Seminars - BESA Keynote - 'Breaking the Bonds of Learning'

If you think of education as an obstacle course that takes out an unacceptably high percentage of learners from every generation, which obstacles should be removed so that everyone gets a good run at learning?

A closely focused panel of four UK experts will share their professional and personal experiences and views to suggest what could be done - using ICT - to make learning fit for the 21st century

 The format will be a short, straightforward presentation from each panel member, with direct questions from the panel chair, journalist Merlin John, and from the floor, with feedback technology in place to add to the interactivity.

These are the panel members and the sectors they represent: learning and creativity expert Tim Rylands (teachers and learners); Professor Angela McFarlane (curriculum /assessment); Professor Stephen Heppell  (national strategy/policy); Terry Sweeney, chief executive of RM (ICT for learning industry).

Merlin John is a freelance journalist who edits the National College's Future website (www.nationalcollege.org.uk/future) for school leaders facing the challenges of innovation and transformation in capital projects like BSF. He also manages his own website at agent4change.net. A journalist of long-standing, in his 18 years at The Times Educational Supplement Merlin set up and edited TES Online magazine which became the leading UK publication covering learning and teaching with technology.