E-Guides National Event 2009: Refresh and Sustain

Dr Alan Clarke

Associate Director, ICT and Learning, NIACE

Dr Alan Clarke BSc (Hons), CFIPD, MEd, PhD is NIACE's Associate Director for ICT and Learning. In this role he is responsible for NIACE's policy in respect of ICT and e-learning and manages the organisations team. Before NIACE, he worked for the National Council for Educational Technology (now BECTA) and the UK Government's Department for Education and Skills in the Learning Technology Unit. Alan has been involved with ICT and computer-based Learning for twenty-five years and has undertaken a wide range of investigations, research studies and evaluations. His doctorate was on the design of Computer-Based Learning materials. He has been a member of the DfES Standard Unit's expert group on ICT, the DfES ICT Skill for Life partners group, Distributed Electronic Learning Group and chaired, the Adult and Community E-learning Strategy committee.

His experience has covered a wide range of organisations including local authorities, employers, local and national training providers, community organisations, further and higher education and Information and Communication Technology providers. He has written extensively on the use of ICT and learning, publications including:

• IT Awareness Raising for Adults, DfEE, 1998
• How to create effective Information anf Communication Technology Learning Programmes, NIACE, 1999
• Developing the Skills of Information Technology Tutors, NIACE, 1999
• The Learning Centre Guide for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises, NIACE, 2000
• Computing for Adult, Hodder and Stoughton, 1999
• European Computer Driving Licence, Hodder nad Stoughton, 2001
• Designing Computer Based Learning, Gower, 2001
• Learning Organisations, NIACE, 2001
• Online Learning and Social Exclusion, NIACE, 2002
• IT Skills for Successful Study. Palgrave McMillan, 2005
• Teaching Adults ICT Skills, Learning Matters, 2006
• New Clait 2006, Hodder and Stoughton, 2006
• CLAIT Plus 2006, Hodder and Stoughton, 2007
• ICT Skills for Life, Hodder and Stoughton, 2007
• E-learning Skills (Second Edition), Palgrave McMillan, 2008

Gilly Salmon

Professor of e-learning and Learning Technologies, University of Leicester

Professor Salmon joined the University of Leicester in the UK in 2004 as Professor of E-learning & Learning Technologies, after 15 years with the Open University Business School. The University of Leicester is heading towards creating a full mixed mode research-led university- with half its 18,000 students on campus and half at a distance. She is also Visiting Professor at the Caledonian Business School. Gilly has two research degrees- one in online training and one in change in education. She is known for her research and practice in the arenas of development and change for creating engaged and successful e-learning processes. Her focus is on designing for participation and intervening for learning using the best of networked technologies.

Prof Salmon is known for her many articles and commentary about the future for learning technologies and as an international speaker

At Leicester she heads the 'Beyond Distance Research Alliance'. The Alliance, based at the University of Leicester, draws together teachers and researchers from a wide variety of areas to research in joint projects and provide for publications and dissemination. Focus is:

• To promote a systematic application of the core body of knowledge and principles that have built up around e-learning, and integrate new paradigms and processes as they are understood
• Rigorous research methodologies, appropriate for exploiting e for research
• Strategy and policy development
• The role, training, development and competencies of online teachers (e-moderators and m-moderators)
• Scenarios for the future of teaching and learning with new technologies
• Models of change associated with introduction of new pedagogies and technologies
• Sustainability and multipliers ('Cascade")- beyond projects

Key Publications

Prof Salmon is the author of the work now considered seminal in the field of teaching online called 'E-moderating', a 2nd Edition of which was produced in 2004, as well as a recent book about designing for low cost collaboration in all online learning situations called 'E-tivities'. Prof Salmon's latest publication is a step-by-step guide to Podcasting, entitled 'Podcasting for Learning in Universities' with a supplementary guide, 'How to create Podcasts for Education', coming soon.

Book websites:
www.e-moderating.com, www.e-tivities.com, www.podcastingforlearning.com

Prof Salmon is also director of a commercial global online training company "All Things in Moderation Ltd". www.atimod.com

Louise Proctor

Lifelong Learning Director, Learning and Skills Council (LSC)

After qualifying as a Careers Adviser, Louise ran a Careers Centre in a school before moving into Adult Guidance and helping develop Coventry's Adult Service.

She was appointed to the Senior Management team leading on Adult Guidance and Corporate Services for Quality Careers Services Ltd. Her remit included Redundancy Counselling; Training Needs Analysis and Mentoring for small companies; providing information, advice and guidance services to local people and developing a range of fee-paying products.

Louise was seconded to the Employment Service to manage New Deal 25 Plus pilot that tested innovative approaches to working with long-term unemployed people.

After joining the LSC in 2001, Louise led the national office team responsible for IAG policy for adults. In 2004, she became Senior Policy Manager, Welfare to Workforce Development, to take forward the LSC's contribution to the New Deal for Skills.

In June 2006, Louise became Lifelong Learning Director. Her policy areas include IAG and the development of the adult advancement and careers service, informal adult learning, family learning, Technology in Learning and the LSC's approach to older learners.

Lee Davies

Deputy Chief Executive, Institute for Learning

Lee Davies joined the Institute for Learning (IfL) in August 2005 and is responsible for leading the implementation of professionalisation reforms in the further education sector, including conferral of Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS) status.

Before joining IfL, he was district secretary of the Workers' Educational Association (WEA), Thames & Solent District, and carried national responsibility for educational strategy.

Lee has worked in further education and related areas for over 20 years, having started as a part-time plumbing lecturer at Highbury College, Portsmouth, in September 1987. He qualified as a teacher in 1990, through the Certificate in Education, and also has Bachelor of Arts (Honours) and Master of Arts degrees.

Lee is a Fellow of the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (FRSA); Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering (FCIPHE) and a Registered Plumber (RP).

He is passionate about vocational education, and still teaches part-time at colleges. He actively promotes elearning and has worked with Becta, the Learning and Skills Network and other partners to develop the national elearning strategy. As an advocate of using technology to support personalised learning, he has been instrumental in the development of IfL's online learning space, REfLECT.

He is married, with six children, and lives just outside Portsmouth on the south coast, where he tries to find the time to pursue his love of sea fishing, playing squash and cricket.

Alastair Clark

Senior Development Officer, ICT and Learning, NIACE

Alastair Clark, BA Hons, Cert Ed, M.Ed (Lifelong Learning) started his career in Youth and Community work in Birmingham, Suffolk and Hertfordshire. After that, Alastair worked as a Community Education worker in Derbyshire for 13 years. This involved promoting informal and formal learning opportunities and included area management responsibilities and curriculum coordination for languages and humanities.

From 2000 - 2003 he was Education Officer for the British Education Communications and Technology Agency (Becta) in the community programmes team working on UK online centres and Community Grids for Learning.

Since 2003 he has worked for NIACE working in the ICT and Learning team where he is now Senior Development Officer. This work has including promotion of e-learning in Adult and Community Learning and the UNESCO funded Avicenna Higher Education online learning project. He has also works as a part time evening class teacher of map reading and is an active volunteer member of his local community web site team.

He spent a full year working in France for the voluntary organisation Compagnons Batisseurs and has fluent spoken French. His MEd Research involved case study work of learner experiences in France and the UK and involved conducting research interviews in French. He enjoys canoeing, cycling and turning off his mobile phone.

Publications include:

• Clark, A (2002) Community Challenge online Quiz - bilingual report on Anglo French Project
• Clark, A et al (2001) Digital Divide Initiatives in France - report of Study Tour Becta
• Clark, A (2003) Working with Volunteers in your UK online Centre
• Clark, A (2004) E-Guides Extended to England - 'Connected' Magazine of the National Grid for Learning - Scotland
• Clarke A, Essom J, Forty V, McKeowan S, Clark A (2005) Developing Skills for Information and communication technology tutors
• Stang R, Hesse C, Clark A (eds) (2006) Learning Centres in Europe
• Clark A, Hussain-Ahmen S (2006) Signalling Success - paper free approaches to recognising and recording learner progress and achievement
• Clark A, Betts S (2008) e-guidelines 13: Assessment for learning: Digital tools for effective practice

Markos Tiris

Programme Director, Teaching and Learning Programme, Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS)

Markos Tiris is the Programme Director for Teaching and Learning at LSIS.

This role includes leading on the Teaching and Learning Programme, a programme designed to transform teaching, training and learning. The programme incorporates the:

• Subject Learning Coach programme which supports Coaches with world class resources, a professional training programme and subject specific networks
• the Centres for Excellence in Teacher Training (CETTS)
• the E-Guides workforce development programme
• the STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics programme
• and the National Learner Panel

Markos has also recently taken over the Skills for Life Programmes at LSIS and is developing a new professional development programme for e-learning, eCPD.

Markos joined LSIS/QIA from the Learning and Skills Development Agency (LSDA) where he led on workforce development strategies, including e-learning and technology. This included the Agency's work for the National Learning Network (NLN) programme, the Quality in Information and Learning Technology (QUILT) programme, and supporting the development of strategy, policy and practice for ILT staff development for the then Department for Education and Skills (DfES). Markos has led the development of many key initiatives, including the development of the LLUK e-learning standards and the LLUK e-leadership standards. He was the awarded the 2004 NILTA award for the impact of his work on e-learning, and the Subject Learning Coach programme resources have recently been awarded the Royal Television Society (RTS) award for Innovation in Education.

Jane Williams

Executive Director, Further Education, Rengeneration and Delivery, Becta

Jane Williams joined Becta in April 2007. She leads on the Further Education, Skills and Regeneration sectors and also on the Regional and Local Delivery of Becta's programme. Previously she was Director of Improvement in the Further Education System in the Department for Education and Skills where she led on strategic policy for quality improvement, inspection, e-learning, workforce, leadership, teaching and learning, personalisation and the quality of Skills for Life. Jane also set up the Standards Unit and the Success for All Strategy and jointly led the development of the White Paper "Further Education: Raising Skills, Improving Life Chances". She was the sponsor Director for the Quality Improvement Agency, the Adult Learning Inspectorate, the Centre for Excellence in Leadership, Lifelong Learning UK, and the Basic Skills Agency.

Jane has over 25 years experience in Further Education, embracing such interests as professional development and regeneration. She became Principal of Wulfrun College, Wolverhampton in 1996 and Principal of City of Wolverhampton College in 1999. In Wolverhampton she chaired the Local Strategic Partnership and Focus Housing Association and contributed to many local collaborative developments. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. Music is her main recreation. In 2003 she was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Education from the University of Wolverhampton for services to Further Education in the West Midlands. She is a non-executive Director of Ufi Ltd.

Judith Swift

Union Development Manager, unionlearn, Trades Union Congress (TUC)

Before the launch of unionlearn, Judith worked nationally for TUC Learning Services since it was set up in 1998. Her role has been to support the work of unions and union learning representatives, particularly through the Union Learning Fund, which started in October 1998.

Judith has had responsibility for co-ordinating the TUC support to unions in ULF and also for Skills for Life. The last few years have seen a rapid expansion of unions and union learning representatives engaged in learning including personal, professional and workforce development. A wide range of unions are currently involved.

Judith was appointed as Union Development Manager for unionlearn in January 2006 and is responsible for supporting unions and their ULR's to develop their learning and skills strategies.

She was awarded the MBE in 2005 for her Trades Union and Skills for Life work.

Immediately before joining Learning Services, Judith worked as a TUC tutor in the North West delivering courses for union representatives and health and safety representatives. Her wider background in FE also includes teaching English and German primarily, but a few other bits and pieces too.