Bangor and Wrexham Universities as part of the WCLD collaboration, have been working with international experts to develop a practical conference to help you develop authentic and technologically-enhanced experiences in your classrooms.
Aimed at educators of 3-18 year olds, this workshop offers collaborative and hands-on tasks. It includes opportunities to use low-tech options in a clear to follow and adopt method, that will leave you feeling inspired about ways to use technology in your classroom. Learn how to enhance your curriculum using 360 video, Virtual Reality (VR) Green screen, and/or Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Guest speakers:
Dr William Rankin is an educational theorist, designer, speaker, and researcher with experience in higher education, Fortune 500 companies, and educational technology startups. He has worked with governments, educational organizations, and companies throughout the world to develop innovative teaching and learning. An early champion of using mobile technologies for learning, he is a recognized authority on learner-centric and project-based learning that integrates real-world experiences.
In 2016, Rankin cofounded the Unfold Learning group with partner Bea Leiderman to leverage his ‘dimensional learning’ model and the constructionist “Follow/Tinker/Make/Share” Framework that builds on it.
Rankin served as global Director of Learning at Apple from 2013–16, worked for 24 years as Professor of English and Director of Educational Innovation at Abilene Christian University, and is currently Expert in Residence for technology-enhanced learning at Southern Alberta Institute of Technology in Calgary.
Dr Janet Twyman has a strong record in the transfer of instructional technology and developing web-based programs for wide-scale distribution. Recent projects include the design and development of a highly effective early reading program based upon principles and procedures from behavior analytic basic science, and the development of reading readiness procedures for learners with intellectual and neurodevelopmental disabilities.
Dr.Twyman is an education innovator, thought leader, and founder of blast: a learning sciences company. She also holds a faculty appointment as Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. Formerly she served as Director of Innovation and Technology for the U.S. Dept of Education funded Center on Innovations in Learning and was the Vice President of Instructional Development, Research, & Implementation at Headsprout. Her numerous articles, book chapters, and presentations cover behavior analysis, instructional design, technology, and educational systems, including co-editing two books on educational innovation and personalized learning.
Contributions of £250 towards supply cover will be allocated to a limited number of places, on a first come, first served basis. Contributions can be claimed after event attendance.
Practical workshops
After the first session, participants can choose to attend one of the three practical workshops:
Workshop 1 – ‘The future is intelligent: Bringing generative AI into your lesson planning’.
Dr Janet Twyman and Dr Kaydee Owen.
This breakout session will equip educators in Wales with practical knowledge so that they can use Generative AI to streamline their lesson planning. Participants will use a variety of AI tools to inform engaging content for their learners, with a key focus on formative assessment, differentiated instruction, and exploring student-driven learning opportunities.
We'll also delve into improving results through prompt engineering and discuss ways to navigate the ethical considerations of using AI in the classroom.
Workshop 2 – ‘Using Interactive 360° and Virtual Reality’
Dr Sammy Chapman will deliver and facilitate a breakout room focusing on interactive 360° and Virtual Reality resources. This will focus on the Kuula software being used across the WCLD project, and aim to enable teachers to 'Follow' and 'Tinker' with the technology.
Workshop 3 – ‘Digital creativity, green screen and stop motion video’
Dr Sue Layland /Dr Nick Young and Dr Bill Rankin
Breakout session three will look at creative ways to use video in the classroom, including low-cost use of green screen and stop motion animation. You will create a short video and use creative effects using easily accessible technology, with ideas, options and how these ideas fit with the digital competency framework.