Conference 2018 Keynote Speakers

Dr Richard Millwood BSC, PhD, FBCS & CITP, FRSA and member of the CESI Executive CommitteeDr Richard Millwood is Visiting Research Fellow in the School of Computer Science & Statistics, Trinity College Dublin and for the last four years was director for the MSc in Technology & Learning and supervising six PhD students in the Centre for Research in Information Technology in Education. He gained a BSc in Mathematics & Physics at King’s College London in 1976 and became a school teacher of Mathematics and Computer Studies. From 1980 to 1990 he led the software development of educational simulations in the Computers in the Curriculum Project at Chelsea College London. He then worked with Professor Stephen Heppell to create Ultralab, the learning technology research centre at Anglia Polytechnic University, acting as head from 2005 to 2007. He then researched innovation in online higher education in the Institute for Educational Cybernetics at the University of Bolton until 2013, gaining a PhD by Practice ‘The Design of Learner-centred, Technology-enhanced Education’. Current research interests at Trinity College Dublin include learning programming and computational thinking.  He is acting as developer and facilitator for the CESI•CS community of practice, coordinating advice to the NCCA on computational thinking in Primary and working on the OurKidsCode project to support

Elizabeth Oldham is a lecturer at Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin.  After teaching Mathematics, Applied Mathematics and RE in Alexandra College, Dublin, she was appointed to the School of Education in Trinity, where she was largely responsible for introducing units on “computers in education” – later, on many aspects of IT in education – to Bachelor in Education, Higher Diploma in Education and Master’s programmes.  Since retiring from a full-time post, she lectures on mathematics education in the School of Mathematics. She is a founder member of the Centre for Research in IT in Education (CRITE), a collaboration between the School of Education and the School of Computer Science & Statistics.  Her work outside Trinity included teaching on Department of Education summer courses in the 1980s and 1990s, in particular for the Computer Studies option in Leaving Certificate Mathematics and then the Computer Studies course in the Junior Cycle. A member of CESI almost from its inception, she has aimed to promote the Society in its dual role as a subject association for computing courses and an advocacy and support group for all aspects of the use of IT in education.

Shaping Tomorrow Today … Starting with Yesterday

This keynote will examine the role of the Computers in Education Society of Ireland by reflecting on the roots, shoots and re-boots that have been seen over the last forty five years in Ireland. The talk will also review the current impact made by CESI in the education scene of Ireland and speculate on some challenges to be faced in the near future. The talk is in three sections, ‘Where have we been?’, ‘What are we up to now?’ and ‘What next?’. The audience will be invited to take part in considering the challenges and debates; to do so they are requested, if they have a Microbit and batteries for it, to bring them along – some equipment will be available for people who do not have their own.

“Stephen Howell used to say he was a former teacher, former software engineer, and former lecturer. Now at the end of a 5-year career break from public service, he finds himself doing more teaching, software engineering, and lecturing than ever before.

He is a PhD Candidate in SMARTlab, School of Mechanical & Materials Engineering, University College Dublin. His research focuses on Inclusive Design and Intelligent Cloud – including AR/VR/MR applications for users with physical and learning challenges. His software on Computational Thinking education with kinaesthetic learning is used by thousands of researchers and educators worldwide to build gestural user interfaces for therapeutic games and interactive art.

Stephen first discovered CESI when his Head of Dept. in IT Tallaght suggested he present at the first ever TeachMeet in Ireland (organised by Mags Amond in 2009). Since then he has been privileged to participate at every CESICon, present at over a dozen TeachMeets and over 450 events, conferences, and seminars in 8 countries.

He is a native of Louth where he lives with @AileenH and their 2 girls and 2 boys.”

Twitter: https://twitter.com/saorog
LinkedIn: https://ie.linkedin.com/in/stephenrichardhowell

Capstone: “Shaping Tomorrow Today”

The choices about how and what we teach in a decade or more should not be made without your input. Right now, the key decision makers are deciding our future, and we need to influence them to ensure that our story is heard. Rather than drowning in data, we must visualise raw data and transform it to show insights. CESI is a unique community in Ireland with educators, industry practitioners and researchers from a multitude of disciplines and levels. If we view connections between CESI members as a network graph, we discover the links between us that could enable you to bridge a divide, introduce colleagues or suggest a collaboration. If we visualise the published data on schools, colleges, and students, insights continue to emerge. In this visual and interactive presentation, we’ll challenge assumptions about ourselves and the education system, and have some fun along the way.