The use of mobile or ubiquitous technologies to enable transformational improvements in learning and teaching practice has become something of a phenomenon where everyday devices from mobile phones to game consoles and mp3 players, social and media sharing networks and much more have created a rich and diverse learning landscape that exists beyond the school or university gates. Schools need no longer be “buildings”.

London is host to an annual event that has become the worlds largest conference to focus on these issues where over 800 innovators, early adopters, thought leaders, education professionals and policy makers come to discuss and explore the impact that these ubiquitous, affordable technologies are having on learning and what this means for the future of our educational institutions. The event is called Handheld Learning 2008 and will be held at The Brewery, Chiswell Street, EC1 during Oct 13th - 15th.

Lead speakers include author, Steven Johnson. social media scientist, danah boyd, Professor Stephen Heppell, Futurelab Research Director, Keri Facer, MIT Media Lab Chief Learning Architect, David Cavallo, former Sony Computer Entertainment Chairman and President, Chris Deering and many others.

Steve Moore will be hosting a 2gether morning of surprises (naturally) to engage a panel of speakers and the audience in a debate over how the technologies that learners already use outside of the school can be embraced for learning rather than being banned which is often the current position. Confirmed speakers in Steve session include Matt Locke, Channel 4, David Langridge, Microsoft and Richard Warmsley, T-Mobile with other to be announced shortly. There’s an Awards Party on the evening of the 13th, also at The Brewery.

Early bird registration is available until 31st July and includes a FREE Nintendo DS with game as well as entry to the Party. The DS is yours to keep but we ask that you bring it to the conference for a fully interactive experience during the 3 days. Those who attended 2gether08 receive a further 5% reduction on registration by using the code “2gether”.

Please join us and help keep these events connected and the ideas and actions continuing.

Register here

However I feel rather different about 2gether, in fact I feel way different. I feel an urge to harness and build upon the creative volunteering that underpinned it, the pragmauptopism - to use Charlie Leadbeater’s phrase - that was the hallmark of those two days and evening inside the walled gardens at Rochelle. Feedback suggests that others field the same. You want more similar events - and for sure theyn will follow and soon, watch this space - but it is clear that keeping the community together and allowing it to grow and diversify is something we need to think hard about. My instincts are to do this is a way that is participative in keeping with the 2gether vibe. George Por and David Wilcox have already submitted ideas about how this could be achieved and have suggested I look at some of the emerging open franchise models that being experimented with. I will. I want to explore how we can share the brand with others , share the various social tools that we used at the event so that others can pick up on and experiment them with them and share their learning and do all this is a way that doesn’t compromise the values, ethos and vibe that the brand has already generated. How can we cede control and gain influence? Thoughts?

However, on the  two days of the Festival we’ll also be using some simple - if skillfully deployed - old-style tools like pens and sticky labels to help people post their ideas, cluster them, start some threads.

Post-its and flip-chart? Not just those - we are talking Live Tag Surfing, as Ed Mitchell explains in a post to our networking site:

When people come out of event sessions, there will be stuff in their heads that they want to share with others, connect over, deepen their understanding of, turn into actions and more.

Live Tag Surfing provides an open platform to facilitate this desire by hosting a huge ‘tag wall’ at the event on which anyone can add one of their (limited number of) tags. By adding a tag, you are saying ‘I want to talk about this - does anyone else?’.

Gradually as the event progresses, more tags will appear. Patterns will emerge; bubbles will begin to surface. The tag wall doubles as a dynamic mindmap of the event, enabling anyone (at the event or not) to gain a high level map of what attendees are thinking about.

The wall will be nurtured and navigated by Dan and I with the noble support of some special invited guests in order to help make sense of it all.

As the patterns emerge in the tags, and the bubbles begin to rise, so the topical conversations can begin - the wall is now a springboard to help attendees self-organise their own breakout conversations based on the patterns in the tags. Attendees will be given bamboo poles with labels on them and let loose to take those ideas forward in any way they chose.

Conversations can bubble up serendipitously, and there will be specific ‘bubble bursting’ moments when we facilitate the breakouts.

Ed says he and Dan Dixon first experimented with Live Tag Surfing at a gathering of Bristol’s Grumpy Man collective in 2007. Are there any pictures, Ed?

I’m really happy with the venue we’ve chosen, as it sprinkles a certain magic. The Rochelle School in Shoreditch, East London, is based in the Boundary Estate, one of the oldest areas of social housing in London and which managed to escape the war-time bombing which that part of East London suffered very directly from. The School is now a workspace to a community of artists and designers, and has a great feel of creativity and calm. It’s like a haven in the midst of the city, perfect for the festival feel we are trying to create. I’m imagining July sunshine streaming into the courtyard and onto the roof terrace as people find their way into the secret garden over the two days of the event. Though of course, like any good festival, there may well be rain to contend with.

On the programme side, we’re now getting lots of suggestions from people about who they would like to see speak, sessions they want to host, and ideas they would like to see discussed. Gone are the days of traditional debates and conference formats where you plan your programme with a good 12 weeks to go - it’s much more exciting to enable people to participate and create an events like this where people can dictate (and then create) what they want it to be. The job then becomes about creating an infrastructure rather than dictating content. And it’s more of a bare knuckle ride because you’re never quite sure what will happen.

More soon on how it’s developing.

Jess

Producer, Germination

www.germination.co.uk

• connect and collaborate with pioneers of change from media, technology, social enterprises, public policy and the creative industries
• contribute to the development and design of the festival
• find out more about leading edge developments in media technologies and how they can support social progress
• meet with Channel 4 executives, find out and contribute ideas into ‘the biggest ever single interventions in publicly useful social media in Britain’ 4IP >
• join us for two parties and awards ceremonies

More details here >, and how to register >

You can find the model in more detail on the wiki that I’m using for early thoughts. If it works I’ll bring it on to this site. In essence, it suggests we look for people who will propose problems, people who will enable solutions, and others who will provide support. Already initiatives like Social Innovation Camp are providing the convening space to bring these interests together. 2gether08 will be an additional convening space. One of the first actions will be identify existing convenors and ask them to set up spaces at or linked to 2gether. We will also invite them to share their experience of moving from convening to deliver of projects, policies and inspirations.

The team developing the 2gether Festival got together on May 15, and it was great opportunity to ask each of them for their perspective on how the Festival is developing.

Steve Moore, who is leading development of 2gether, explained that it is an opportunity for those who want to change the world to develop problem-solving ideas with those have the tools provided by new technologies. Steve has been working in the field for several years - and the Festival will help pull together the many projects and streams of activity that have emerged around web-enabled social innovation. Steve is working with Channel4, who are supporting the Festival. They will be explaining what their new 4IP fund may be able to offer innovators.

Steve Bridger has worked extensively with charities, and how they can best use social technologies. He is exploring some of the key topics that will provide a framework for the Festival, ranging from Fairtrade and micro-philanthropy, to a possible new role for charity shops.

Anthony Bennett is development director of the A Foundation, which a few years ago bought the Rochelle School, the venue for the Festival. He explains its history, and how it is now home to a colony of artists.

Jess Tyrrell is organising and structuring the two days. She explained how the aim is to provide a mix of structured sessions, and opportunities for those coming to create their own conversation and problem-solving spaces.

Mick Fealty will be using his connections as a political blogger to bring politicans and policy makers into the Festival.