New website
Is There a Place for the Barefoot Researcher? I have a lot of time
for academics. Some of my best friends are academics. I used to be
something of an academic myself (I studied for, and obtained, an MA,
and did some ground-breaking research into adult economics education
which resulted in my being invited to embark on a PhD; I declined).
The
reason I mention all this is, of course, by way of a prelude to, not so
much an all-out attack on, but an all-out gripe about, academic
research.
Set aside a few
hours to watch Graham Brown-Martin's provocative introductory talk
followed by four highly stimulating lectures from guest speakers,
including one from Malcolm McLaren.
Malcolm McLaren
is not, perhaps, the first person that would spring to mind in the
context of education. Yet, as one of the keynotes at the Handheld
Learning Conference 2009 he had much to say that was highly relevant -
in an irrelevant sort of way.
On that
criterion, I would say that the second day of the Handheld Learning
conference I've been attending in London, especially the morning, was a
great success. Under the heading 'Reflections on Learning', four
speakers gave us their perspective on learning. In the case of Zenna
Atkins of Ofsted,
the UK's school inspectorate, and especially Malcolm McLaren - yes,
that one - the perspective was quite
personal.
I watched an
interesting TV programme last night. Called Electric Dreams, the programme followed
the fortunes of a family whose home had been transported back in time
to the 1970s. Each day brought a new year, and the technology that went
with it.
I've had a great response to my
call for submissions to this ebook, which seeks to collate information
about interesting projects involving the use of Web 2.0 applications in
schools.
The original deadline was 30
September, but last night I received some news which has led me to
extend it until the 31st October.
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