Interview with a ...

Just been interviewed by two groups of people, both on video. Cristina Costa did a brief interview with me based on my recent Web 2.0 research and the forthcoming Plymouth e-Learning Conference which can be found at the Pontydysgu site. Also met three lads from the University of Umea in Sweden who pounced on me for some vox pop. You can view that interview here. Getting ready now for my afternoon breakout session at Online Educa Berlin. I will be speaking in the Web81 session, chaired by Dai Griffiths, and shared with Peter Sloep, where I will be talking on 'Learning 2.0: How students are using social software in their learning'.

Official twit

I'm here in Berlin for day two of Online Educa where there are 2064 delegates from 91 countries. After the Germans, the Brits are by far the largest delegate contingent with almost 300 members (hurrah!!) Yesterday was frenetic to say the least. From a very early start to a very late end, concluding with another Edublogger meeting, there was so much to see, do and enjoy. There were several highlights in the day, including a live radio podcast by Pontydysgu team including Graham Attwell and Josie Fraser (who grabbed me for an impromptu interview in front of a few hundred people who were all patiently queuing for their coffee at the break. (pictured above, Josie interviews George Roberts from Oxford Brookes University). Several interesting conversations developed throughout the day, and I seemed to bump into just about everyone I had met previously at other events around the globe over the previous 18 months. Educa is like one massive people aggregator.

One of the best sessions I attended was the breakout session entitled 'MUVEs for the 21st Century', which in some ways was a follow up of last year's session we did as the Second Life team. Chaired by Shirley Williams (Reading University) and presented by a host of stars including Steven Warburton (Kings College London) and Graham Hibbert (Leeds Metropolitan University), it was a tour de force of all the latest activities and research into immersive and virtual learning environments. Themes included design issues, formal and informal learning and digital identity (avatar design). I was roped in to act as 'official twit' for the proceedings, and must have sent around 150 tweets out during the two hour session. I think I lost about a dozen followers as a result (I guess they resented what they considered to be spam) but gained an awful lot more on Twitter.

The evening was capped by the edublogger meeting where we discussed microblogging in all its guises. Issues included the question: Is microblogging eroding people's use of Facebook and other social networking tools, what can and should Twitter be used for, and networking through microblogging. I will say more about today's events when I have had a chance to catch my breath...

Emerging Mondays

I'm taking part in a live podcast on Monday evening for Pontydysgu using Skype direct from my new wireless laptop, if I can get the blasted software to download.

I'm going to be talking about social software and open content for e-learning, and will be in conversation with the show's host, Graham Attwell. This was a session I agreed to do with Graham earlier this week whilst attending the Edumedia conference in Salzburg. Graham has already posted an invitation on his JISC Emerge site and I see the show will also feature Jay Cross from Internet Times who will be talking about informal learning, Hank Horkoff from Chinese Pod in Shanghai on personal Learning Environments and language teaching and learning and a 'culture spot' with the Last Poet in Oxford (I suspect it's George Roberts, but one can never be certain).

Just one thing though, Graham. I'm not from Plymouth College (it doesn't exist anymore and I left there over 12 years ago). I'm now working for the University of Plymouth.... Oh, it doesn't bode well at all.....

Crossing boundaries with a bridge to learning

I'm very pleased to announce that Graham Attwell has confirmed that he will present a keynote speech at next year's Plymouth e-Learning Conference, here at the University of Plymouth. Graham shares his time between the University of Bremen, Germany and Pontydysgu (Bridge to Learning: An independent Welsh Research Institute - where he is director) as well as his many travels around Europe. I heard him speak as a stand in keynote speaker last year at Online Educa Berlin, (pictured, checking to see if the mic is live!) and it was very interesting to hear him counter the arguments of the likes of Andrew Keen. Graham believes passionately in open content, open source software, and will offer his own particular brand of wit, anarchic and incisive commentary on the theme of our 2009 e-learning conference - 'Crossing Boundaries: Redefining Learning Spaces'.

We have another keynote speaker under wraps - and I'm not saying. However, as soon as s/he has confirmed as a definite I promise I will announce it right here. In the meantime, keep reading, and I hope to see you at next year's event, down here in sunny Plymouth!