often non sign language users? Ernesto and his team are developing the PSLT, an application that translates signed sentences into text on the fly, for use on a wide range of popular devices ranging from smart phones to desktops. The PSLT can also translate hand gestures into commands to control a wide range of appliances and devices. Book this session to find out how the combined use of leading-edge software technologies is empowering sign language users to overcome communication challenges.
John McCann
Director, Scotland's Colleges
Session 2d
11 Jewels in the Crown: Improving Quality and Efficiency
A group of staff in Scotland have been searching for jewels in the form of examples of practice which illustrates use of ICT in improving the quality of the learner experience AND achieve efficiencies in delivery. And they have identified the top 11. Quality AND efficiency - that is where it is at. Want to find out what they are? Book this session!