What I’ll be checking out at SXSWedu this year
Chats with SXSWedu General Manager Greg Rosenbaum on what to look out for at SXSWedu 2018, plus I look back on 2017 presentations, socials and…the Rodeo!
Chats with SXSWedu General Manager Greg Rosenbaum on what to look out for at SXSWedu 2018, plus I look back on 2017 presentations, socials and…the Rodeo!
What initiatives are supporting teachers and students to co-create games together? Hear from educators, gaming companies, and researchers on the evolution of games-based learning from “content” to “creation”.
What is personalized learning? What is it not? Is there an evidence base yet for personalised learning and what does the research evidence show us about the contexts where personalized learning works best? What is the role of student, software and teacher in a personalised learning context? What questions should we be asking?
How do we get beyond the tick-box or bubble filling exercise of exams and tests, whilst also measuring ‘progress’? We delve into ideas around ‘invisible assessment’ and question who benefits from‘traditional’ and re-imagined forms of assessment, including games-based assessment. Can ‘tests’ be fun and should they be? How do we measure collaboration?
We dip into the world of VR and mixed reality to uncover what high-cost, high-risk learning opportunities are being made more accessible to all by this technology. How are academics measuring the learning outcomes of VR and simulation and what are the quantifiable cost savings and impacts for various learning and training environments? When is VR right for education, and when is it superfluous? We also end our first five episodes with practical suggestions for educators: mindful skepticism, resist fear, understand that you can start small and grow, and avoid technology for technology’s sake. This last one is harder than it sounds – many new technologies wow us but do not have useful application to education.
This week we are looking at language learning and tech. How we learn languages is changing. Apps, MOOCs, Chatbots and online tutoring services have all worked to reduce the time and investment needed to pick up and master a language. At the more extreme end some advanced technologies have even brought into question whether learning a language in the traditional sense will be needed in the future. And, should it be humans or machines testing second language acquisition? Find out in episode 99!
I’ve always enjoyed the reflective part of the day and year: The “5pm slot” and the Autumn season. And I predict this means I will enjoy my 60s/70s as well, if I get that far! With this spirit of reflection it’s time for me to look back over 2017 with The Edtech Podcast, inspired by a similar post this time last year. This article then sets out some 2018 goals and ways I’d love for you to get involved!
This is a copy and paste of an article I wrote, currently running in Education Technology (55-59), on 2017 trends. Go check out the full article there. My responses are to their questions on trends. Would love to hear your thoughts below on where you agree/disagree…
Takeover time! The benefits of digital education are many. But, there are challenges to overcome. In this podcast, hear from Jim Cooper, the President and CEO, of Maplesoft and Nicola Wilkin, Director of Education College of Engineering and Physical Sciences, at the University of Birmingham to explore benefits, challenges and a few best practice tips for online education.
2. Understand what your aims are
A legacy of poor investments in hardware when times were ‘flush’ has given digital leadership a bad name, with vanity projects outweighing efficacious projects within schools. Having a robust framework to establish and keep track of your strategic objectives is essential.