At the Show

Jane and I spent yesterday at the BETT show at Olympia, seeking further inspiration and ideas to ensure that adult learners in Gloucestershire continue to find their learning enhanced by tutors using technology to best advantage. Though much of the show was aimed squarely at schools and teachers working in purpose built environments (lots of interactive whiteboards and large, built-in equipment) we spotted a couple of small gadgets which we loved and which you might love too.

We thought this dinky voice recorder to be a great little tool for recording RARPA evidence across the whole curriculum as well as the more obvious language and literacy applications. Not only does it record, but that's a little speaker on the front so you can listen back as well. OK, not perhaps strong enough to play to a whole class but certainly loud enough for a group or for a single learner to listen to without disturbing everyone else. It connects to a computer and would download sound clips too.

The other really nifty gadget which we think you'll all want (because Jane and I want one now!) is this little projector. Personally, I think the "Pocket Cinema" is a bit misleading, for we're not really talking multiplex dimensions here - but for a group of eight or ten, working in a community setting it would be just great. It fixes to a small tripod or one of our gorilla pods and would show onto a darkened wall (this self-appointed "handsome assistant" is holding a black box screen to demonstrate it to best advantage, something that a resourceful tutor could rig up with no problem, I'm sure!)

As we left the show, Jane and I shared one or two thoughts, mainly how well Gloucestershire AdEd is doing in the e-learning stakes. You know, our tutors are really ahead of the game in making imaginative and inspirational use of technology in their teaching and the fact that so many share their experience and knowledge here is remarkable.

Coming up soon: Jane and I used the Flip camera to record a presentation by a Mimeo developer having introduced ourselves as Mimeo-phobics. First I have do do a bit of learning myself however....getting video from Flip to Blog. Watch this space.

More Flickr

I've just uploaded a set of photographs from the Camel event on Friday to the AdEd Flickr group.

You can see them by following the link at the top of the right hand column on this page.

What a day!

The feedback I had from tutors leaving the Camel event yesterday was universally positive and I must say how exciting it was to see tutors embracing new technology with an open mind and willingness to pitch in and have a go. So many new posts here on the blog and comments from people who were there, most of which were from first-time bloggers.

I was delighted to send quite a few emails to tutors this morning, inviting them to become blog authors and we look forward to hearing more from you. When you receive your invitation, follow the instructions to sign in for the first time to confirm your identity and email address. If you have trouble, don't hesitate to contact Jane Carter-Dunn or myself (Gill) and we will help you.

If your invitation doesn't arrive, or you forgot to leave your details please let us know and we'll send another one straight away.

This blog is for all Gloucestershire tutors. Anyone may leave a comment by clicking on the link to "comments" at the bottom of each blogpost - you don't need to sign in to do that. But only people on the "author list" may participate fully, contribute or start a new conversation. If you'd like to be on that list, then please email Jane.Carter-Dunn@gloucestershire.gov.uk and we'll send you an invitation!

Photography Competition - deadline 14 March

The competition's open to 'student, amateur and professional photographers worldwide to submit their work for consideration for the Exhibition'.

The ex referred to is the Royal Photographic Society's 151st International Print Exhibition - over 120 prints will be selected and will be reproduced in a full colour catalouge; all entrants will receive a copy of the catalogue; the exhibition will tour fromJune 2008; exhibitors will have the opportunity to sell copies of their prints.

Entry fee is £15 but for that you can send up to 4 images - image size should be no larger than 16" x 20". Deadline for entries 14th March 2008.

1 Gold prize of £10,000; 2 silver of £2,000 each; 3 bronze of £1000. The allen & Overy (sponsors) Prize of £1000 awarded for the image which best reflects the theme of Justice around the world'.

I came across the competition when I was checking out what was exhibiting in the Gloucester museum (top floor temporary exhibition gallery - years, I've been going to Gloucester and the library, years! And walking straight past the museum door with its very Roman invitation, thinking 'I've done the Romans, did it at school'. Worra daft girl! Didn't realise there was such a great gallery space on the top floor.)

Anyways, there are entry forms etc for the competition at the gallery (up Brunswick Road, towards where the old Gloscat building used to be - well, still is, but when it was open).

And the present exhibition is the 150th (surprisingly enough), and in addition to a fabulous range of prints!! has a central display board with newspaper cuttings and photos from over the 150 year history of the exhibition - makes for some interesting reading.

I reviewed the exhibition for a new Forest Radio programme 'Arts Cafe' which I'm co-presenting ... but more of that in a later posting.

Entry to museum and the print exhibition is free by the way.
Open until 1 March, opening hours Tuesday - Saturday 10 am - 5 pm.

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