Game Based Learning Conference
Richard Rose Morton Academy, Wednesday 7th December 2011
(PROGRAMME LIABLE TO CHANGE)

10.30 am Coffee & Registration
Vendor stands represented here are from:
Northgate Information Systems, EMAP, ConnectED Services, Toshiba, Digimania, WAK Studios and Black Ridge Technologies
11.00 am Welcome
Katie Robinson, Headteacher RRMA, Welcome and Vision Statement on GBL
11.10 am The day to come
Mark Stimpfig, Director, ConnectED.
Introducing the day, setting context, themes
11.20 am GBL and future proofing the skills of our students
Margaret Weaver, Head of Learning, Information & Student Services, University of Cumbria
Game based learning has impact and relevance across education. The importance of ‘future skills’ in terms of Higher Education and the part that technology will play in the government and industry’s demands on future employability skills is discussed.
11. 30 am Marie Hamilton, Northgate Opening Presentation
ICT in new schools. how Northgate the new build @ Richard Rose benefited from the Northgate effect; a summary of the key technologies and importance to teaching and learning in RRMA.
11.40 am Practitioner sessions
Game Based Learning works in Education!
Rich Healey, ex CLC Manager and GBL Trainer
Rich looks in detail at the training programme he and his colleagues have been delivering @ RRMA. Immersive teacher training has been delivered with a group of vanguard teachers in BTEC, History, Geography and MFL, using a mixture of bespoke software, freeware, games consoles and online resources. (Special workshops where staff and students @ RRMA will be working on projects started by Richard and his team will be running in the lunchtime and afternoon periods.)
Track 1: parallel RRMA teacher student workshops:
12 – 1.00 pm Teachers and students who have been directly involved in the GBL training @ RRMA will be working on a series of project based activities around BTEC, MFL, Geography and History in two classrooms next to the lecture theatre. Delegates are invited in groups of 10 to go into one of the classrooms and see for themselves the delivery and practice in action. Delegates will need to choose in advance which of the 3 presentations below to miss in order to see this classroom delivery.
Track 2: parallel teacher practitioner deliveries from across the UK:
Experienced practitioners from across the UK look at how the use of GBL has made demonstrable improvements to their own schools and the wider environments
I feel the chemistry!
Warren Fearn, Creative Director, Wak Studios
Warren introduces the latest STEM project in collaboration with Autodesk to teach Chemistry through digital animation. Using elements of the periodic table as a basis and creating concept characters as part of the elements. The characters were transformed into 3D using Autodesk Maya for students to download and animate. The aim is to encourage students to use the software and to animate their own character designs. This has been matched with an NCFE qualification if Schools wish to gain accreditation for students at GCSE level.
Bringing languages to life
Will Harvey, Language College Coordinator, Didcot Girls’ School
Will uses his extensive knowledge of languages combined with his use and enthusiasm for a wide range of interactive media to enhance engagement and attainment in languages. At one end of the scale Will uses a full on multimedia language lab, and at the other he works with students creating blogs, wikis, using freeware and simple but effective audio, video and picture resource creation programmes.
NEET Young people and engagement through GBL
Chris Ward ex CLC manager and GBL trainer and Mark Stimpfig:
There are now 1 million NEET Young People in the UK. The UK August riots brought into sharp focus both the ability of young people to use interactive media cohesively and powerfully and highlights the issue of how to deal with long term structural unemployment which is a vital part of any local and national government agenda. ConnectED with its training partner Eureka Consulting has developed a unique programme for NEET Young People delivered on games based platforms like Sony PlayStation which effectively addresses this issue.
1.00 pm Lunch and networking opportunities in the school atrium area
Vendor stands represented here are from:
Northgate Information Systems, EMAP, ConnectED Services, Toshiba, Digimania, WAK Studios and Black Ridge Technologies
1.30 – 2.00pm RRMA tours of the school.
2 deputy head teachers will be available to provide guided tours of the new school. The tours will be supplemented with the use of interactive technologies via the use of ‘QR’ codes triggered on PlayStations and iPads using an innovative augmented reality programme called Second Sight, from Black Ridge Technologies.
2.00 pm Strategic presentations
Vision and change Management: how to implement GBL in the classroom and the community
Understanding the importance of GBL and why it addresses the current issues
Mark Stimpfig, Director, ConnectED Services Ltd.
Students now have access to and control of a vast range of technology outside of school; inside of school their access and control is limited and prescriptive. GBL looks at how to get value from massive investment in new builds and new technology in those builds. GBL provides practical solutions to the problems of cover for retraining increased demands on teacher time and government and industry’s demands on future employment skills for the 21st century.
Address the disconnect. Get Creative with teacher CPD.
Mike Carter ex CLC Manager Newcastle
Involve staff and students directly in CPD to get results and address the student teacher divide. Harnessing the power of differentiation, self-assessment and collaboration to deliver powerful CPD in today’s learning environment.
Smart ICT Procurement for Schools
Joe Willcox, Content Director, EMAP
In the area of procuring the best technology solutions to enrich teaching and learning and to improve school efficiency, new freedoms will allow schools to migrate away from potentially wasteful and unsuitable one-size-fits-all methods and suppliers. But the scrapping of BECTA and the shrinking of local authority support networks will increase the need for many schools to become truly smart buyers and users of ICT and to look for ways they can learn from and support each other. Learn from Emap and Futuresource Consulting about the different ways in which different kinds of school can organise ICT procurement and accelerate the development of your school’s strategy to maximise the value of technology solutions across the lifecycle of the hardware and software you use.
Game based learning gets results authority wide
Dr Jo Armitage, Lecturer The Open University
A community based programme across all of Hounslow schools HOTS (Hold onto Sports) used GBL and the Nintendo Wii as a tool to inspire learning and to stimulate interest in a wide variety of sports, health and presentational skills. Results demonstrated real and tangible improvements in motivation, self-esteem and impact on team spirit across all ages and in SEN. The programme has since woon the endorsement and backing of the London 2012 Olympics.
Rich media: how Pearson has developed their digital strategies for education.
Marc Bloch Head of Digital Strategy Pearson
As one the biggest global educational publishers Pearson has a huge influence on the next generation of students. Marc explains Pearson’s current strategies and content in the context of web 2.0 and the new demands of the 21st Century workplace.
Successful implementation of technology into new build schools
Keith McCarthy, Solution Architect, Northgate
4.00 Break, coffee
Vendor stands represented here are from:
Northgate Information Systems, EMAP, ConnectED Services, Toshiba, Digimania, WAK Studios and Black Ridge Technologies
4.30 Plenary Session
A panel of national experts are available for an open and engaged conversation with the delegates on GBL and the difference it can make across education and training.
5.30 Close
To book places please fill in our online booking form here or contact Vanessa Cardwell on [email protected] or call +44(0) 844 800 9375 .
All booking delegates will automatically be entered into our prize draw to win a Sony PlayStation Portable. Please visit our webpage here for T&Cs.
Visit the Richard Rose Morton Academy online here.
Watch the video with Katie Robinson, Head of Richard Rose Morton Academy. Here she explains why GBL is so important at RRMA.

