Online Learning

This week I took part in Discover-e 2010. It was my first full online conference and it was definitely an experience I was glad I took part in. It was also the first time I had experienced Dimdim though I must admit it was a little glitchy in places.

The conference used Moodle as a platform which was interesting in itself, though the less "techie" delegates struggled at some points but it was a good structure to try to engage participation and place resources for access. 

I liked the luchtime 'fun' activities as it showed lesser used elements of the learning platform. I also won a prize for this entry.

Reflections...

Tatton Park Gardens 10/04/10

Over the last few weeks I have watched a number of conferences, talks and live streams from around the world. They all seem to be getting very repetitive as similar ideas/enthusiasm seem to come up in all situations along with the same lack of understanding and vision. These are the same tech/learning related issues that are being debated in every educational institution across the country if not the world:
-How to engage learners
-Social networking
-Internet
-IT provision
-CPD (lifelong learning amongst teachers and lecturers)


Today I was watching the initial JISC Conference 2010, Pre conference debate "A perfect vision-Technology priorities for higher education" and comments William Dutton made reminded me of all those discussions at BectaX.


He talked about how we shift students to being able to create the internet, not just consume it? And that answers were unlikely to come from FE and HE.


He asked the question "Networked individuals will be the drivers of education in the future not institutions" -almost 80% of the audience agreed.


I personally agreed with alot of what he said as it was nothing really that had not already been said in all those other situations over the last few week. What was different was the back drop-HE and FE.


The thought that is going round and round in my head at the moment is why don't all educational institutions SHARE:
-Ideas
-Methods 
-Practice
As all these different sectors have so much they could learn from each other. Stop focusing on the tech and the politics, focus on the teaching, learning and STUDENTS.   


I know I learn from looking at different educators/sectors and thinking how could I apply that? Don't you?