Digital Fair and 50th Anniversary Dinner, Geelong Grammar

Keynote address by Emeritus Professor Denise Bradley AC

50th Anniversary Dinner

Digital Fair Word of Mouse workshop session

Dr Lawrie Shears (Sir James Darling Medal 2009) and Carl Stevens

Professor Geoff Masters (College Medallist 2009) and Professor Denise Bradley AC

Mal Lee Leadership workshop session

The Digital Fair held at Geelong Grammar School, Corio Campus in Geelong, Victoria from 15 to 17 April 2009 was indeed a chance to celebrate the power and skills of our enabling profession and the 50th year of the Australian College of Educators.

The Digital Fair Word of Mouse provided many opportunities for delegates to exchange ideas, update information and skills, and develop an awareness of recent advances in emerging technologies.  The Digital Fair attracted key decision and policy makers at primary, secondary, and tertiary educational institutions as well as government agencies, classroom practitioners across all sectors and levels, school leaders and ICT experts. The Digital Fair was an outstanding success members were able to integrate both the theoretical and practical aspects of digital education. Many delegates commented on the outstanding keynote speakers who painted a broad picture of education and those presenters who integrated education and connectivity to the cultural and educational world of young people.

The Digital Fair program included keynote speakers, paper presentations, workshops and panel sessions. Keynote speakers and invited guest included;

• Greg Whitby presentation focused on key elements underpinning a new model of schooling for today's world: de-privatising teacher practice, personalising student learning and ICTs as enablers to facilitate deep learning. Presentation Supporting Schools, Supporting Learning: a system approach to 21^st century learning.
• Mark Pesce, has been exploring the frontiers of media and technology for a quarter of a century. He is a panelist on the hit ABC show The New Inventors. Presentation Digital Citizenship can be viewed at http://blog.futurestreetconsulting.com/
• Emeritus Professor Denise Bradley AC, President of the Australian College of Educators and Chair of the Bradley Review of Higher Education. Presentation The Wealth of Nations.
• John Connell, from the UK is the Education Strategist and Business Development Manager for Cisco covering Latin America, Africa, Middle East, Eastern Europe and Russia. John also led the world class Scottish schools Digital Network project for six years. Presentation The Joy of Learning can be viewed at www.johnconnell.co.uk/blog
• Gerry White interests are the development and take up of the internet in education and training as well as research into learning environments, diverse modes of delivery of education, development and use of internet resources and services in education, development of virtual education communities, the effects of collaboration and learning using online technologies. Presentation Virtually Learning Better: What Have WE Learnt.
• Dr Evan Arthur from DEEWR, who is currently responsible for managing the Digital Education Revolution program and is the chair of the body advising Commonwealth, State and Territory Ministers on issues associated with the use of ICT in education.

Check out three video streams from the Fair at http://www.austcolled.com.au/announcement/two-video-streams-digital-fair-geelong-april-2009

The social program enriched the total Digital Fair experience. The welcome cocktail reception was held at the Waterfront Campus Deakin University and Dr Colin Mason Director of the Institute of Teaching Deakin University welcomed delegates to the university.

The gala dinner provided a chance to mark the College's 50th Anniversary and to celebrate the unique organisation of the Australian College of Educators. The 50^th Anniversary Dinner will long be remembered by those who attended. Dr Lawrie Shears, one of the Founders of the Australian College of Educators attended the dinner and was the recipient of Victoria's Sir James Darling Medal. Professor Geoff Masters was awarded the College Medal for 2009 for his outstanding contribution to education at local, national and international levels.

At the time of its establishment ACE was the world's first professional association for all educators and one of the international speakers, John Connell, commented that he had not seen an equivalent organisation in his work. Dr (later Sir James) Darling was the driving force for the establishment of the Australian College of Educators and the Foundation Meeting took place at Geelong Grammar in May 1959.