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QSITE State Conference 2008:

"Bridging the Great Divide"

Fairholme College, TOOWOOMBA

3rd, 4th and 5th July 2008

Look at the responses to our survey, download the powerpoint file at the bottom of this page.

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Michelle Selinger Keynote Abstract

Divided by technology

The digital divide can be viewed through many lenses: the divide between the tools used in formal and informal learning, the divide that exists in skills between teachers and learners and the divide between the uses of fixed and mobile technologies in addition to the traditional notion of the divide between those that have access to technology and those that don't.

Each if these will be considered in turn drawing on experience from around the world and a number of challenges will be set for industry, educators and policy makers

Bio

Dr Michelle Selinger spent many years as a classroom teacher, then the same number in higher education as a teacher educator and latterly directing a research centre for new technology in education at the University of Warwick.

She moved to Cisco in 2001 where she now works as the director for education in Cisco’s consultancy group across the Asia Pacific region providing thought leadership around innovation in ICT and education. Prior to that, she was the education strategist for Corporate Citizenship as well as advising on technology in education across the world with a strong focus on emerging and developing countries..

She has worked on a number of European Union initiatives and research projects and is a key member of the working group who developed the recently launched UNESCO ICT Competency Standards for Teachers

Michael Ryan Keynote Abstract

Crossing Over: Using Metaphors to Rethink Teaching-with-Technology

The purpose of this keynote is to "cross the divide" and explore some alternative metaphors for teaching-with-technology. With some notable exceptions, many of us have been trapped into thinking of teaching as "information delivery" and that ICT merely offers better delivery tools.

In this interactive presentation Michael will investigate some productive ways of thinking that counter this unfortunate, but predominant metaphor. These include teaching as "conversation", "communities of practice" and "excursions into professional discourses".

Michael will provide some practical examples from his own university teaching and administration. The liberating influence of these productive metaphors extends beyond teaching to influence the learning by our students and the designs of our policy-makers.

Bio

Michael Ryan is an academic at QUT, Kelvin Grove Campus. He has previously taught mathematics, science and technology studies in state and private schools in Queensland. In different roles, he has served QUICK, CEGQ and QSITE for over twenty years and is a current board member. His professional interests cluster around technology and its relationship to political, professional and social practices. In his teaching he likes to re-purpose technologies in order to design discursive learning environments. His research interests lie with investigating how extended learning networks can be designed and nurtured by promoting trust between collaborating learners who orchestrate their activities over different communication channels.