Towards a digital future - the challenge of digital participation

[Background] [Audience] [Programme] [Event Information] [Application Form]

Background

In partnership with Ofcom, NIACE - the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education - is organising its fifth media literacy conference on Thursday 19 November 2009, from 10am to 3:30pm in central London.

Over the summer, a French court ruled that internet access is a basic human right. Gordon Brown has said it is as crucial for people as electricity and water. Yet 61% of those aged 65 and over don’t use the internet, 59% don’t have the internet at home. 9% of the population - some four million people - are both socially and digitally excluded.

For many years, NIACE research has pointed to the absolute correlation between the learning poor, the digitally poor and the economically poor, yet most of the existing work in this area has focused on the needs of children, schools and teachers. This conference will discuss why Digital Britain matters to adult learning policy and why practitioners and
policy-makers need to take notice of its contents and participate actively in its implementation.

As a member of the Consortium of Stakeholders for the promotion of Digital Participation, NIACE aims to support the delivery of the Digital Britain White Paper through partnership working with broadcasters, voluntary and community groups, employers via the 21,000-strong network of union learning representatives, libraries and cultural institutions and adult learning practitioners and policy-makers.

The day will outline the three key strands which will ensure a digitally-participative Britain where adults - including those from the most disadvantaged groups - are engaged with the world of bits and bytes in practical and meaningful ways.

Ofcom's Stewart Purvis will set the scene and outline the overall aim, priorities and strategy for the Consortium to promote the three pillars of digital participation - digital inclusion, digital life skills and digital media literacy.

Representatives from the Office of the Champion for Digital Inclusion, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and the BBC will outline their strategies for promoting the pillars of inclusion, skills and media literacy.

Three projects - one showcasing the work of prison radio, another concerning film literacy and a third about broadening internet usage - will set out their stalls and participants will have the opportunity to discuss the lessons learned and plans for the future in an innovative 'knowledge café' discussion session.

Top of page

_______________________________

Audience

This conference will be of relevance to:

• anyone with an interest in adults' access to new and developing media
• practitioners
• policy-makers
• communications officers
• curriculum managers in either adult education or the third sector
• members of the newly-established Consortium
• professionals working in the media industry
• those with a responsibility for developing media and film literacy opportunities for adults

Top of page

_______________________________

Programme

10:00 Arrival and registration (tea/coffee available)

10:30 Welcome and introduction to the day
Rachel Thomson, Senior Programme Director (Campaigns), NIACE

10:38 Amplifying today’s conversations
Amanda Gore, Amplified Networks

10:40 Keynote address: The three pillars of digital participation (inclusion, skills and media literacy): How to get those not engaged in the digital revolution to join in
Stewart Purvis, Chair, Consortium of Stakeholders for the promotion of Digital Participation

10:50 Keynote address: The benefits of Digital Inclusion
Graham Walker, Director of Policy, Office of the Champion for Digital Inclusion.

11:00 Keynote address: Digital Life Skills
Stuart Edwards, Deputy Director, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

11:10 Keynote address: Digital Inclusion and Participation - unlocking media literacy
Tanya Hudson, Head of Media Literacy, BBC

11:20 Round table discussion session to raise questions for panel

11:30 Tea/coffee break

12:00 Input from case study presenters

1. Prison Radio - Engaging a Captive Audience
Paula Rogers, Head of Prison Radio, National Offender Management Service (NOMS)

2. Using Digital Film in the Community
Dr Ian McCormick, Community Film Director, ICFILM

3. The Museums, Libraries and Archives’ relationship with the media
Natasha Innocent, Senior Policy Adviser Learning and Skills, Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA)

12:40 Lunch

13:40 Welcome back from the Chair

13:45 Knowledge Café
Participants have the opportunity to visit all three case studies, ask questions and share their own experience

15:20 Action planning and questions from the floor

15:30 Close of conference (tea/coffee available)

Top of page

_______________________________

Event Information

Arrival and registration is at 10:00am for a 10:30am start. The event will end at 3:30pm

Event fee per person: £50 (includes lunch, tea/coffee)
NB: NIACE does not charge VAT on conference and course fees

If you wish us to invoice your employer we require a copy of the Purchase Order

Please note that the absence of a Purchase Order / Order Number will delay the processing of your application form

Only application forms with the payments section completed will be processed

Places will be allocated in order of receipt of completed application forms

Completed and signed application forms must be faxed or posted to NIACE by the closing date. Reservations by telephone cannot be accepted.

Application forms are individually acknowledged by e-mail. Joining instructions, including map and directions, will be e-mailed out one week before the event

Participants should be prepared to take their own notes as there will not be handouts for all sessions

If you have not received an e-mail confirming your attendance and joining instructions 4 working days before the event please contact:

Gurjit Kaur
Tel: 0116 204 2833
Fax: 0116 254 8368
Minicom: 0116 255 6049
E-mail: gurjit.kaur@niace.org.uk

Top of page

_______________________________

Application Form