… I am known by a variety of different names. Rather, that I was commended in this year’s Learning Technology of the Year competition. I received my award at last night’s dinner in front of a rather dug up cricket field at Headingly. It has been quite difficult keeping it secret (not least when Demetra Katsifli almost let knowledge of my application out at BbWorld Europe in Manchester) but that was ALT’s rules not mine (though I think being invited to the interview as Stephen and being called to receive by prize by David Cavallo as Simon was part of this covert operation). My application focussed on the Assignment Handler project along with my overall contribution to supporting the use of learning technology. See http://www.alt.ac.uk/docs/learning_technologist_of_the_year_award_2008.pdf.
Thomas Jepson (of Wimba fame) called me over (as Andrew) to his stand this morning to congratulate me. I don’t know whether anyone has looked at the Pronto tool (part of the Wimba suite), but I was quite impressed with its instant messaging and chat capabilities – both within and across courses. (Kings College and Robert Gordon use it in the UK, along with 2,000 institutions in the UK). Or being overly impressed could be the result of my online chat with David Wild (Director of Assessment at Wimba) who now wants to set something up more formal to explore with me how the Wimba voice tools can be better integrated within Blackboard/the Grade Centre to support formative assessment and feedback.
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4 comments:
Hooray! well done Stu - but more important than any accolade - what was the prize?? (and is it edible?)
On the wimba/pronto front - yes I've seen it - er voice tools er..
Having said "er.." I have only seen it in the learning and teaching context of languages - but struggled to see an application across other disciplines. If you look at exploring assessment opportunities that may well be a different kettle of fish. My only advice to you Stuart is:
BE PREPARED TO BE STALKED!
Wimba are relentless when it comes to marketing and follow up, and if you give them my name to talk about the other part of their suite : their virtual classroom tool - I will kill you. (slowly) :)
Brilliant! Well done Sean, that's a great achievement.
I'm with Helen - what's the prize? And where are the photos from the presentation???
Thanks you two. The prize isn't edible, though it might help edible goodies magically appear. There are some blurred photos that Helen Lyons took. I'm not sure what will happen to the ones the photographer took.
I have been stalked by Wimba before - but the "Who's online" aspect of Pronto might be useful for Applicant/Pre-enrolment support as part of them building their communities.
Scott
Doh! In my woozy state from the not-so-vintage champagne, I wrote that 2,000 institutions in the UK use Pronto. It's 2,000 in the US.
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