Monday, January 05, 2009

New Year Message and New Job

Twitter.com

I had one of those familar conversations over Christmas with an HE Edtech who is giving up and going back to medical research. He reports that 10 years on and there is still too much research and papers based on 10 learners using pretty basic tools - was discussion forums now some web2 tools but not transformational and delivery in most UK HE still stubbornly the same. Same picture painted of HE Education research on use of Educational Technology in Schools and in Colleges ( I have hardly ever seen any informed research on edtech and vocational learning in UK from UK HE) - with noble exception of OU who I think are miles out in front on delivery side.

Made me look again at last year's predictions
I don't see huge movement in any sector I am enjoying twitter and maybe it will be tool to at least open more folks eyes to all that could be done to transform learning and I'm going to do my best to get more folks on board in my new role as Head of New Ventures at SQA.

Officially I started in post in October but now as new office comes together I think things can start getting underway - watch this space.



3 comments:

olliebray said...

Morning Joe,

Congratulations on your new post! I can see lots of opportunities for partnership working here! See you at BETT for a coffee / pint.

Ollie

Joe Wilson said...

Cheers Ollie in vocational education Scotland has one of best systems in the world - Hope too I can bring some more resources and programmes to school sector.

Will post here what I am up to.

Way things work out I am in London Sunday to Friday and about at BETT give me a shout

All the best

Joe

Stuart Sutherland said...

Joe, as someone who, until 2 years ago, spent 7 years in HE (at Warwick Uni) developing and delivering and evolving large-scale online programmes for large international groups of online / distance learners, I share your frustration with a lot of the HE research on educational technology, which is miles behind the practice.

There's far too much which focuses on fiddling with courses for f-2-f populations who will continue to attend universities almost regardless of any tech developments and not enough on the really transformational and educationally innovative nature of some of the large scale programmes which we've been delivering for over a decade and which open up access too.

Congrats on the new job. And like you, I think Twitter has lead me to a network of folks I really appreciate in this last year.