I have been interviewed by Talis as part of their series of podcasts.
In this podcast, I talk with James Clay from Gloucestershire College, ALT’s Learning Technologist of the Year, 2009. James is responsible for the VLE, e-learning, mobile learning, the libraries, digital and online resources and the strategic direction of the college in relation to the use of learning technologies. We talk about the achievements of James and his team in introducing innovative technologies at the college, and how encouraging experimentation with technology has gradually changed the organisational culture. With staff using a wider range of media resources with greater confidence, it is easier for his team to embed new technologies as they alerted to new needs and expectations by diverse consultation methods they have in place with both staff and students. Students are also encouraged to use their own technologies – a neat response to funding constraints whilst simultaneously meeting student expectations. Many of the students at Gloucestershire College will be making their way towards a university course, and so it’s useful to hear James characterise those students and their relationship to technology. Indeed, it is his above all those insights that have brought James to the pragmatic position in the Is the VLE Dead debate for which he is known to many. We conclude by discussing the present and future of the VLE, and his experiences with Moodle.