You're invited! LTS Inspiration Session: Exploring technology's simplicity

When it comes to technology simplicity sells. That's the title of David Pogue's TED Talk which provides the basis of discussion at the third Inspiration Session for Learning and Teaching Scotland employees. But this time, with Scotland's teachers on holiday and clearly with nothing else better to do, we're inviting you along.

With apologies for the late invitation, if you fancy a trip to Glasgow or live nearby, you are welcome to join members of the Glow, online services and technology teams, as well as Development Officers and Knowledge Management colleagues from across the organisation:

• Monday, July 28th, 11.45-14.00
• Classroom of the Future at Learning and Teaching Scotland, Glasgow
  Optima building, 58 Robertson Street
• Meet at 11.45am in the 9th floor reception, session from midday until around 2pm.
• If you wish to attend, please leave a comment here or email me.

This session will feature a team viewing of the, ahem, sideways look of technology and what 'simplicity' actually means. We'll then have a fairly loose discussion around how LTS could do its job better by finding its simplicity bone. Your input here would be most valuable. I do hope you can come along. If you want to see what we've done so far in our inspiration sessions, please flick over to Connected Live.

For the past three months I've been hosting these Inspiration Sessions, providing regular "thinking pitstops" for nearly half the staff in this time, getting to grips with what new technologies' potential might be for their own projects and mining the staff at all levels, from administrator to Director, for their creative ideas. Several new blogs and web services have been launched with the growing confidence of staff, and internally we're beginning to see much better sharing of information using the likes of social bookmarking on del.icio.us, an internal wiki and weblogs.

Comments

[John]

Sounds like a lot of fun Ewan, I'll be going to Islay on Monday so can't make it, hopefully you will do it again another time? Have a great time.

[dave t]

"But this time, with Scotland's teachers on holiday and clearly with nothing else better to do, we're inviting you along."

Sorry - continuing to repaint my classroom which hasn't been done for 14 years. Also sorting out a cupboard full of textbooks that haven't been replaced for 10. And updating all my lessons, photocopying resources and installing Smartboard 10 on the Modern Languages computers even though I teach English as we have no IT tech now as he left in dsgust last term.

And that's just Monday/Tuesday next week! Have fun in Glasgow...but don't forget there is a real world out there of underfunded schools and hard working teachers who give up their hols (the Design and tech PT is also in next week as he was last week painting his labs!)

Any decision on the visualiser you offered to a needy school way back in May? 8-)

Em, that was irony, Dave. Most teachers are having a holiday or doing some work (I fell into the latter in my hols). Visualiser news coming but, as you may have seen, I've been rather busy.

[dave t]

I know....I was pulling your tail becuase you've had such a fun term so far! 8-)

Any chance of a web/podcast from Glasgow?

[Ewan McIntosh]

It's rare that ANYONE wants to see my face, on the web or otherwise ;-) We have Marratech video conferencing available, through Glow. For those not on that I could try with Flashmeeting but I think the critical port is disabled. I'll experiment Monday morning and tweet/blog accordingly.

[dave t]

What is this... GLOW? Glasgow and Lothians Only Widgets?

In Moray we still use Windows 3.1 I think! I shall live in hope that we enter the 20th Century before I retire so we might have GLOW when my grandson starts secondary school in 12 years time....enjoy Monday - look forward to reading all about it

[Ian Stuart]

Would love to come along but I have some visitors. See the first comment above!

[Jaye Richards]

I'd quite like to come along Ewan...if that's ok

[Ewan McIntosh]

Please do come along, Jaye. Would love to meet you. David Gilmour will be joining us, too, from East Lothian.

[Margaret V]

No 'Glow' yet in my own LA, but when it finally arrives I'd like to know as much as possible so that I can 'sell' it :)

I hope to be there tomorrow.

[Ewan McIntosh]

Looking forward so much to seeing two new faces (for me, at least) tomorrow!

[Joe Wilson]

I've got meeting with E-Skills UK Standards Setting Body for Computing in Glaagow office - bit of notice and I'd have had this on agenda - will see what I can do.

Some of the sector skills councils find it hard to see challenges and solutions outwith central London - would have been good to let them see some of developments in Scottish schools.

Whens next inspiration session and I'll plug in some SQA folks too

have a good one

Joe