Abstract:

The MirandaNet Fellowship is an international professional ‘community of practice’, free to join, specialising in educational technology (EdTech). The 1,400 members are researchers, teacher educators and teachers. EdTech companies can also become MirandaNet associate members. MirandaNet Fellows offer members the opportunity to join associate companies research and development projects, including the trialling of innovative products and services with schools and teachers. This practice-based model provides free professional development for teachers mostly undertaken in the classroom. The findings by teachers, leaders, and even the children and parents, can help to build agreed school-wide teaching and learning strategies as well as to inform the budget holders about what kind of EdTech equipment can be justified by results. In this presentation we will share the tools used in practice-based research as well as how some of the findings have impacted on schools’ policy and practice. Case studies include coverage of artificial and virtual reality, gaming in learning, home school links, promoting independent learning and using web enabled video in professional development.

Keywords:

Strategic research approach, education technology at school, teachers and leaders collaboration.