Tuesday, April 8, 2008

JISC conference Bristol




Attended the JISC south west region conference today, and was glad to find a lot of College based people there. For Higher Education, mobile learning was funded with 350,000 pounds and was driven by pedagogy rather than technology. This is something we all need to remember.




A needs analysis was conducted and showed up inequities between faculties. Students feedback used to ensure usefulness. Everybody gets training and support, and the presentations throughout the day reiterated this.




Another important thing that this conference pointed up was the investment of not only money but also staff. The question of providing resources versus providing equipment was raised, just as we've struggled with. The first session was about practical placement, so students also wished for a connection with their university and blogs were mentioned.




Learning is a social activity constructing new knowledge and understanding through collaboration - the starting point for using any technology.



Another person from Wolvehampton, mentioned technology retreats, most importantly led by the Dean, which I think sounded great, and perhaps a little like SWSI's technology showcase.

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