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#BETT 2011 - RM Future Learning Spaces

I thought that RM did a great job again with their Future Learning Spaces Exhibition at BETT. I thought the layout was better this year and gave a real feel for what you could do with not a lot of money, not a lot of space but with a lot of creative thinking.

Here are some of the things that I liked:

Flexible space to create areas where children can sit and collaborate at different heights. Everything is movable which means the space can be used for a discussion, lecture, group work or on-line activity.

There was lots of other furniture as well. I’m still a big fan of the Isis Newton Chair and the Isis T41 Individual Tip-Top Student Table.

   

New for this year were these colourful Lamu chairs. They have been designed for early years education and I have to admit they are really cool. Great on their own and great when placed together to form a bench. 

I also liked the USB Hub to charge up your Easi-Speak Microphones.

Lots of Lego. I love Lego (almost as much as Con Morris). RM has recently formed a company with Lego (they own 50% each). The focus is looking at the use of Lego in education in particular to look at collaborative activity and to introduce key a difficult concepts on a contextual way (such as renewable energy).

The RM VerTable remains on of my favorite bits of classroom equipment in recent years. I’ve written about it lots of times before but the combination of a short throw projector, a flexi-table which can be positioned vertically...

...or horizontally and an e-beam is a really neat be of kit which can be used for traditional presenting as well as group activities.

For the third year in a row this has been my most favorite part of BETT.

[#RMForums2010] RM Strategic Forums: a vision of future of learning (10 of 10) - Follow up...

This is my final post describing what I learnt from the 2010 RM Strategic Forums. In summary I though that the event I attended in London was very worthwhile and I hear that the other three were equally was well received.

There was a good balance between high level thinking, practical advice and a good display of innovative products. Terry Freedman also seems to have enjoyed the day that he spent at the London forum and he has done a great write up over on his ICT in Education Website.

Here are the five things that I am going to do as a result of the conference:

• I want to investigate the possibility of developing an App for events like the Scottish Learning Festival and also look at App development in schools as part of the Consolarium project.

• I want to continue to develop my interest in school design and innovative building solutions and hope to visit some schools around the UK who are leading the way in these developments. I'm conscious that we are building a new school in East Lothian soon and I would like to be involved in its thinking.

• I'm really keen to explore Multi-Touch - particularly in the early years. I feel that multi-touch plasma screens in nursery are probably more appropriate than Interactive Whiteboards.

• I'm going to read Richard Gervers book (In fact I have already started it). I also look forward to hearing him speak again at the Scottish Learning Festival later in the year.

• I'm going to do more panel discussions - although I find them hard. I think I need to get over my fears!

Anyone else at any of the forums...? Have you got anything to add?

[#RMForums2010] RM Strategic Forums: a vision of future of learning (9 of 10) - Adding Value to ICT Equipment

During the question and answer session at the 2010 RM Strategic Forums I suggested to the audience that they needed to think about how products could be used differently to really add value to learning.

I am a big believer that ICT can provide engaging experiences for children and that ICT can also provide engaging learning experiences for children. The second thing requires good pedagogy from the classroom teacher. I don’t like it that some teachers still think that good learning will take place just by putting children in front of computers and I also don’t like it when teachers use ICT as a reward or just to keep children occupied.

ICT is expensive and only some ICT is worth the investment. The challenge is to get teachers and school leaders thinking about how they can get the most out of any resource that they procure.

I gave the example of Microsoft Surface Globe that was being used being shown on one of the multi touch products and tried to get the audience to think of the globe as more of contextual hub for learning rather than as just a tool to teach place.  

The links to use a 3D globe in geography are obvious, but why do so few teachers think about using a 3D globe as an immersive environment for creative writing? Or as a way to reinforce numeracy by measuring distance, scale, direction and orientation? Or doesn’t it make a great way to study shape and structure – you only have to zoom into the London Eye in the UK for a perfect example and a ready made lesson.

Next I spoke about the flasma Floor, there seemed to be a lot of people interested in it at the conference. I agree, its impressive, younger children in particular would love it. But how much value does it add apart from improving the aesthetic of the learning space and the obvious value that it would add to the early years and SEN environment? 

Now don’t get me wrong, I think the flasma floor, if used in the right way, can add real value.  Why? because it has a Software Development Kit (SDK), which means that children could develop games for the flasma Floor. Games development provides obvious curriculum links and also the development of more soft skills. But the floor also then becomes a way to showcase student work in an innovative and creative way. Lets face it; it’s a lot more of an impressive way to showcase student achievement at the entrance to the school in comparison to a small plasma screen.

By thinking about products as I have described above they become part of the curriculum and then also part of the learning.

[#RMForums2010] RM Strategic Forums: a vision of future of learning (8 of 10) - Panel Discussion

The afternoon of the 2010 RM Strategic Forums consisted on a debate / question and answer session with an expert panel and the assembled audience. I was asked to be on the panel. I don’t like doing panels partly because I’m quite inexperienced in doing them and also because I normally say something that I passionately believe in but at the same time ends up annoying who ever happens to be paying my salary at the time!

Anyway, the expert panel at the RM London Strategic Forums included my good friend John Davitt, My former Director of Education David Cameron, Education Legend Sir Tim Brighouse, Award winning architect Jayne Bird and me (who after seeing the names of the other panelist was feeling even more out of his depth!).

Photo: @stevegillott

Anyway, despite messing up the answer to my first question or at least not answering it as well as I should have. The rest of the questions seemed to go OK. The topics were fairly wide ranging from the future of learning spaces, to the constraints of the curriculum, to the inflexibility of the timetable, to the role of government in education, to assessment and evidence gathering…

Overall the discussion seemed to go well and I certainly learnt a lot.

One other part of the discussion focused on what the audiences most popular products had been from the Learning Spaces Exhibition. 

 They were:

1. iPod Touch
2. Vertable+UST+e-beam
3. Flasma Floor
4. T41
5. Audio Pod
6. Apple iMac (in particular showing Garage Band)
7. T41 Wireless Hubs
8. Smart Table
9. Digital Graffiti Wall

I have to say I don’t agree with the order of the list – but then it’s not my list. I thought that ‘Talking Products’ should have got a lot higher mention as well as some of the Lego products on display, the croma key, flip cameras, Windows 7 multi touch and also perhaps 3D projection.

When buying any ICT product for use in schools you must always come back to the question does the added value justify the cost?

 

[#RMForums2010] RM Strategic Forums: a vision of future of learning (7 of 10) - What products were missing?

I loved the future learning spaces exhibition at the 2010 RM Strategic Forums. But I did feel that there were a few things that were missing – perhaps I am just being picky but I would have included.

 

1) GPS

Although a number of wonderful outdoor instruments were showcased in the future learning zone. It was a shame that were not more examples of how technology can be used outdoors. It would be nice to see some good examples of GPS, geocashing, educahing, QR or AR Code / Microsoft Tag or even and outdoor wireless solution?

(photo - @jdeyneberg)

 

2) Games Consoles

Lots of computers, touch screens, laptops, iPod Touches, netbooks and desk tops but no games consoles? A huge opportunity missed here? Where was the Nntendo Wii with children swimming around inside endless ocean? Or the Play Station 3 with children creating sophisticated levels for Little Big Planet or the xBox with children carrying out complex problem solving tasks with Microsoft KODU?

 

3) School Based Mobile Phone Apps

Although we had some good education iPhone / iPod Touch Apps what about the one that could be created for a specific school? Pulling in the schools twitter feed, its school radio podcast channel and RSS feed of the latest school news?

Porchester Junior School have got one if you have not seen it?

 

4) Microsoft MultiPoint  and Multipoint Server Products

Also no sign of MultiPoint from Microsoft to allow children to connect a number of USB mice to one computer and its sister product Multipoint Server that turns one computer into 3 or 4.

Some people might think that the reason not to showcase products like this would mean that schools would spend less on hardware. In reality of course, schools  can only spend the money they have – if you sell them good products, at a competitive price point, that add value to the learning experience or make a school more efficient they will still always the money they have.

5) iPad

I know its only just come out….but come on! 

A missed opportunity here and a definite crowd pleaser! 

Perhaps this could have been linked to the future of library spaces, ebooks etc...

[#RMForums2010] RM Strategic Forums: a vision of future of learning (6 of 10) - Future Learning Spaces: Furnishings

In my last post I spoke about some of the hardware and software products that were on display in the future learning spaces area at the RM Strategic Forums. As well as these products there were also a range of modern and practical furnishings. 

I have included some of the ones that I liked below:

1) The Sound Proof Pod - great to be able to turn a large space in to a flexible space. Also note that the table inside the pod is shaped like a giant green apple!

 

2) ISIS T41 Table - tables that fit nicely together, have wheels and stack easily into a corner (well design and thought out).

3) Isis Newton Chairs - this is a particularly interesting chair as it is designed to be ergonomic and for you to be able to swing backwards and forwards.

 

4) Fun furniture, fixtures and fittings.

 

5) Fat Boy Pillows! - I might get a few of these for the house.

 
 
 

[#RMForums2010] RM Strategic Forums: a vision of future of learning (5 of 10) - Future Learning Spaces: Hardware

I’ve written about the RM Future Learning Spaces Exhibition before and over the past few years I have been lucky to visit it twice at the BETT Show in London and also pay a visit to the RM Real Centre in Abingdon.

What I liked about the things on display is that there was a good mix between expensive and non-expensive items. There is also a good mix between items to improve the aesthetics of a learning space, items to improve the flexibility of a learning space, hardware and software.

I’ve listed some of the hardware and software products that were on display in the future learning space exhibition below:

1) Multi-touch LCD Screens - this one showing Microsoft Surface Globe (yes, you don't have to have surface to run this great free package - remember Windows 7 supports multi touch).

 

2) Lego Mind-storm - some very cool robots that children can make do wonderful things!

3) Great range of outdoor instruments

 

4) Plasma Floor - project on to the floor and the change the image / play a game with your foot prints.
 

5) 3D Projection - massive potential in schools and getting lower in price all of the time.
 

6) Green Screen / Chroma Key - coming to a Scottish School near you soon....

7) A wall that you can write on....

8) ... and the more expensive version!
 

9) Table top computing - has this really made the impact we thought it would?
 

10) Talking Products - I just love them - minimum spend and maximum impact (more information here).

 

[#RMForums2010] RM Strategic Forums: a vision of future of learning (4 of 10) - iPod Touch

Every delegate attending the RM Strategic Forums received a free iPod Touch. OK, a better way to put it might be that the cost of attending one of the RM Strategic Forums was £75 (plus VAT) and this included the price of an iPod Touch.

I thought that this was cleaver for a couple of reasons. Firstly, I believe that teachers are more likely to attend this type of CPD if they have paid for it. Its far to easy not to attend an event and use the excuse, ‘well, at least I haven’t lost anything,’ if CPD events like this are free. But the reality is that is a massive inconvenience to the organizers and a massive loss to the CPD experience – events when people get together are only good if there are people there!

Secondly, I think the idea of getting an IPod Touch that could then be used back in school would be very appealing to many teachers.

The other good thing about having the iPod Touches at the event was that they could then be used by the delegates during the day. When they were given out they were charged up and contained a variety of data types and applications that could be used.

This included:

Full Programme of the Day - That could be up-dated by email if things were running ahead or behind time.

Details of your group and who your facilitator was for the day - you could even stay in touch with them by email afterwards.

Videos of some of the products in the Learning Spaces – ideals for reminding yourself how some of the technology could be used. The iPod also contained some videos of speakers at the conference.

High quality photographs of the different products in the Learning Spaces and of the RM Real Centre – great for again reminding you of the various product but also to show people some of the innovative technology when you get back to school.

 

A variety of Apps – including Apps that were used on the day such as ???? and John Davit’s Random Activity Generator.

App icons to provide links directly to the discussion forums after the event. Again a great idea just to remind people of the day. People are unlikely to delete the App but will always be reminded of the event every time they turn their iPod on. One of the App Icon Links was to the new RM Head2Head On-Line Community for HeadTeachers.

[#RMForums2010] RM Strategic Forums: a vision of future of learning (3 of 10) – David and Carrie Grant

I wasn’t sure what to think when I heard that David and Carrie Grant were going to be facilitating the RM Strategic Forums and also providing musical activities. But I have to say they were simply fantastic and a real highlight of the conference for me.

Not only are they skilled facilitators and excellent teachers themselves but they also passionately care about education and the future of young people. In their introductory session that involved getting the audience to sing a melody they amicably demonstrated the following points...

• It is easer to take risks together – there wasn’t a member of the assembled audience that didn’t joint in. I very much doubt that individuals would have got up to sing by themselves due to the risk of embarrassment.

• By working as a team things normally turn out alright – some people can sing and some people can’t (I can’t) but by singing together the overall result was still pretty good. The good singers carried the bad singers.

• Always provide alternatives to the learning tasks – if you couldn’t sing you couldn’t sing you could hum.

• Always provided encouragement – use a combination of enthusiasm, humor and peer support.

• Created personalized feedback and if you can’t do it yourself use technology – I loved the use of a few simple iPhone Apps to not only check if you were singing in tune but also to record the piece so that you could listen to it again and decide how you could improve it.

• Provide progression, building blocks, scaffolding and a pathway to your learning tasks – The grants built up the task in small achievable steps. They kept there final goal hidden until near the end of the learning activity. By telling the audience that they were going to be singing a melody by the end of the session would have caused fear in some member of the audience as it would have seemed like an impossible task. When in fact it was possible – we just couldn’t see how to get there. The Grants provided the pathway.
  

• Make learning relevant – Even though to some people the activity may have seemed abstract. The learning intentions behind the tasks were always clearly explained.

Great stuff!

[#RMForums2010] RM Strategic Forums: a vision of future of learning (2 of 10) – Sir Ken Robinson & Richard Gerver

For the 2010 Strategic Forums RM commissioned some special films of Sir Ken Robinson talking about learning, creativity and school structures.

I enjoy Sir Ken Robinson’s work and have been a fan of his ever since seeing him speak at the Scottish Learning Festival in September 2005. His key note speech back in 2005 inspired me to read his book “Out of Our Minds: Learning to be Creative” and I went on to read his next book “The Element” when it was published last year. If you have not read “Out of Our Minds: Learning to be Creative” and you are interested in creativity and thinking differently in education then you must read it.

I’m not sure if the films from the strategic forums will be available to people who didn’t attend but if they are not then a lot of Ken Robinsons work is available on the web. Perhaps his most famous YouTube Talk is from his presentation at TED a number of years ago. Again if you have not seen this – it really is worth a look.

Rather than just showing the pre-recorded videos they were complimented and interspersed with input from Richard Gerver. Richard has worked with Sir Ken Robinson a lot over the years and they made a pretty good double act. Richard is a former headteacher himself and made a good introduction to the conference.

Richard will also be keynoting at this years 2010 Scottish Learning Festival. I’m also just in the process of reading his book!