Tuesday, February 6, 2007

Eyes on the horizon...feet on the ground - OLA 2007

Hi everyone,

Well, if you did not get to Stephen Heppell's session at OLA, you missed a treat indeed!!! I was due to attend another session, but Angela persuaded me to attend the above session, saying that she had heard him before and that it would be worth it. Well, was it ever.

I can not even begin to do justice in words to his innovative ideas - he is a veritable mine of information and mind-blowing ideas on education, quoted as "Europe's leading online education expert"(Microsoft 2006) and "the most influential academic of recent years in the field of technology and education"(Guardian 2004) and all delivered in the most amusing, easygoing and entertaining manner - I was just sorry when his presentation came to an end.

Stephen spoke about his involvement in many key projects all over the world in both the public, as well as the private sector and also how he advises both rich and poor governments on issues of education and technology. Some of the many projects with which he has been involved include: "World classrooms", "Think.com", Learnometer project", "Teachers' TV", the virtual school "Notschool.net"

He established Ultralab, a world renowned learning technology research centre which pioneered "leading edge applications in support of proven educational precepts" and recently left there to head his own policy, research and practice consultancy - Heppell.net.

All I can say in conclusion is: please, please go to his website to find out much more about his fascinating ideas and work - MPL can only benefit from his kind of "forward thinking".

Thanks,

Cheryl.

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