Bob Harrison Announced as Speaker at Further Education Good Practice Symposium at Birmingham Metropolitan College on the 19th June

C-Learning has announced that Bob Harrison is joining the impressive set of guest speakers at the forthcoming ‘Further Education Good Practice Symposium‘ to be held at Birmingham Metropolitan College on the 19th June.

The title of Bob’s presentation, ‘It’s not about technology, it’s about different ways of thinking’ fits perfectly with his extensive contribution to the field of education technology.

Bob has extensive experience in both schools and colleges as a teacher and senior leader, including holding Principal and Governor positions. Bob has worked with teachers and senior leaders in the development of leadership skills for the National College of Teaching and Leadership, has advised the UK Department for Education on the FE Principals Qualification and was the lead on Digital Futures for the Building Schools for the Future leadership programme.

Bob is also Chair of the Board of Governors at Northern College and Vice Chair at a Trafford School. Bob was made an honorary life member of City and Guilds of London Institute for services to vocational education following more than a decade as Chief Examiner and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

He regularly visits Palo Alto campus of Stanford University to research current developments and is especially interested in education’s digital future at Stanford along with being an assessor at the Graduate School of Education Masters Degree in Learning Design with Technology.

Formerly education adviser to technology giant Toshiba Bob is also a writer, presenter and researcher on mobile learning, digital technologies and next generation learning.

His numerous contributions to advancing the field of education technology has included leading much of the work of the Further Education Learning Technology Action Group and was a member of the Ministerial Educational Technology Action Group chaired by Professor Stephen Heppell.

A Board member of the UfI Trust, a BETT show judge, TES FE Awards judge and wider, Bob has extensive experience in advancing the application of education technology.

Bob said “If we don’t help educators to embrace technology and make better use of the amazing tools we now have, we are limiting our collective future potential. They key thing is not to focus on the technology, it’s about what it can do for people and that requires different thinking. As a nation we are neglecting vital parts of our education system, including adult learners, millions of whom lack basic digital skills. We need to enable more people to use technology with confidence so they can prosper in the digital world we are now in, and that means technology that genuinely helps people and solves real problems. It’s all about people and we must continue to focus on people and invest in helping them to transition in this new digital industrial revolution. I’m looking forward to this event at Birmingham Metropolitan College and connecting with so many people using technology that makes a positive difference and brings people together”.

Jamie Smith, Executive Chairman of C-Learning said “I first met Bob many years ago at a conference where I had arrived early and by chance got chatting with him. I then watched Bob deliver a bold, inspiring and immensely engaging keynote presentation that I still remember to this day. Bob has extensive experience in education working at both regional and national levels and is passionately committed to enabling people to transform their life chances, with a particular focus on how technology can help if we focus on people and how change happens. He is a brilliant speaker and I am thrilled he will be presenting at the Further Education Good Practice Symposium on the 19th June at BMet. It’s going to be a great day and I urge colleagues across the sector to sign up now.”

The event, hosted by Birmingham Metropolitan College and supported by C-Learning is open to staff working within Further Education. The symposium will explore themes around education technology and how education is transforming to align to the uncertain and rapidly changing requirements of the digital age. Additional presentations will reveal how leading educationalists are adapting to this change with impact and success, as well as discussing some of the new challenges.