A note about PowerPoint presentations: these have been converted into pdf files, but some are still quite large and may take a few seconds to open (also some formatting may be different). You'll need Adobe Reader to open these files - you can download it for free from www.adobe.com.

Teachers and innovations - supporting innovative educational practices

Ben Williamson (Futurelab) followed by Hetan Shah (Development Education Association)

Ben’s presentation 'Inventing educational innovation: What’s the role of school in an “innovation nation”?' focused on the ways in which the school curriculum is currently being reimagined in public policy texts, in “third sector” or charitable initiatives, and in marketing campaigns by global multinational new technology corporations. He showed how a set of “mental representations” about the role of the curriculum in the twenty-first century now seems to be shared in multinational marketing, policy, and the third sector alike, and indicated how these are linked to dominant contemporary ideas about “innovation” and “creativity” in a so-called “knowledge-based economy” and in an imagined British “innovation nation.”

Hetan outlined DEA’s latest research around the challenges and practice of global learning. How do we prepare young people to be responsible citizens in a globalised world? What are the challenges of learning for sustainability? What contribution does education have to creating a more just and sustainable world?

Transforming learning spaces - thinking beyond the classroom

Tim Rudd (Futurelab) followed by Frank Locker

Presenting an overview of the commonalities in transformed international thinking on education and the new concepts in learning places they demand.

Open pdf version of Tim Rudd's PowerPoint presentation (829kb)
Open pdf version of Frank Locker's PowerPoint presentation (2.7mb)

Informal and family learning - exploring the wider learning landscape

Lyndsay Grant (Futurelab) followed by Martin Hughes (University of Bristol)

Lyndsay's presentation discussed the diverse landscape of learning in families with digital technologies. Using quantitative and qualitative data, she explored parents’ perceptions and aspirations about learning in families, and discussed some implications of potential future trends for the kind of learning that families need.

Martin drew on his recent research on children and young people’s views about their out-of-school learning, including areas such as learning to play football and chess, learning to be in a rock band, learning to be teenagers and learning the ‘tough lessons’ of life. Using interviews, photographs, drawings, and drama to obtain children and young people’s perspectives on their learning, the findings raise serious questions about how best to support learning both inside and outside of school.

Open pdf version of Lyndsay Grant's PowerPoint presentation (890kb)
Open pdf version of Martin Hughes' PowerPoint presentation (37kb)

Beyond Current Horizons

Richard Sandford and Mary Ulicsak (Futurelab) followed by Carey Jewitt (London Knowledge Lab) and Nick Lee (University of Warwick)

The Beyond Current Horizons programme, conducted with the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF), explores the future for education, beyond 2025. The aim is to help our education system prepare for and develop an ongoing and sustainable response to the challenges it faces as society and technology rapidly evolve.

In the morning session, Richard and Mary gave an overview of the programme and presented the key trends and challenges which are emerging from the research.

In the afternoon session, Carey described how new technological modes of communication are changing the way that people engage with, share and construct knowledge, and talked about the implications for schools.

The final presentation by Nick explored some new ways that are used in thinking about childhood today and particularly how children are managed through biological assumptions and technological interventions.

Open pdf version of Richard Sandford and Mary Ulicsak's PowerPoint presentation (1.34mb)
Open pdf version of Carey Jewitt's PowerPoint presentation (1.35mb)
Open pdf version of Nick Lee's PowerPoint presentation (161kb)

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