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| Minister of Education and Human Resource Development, Ronald Jones (FP)?? |
Educators, heads of international organisations, private sector personnel, union representatives and parliamentarians are expected to be part of the inaugural Barbados Technology in Education Conference (BTEC) when it opens next week at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre (LESC), Two Mile Hill St. Michael.
The event is being hosted by the Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development from March 14 to 17, under the theme Transforming Barbadian Education: Learning Powered through Technology.
Minister of Education and Human Resource Development, Ronald Jones, will officially open BTEC 2012 at the LESC on Wednesday, March 14, at 7:00 p.m. He is expected to address the impact of Information technology usage within the education sector in Barbados and its implication for training and development in the future.
Keynote speaker is Angel Dubon Marchelli, Microsoft’s Regional Manager for the Caribbean and Latin America. It is anticipated that Mr. Marchelli will look at??Innovative Teaching and Learning 2011 Findings and Implications. He will examine trends and global initiatives in which Microsoft is involved and give brief demonstrations.
Dubon Marchelli leads the Microsoft Partners in Learning Programs in Latin America and is responsible for the company’s programmes and initiatives in the area of education, as well as the relationship with regional organisations and education leaders.
Among the main facilitators for the workshops will be former Programme Director of Barbados’ Education Sector Enhancement Programme (EDUTECH), Mark Ray, who will speak on Developing ICT Learning Outcomes for Primary Schools in the Caribbean as well as Technology Integration – Digital Story Telling.??
Software Developer from Jamaica, Elaine Peck, will address Educational Software Development in the Caribbean, while Educational Technologist and Coordinator of Media Services, University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus, Patricia Atherley, will speak on Making Learning Relevant In A Technological Age – E-learning (Moodle).
Companies such as Animekon and J.P Marshall Associates will discuss Mobile Devices and Gaming in Education, and Cloud Technology In Education, respectively.?? Additionally, Toon Boom will conduct several workshops on animation in Education. Its Chief Executive Officer, Joan Vogelesang, will also bring virtual greetings to participants at the launch on March 14.
BTEC 2012 will also have an exhibition component; this will run from March 15 to 17, giving schools and the general public an opportunity to view software and hardware items provided by companies and partners in training and development.?? It will open from 9:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. daily.