JISC

e-Learning online conference 09 programme

This part of the conference is not a session as such, but rather provides an introduction to virtual worlds. It takes place within Second Life, and provides an introduction to SL for those who have not used it before; social events in SL; and a guided tour of a range of SL spaces which are being actively used to support learning and teaching.

 

Presenters

Shri Footring

Shri Footring has been an e-Learning Advisor at the JISC Regional Support Centre, Eastern since 2005. With a background in software engineering, teaching and management, Shri advises supported learning providers on developing their use of technology to support learning and teaching at a strategic level.

Shri’s interests at the JISC RSC include Adult and Community Learning, VLEs, Web2.0 and Learning and Teaching in Virtual Worlds. She has been closely involved with the Open University Schome Park Research Programme and is currently leading a national RSC group investigating the use of virtual worlds for learning and teaching.

 

Jane Edwards  

Jane joined the JISC Regional Support Centre West Midlands. As e-learning advisor for the Adult and Community Learning sector, she supports Local Authorities in the development of their e-learning strategies.

Jane has a keen interest in virtual worlds and their use in education, particularly for learners from socially excluded groups. She runs a JISC mail list for discussion on virtual worlds and hosts events such as a regional forum for those interested in the application of virtual worlds for teaching and learning and regularly speaks at conferences and workshops. She is also involved in a national RSC group looking at the use of virtual worlds in teaching and learning.

Prior to joining the RSC, Jane worked for Shropshire Libraries and spent 10 years living abroad. During that time she worked as a TEFL and IT teacher, and was employed by the United Nations in Kabul and the European Parliament in Brussels. She also worked as a liaison officer for the British Embassy. Jane completed an honours degree in Social Science and Social Policy with the Open University, and on return to the UK, used her knowledge and experience to provide IT assistance at a local community centre in Shropshire.

She has three children, enjoys foreign languages and is proficient in French and fluent in Spanish. Jane regularly walks in the Shropshire hills, enjoys dancing, strives to keep fit, loves being on a motorbike and is never far from music.

 

Paul Miller

Paul Miller is an e-Learning Adviser at the JISC Regional Support Centre Northern, based in the University of Sunderland. Previously, Paul taught on systems engineering programmes at the university, and has been a lecturer in FE and a curriculum co-ordinator in Adult and Community Learning.

As part of his present role, Paul manages RSC Northern's Learning Island in Second Life - a facility for learning providers in the region to gain experience with learning opportunities offered by 3-d virtual worlds. Paul is also involved in a number of collaborative projects in the region such as the 'TeesLearn' VLE consortium. His main focus is to assist ACL providers improve their learning provision through a strategic approach to the effective deployment of technologies.