Mobile Learning: Telling Tales – Speaker Bios

Graham Brown-Martin (Learning Without Frontiers)

Graham is the founder of Learning Without Frontiers, where his job is to direct and provide vision for the organisation. Graham is also Chair of the Handheld Learning Conference.

 

John Traxler (Learning Lab)
Title: Mobile Learning – The Story So Far

John Traxler is Reader in Mobile Technology for e-Learning, Director, Learning Lab Founding Director, International Association for Mobile Learning and Associate Editor, International Journal for Mobile and Blended Learning.

 

Geoff Butters (Manchester Metropolitan University)

The talk will cover the emapps.com project, which focuses on communities of creative, networking children within the 9–12 age range in the new EU Member States and has produced some significant breakthroughs related to innovative ways of learning, using computer games and mobile learning in schools.

 

Hilary Smith (University of Sussex)
Title: Using mobiles, blogs and virtual iPods to engage students in science learning.

Hilary Smith (University of Sussex) and Kevin Walker (London Knowledge Lab) will be talking about the use of mobiles and web 2.0 technologies to explore new ways of enabling learners to gather evidence, report and reflect on their science at Key Stage 3. The e-Science Usability project (http://www.informatics.sussex.ac.uk/escience-usability) has focussed on formal and informal ways to support teaching and learning and connect teachers, learners and scientists for collaborative activities. The session will invite participants to help with our wind energy practical experiment during the talk.

Hilary has researched a variety of technologies to support teachers and learners over the last 10 years, including use of tablet PCs, augmented reality and social software. Most recently her focus has been to understand the challenges of science teaching and learning in both school and informal settings e.g. science festivals.

Kevin is a researcher at London Knowledge Lab working on projects related to technology in science education, development, and museums. He also designs software and hardware, and has a background in anthropology, journalism, design and interactive media.

 

Stuart Smith (3 Sheep)

Stuart Smith is a creative technologist with a passion for innovative mobile technologies. His work in mobile design and development at The University of Manchester has received an international innovation award. 3 Sheep is the company that Stuart has founded to bring the advantages of mobile innovation to all.

 

 

Andy Ramsden (University of Bath)

Andy is head of e-Learning at the University of Bath. He took up this role in February 2008, after being the VLE Operational Manager and Learning Technology Advisor at the University of Bristol. His current interests lie in re-visiting how technology can be effectively used to enhance the learning experience in large group teaching, factoring in the mobile dimension, and the direction of personal learning environments.

 

 

Simon Ball (TechDis)

Dr Simon Ball leads the work of the JISC TechDis Service in Higher Education, in addition to leading on E-Assessment across the sectors.

Simon has recently launched the paper "Technology Change for Inclusion: 12 Steps Toards Embedding Inclusive Practice with Technology as a Whole Institution Culture" (see www.techdis.ac.uk/getTCI). This paper is accompanied by a briefing aimed at senior managers in HE institutions setting out clear steps they can take to achieve a more inclusive use of technology across their institution.

Simon manages the HEAT scheme (Higher Education Assistive Technology - see www.techdis.ac.uk/getheatscheme).

 

 

Gary Priestnall (SPLINT, University of Nottingham)

Gary Priestnall is Associate Professor within the Geographical Information Science research group, School of Geography, University of Nottingham) and manages the Nottingham arm of SPLINT (SPatial Literacy IN Teaching). SPLINT is primarily concerned with the development of tools, techniques and strategies for enhancing the use of spatial data in curricula using GIS, Semi-immersive Virtual Reality, and mobile computing.

 

John Cook (Learning Technology Research Institute)

John Cook is Professor of Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) at the Learning Technology Research Institute, London Metropolitan University and he will talk about Urban Planning Education In Context With Mobile Phones.

 

James Clay (Gloucestershire College)

James Clay has been ILT & Learning Resources Manager at Gloucestershire College since November 2006. He is responsible for the VLE, the use of learning technologies, e-learning, mobile learning, the libraries, digital and online resources and the strategic direction of the college in relation to the use of learning technologies.