e-Show n Tell 2007

Alicia and Cathy shared some fantastic media files as part of their presentation on the work they are doing with the Central Australian Education and Training Network and the stories being shared by the Top End Groove Network.

Here’s some links so you can check it out:

• About Desart by Tania Beattie
• Summary of the Project with Alicia and Cathy
• Discussion with Community Members at the Titjikala Arts Centre
• Digital Story from Maisie Ward from the Warakurna Artists

For further information visit the Desart website or the Top End Grove Website.

Congratulations to Alicia and Cathy and all who contributed to the audio and video included…. this was a fantastic presentation!

9:30am – 10:30am AEST

Central Australian Education and Training Network

Presented by Alicia Boyle

The CAET Network is based in Alice Springs and supports both knowledge sharing and professional development of practitioners and others who are passionate about demand driven Aboriginal education and training. We’ve spent much of this year discovering and developing our skills in a wide range of E-tools and working with our Industry partner, Desart, and their member art centres to explore the use of digital stories, ones they create for themselves, in language, for learning. This presentation will share this exciting journey from our central deserts.

Top End Groove – Sharing Stories

by Cathy Curry

Top End Groove is a network of Indigenous Tourism Operators and training practitioners from across the Top End of Australia. Having members separated by over 3000km of dusty roads, river systems and crocodiles, means e-learning is an essential part of our network. This presentation will share a couple of the key learnings from the network:

• alternatives to ‘paper based’ assessment and skills recognition – photos, e- testimonials and digital stories
• communication tools and strategies for VERY remote areas – what works well

Michael Coghlan has posted a great (and short!) podcast about the Unconference Event. Click here to listen!

[Image: Isaac Mao]

Coming Up: e-Show n Tell

 8pm – 9:30pm

The unconference session is often the bit I find most entertaining…. but for those who haven’t engaged in one before, I thought I’d share some info!

So what is an unconference?

An unconference is a conference where the content of the sessions is driven and created by the participants, generally day-by-day during the course of the event, rather than by a single organizer, or small group of organizers, in advance. To date, the term is primarily in use in the geek community. Unconference processes like Open Space Technology, however, have been around for over 20 years in other contexts, for example in Future studies as Future workshops. There are also parallels with science-fiction fandom, in which a low-key convention with less structure, not focusing on professionals and guests of honor, is called a Relaxacon.

Open Space Technology is an energizing and emergent way to organize an agenda for a conference. Those coming to the event can post on a wiki ahead of time topics they want to present about or hope others will present about. The wiki can also be used to share who is coming because it is the attendees who have a passion to share that contribute to the event and will make it great.

(From Wikipedia)

The e-Show n Tell 2007 Unconference

This session will run in accordance with principles of Open Space and Unconferencing:

• Whoever comes are the right people.
• Whatever we talk about are the right topics
• The Law of Two Feet: if at any time you find that you are neither learning nor contributing – you are free to use your two feet (metaphorically speaking) and leave.

In general, this will be an informal conference session, and probably include discussion of issues arising from the events of day 1 and 2, but topics will be set by those who turn up.

Please join Michael and Frankie for some or all of this session and see what evolves…

A great demo of a new tool for educators interested in using Social e-Learning Strategies.

Check it out @ http://clitest.oten.tafensw.edu.au/s_elearning/

3:30pm – 4:30pm

This session will be facilitated by Rhonda Appo, Indigenous Engagement Project.

Since 2005 the Indigenous Engagement Project has bought together committed Indigenous individuals and organisations to advocate the benefits of e-learning and further strengthen the role of Indigenous people and communities in shaping vocational and technical education.

The key focus of this project has been to strengthen communities’ economic growth, identify areas of skills gaps and build on existing skills and knowledge.

The 2007 projects funded by the IEP have used e-learning to recognise and identify skills and qualifications needed to gain successful employment outcomes, and identify and develop culturally appropriate products to enhance and support learning and employment outcomes and support training partnerships.

Today’s focus will discuss a number of examples from across Australia of how e-learning is creating effective education and training programs.