Education.au Seminars

This podcast features the panel presentation at the education.au seminar - A vision for the furture - held in Melbourne, Tuesday 2 October.

The panel was facilitated by Howard Rheingold, the keynote speaker at the seminar.

The panellists were asked to address the following question: How can we best connect and engage with learners in a time of constant change with technology?

Panel members, in order of presentation, include:

• Katrina Reynen, Assistant General Manager, Innovationsa, Research and Innovation Division, Department of Education, Victoria
• Steve Grocott, CEO Nine Lanterns and Secretary of eLearning Victoria
• Calvin Taylor, PhD Student, Faculty of Education, Monash University
• Vivienne Blanksby, Program Leader e-Works, Australian Flexible Learning Framework.

David Cummings, who presented prior to the panel discussion, is also a panel member. (David Cummings, Head of Flexible Learning Unit, Staff College, Victoria University)

Following is a brief synopsis of the questions which were asked of the panellists.

Question 1: How can we bring Web 2.0 functionality into a managed learning environment? Panellist responses from - David Cummings, Steve Grocott and Howard Rheingold.

Question 2: How could authentic assessment, maybe eportfolios, work in the context of informal learning with the issues of credentialling. Panellist response from Steve Grocott.

Question 3: Where do you see the predominant space and place where people will operate in the next generation will be in relation to where things are happening in the voactional sector? Panellist responses from Vivienne Blanksby and Katrina Reynen.

Question 4: What is the current thinking on laptops for primary and secondary students in terms of personal ownership and transporting them to and from schools? Panellist response from Katrina Reynen.

Question 5: What is the panels view on a blended approach to learning which includes a mixture of online Web 2.0 technology and hard copy text books. Panellist responses from David Cummings, Steve Grocott, Vivienne Blanksby, Calvin Taylor and Howard Rheingold.

Question 6 from Howard Rheingold to the panellists and participants at the seminar: What are your experiences with using blended and Web 2.0 learning media that have been very successful and have:

• engaged students
• inspired them to learn.

deebo-Deanne Bullen-education.au