Conferences

**Computing Studies Teacher's Association **

 * August 10th 2009 **

Earlier on this month, 3 teachers from Dubbo College Senior Campus took part in a Video Conference, watching two interesting parts of the nights many conferences. One of them hosted by Chris Betcher was very much of interest, and would be to most teachers in any faculty. Mix, Mash and Mine was the unique name given to the presentation and the link provided will take you to Chris Betcher's **Wiki site**, which has many other educational links of value on the site.

**Computing Studies Teacher's Association **

 * October 26th 2009 **

This VC was very interesting, as it was explained by Greg Tardiani, the DET Notebooks can gain access to the students directories through the wireless network to their folders, that was good news. Greg then gave another VC on a great little software design program called Small Basic, along with programming ideas. Again it was well worthwhile staying back at school for these VC's, and if any other IT teachers would like anymore inoformation on how to join one of these conferences, don't hesitate to ask and I'll get back to you with how.

**6th National Interactive Whiteboard Conference 2009 **
August 20th - 22nd 2009

Held at Waverley College Sydney, this conference had many good sessions attended by hundreds of teachers from all over Australia. Of particular note were the Key Note addresses, and of course, Chris Betcher (no, I'm not paying homage to him), a great speaker and knowledgeable educational speaker.

 These links will take you to Chris's lectures given at the conference and the last to the Ning site that the Interactive Whiteboard Conference set up.

I never knew you could do THAT with Flickr!
The first and last are the best of his presentations at the conference, and as usual there are many links to sights you never knew existed.

 The actual conference site, [|Ning-IWB Conference - Pushing the Boundaries with Your IWB], is a showcase of what was at the actual conference.

All these links courtesy of Chris Betcher.

Moodle Training
Having just been to the Moodle Administration course (28 and 29 Sept 09), there is a lot of information that is relevant to teachers.

 Moodle is coming out with an upgrade at the end of this year, which will make it much easier to upload files, create course content with flair and do most things you did not want to try before...stay tuned.

<span style="color: #1226ba; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;"> Also, there are a lot of help files on the **Moodle.org** that as teachers are made for you, take the time to go there and find the file that helps you rediscover the benefits of using this fabulous online learning repository.

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<span style="color: #864147; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 140%;">ACEC2010
<span style="color: #1121d0; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Click on the image below, it will lead you to a page that explains well what this conference was about. Also, Chris Betcher's Blog <span style="color: #1121d0; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">has a part of his key note address that explains a great deal of what the underlying message was throughout the conference. If teacher's were allowed by the schools to alter the way a classroom was set out, then students would want to go into the classroom, this wanting to be there surely, is conducive to learning. The only way we can prove it is for an innovative approach in a few schools to trial a different classroom concept and measure it's success over an academic year against that of a 19th century classroom set-up. **<span style="color: #1121d0; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">I've been! **

<span style="color: #864147; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 140%;">PyCon Au2010 and 2011 (both in Sydney)
You could say this conference was for pure nerds, and it would make some sense, but to those of us who are into Software Design & Development in Yrs 11 and 12, it was a great way to learn more on a language that is becoming more prevalent in all areas of Software Design.

I took two of our top Yr12 Software Design students down to Sydney's inaugural Python Conference, travelling down on Friday from Dubbo by bus to Lithgow, then train to Sydney, $40 odd for students return and $85 odd for adult return, and stayed in the Ibis Hotel across the road from World Square in Pitt Street, a mere 3 minute walk around the corner to the venue, which was the Masonic Conference Centre. We were lucky enough to score a tour around Google in Sydney on the Monday afternoon, more on that when I get the chance to sit down and take it all in. All the geeks there were from all areas of industry, and it was good to note just how many areas of industry require the services of a Software programmer, some video of the talks held will be on this site soon.

The next PyCon is in 2011 at the same venue, and to all Software Design teachers, a very worthwhile conference to go to, I thoroughly recommend it.



<span style="color: #864147; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 24px;">PyCon Au2012 - Hobart
<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Another great conference, again, for real nerds, but full of information about Python as usual and networking among those in the know. I travelled down from the Gold Coast for this event, but won't travel Jetstar again, will now pay a little extra for more comfort and such with other airlines. <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Our rooms were at the conference site, Wrestpoint, and was superb, a real nice place to stay at, just a bit expensive for food at breakfast time, but seeing this event has all other meals, I'll take a bit more for a better breakfast in 2013, which is in the same place, every 3rd year the conference is in a different place. Makes me wonder where the next event will be held, will find out at this coming conference. <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Any Software Design teachers really want to try to attend this event, very much worthwhile.