14th Annual SEDA Conference 2009

In higher education, as in life in general, it may well be true that the only constant is change. In order to cope with change we need to constantly try new ideas and approaches. However, it may also be true that some tried and tested ideas which sound ‘old hat’ are just as good or better than new innovations.This conference will focus on how innovation can be encouraged, creative solutions enabled and new arenas embraced in higher education. It will also encourage a revisit of old ideas in new contexts, or old solutions to new problems. Pedagogies and practices will be explored – with a focus on their practical application – which enhance the learning experience for students.

Conference ThemesThe conference will seek to address the following themes:

• Using learning spaces – old and new – creatively
• Employing immersive technology to best effect
• Harnessing learning technologies to benefit learning
• Recycling effective approaches in new or different contexts
• Enabling cross-fertilisation of good practice across disciplines and between institutions
• Developing networks of practice

KeynotesWe are delighted that Professor Patricia Broadfoot (Vice Chancellor of the University of Gloucestershire), Colin Beard (Faculty Teaching Fellow, Sheffield Business School at Sheffield Hallam University) and Aaron Porter (Vice President (Higher Education), National Union of Students) have agreed to provide keynotes at the conference.  

The SEDA Conference ExperienceSEDA seeks to create a relaxed, welcoming and positive atmosphere at conferences, which encourages open, constructive and supportive sharing of ideas, experience and practice.

Feedback from participants at recent SEDA conferences:

• “As always, great networking, useful sessions and lots of new ideas”
• “A very enjoyable conference. As a first timer to SEDA I found it to be an environment that positively encouraged discussion and sharing of views and ideas at all levels”
• “Valuable again – for fresh ideas and quiet reflection. I’ve made new contacts and re-affirmed older links. It’s been good! Thank you” 

Conference VenueThe 2009 annual conference will be held at the Aston Business School Conference Centre, which is located in Birmingham city centre, just a five minute taxi ride or fifteen minute walk from New Street Station. Fully residential delegates will be accommodated on-site in ensuite bedrooms.

ParticipantsThe conference will be of particular interest to all those involved in promoting effective change in HE learning, teaching and educational development. This includes:

• Educational and staff developers
• Higher Education Academy staff
• Lecturers and teachers in further and higher education
• National and institutional teaching fellows
• Centre for Excellence and FDTL staff
• Managers of academic departments
• Educational technologists
• Quality assurance and enhancement policy makers

Japanese DelegationSEDA was delighted to welcome a delegation of Educational Developers from Japan (Mr Kenji Kubo, Ehime University; Mr Hiroaki Sato, Ehime University; Mr Victor Carpenter, Hirosaki University; Dr Hiroshi Kijima, Hirosaki University; Dr Akifumi Ohtaka, Hirosaki University; Dr Gary Tsuchimochi,  Hirosaki University; Ms Tayo Nagasawa, Mie University; Mr Steve Fukuda, University of Tokushima; Dr Satoshi Hashimoto, University of Tokushima; Miss Junko Kagawa, University of Tokushima; Miss Sayaka Tanaka, University of Tokushima; Mr Masanori Miyata, University of Tokushima, Ms Shimada Ikuku, Kochi Women’s University; Mr Hidenori Matano, Kochi University) to the November 09 conference in Birmingham, pictured here with Celia Popovic, Ruth Pilkington, James Wisdom and David Baume. Recent Government initiatives in Japan to insist on pedagogic development for academics in Japanese Universities led to this unprecedented interest in SEDA’s activities. We were pleased to be able to offer support and advice to our colleagues in Japan, but also to learn from their experiences in what in some senses is a very different culture, and yet one which has many resonances with the UK. We hope that this is just the beginning of a collaborative relationship between SEDA and colleagues  in Japan.Some of the delegation with Carol Baume, Celia Popovic, David Baume and Fiona Campbell. One of the Japanese participants, Masanori Miyata said ‘It was like a dream to attend the conference’. ‘So it was very useful for us to attend the conference and made friends with some UK educational developers’.