Facilitator to be confirmed
Wikieducator.org (NZ representative)
Workshop

Tell me and I'll forget, show me and I may not remember, involve me, and I'll understand

The Learning4Content project is likely the world's largest attempt to develop wiki skills for education. eFest 2008 will provide conference attendees with the opportunity to join this exciting international initiative. We will introduce participants to the basics of creating an account and editing on WikiEducator.  This workshop will provide delegates with the necessary skills to join one of our free international online workshops with confidence on the journey to become an active member of our international WikiEducator family.

Hannah Pia Baral
Arc @ University of New South Wales (Australia)
Presentation

Hannah Pia Baral is the Student Development Manager at Arc @ UNSW and is currently based in Sydney. She was a Flexible Learning Leader in NZ recipient in 2006 and used this grant to visit non-profit organizations in the USA that were involved in bridging the digital divide for underserved communities. Hannah also spent a number of years as BEST Training's Programme Manager (E-Learning) where she led the implementation of the organisation's online strategy. She was also involved in a number of eCDF projects between 2005 - 2007.

Online Communities: by students for students

Arc @ UNSW is the student organisation at the University of New South Wales. The organisation's vision is to enable a rewarding and vibrant student life at UNSW. Hannah started her role as Student Development Manager in early 2007, given her background in online learning she was particularly interested in the organisation's strategy in addressing this trend only to find out that there was already an 'underground' activity generated by the student volunteers.

This presentation will explore how the Generation Y students have pioneered the use of Web 2.0 technologies to communicate their ideas, build communities and strengthen the volunteer programs outside the organisational structure. Student volunteers have developed their own wikis to support training programs and Facebook has become a significant driver for event promotion and communication - 'if it's not on Facebook, no one really knows about it'. We will also explore the presenter's experience in working with the Generation Y - how does one co-exist with them within online communities, how to support student creativity while providing them with an organisational framework and structure and how the organisation is attempting to keep up with the informal 'online strategy' that the students have passionately pioneered and developed.

Chris Chester and Roger Thomas
Renaissance (NZ)
Presentation

Chris is the Executive Account Manager, Tertiary and Roger is a Senior Consulting Engineer and both work for the Renaissance Education Division.

iTunesU / Podcast Producer

This session will take attendees through the recently launched in NZ iTunesU, and discuss how Podcast Producer can be used to create professional, iTunesU standard content fast.

In 2006 Apple Inc enabled iTunes to present information from Stanford University - marketing materials, course materials, video, audio, PDF's, enrollment processes - all kinds of stuff that students (and others) wanted to know. Since then hundreds of other universities across North America have recognised the value of displaying their information in an environment familiar to their students.For the first time outside North America, Otago University has now loaded their materials into iTunesU going live in June 2008.

As well as the public site, much material is available on sites to the course attendees (but authentication) including lectures and related reference materials. Such materials download onto computers, iPods and other digital devices - thus enabling true anywhere, anytime learning. We will explore how iTunesU has revolutionised digital content delivery for students and staff, along with examining Apple's Podcast Producer solution for creating standardised, professional podcasts and other content.

Pablo Garcia
2Touch (NZ)
Workshop

Pablo Garcia owns several businesses providing consulting services and solutions to the education sectors in Australia and New Zealand.  Holding a Masters in aeronautics & thermodynamics, he can hold his own in most physics classrooms.... but these days Pablo spends his time working with educators to devise improved ways of achieving student outcomes.  A varied background beyond the education sector includes a long involvement in alternative energy programs, eight years running a business designing and deploying gaming systems, and a passion for developing technologies to assist community and mental health improvements.  Pablo has driven the development of Australia's 2Touch interactive whiteboard, and is an enthusiastic advocate for solutions and practices which open students' and educators' learning horizons.

Dancing the 2Touch: Using New Zealand's own, giant interactive whiteboard

Two years ago some champion educators stepped forward and asked some challenging questions: 1. What classroom practices maximise effective use of a large, shared, interactive surface? 2. How can we maximise individual student participation in lesson activities? 3. Why design and build yet another IWB in New Zealand?  What's fresh, regionally relevant and addresses the above challenges? The 2Touch IWB and a fresh perspective on software is our answer.  The first 2Touch boards were deployed in NZ classrooms early in 2007.  Built in NZ, the 2Touch iwb provides a multi-input capable, finger touch access to your computers from a full (2.4m) wide conventional ceramic steel whiteboard surface, all at an affordable price.   WordWall provides an extraordinary student centred participation environment perfect for such a large interactive surface. In this workshop we will explore how learners benefit from multiple use capability and how educators can achieve the hands-on involvement of every single student.  This is a full involvement session:  come to this workshop prepared to be challenged, and to participate!