Hi-tech educators attract Apple's eye

Two University of Adelaide staff have been recognised by the multinational computer and software company Apple as leaders in the educational use of digital technology.

Mr Allan Carrington and Dr Ian Green have been invited by Apple to join a select group of professionals from around the globe, known as Apple Distinguished Educators (ADEs), who have expertise in digital education.

Admission to the ADE program is recognition for work that integrates technology into curricula and learning environments in meaningful and innovative ways.

Members of the program have unique professional development opportunities. They engage with each other and with the company on experiences, projects and ideas, and in turn Apple provides ADE members with knowledge of its technologies and solutions.

Mr Carrington is a Learning Designer with the University's Centre for Learning and Professional Development, while Dr Green runs the Career Researcher programs in the University's Graduate Centre.

Both are known within education circles for their work involving podcasts of interviews from various higher education conferences. Their use of technology fits well within Apple's ideal of professionals "committed to the promise of educational technology in the classroom and beyond".

Both Dr Green and Mr Carrington said they were honoured to become Apple Distinguished Educators.

"Educators who are part of the Apple Learning Interchange represent a community of people who think outside the box and are leading on the issues of improving student 'Interaction, Relevance and Engagement'," Mr Carrington said.

"Being ADEs will help us collaborate with and contribute to a creative educational professional community and improve learning and teaching at the University of Adelaide."

Dr Green's work at the University involves researcher education, while Mr Carrington's work is in "learning with technology".

"In our day-to-day jobs, Allan and I are both vitally interested in the setting up of dynamic online communities which have effective and user-friendly collaborative tools, and which not only disseminate knowledge but proactively seek to build new knowledges," Dr Green said.

"This is really what much of our podcasting work has been about - not just promoting and broadcasting topics of interest to higher education researchers and teachers, but the creation of ongoing dialogue about, and refinement of, those topics.

"To quote the tag line that we use in our podcast programs, it helps us understand how we can 'extend the wisdom' to the wider higher education community."

Mr Carrington said: "Having networked with educators using the Apple platform for more than 15 years, I've found them to be highly innovative, 'passionate for positive learning outcomes' sort of people.

"Apple's digital hub philosophy empowers educators to create engaging learning objects that can have e-assessment embedded in them, and they can align themselves better to the way the next generation is learning.

"This has relevance to all learners, too. Sometimes digital systems are thought to be only important for off-campus students, but these new developments are also radically transforming the whole nature of face-to-face learning and teaching.

"Being ADEs gives us access to the 'best of the best' of educators pushing the envelope with this sort of curriculum development. The outcomes from this collaboration could be very beneficial here at the University."

Story by David Ellis