Expert to join Sir Bob at education event

A University of Wolverhampton expert on the use of mobile technologies in education will be sharing the bill with Sir Bob Geldof at an international event.

Professor John Traxler has spent the last 10 years working on projects that demonstrate mobile technologies such as smartphones and tablets can take education to communities and countries that were previously too distant or difficult to reach.

The Director of the University’s Learning Lab is now to speak at the 2012 UNESCO & Consortium for Social Networking (CoSN) International Symposium on mobile learning in Washington DC.

Musician and fundraiser Sir Bob Geldof is one of the other speakers at the event on Monday, 5 March 2012, and will share his thoughts on the opportunities mobiles offer to education and the global economy.

Professor Traxler is one of the key speakers on the day, and will discuss visions for the future of mobile learning.

The Symposium aims to tackle questions such as why, when and how can mobile devices such as phones be used in education?

He said: “Over the past 10 years, an international community of researchers and developers have demonstrated that mobile technologies can enrich, enhance and challenge existing ideas about education itself. Sometimes mobile phones are considered to be disruptive and distracting, but these mobile devices could empower learners and improve teaching.

“We are now seeing a significant recognition of our work in national and international policy development. I’m looking forward to attending this high profile conference in America to share my knowledge and experience, and also hearing from other speakers such as Sir Bob Geldof on this interesting and important subject.”

This Symposium will examine how some schools and school systems around the world are using mobile devices, including strategies to empower learners, as well as support teacher/administrator professional development.

CoSN's 11th Annual International Symposium, jointly organised with UNESCO, will bring together leading education leaders, policy makers and key thought-leaders from around the globe to explore perspectives, policies, and practices that can connect the classrooms with mobile learning (or ‘mLearning’) into a cohesive learning environment for young people.

The event will include examples, discussions, and opportunities to work to develop recommendations to educators, policymakers and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) on the potential opportunities and risks around mLearning in schools and in the community.

ENDS

Picture: Professor of Mobile Learning, John Traxler

For more information please contact Vickie Warren in the Media Relations Office on 01902 322736