Archive for January, 2009
Tuesday, January 20th, 2009
Educamp09 and EVOLVE in Partnership!
Yesterday we officially started a partnership between Educamp09 and the EVOLVE Community. This was the first of a series of open online conversations that will be happen on a monthly basis until the face to face Educamp09 meeting in Ilmenau, Germany, this following April.
Question: Why are we doing these online sessions when some of us are already going to meet face to face? Why a partnership between two communities? What do we hope to achieve with this?
Answer: One thing to start with: to create alternative opportunities to network, opportunities to gain access to people’s ideas and to establish learning bonds. Isn't the role of a Network to help people network? And isnt the objective of a community to bring people together so they can learn through conversations and interactive activities?
What we hope to achieve with this is simple: we want to bridge the connection between the people in our different networks. With these opportunities we also aim to provide those who might not be able to join our face to face events, an opportunity to be part of these discussions too. And looks like we have been quite successful with the launch of this initiative, which counted with the participation of multi networks and communities. There were Educampers. Evolve/JISC members, Webheads, EVO2009 - Digifolio participants, The earthcast09 team webcasters, WeDoTEL researchers and twitter followers in the house, as far as I could tell (am I missing someone?).
Of course, none of this would have been possible without the outstanding performance of out two guest speakers, Sieglinde Jakob-Kühn (aka Networking Lady) und Graham Attwell, which we thoroughly enjoyed talking to. But equally important was our great audience. There were more than 60 people in elluminate. This must mean something. Are we connecting?! I think so. This is just true collaboration. This is pure fun too. Thank you all for coming.
This monthly topic is PLEs and E-Portfolios - is this the future of education?, as our guest speakers so well introduced us to from their personal and distinct points of view. There is nothing like being offered different perspectives. It just sets the mood for a great discussion, which can now continue here.
Your ideas, questions and thoughts you still want to explore can be shared in the discussion thread Thomas Bernardt has just created. Feel free to join and/or create new threads, not only with new related issues, but also in different languages! We do like diversity!
So here is our motto: Stay connected! We sure would like to hear more from you before we launch the next topic in February!
Related Blog Posts:
- ORT09 | Session #1 - Dank, Aufzeichnung & Ausblick
- PLE und E-Portfolios -Ist das die Zukunft der Bildung?
No Comments » - Posted in Uncategorized by cristinacost
Monday, January 19th, 2009
Thought Fest
Thought Fest is a two-day event being organized by Pontydysgu with the support of the JISC Evolve network and the European Mature-IP project. The event will bring together researchers in Technology Enhanced Learning in an open forum to debate the current issues surrounding educational technologies and discuss how and where research impacts on practice and where practice drives research.
Who is Thought Fest aimed at?
Thought Fest is an event for researchers and practitioners in the area of Learning Technologies.
When is Thought Fest?
Thought Fest will be held in March, 5-6.
Where is Thought Fest taking place?
The workshop will take place in Manchester, UK, hosted at the University of Salford, in the ThinkLab
How can you get involved?
We will provide the physical space for discussion, debate, and exchange of ideas in a relaxed environment.
But of course, for that to happen we need your help shaping the event. We need people to help us organize the Spring Thought Fest 2009. Please submit your interest about taking active part in the Thought Fest. Apply to co-organizing one of the possible event sections described below. Alternatively, send us your own ideas on how you think a part of this event should be organized, and how you would like to help us approach the different issues concerned with Technology.
Some ideas for Activities at Thought Fest
TEL Fair: Let’s share it in the open. What about setting a learning stand and try to sell others our practice / our research project / ideas? We were thinking of the following scenario: 4 Researchers / 4 stands = each speaker will prepare their presentation for 15 minutes and try to sell their story – a project they want to create, a project they are working on and want to disseminate, research results they want to share – every 15 minutes the audience has to rotate to the next stand. Interested in being one of Thought Fest TEL Fair sellers? Please email us your interest with a small description of what you are selling and what you will need in terms of technology / facilities.
Debating ideas: Let’s form a round table about a topic we are passionate about, and invite others to a lively
discussion. Just send us a topic you would like to debate, and together we will gather a group of people interested in taking part in it. And may the conversation begin!
Researchers Corner: Stuck with the research (question)? Could use some feedback on the working in Progress? Then let’s organize a friendly researchers’ corner (bringing together senior and young researchers in the field) and share our concerns, questions, research process, etc. Let’s mentor one another!
Workshop time! Would you like to offer a hands-on workshop during the Thought Fest? Is there a TEL area we could explore together? Suggest a workshop you would either like to offer or which you would like to take part in.
Other ideas Welcome! You may have other ideas, issues, questions and concerns, as well as other formats in mind. Please let us know what you would like to discuss and how you think we could best organize this event. Just get in touch. We would love to hear from you!
For further details on how to take part in the Thought Fest, please check the Leaflet "Thought Fest 2009"
Submissions and Further Information
Please contact Cristina Costa, University of Salford, UK. Email: c.mendesdacosta@salford.ac.uk
All submissions and requests for registration will be acknowledged.
Deadlines: All submissions should be received until Jan, 31
Notification of acceptance: Will be until Feb, 8
Registration
Please register here.
No Comments » - Posted in Uncategorized by cristinacost
Tuesday, January 13th, 2009
Open Learning
This is the motto for 2009 as far as EVOLVE is Concerned. It is also the year we will try to connect to more learning initiatives all over Europe and beyond, if possible.
As part of our Open Learning approach we are also open to suggestions and new ideas.
And to start the year the best way, we will be supporting Educamp, by hosting some online learning conversations prior to the face to face event this coming April in Germany. You will be able to find us there too, if you are up to a face to face get together, where we can only promise pure learning fun!
So to start off with, we will have Graham Attwell (Pontydysgu) as the first special guest. He will host a conversation around PLEs and E-Portfolios - is this the future of education?
The event will take place in Elluminate (click here to enter the room), in January, 19th 2009, at 1900 CET/ 1800 UK time (Check your local time here).
You are welcome to join. Bring a friend too. 
To join just type your name to the username text field and leave the password field blank. Then click to enter the room and join for an interesting discussion. ( View tutorial here) Your questions and ideas are needed!
Meanwhile, don't forget we will also be hosting a Thought Fest in March, 5-6 in Salford, Manchester. We need your help to get this show on the road!
