Interesting talk from Ollie Bray earlier today on the use of technology across Scotland's schools.  Sites he mentioned include...

• Platform 4 (from Channel 4)
• Glow (online resource and community across Scottish schools)
• And Ollie's site (http://olliebray.typepad.com/)

He made it very clear just how clued-up and connected children can be these days.  All pretty accessible too - if you can get your hands on the kit Ollie's solutions were all fairly mainstream uses of technology (the Nintendo DS is now the UK's most popular console ever).

I went to a very interesting session on using wikis (and other online elements of teaching, learning assessment) this morning, followed by another on Second Life.

In both cases there seemed to be real enthusiasm from the staff members about the software they're using, which certainly helps when getting students involved in something new.  I also heard comments from said staff along the lines of 'not being tech savvy'... but then I've long felt that you become comfortable with what you use regularly, one person's savvy doesn't stretch too far if they're asked to try something new and I certainly learnt a lot.

The use of wikis is commonplace as a source of information, if by 'use' we mean looking for information and where 'wikis' = Wikipedia.  Actually using them in the constructive manner outlined today, mixing media and seeing some very attractive results from online collaboration must be very rewarding for the students.  They're combining academic work, with all the usual rigour, with the development of new skills.  Good to see and no wonder the module gets good feedback.

The use of Second Life seems to be declining in mainstream applications, but I can see that it is a very relevant environment when utilised in an academic cause.  The subject matter at the heart of today's presentation is sensitive, yet by transporting the students into Second Life they are encouraged to think about it in different ways, hopefully engaging with it more.  Questions relating to the security of data in this externally-hosted site are important to bear in mind, but this is another area where there is already considerable expertise within the university.

Both presentations were exercises in applying relevant technology to a specific module.  There may well have been a steep learning curve for students in both cases, but the rewards are impressive.

Just out of the first plenary session of the day and have come up to the main computer area on campus - how I wish we all had such fast computers.

Very interesting talk from Richard Hall from De Montfort University.  He mentioned a number of reports and I've tracked down links for some of them:

• DEMOS Edgeless University
• Digital Britain
• JISC: Thriving in the 21st Century
• Independent committee report (JISC): 'Higher Education in a Web 2.0 World'
• Revised HEFCE strategy (March 2009)
• Higher Ambitions
• JCAL (for free issue)

Richard had a lot of interesting topics and it's good to be able to follow some of them up through the report above.  The idea of a disconnect between the technology expectations of students and staff is not new - but clearly as technology moves on so that relationship continues to change.  Is it important for all staff/educators to constantly attempt to keep up with the latest in Web 2.0 and social media...?  I think not, and I don't imagine students would expect this - they're all going to be using a different mix of social media anyway.

A topic of conversation following Richard's talk was that students often appreciate the divide between what the university is offering and what they experience between friends.  There is a strong case for maintaining the divide, it is not the university's place to encroach into every aspect of their lives, so Facebook for friends and WebCT for uni is just fine for many.

This point also came to mind when hearing from Stephen Bruce on Edinburgh Napier's MLE evaluation.  The word clouds that illustrated how staff and students feel about WebCT were instructive - while the staff found WebCT could be frustrating, students liked it.  Perhaps we overestimate what students want to get out of WebCT - they don't need bells and whistles most of the time, just a regularly updated and efficient service.

David.

A decent turnout for the first session... I'm sure numbers will increase as folk make it through the snow. Good idea to move to the Riady though - we'd all feel colder looking out of the windows in the Egg.

So far most of the discussion has been about Christmas, new year and the weather - intro kicking off now though...

I've just been on the phone to a colleague whose session I'm helping with on Friday. My role will hopefully be limited to loading web pages and enabling the session leader to concentrate on speaking to the rest of the group - fingers crossed I can play my part, the session's are pretty short so we need to make the most of the time.

(Rest assured I'll be letting you know how great her session went, or what I did to mess things up.)

Another crisp winter's day.  From my office window I look out over the roof of Craiglockhart, with the Egg currently looking like a snowball flung from somewhere near the castle.

Hopefully the conference will run as smoothly as usual on Friday and everyone will be able to make it to the campus in good time.  Leave yourself plenty of time to wait for the buses would be my advice, though there's always the chance to skate home along the canal.