itslearning UK Annual Education Conference

2015

‘Your Equation for Success’

2-3 July

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Welcome We welcome you to our Annual Education Conference where it gives you, as a user of itslearning, an opportunity to meet like-minded individuals to learn and share ideas and thoughts.

We have designed this year’s programme to be highly interactive with a wonderful blend of inspiring key notes, interactive workshops bursting with ideas and an evening social gathering for networking and competitive fun!

This year the theme of our conference is ‘Your Equation for Success’, ours is Pedagogy + Strategy x Technology and all of our workshops are based around different equations for success. Our conference will provide the opportunity to share your ‘equations for success’ as well as learn from others about how they use itslearning to achieve different outcomes.

Our conference begins on Thursday the 2nd July at 4pm with 1 to 1 bookable appointments whether it is for an implementation consultation, support query or any other topic, it is your opportunity to speak to our friendly team. This will be followed by dinner, networking and an evening of entertainment before the main conference begins on Friday the 3rd July.

We are delighted that our conference will be formally opened by the inspiring Musharaf ‘Mushy’ Asghar and Mr Burton from Educating Yorkshire. This will be followed by a presentation from our Chief Product Officer, John Arthur Berg who will be discussing the future direction of technology and education after which you will take part in your chosen interactive workshops. After lunch, we will continue sharing with others in our ‘open space technology’ session and conclude with our itslearning awards ceremony.

We look forward to an inspiring and valuable conference!

Adam BatesManaging Director, UK.

Pedagogy

4-6pm‘Parents’ Evening’ Your opportunity to have a 1 to 1 chat about how you are getting on as well as focus on:

- Support or specific product questions- Product Roadmap and Direction- School or College Implementation- Driving teacher and student engagement- Getting parents onboard- Any specific issues

7pm-LateDinner and Entertainment

3 Course Meal

Relaxed evening with light-hearted competitive fun and prizes

Thursday 2 July

10.30–11.30

Strategy Friday 3 July

08.45 - 09.15Registration

09.15 - 09.30Coffee and Networking

09.30 - 09.45Welcome from itslearning Adam Bates and Kat Thorne

09.45 - 10.15 Keynote Musharaf ‘Mushy’ Asghar and Mr Burton 10.15 - 10.45 itslearning Future Direction John Arthur Berg, Chief Product Officer

We live in a world that is constantly changing, with a vast diversity of technology enhanced learning tools. The itslearning platform is today a mature product with more than 15 years in the market. What can you expect from itslearning in the future? Learn about our future direction and roadmap.

10.45 - 11.00 Coffee and Networking

Friday 3 July

11.00 - 11.45 Workshop Session 1

11.45 - 12.00Introduction to Open Space Technology Session

12.00 - 1.00Lunch

1.00 - 1.45Workshop Session 2

1.45 - 2.00 itsconnected - The Future of Apps for Educators & Parents Stuart Abrahams, Groupcall How to provide a single app for teachers, parents & students that includes information from multi sources.

2.00 - 2.45 Open Space Technology Networking Session

2.45 - 3.15 Awards Ceremony

3.15 - 3.30 Closing Presentation

Technology

Chris WaterworthPrimary Teacher & Flipped Learning Enthusiast at Pear Tree Primary

Lucy JayesEducational AdvisorWalsall LA

Tony Osborne Founder and MD SureTrax

(At Home)Video + Pre Learning + (School) Application of Skills = Flipped Learning

Pages (Discussion Forums) + ePortfolio x Infinite Audience = Digital literacy Awareness

Personal Enterprise x Attitude x Aptitude = Positive + Sustainable Outcomes

Educators need to tap into mobile technology to enable children to access learning on their own terms. Flipping your classroom enables children to access key learning prior to a session and leaves you free to help children apply and refine skills within the classroom. During the session we’ll explore how you can make flipped learning a key way to learn in your classroom. Aimed at: ALL

A workshop for primary teachers looking at how Learning Platform tools such as discussion forums, shared pages and the e-portfolio can allow primary students to become aware of and begin to understand digital literacy and the impact of their online contributions, whilst still working in a safe and secure environment. Aimed at: PRIMARY

The award winning SureTrax Personal Enterprise Programme has recently been developed within itslearning. This innovative, blended approach puts the learner in charge of their career development promoting enterprise, developing the attitudes employers require and motivating students to develop the aptitude for their chosen career path. This workshop aims to show you how the programme motivates students to take ownership of their career from Secondary School upwards.

Aimed at: SECONDARY/FE

Chris WaterworthPrimary Teacher & Flipped Learning Enthusiast at Pear Tree Primary

Alissa Ozouf Teaching and Learning Consultant Schools Support Services, Luton

Angela Appleby/Daniel NuttallHead of E-Learning/VLE Co-Ordinator Hopwood Hall College

(Home) Video + Pre Learning + (School) Application of Skills = Flipped Learning

Esafety + ePortfolio x Participate = Safe Responsible Learners

Vision + Strategy = Innovative Learning

Educators need to tap into mobile technology to enable children to access learning on their own terms. Flipping your classroom enables children to access key learning prior to a session and leaves you free to help children apply and refine skills within the classroom. During the session we’ll explore how you can make flipped learning a key way to learn in your classroom. Aimed at: ALL

Schools play a crucial role in equipping pupils with the knowledge and skills to use online resources safely and responsibly. But with the range of online tools constantly changing and developing what tools can teachers use to teach e-Safety? Answer: The ePortfolio. Come along and find out how the ePortfolio tools can be used creatively to promote and embed e-Safety messages. Aimed at: PRIMARY

Over the last three years the Hopwood Hall college has made significant progress and impact on delivering an innovative curriculum as part of a blended approach to learning. This workshop will explore Hopwood’s journey and stimulate ideas on how this could be achieved in other post-16 institutions. Aimed at: SECONDARY/SIXTH

FORM/FURTHER EDUCATION

Workshop Host John Arthur Berg Chief Product Officeritslearning

Sophia Elliott (MOOC)Educational Consultantitslearning

Equation Useful + Usable + Enjoyable = Great User Experience

Distance Learning x Self-Paced Study + itslearning = Your Very Own MOOC

Description This session is your opportunity to be guided through the planned development and roadmap for the new user experience changes. John Arthur Berg, will give you the opportunity to see what is currently being developed, have your input and give your feedback. Aimed at: ALL

This session explores the benefits of distance, self-paced and independent learning through MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses). During this session we will share experiences from a participants' point of view, discuss best practice when considering distance learning and showcase how you can create a MOOC for your establishment on itslearning. Aimed at: ALL

Workshop Host Stuart Abrahams

Commercial Director Groupcall

Sophia Elliott (MOOC)Educational Consultantitslearning

Equation Groupcall + itslearning x Mobile Devices = Effective Parental Engagement

Distance Learning x Self-Paced Study + itslearning = Your Very Own MOOC

Description This session will focus on what is true parental engagement, and how can it be proven to reduce costs, whilst improving efficiencies. Aimed at: PRIMARY/

SECONDARY

This session explores the benefits of distance, self-paced and independent learning through MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses). During this session we will share experiences from a participants' point of view, discuss best practice when considering distance learning and showcase how you can create a MOOC for your establishment on itslearning. Aimed at: ALL

FRIDAY 3 JULY 11.00 - 11.45

FRIDAY 3 JULY 13.00 - 13.45

REPEAT SESSION

Due to popularity

REPEAT SESSION

Due to popularity

Conference Hosts

Kat Thorne

BackgroundKat is a former FE Lecturer, and fully qualified EFL/ESOL teacher. She has taught both in the UK and abroad, before joining itslearning as an educational consultant in 2010. She has been working at itslearning for the past five years, working in both the global part of itslearning as Global Head of Pedagogy and now working in the UK team as Director of Educational Solutions. She’s passionate about education in particular technology enhanced learning and training.

Adam Bates

BackgroundAdam Bates has been working in education since 1992 and is passionate about raising standards in schools and colleges. He worked at Bedfordshire LA as an IT advisor and has seen education move from Acorns, to PCs to the World Wide Web! He has worked at itslearning since 2011, initially as part of the Global team and is now currently the Managing Director of itslearning UK.

Thursday 2 & Friday 3 July

Friday 3 July

Sophia Elliot

Background Sophia Elliott is Educational Consultant for itslearning; her role in the team is to guide and support schools, colleges and other organisations to overcome their educational challenges, align the platform with their development goals to achieve the desired educational outcomes.

In a former life Sophia was a teacher of Spanish, teaching MFL to students from primary through to adult learners. Since starting at itslearning, Sophia has developed her passion for educational technology to engage and inspire young people and enhanced her knowledge of blended learning to support hundreds of teachers up and down the country.

In March this year Sophia launched itslearning’s first MOOC designed to encourage teaching staff to explore, plan and incorporate more blended learning strategies, activities and techniques into their classroom teaching. From using flipped learning as a facilitator to investigating the blended learning models, the MOOC attracted hundreds of participants from itslearning users all over the world.

Sophia will be delivering a workshop at this year’s EducationalConference exploring MOOCs and explaining how to build your own MOOC within your itslearning platform. She hopes to see you there!

Chris Waterworth

Background Chris has been teaching in primary schools for over 10 years now and has used technology in his classrooms since the very beginning.

Chris believe in a cross-curricular and social approach to learning.Children need to talk, to play, to fail and to have opportunitiesto refine their work. Technology is enabling children to do thisin real-time and he firmly believe we are on the edge of somethingamazing in education – a new chapter in what schools will looklike and how children will become outstanding learners.The use of quick, mobile technology available at home and inclassrooms is gaining speed and he firmly believe that flippingyour classroom is a way to truly personalise the learningexperience for the children in your classroom.

Workshop Hosts

Friday 3 July

John Arthur Berg

Background John Arthur Berg is the Chief Product Officer at itslearning, and is responsible for managing the lifecycle of our solution and operationalising our corporate strategy. He has been part of the exciting journey watching itslearning grow from a handful of employees to hundreds of colleagues and is currently working on our user experience project.

He has a degree in computer science and had a few years of experience working for a international management consulting company before joining itslearning.

During his studies, John co-wrote a prototype software that became the original “itslearning” platform.

Tony Osborne

Background With over 30 years’ experience in the Engineering and Oil industries, Tony has worked in senior and executive roles with major blue chip companies. With a strong business development background, he has a successful track record in creating partnerships and leading high performing business and sales teams around the world. Serving as a Director, Tony helped establish a children’s education business. Prior to establishing SureTrax he spent 18 months volunteering and working in the Welfare to Work and training sectors as an advisor and support worker helping people back into employment and self- employment. He went back to college as a mature student and gained qualifications in Information, Advice and Guidance. Based on his observations Tony established the concept of using sales, business and enterprise techniques and applying them to an individual entering the job market. Together with a small team, the SureTrax Enterprise programme has been developed and is available online through itslearning. Join this session to learn more about this unique and innovative employability programme that promotes entrepreneurial attitudes and is based on proven sales, business and enterprise techniques.

Friday 3 July

Lucy Jayes

Background Lucy is a primary teacher with twelve years’ experience working inBirmingham, Sandwell, Dudley and Walsall. She also taught for three years in South America.

Lucy has always been interested and involved in Computing frommaking Christmas cards with her first reception class using asimple graphic package, to creating a website using FrontPagewhilst working abroad.

During her time in Sandwell Lucy was involved in the ICT test bedproject which involved setting up, using and creating content forthe Learning Gateway, implementing a home computer projectwhere all pupils were given a computer to use at home, andwriting up action research for Becta and Manchester University.Lucy is now a Primary Computing Curriculum Advisor and hasbeen in this role for seven years. The role involves helpingand supporting schools with various aspects of Computing including curriculum planning, software training, Learningplatform development and Self Review Framework consultancy orassessment as she is a qualified ICT Mark assessor. Lucy also organises an annual Computing conference in Walsall, as well a number of other courses and workshops including Lego WeDo and Lego EV3 computing days.

Lucy enjoys working with and supporting Computing co-ordinators in their ever shifting role helping them make Computing an exciting and integral part of the curriculum.

Alissa Ozouf

Background Alissa has worked in School Improvement, for School Support Service @Luton, specialising in ICT since 2004. Her teaching career has included teaching in the UK and Singapore. As Head of Primary ICT in a large international school in Singapore, following the British National Curriculum, she taught pupils aged 3 – 11 and developed the use of ICT across the school. She now manages the Learning Platform for all Primary Phase Schools in Luton. She also works with schools to review and develop their ICT Curriculum and as an 360 safe e-safety self review assessor she supports schools to review their eSafety provision. Passionate about the impact that ICT can have on learning and teaching Alissa has spearheaded a number of projects to enhance the way teachers use technology including the use of mobile devices and how online tools can be used to enrich children’s learning. Recent projects have focused on developing content on the Learning Platform to support teaching and learning around the new Computing curriculum including ideas of how the assignment tool can be used to support assessment through Digital Badges.

Friday 3 July

Stuart Abrahams

Background Stuart Abrahams joined Groupcall in April 2008. Before that he spent over 5 years at Pearson plc as Sales and Marketing Director for the Phoenix business unit. In total Stuart has over 20 years’ experience of technology in the education sector.

Specialising in areas including communication, education management systems, system integration, technology infrastructure and management, managed services, Internet security and connectivity. Stuart has also been elected for the BESA Executive Council for another 2 years.

Daniel Nuttall

Background Daniel Nuttall is the VLE Co-Ordinator at Hopwood Hall College and has been managing the college’s virtual learning environment (itslearning) for the past three years. Daniel has been working in the FE sector for the past six years and comes from a background in the IT/Technology industry where he spent five years working for a computer retailer, building high performance computers for competition gaming and review. This being said he used to be a Chef!

Trevor Hensley

Background Trevor is the Business Development Manager at Groupcall with responsibilities for managing the relationships with the majority of UK based partners who use Groupcall’s Xporter range of products. This ranges from customers with homework applications, children’s rewards at school solutions and Identity management tools.

Trevor has more than 15 years’ experience in selling IT solutions into the education sector ranging from interactive whiteboards to video on demand solutions.

Angela Appleby

Background Angela Appleby is Head of E-Learning at Hopwood Hall College managing a dynamic team of content developers, VLE Co-Ordinator and e-Learning Coaches. A librarian by trade, she has worked in further education for over 20 years, supporting learners to develop their independent study and digital literacy skills.

Pedagogy + Strategy x Technology

Instant updates on the deviceyour students look at most

DOWNLOAD THE ITSLEARNING APP

The itslearning App gives students a simple overview of their learning on the device they look at most and sends a notification when a teacher makes a change in itslearning.

The result? Students always know what they have to do and when.

Better organisation of notifications and reminders for upcoming tasks

Quicker and easier feedback on marks, levels and homework

More e�ective communication

See you next year30th June - 1st July 2016