My work and passion is in learning, teaching and technology, not only in how digital technologies are used as tools in a computing curriculum but in how they can transform learning and teaching and potentially education as a whole. I spend a lot of time encouraging people to join me.
I’m also a wife, mother, aunt and granny and am involved in the rough and tumble of extended family life. I have a car, a good pair of walking boots and trekking pole, a well-thumbed passport, trail running shoes and compass
My extensive book collection ( I moved to a new house for it) includes food stained cookery books. I’ve access to music, live, streamed and recorded, a Wii and an Xbox Kinect and many ‘robots’. In spare time I volunteer at a wonderful National Trust property, Woolsthorpe Manor, the birthplace of Sir Isaac Newton and talk to (if they want to) the amazing, interesting people who come to visit. Life is indeed good!
A visit to my website would have told more including…..
As an Independent Consultant, my work is wide ranging and varied, engaging with those involved in education at all levels, here and abroad, supporting and developing the authentic use of digital technologies in education and encouraging thinking about the role it can play in learning and teaching. For me, Digital technologies are moving beyond being merely a tool within the current curriculum towards becoming an essential element of new ways of learning and a new curriculum.
I work extensively with students, teaching assistants, classroom teachers and children. At Leicester University I am involved in the ICT aspects of the Primary PGCE course and have a role within the English course, the Classroom Assistants foundation degree and SEN and Early Years Diploma course for teachers. At the London Diocesan Board for Schools SCITT, I led the ICT module as well as promoting and supporting the use of e-learning across the whole course. Through connections with Local Authorities, the Science Learning Centres, hardware and software companies, clusters of schools and my own contacts I travel the country delivering bespoke workshops and CPD sessions and giving presentations at conferences on e-learning in the Early Years.
A strand running through all my work is that of Inclusion both in education and beyond. While my remit has extended beyond this, Digital technologies have the power to create an inclusive environment for learners and give many people who have particular needs access to learning and society. However, it is much underused and more needs to be done to encourage people to think this way. I am on the case.
At management level I’ve met nationally with heads, senior management and other bodies involved in ICT and education, providing support and advice. In association with Granada Learning, I was, until it’s end, a lead facilitator of teams delivering the National College of School Leadership’s SLICT (Strategic Leadership of ICT) courses for headteachers.
The story so far
- been involved in education all my working life
- taught across the primary age range including Early Years
- was an Advisory Teacher for ICT with Leicestershire LEA
- former OFSTED inspector
- consultant with Becta involved in various projects starting with the online groups for the 1997 Portables Project
- developed and delivered National Grid for Learning training with a colleague to teachers in Leicester City, Leicestershire and Rutland LEA
- with a colleague co-organised the face2face ICT Conferences for East Midlands and then Becta’s first Online Virtual ICT Conferences and developed an online conference in association with ENI and SETT, followed by the first Naace online conference
- involved in the continuing professional development of peers through Naace, organising, with a colleague, individual CPD events and aspects of the annual conferences
- worked with commercial companies involved in education, Research Machines, BlackCat Software, Anglia Multimedia, Granada Learning, TTS and others as an educational consultant, developing ideas and supporting the schools in the use of their products in learning and teaching
- developed and delivered the successful Granada Learning NOF training
- working with Leicester University School of Education, with PGCE students, Classroom Assistants on the Foundation Degree course and teachers on CPD courses
- led e-learning at the London Diocesan Board for Schools School Centred Initial Teacher Training Course.
- taught on the PGCE Early Years, PGCE Primary and BA ICT modules at Middlesex University
- taught on the BA Education and MA Education in Action courses at De Montfort University
- SLICT (Strategic Leadership of ICT) lead facilitator and producing online support material with NCSL
- consultant with IPAS ‘The independent ICT Procurement Advisory Service for Schools’ advising and supporting primary headteachers
- travelled abroad to support teachers CPD events, in Romania and the Hong Kong English Schools Foundation.
- led an EU funded course for ICT coordinators in four counties around Timisoara, Romania
- co-authored Switched on ICT in the Early Years, an ICT scheme for the Early Years Foundation Stage from Rising Stars
- won an award – Rising Stars Switched on ICT in the Early Years wins 2014 BETT Award for Early Years content
- taught computing on the Primary SCITT course and the Teach First course at Nottingham University
- given presentations at conferences and teacher days throughout the country on ICT and the Early Years, ICT and Special Needs and general ICT topics
- judge for Naace Impact Awards
- co-leader Egyptian Education Technology Programme at the University of Leicester. Looking at technology supporting learning and teaching, and developing new pedagogies for the 21st Century. With colleague planned, facilitated and taught the three month courses for…
- Teachers of English
- Teachers of Mathematics
- Teachers of Science
- Teachers of Mathematics and Science
- contributed to University of Leicester based in-service courses for international educators
- throughout 23 years of independent work involved in many consultancies, development and training projects with individual schools, groups of schools, other educational groups and LAs throughout the country
- STEM Ambassador
- volunteer at National Trust Woolsthorpe Manor (Birthplace and family home of Isaac Newton) as
- House guide
- Events volunteer
- Learning volunteer
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