Learning Technologies 2007

Learning Technologies 2007 will provide a mix of expert speakers and practitioners presenting case studies.

Streams of Speaker presentations can be found here here.


	Scott Norrish is a Converged Communications Industry specialist. Scott has worked in Australia, Asia, the UK and Europe in a number of disciplines managing critical business application environments. Scott has worked as a manager within the education industry and as a consultant to the industry. In these roles he has worked closely with partner organisations including Cisco, IBM, Siemens, Polycom and others. Scott’s diverse experience and passion for learning has allowed him to be actively engaged with the research, development and commercial deployment of telephony, data, conferencing and collaboration solutions. He currently works with large enterprise and government customers providing strategic direction and advice on their communications planning and transformation.

	Dr. Michelle Selinger recently joined Cisco's Internet Business Solutions Group to head up education across the Asia Pacific region. Before that she worked as Global Education Strategist for Corporate Affairs as well as acting as adviser for technology in education across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Michelle has worked with a number of governments through Cisco’s social investment programmes in education and leads visioning workshops on the future of technology-enabled education with senior officials. She has a strong background in education and immediately prior to joining Cisco she was the director of a research centre for new technology in education at the University of Warwick. Michelle was a member of the advisory group for e-Europe 2005 which informed the European Commission’s new i2010 initiative; has led a number of evaluation projects on technology enabled learning; and has published widely on many aspects of ICT in education.

	Co-founder, Director of Media Production, Global Nomads Group, Christopher Plutte leads GNG's vision to breathe life into global education by using the power of story. Chris is the creative force behind GNG's increasing documentary style, most recently producing 2, 30-minute documentaries for the PBS series, In the Mix. Prior to working for GNG, Chris worked in music production (Zoo Entertainment and Interscope records), then went on to work for video and multimedia companies Daisy Force Pictures and Peter Mathews Production. Finally, drawn to work in the non-profit sector, he also headed a chapter of City of Hope, organizing fundraisers for cancer research and awareness before joining GNG. Chris completed his BA in International Communications from the American University of Paris.
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	Stephen Atherton is the National Development Executive (Higher Education) for Apple Australia. In this role he engages with the tertiary sector in collaborative research and teaching projects, consulting, and is involved in professional development of tertiary education staff. He taught at a number of schools in Queensland where he developed a continuing interest in computers in education. Stephen spent a number of years at the University of Queensland where he managed a wide range of activities associated with the provision of I.T. solutions in teaching and research. Stephen has been an external consultant with Apple Computer Europe and UK and managed the education division of the UK Macintosh User Association based in Oxford. He is a member of many computing and education associations in the UK, Australia and the USA.

	Anne Bartlett-Bragg, A2B and University of Technology, Sydney, currently lectures at the University of Technology, Sydney and is involved with the design, development and delivery of e-Learning qualifications and subjects in the Faculty of Education. Anne also has a consultancy business, Digital Dialogues, that specialises in creating innovative learning environments for organisations, is the Executive Director of the Learning Technologies User Group, and educational advisor to the Australian Businesswomen's Network where she designed the current online mentoring program, MentorNet, for women entrepreneurs. She is currently completing her PhD that is investigating the adult learners' experiences of developing learning networks through the use of weblogs or self-publishing technologies.

	Leura Cathcart works in the E-learning Capability Unit that manages the Queensland operations of the Australian Flexible Learning Framework (Framework). She is the Framework Co-ordinator; Queensland LearnScope Manager and Educational Advisor to teams and individuals participating in funded professional development activities. The E-learning Capability Unit is part of Product Services which sits in the Information Technology and Product Services of the Department of Education, Training and the Arts. She has extensive experience in the area of e-Learning, establishing the technical infrastructure, business processes and products and services for TAFE Queensland On-Line. As Director of that unit for over 6 years she worked with TAFE Institute staff to support them in their move to on-line delivery. Until June 2004 she was the Executive Consultant for the Professional Practices Unit of the Department of Employment and Training with the charter to promote and increase the quality of teaching and learning in the Vocational Education and Training Sector. Leura has taught in a range of educational settings from early childhood centers to Universities and holds a Diploma of Teaching (Early Childhood), Bachelor of Education and Master of Education (Leadership).

	Greg Harper, B.Sc., Grad Dip.Ec., M.E.S., is an educational leader with over 25 years experience in the TAFE and higher education sectors. Currently Greg is Director, Brisbane North Institute of TAFE. Prior to this he was General Manager, Business Services in Training Queensland where he had responsibility for Regional apprenticeship and training services, Skilling Solutions Queensland and TAFE Infrastructure. He was formerly Director of Logan Institute of TAFE. At Logan he oversaw its transformation from a poor performing institute to one of the consistently best performing in Queensland. In 2004, Greg travelled to the UK as a recipient of the Flexible Learning Leaders Scholarship to research blended learning delivery models.
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	Jo Kay is a freelance geek, web designer, artist and facilitator based in NSW. She has broad experience in educational technology, web development and virtual worlds. In recent years she has worked for a number of organizations supporting the research and implementation of new and innovative technologies for teaching and learning and online community building. Jo has interests in online culture and social networking and the impacts both are having in the education sector, but also on society in general. Her current research is around virtual worlds, with a particular focus on Second Life and the possibilities that it offers for education, communication and collaboration.

	Greg O'Grady, Dip.T. BEdSt. MCurrSt., has been involved in online learning and flexible delivery for more than twenty years. He has carried out pioneering work across Education Queensland in introducing the concept of Virtual Schooling. Greg initiated the use of teleLearning and audiographics programs for delivery of both Languages other than English (LOTE) and mainstream curriculum during the 90s as well as carrying out the first trials of interactive television between schools using UHF radio technologies. Greg is currently involved in implementing new web conferencing technologies across all Queensland State Schools that will permit students,teachers and administrators to access voice over IP (VOIP), full video interactions and shared computer desktop programs from any computer on the Education Queensland network via a single convergent technology. Greg has presented at a number of World Conferences in Norway, Birmingham and the United States. He is currently the Manager, Web Conferencing Services within the Learning Place, e-learning branch, Office of Strategic Information and Technologies, Education Queensland.

	Dr. Alan Roberts lectures in business education and technology in education. He has experience as an educator and administrator in commercial, international, secondary, vocational and tertiary education spheres. Since 2003 Alan has been the Vice-President of the Business Educators’ Association of Queensland (BEAQ) and is currently a member of the Queensland Studies Authority Subject Advisory Committee (Business & Commerce). Alan’s research interests are related to business education, technology in education and team role/diversity in computer supported collaborative learning and work environments (virtual teams). Alan was presented with a best paper award at the International Conference on Computers in Education (2003) held in Hong Kong and was the Opening Keynote speaker at the BEA Australasian Conference held in Auckland, New Zealand in 2004.

	Naomi Waldron, Senior Instructional Designer – Workstar, has specialised in instructional design for five years, and has a professional interest in the use of games to engage learners online. She has designed serious games for the VET and schools sector, and in 2005, designed the AIMIA and United Nations World Summit Award-winning 3d immersive Green Home to teach people about sustainable living. More recently, she successfully completed projects for Woolmark, Queensland Needle Exchange, Trafalgar Tours and Department of Defence. Naomi holds a Masters Degree in Educational Technology and a double degree in IT and Education. She also conducts Instructional Design courses for clients such as Rio Tinto and the Australian Army.

	Laurence Zwimpfer, BE (Hons), MPP (VUW), SM (MIT), FIPENZ, HFNZCS, runs a private company in Wellington New Zealand specialising in the use of information and communication technologies in education. Since 1997 he has provided consulting and project management services to the Ministry of Education and other government and private sector organisations. Prior to that he worked in a business development role at Telecom New Zealand, where he supported education institutions and businesses that were interested in exploring the effective use of ICTs. He chairs e-Learnz Inc., an Incorporated Society of Tertiary Institutions with an interest in eLearning. He is a Trustee of the 2020 Communications Trust and the Computer Access New Zealand Trust. He is Deputy Chair of the National Commission for UNESCO in New Zealand and also chairs the Communications Sub Commission. At the international level he chairs the 26-country Intergovernmental Council for the UNESCO Information for All Programme.
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	Dr. Scott Brewster is the Director of Online Learning and Support for the Division of Continual Learning (DCL) at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (USA). Scott leads a team of 30 instructional designers, coders, and artists who develop online courses that focus on student-centered learning and cutting-edge technology. In 2006, Scott's staff developed an award-winning undergraduate online college course as a 3D video game, ECON 201. Scott and his team are helping to usher in the next generation of learning and effect a transformation in higher education instruction from static to dynamic, from lecture to interaction, and from memorization to problem-solving.

	Dr. Robert Brown is Dean of Continual Learning at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (USA), which has won numerous awards for the distance learning programs he oversees, including Campus Technology Magazine's innovation award in educational gaming in 2006. Before joining UNC Greensboro in 2002, Robert was an English professor at Oklahoma State University, and prior to that he was a Communications Analyst for the RAND Corporation, a think tank in California.

	Simon Brown finds himself training apprentices in stonemasonry trade skills at SkillsTech Australia, returning to Eagle Farm as teacher instead of student. “I remember what it was like being an apprentice stonemason and I want to give my students the best chance possible” he said. Simon says the best way he can do this is to provide a supportive learning environment, and this means that his students access a wide range of learning experiences. Simon says “My students are visual, experiential learners, and don’t respond well to text. So I construct my learning materials on a foundation of visual cues – colour photos and video clips, viewed on a computer screen.” But it’s not easy getting his students to use computers. Many of Simon’s students do not have access to computers, so the Eagle Farm classroom has a dedicated Internet computer and VHS/DVD player linked to a ceiling-mounted data projector. “I run through self-paced lessons in front of a group of students, and then they use the SkillsTech Australia library computers to complete their tasks” Simon explained. The Vocational e-mentoring network supports Simon’s innovative trade-skills teaching practice. He describes the VeM network experience as “… refreshing. I get to see what other teachers around Queensland are doing, and it gives me a new perspective to view myself. It’s not easy teaching full time and attending network events, but the rewards make it worthwhile.”

	Mark Jones is a Librarian and eChampion at Brisbane North Institute of TAFE. Mark has been involved with working with teachers on creating blended-delivered courses for several years. Mark also has been a web coordinator, and WebCT coordinator for his institute. He was a contributor to and web editor of the Blended Learning Design Kit distributed to Brisbane North and other selected TAFE Queensland staff. Mark has previously presented at three TAFE Online conferences and is a distinguished toastmaster. He is the educational facilitator of the VeMentoring Network. Mark is currently involved with a TAFE wide project to implement a new Library Information Management System.
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	Jay Mair BE (AWE) Dip e-Learning, is the Flexible Delivery coordinator for the Business Administration team within the Bremer Institute of TAFE. Jay was one of the first teachers to utilise Bremer’s Learning Management System iLearn for all the units delivered in the Business Administration training package. She also uses a variety of Flexible Learning Toolboxes to provide the content and holistic assessment as well as other e-tools such as ARED, Perception and Hot Potatoes. Jay uses forums, bulletin boards and SMS as her main communication tools within the blended delivery environment at Bremer. She is also teaching Certificate III in Business Administration to 11/12 students at a Catholic Girls school the and has introduced digital stories and an educational wikispace to manage the lack of resources within the school environment. Jay is currently exploring the Captivate software to develop suitable learning resources to assist students with learning software applications such as Word, Excel, Access and PowerPoint.

	Melissa McCarthy, B.A. , M.E.D., is the Coordinator for RIDBC Teleschool at The Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children in Sydney. This unique program uses videoconferencing to provide specialist hearing and/or vision support to children and families living in rural and regional areas of Australia. Before moving to Sydney, Melissa worked in the United States in a variety of educational settings for children with hearing impairment including bilingual-bicultural, total-communication and auditory-oral programs. Melissa’s first videoconferencing experience was an interview in 2004 for a teaching position at The Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children. She was appointed to the position and quickly developed her skills in teaching through videoconference. In her role as Coordinator, Melissa continues to expand her knowledge of technology and to develop ideas for utilising new technologies in an educational setting.

	Michael Norton is a Principal Teacher at Brisbane North Institute of TAFE. He holds a Grad. Dip. in Quality; B.A. and Dip Ed. He has been teaching at Brisbane North TAFE for 17 years in the disciplines of Life Skills, Business, Communication and Justice Administration. Michael coordinated the Justice Administration program for 5 years and now coordinates the Business Management program at the Institute. Michael’s most recent role has been Institute Program Coordinator for videoconferencing at the Institute. In his role as Institute Program Coordinator, Michael assists in the training of teachers in his Institute and across the TAFE Qld network in using videoconferencing as a mode of delivery within a blended and distributed environment. He also promotes videoconferencing generally across the Institute and has a passion to ensure that all videoconference users follow the required protocols. Michael is now taking on the challenge to engage teaching staff in video streaming content to students in face to face and distance delivery models thus helping to enhance their knowledge of the blended and distributed teaching model.

	Susan Pryor is currently working on the Certificate 1 & 2 in Learning Pathways for Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples program. Susan has many roles in this program. She is mentor, role model, support tutor and community advisor. In this position Susan is able to give advice to Julie Woodlock about student needs at a local and grass roots level. Susan is the recipient of the ³Making A Difference Award² at BRIT in 2007. This Institute award gives recognition to Susan for all the work that she does for her community.

	Hillary Spragg is program manager of the Washington, D.C. office for Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service in Qatar. Her duties include marketing, event planning, and video conferencing for SFS-Qatar. Ms. Spragg organized the inauguration of the SFS-Qatar and facilitates student exchanges between the two campuses. Additionally, she sits on two committees for the design and implementation of new video conferencing initiatives at Georgetown University and supports video conferenced joint classes between Washington, D.C. and Qatar. Before coming to Georgetown, she worked as Technology Support Manager for the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities. She studied at Instituto Sampere in Spain and at the Middle East Studies Program in Egypt, and received her B.A. in International Studies and Pre-law from Taylor University.

	Phil Wheeler has worked in high schools, technical colleges and at university during a teaching career spanning 25+ years. He is also an information systems specialist, computer programmer and systems administrator. Phil has been active in the field of web-based educational resources for the past five years, and has a particular interest in the delivery of math-based activities over the web using a combination of server- and client-side technologies. He is experienced in online delivery and has significant technical expertise applicable to the customisation of toolboxes. He now works in the Innovations unit at Wide Bay TAFE assisting with online course creation and toolbox utilisation. Phil can provide organisations with technical training and mentoring in relation to toolbox implementation and customization.

	Julie Woodlock is a lead vocational teacher and coordinator of the Learning Pathways program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people works for Barrier Reef Institute in Townsville. In 2002 Julie was a Flexible Learning Leader. Her national goal was, and still is, to build collaborative networks that develop inclusive practices for flexible learning for ATSI people and their communities. She also works with staff to address issues of inclusive pedagogical practice. Julie is the recipient of 2 awards in bridging Reconciliation in 2003 and 2004 and has presented many papers both nationally and internationally on more culturally led and community inclusive practices for ATSI people in Vocational Educational Training over the past decade.
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	Anne Bartlett-Bragg, A2B and University of Technology, Sydney, currently lectures at the University of Technology, Sydney and is involved with the design, development and delivery of e-Learning qualifications and subjects in the Faculty of Education. Anne also has a consultancy business, Digital Dialogues, that specialises in creating innovative learning environments for organisations, is the Executive Director of the Learning Technologies User Group, and educational advisor to the Australian Businesswomen's Network where she designed the current online mentoring program, MentorNet, for women entrepreneurs. She is currently completing her PhD that is investigating the adult learners' experiences of developing learning networks through the use of weblogs or self-publishing technologies.

	Carol Daunt is Founder and CEO of LearnTel Pty Ltd, a company that helps organisations improve their business operation by providing practical advice and training in skills for effective use of eCollaboration technologies. She is an experienced educator and businesswoman who has been involved in the design, application and effective use of eCollaboration since 1986. She works with lecturers, teachers, trainers, health workers and management from government departments and private organisations throughout Australia, New Zealand, USA and Europe. Carol holds a Dip T; Grad Dip Dist Ed; B Ed & M Ed (Research) - her thesis investigated the nature of interaction in videoconferencing. She has been published in numerous journals and is a frequent speaker at international conferences. She is an active member of numerous industry panels, boards and committees.

	Jo Kay is a freelance geek, web designer, artist and facilitator based in NSW. She has broad experience in educational technology, web development and virtual worlds. In recent years she has worked for a number of organizations supporting the research and implementation of new and innovative technologies for teaching and learning and online community building. Jo has interests in online culture and social networking and the impacts both are having in the education sector, but also on society in general. Her current research is around virtual worlds, with a particular focus on Second Life and the possibilities that it offers for education, communication and collaboration.

	Julian Lefebvre has been associated with the digital technologies market for over 20 years, in Australia, NZ & Europe - working primarily for organisations wanting to launch new technologies to the market. Julian has helped introduce many technologies that are common place today, such as MP3 players, LCD projectors, digital surround sound systems and DVD. Julian has spent the last 3 years creating a market in APAC for an automated webcasting platform called Mediasite by Sonic Foundry. Julian is based on the Gold Coast and has recently started his own business providing technology, services and advice for organisations wanting to broadcast rich media content online.

	Kerry Russo is a teacher in community services and the BDD regional education leader with Barrier Reef Institute of TAFE. Kerry holds a Bachelor in Community Welfare and is currently finalising her Masters in Education majoring in Learning Technologies. Kerry and her team has been successfully teaching with a Blended Distributed Delivery (BDD) model for the past 5 years. So far over 400 students have graduated from the program that extends across a 36 000²m area of North Queensland and encompasses six communities. Together with her colleagues at BRIT, Kerry has identified certain rules, tools and considerations that when applied to a BDD program increases its chance of success.

	Mark Walshe, B Ad Voc Teach, Dip Hosp Mgmt, Cert of Proficiency (Cookery), has a varied career beginning in Hospitality Operations and Hospitality Management. Mark joined TAFE Queensland in 1993 as a teacher in Hospitality where he also coordinated the Diploma of Hospitality Management course at the Mackay Campus of the Central Queensland Institute of TAFE. Mark joined the Videolinq team in 2003 as Network Videoconferencing Educator where he coordinates and monitors the Program Implementation of videoconferencing and videostreaming throughout TAFE Queensland and provides training, support, guidance and mentoring to Educational Facilitators and Videolinq Network staff.
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