Bruce Dixon, Conference Host 

Bruce has spent more than 25 years experience seeking ways that we can improve the learning experiences of young people through technology.

He is a co-founder of Computelec, and is now retained as a Special Advisor to the company. He consults to schools, School Districts, and Education Departments, as well as technology companies such as Microsoft, HP-Compaq, Apple, Bertelsmann and Toshiba.

Over the past 3 years, Bruce has also worked in the US, Canada, Germany, UK and New Zealand, and has been invited to speak at Conferences in Korea, Thailand, Italy, Singapore, Taiwan, Philippines, Japan as well as Australia and several North American states.

Stephen Paul, John Paul College, QLD

Mr Stephen Paul has had over twenty years experience as a Principal in four schools. He has been Headmaster of John Paul College since 1998. Prior to this, he was an experienced principal in the Queensland Education Department and, more recently, a principal of Townsville Grammar School. He holds qualifications in education and business administration from The University of Queensland and the Queensland University of Technology respectively. He has been the author of a number of textbooks and has contributed over many years to conferences and publications in relation to education administration, leadership and curriculum at state and national level.

Gary Stager, Pepperdine University, US

For 24 years, Gary Stager, an internationally recognized educator, speaker and consultant, has helped learners of all ages on six continents embrace the power of computers as intellectual laboratories and vehicles for self-expression. He led professional development in the world's first laptop schools (1990), has designed online graduate school programs since the mid-90s and is a collaborator in the MIT Media Lab's Future of Learning Group.

Mr. Stager's doctoral research involved the creation a high-tech alternative learning environment for incarcerated at-risk teens. Recent work includes teaching and mentoring in Victoria's "most troubled" state schools. Gary is Editor-At-Large of District Administration Magazine, Adjunct Professor at Pepperdine University, author of Exceeding Expectations for Apple Computer and an Associate of the Thornburg Center for Professional Development. In 1999, Converge Magazine named Gary a "shaper of our future and inventor of our destiny." (more biographical info at http://www.stager.org/bio)

Mr Anwar Chan, is the Centre Manager for the BackPack.NET Centre (BPC) at the National Institute of Education (NIE), Singapore. BPC oversees the Educational R&D, Pilots & Trials and the Classroom of the Future showcase under the BackPack.NET program. The centre is a strategic educational think-tank that focuses on:

• educational technology research and development, to offer educators, researchers and industry a significant advantage through the incubation of innovative ideas
• evaluating the relevant use of emerging technologies, digital inking devices and innovative educational applications in schools for teaching and learning
• operating a living laboratory dedicated to showcasing and demonstrating innovative infocomm technologies for student-centric learning

His responsibilities include leading the development and application of new ideas and emerging technologies through collaboration with researchers, schools and industries around the world. The vision of the Centre is to create a consolidated approach of combining R&D, industry collaboration and showcasing of advanced prototypes in the field of education.

Keith Rothsay, Toshiba, AUS

Toshiba’s Pre Sales Technical Specialist , Keith is passionate about Mobile Technology. When new products and technology are being developed for release, Keith makes it his business to become fully versed in every aspect, so that he can then impart this knowledge on to those who are installing and maintaining product throughout our customer base. He also enjoys running regular CAP training programs throughout Australia, sharing his vast resource of knowledge.

Keith continues to be excited by the constant technological developments that come to market and how the adoption of these technologies are becoming part of all of our lives.

Helen Hepworth , Penrhos College, WA

Helen Hepworth currently manages the role of ICT coordinator in the Junior School at Penrhos College, an independent day and boarding school for girls. Her role offers her the unique opportunity to work with both staff and students from K-6. Much her time is devoted to working with staff to plan and implement classroom programs that integrate technology across all learning areas. When the programs have been developed she makes herself available as an additional resource for those teachers who feel less confident with the use of technology. This is the most exciting and rewarding part of her role as she observes the growth of confidence and expertise in both the classroom teacher and her students.

Travis Smith, Frankston High School, AUS

Travis Smith is currently the Director of Computing at Frankston High School and has been for the past 5 years. Frankston runs the largest student notebook program in a state school in Australia which began with initial research in 1992. His background is in teaching VCE Psychology and junior Geography and History rather than having an IT background. Although in charge of the technical support staff at Frankston, Travis believes that technology in schools is, and always should be, about what teaching and learning is taking place in the classroom. It is with this view that he strives to transform learning at his school through innovative use of technology. This year Frankston has embarked on Tablet notebooks for 150 year 7 students with fantastic results, further enhancing Frankston High School’s reputation as a leading state school in the application of technology in the classroom.

Michael Furdyk , TakingITGlobal.org

Michael Furdyk is the Co-founder and Director of Technology for TakingITGlobal.org, a global online community for young people, engaging hundreds of thousands of youth in over 200 countries and territories. In the past, he has turned his interest in technology into a series of successful online companies, co-founding MyDesktop.com in 1997 (later sold to Internet.com in 1999) and BuyBuddy.com in 1999 (which closed a $4.5-million round of funding in late 2000). Over the last few years, Michael has consulted for many Fortune 500 companies, including a 6-month engagement with Microsoft in Seattle, Washington.

As one of Teen People's "20 teens that will change the world", Michael has shared his opinions about Youth Engagement and experiences as a member of the Net Generation by speaking at dozens of events, including the US Government's National Youth Summit, two of Microsoft's Anytime, Anywhere Learning Summits, The Business Council, and TED. He has made numerous media appearances including The Oprah Winfrey Show, Time Magazine, Fast Company, BusinessWeek, CNN, MSNBC, and USA Today. He is an advisor to Microsoft, Pollution Probe, Future Possibilities, and several other national and global organizations

Adrian Bruce, Emmanuel Anglican College Ballina, NSW

Adrian Bruce is considered by many in the field of education to be an exemplary user of Information and Communication Technology in the modern classroom.

First and foremost Adrian is a classroom teacher. He works 4 days a week in a K-12 school as an integration specialist and then freelances as an ICT education consultant on the other day.

Adrian is a frequent speaker at Australian & now New Zealand ICT conferences and has recently had several articles published in Australian Educational journals. He is also often quoted in newspapers and magazines as ‘someone in the know’ in relation to ICT and education.

In recent years, Adrian has received several awards for his work - first place in the Global Virtual Classroom collaborative learning award - an honourable mention in the Global Schools Network Tele-collaborative Teacher of the Year Award - and last year saw the Federal Minister for Education in Australia present him with a Microsoft Innovative Teacher of the Year Award which had him jet off to Seoul South Korea to take part in the Microsoft Innovative Teachers’ Summit.

In his ‘spare time’ Adrian maintains a website that ‘gives back’ to the Internet by making printable teaching resources freely available to anyone in the world with access to the site.

Come along to Adrian’s session to be inspired and motivated towards the possibilities of ICT in the classroom while he shares with us some of the insights and processes that he has gained so far on his ‘technology journey’.

David Nettlebeck, VIC

David Nettelbeck has held senior teaching and administrative positions at a number of schools in Australia and Tanzania, and conducts professional development workshops for teachers in all states of Australia. David believes that computers offer an ideal means for educators to engage their students, using a resource that is familiar to them. He also believes that technology offers teachers like himself a fresh, exciting way to think about their approach to teaching and how students learn.

Gary Stager, Pepperdine University, US

For 24 years, Gary Stager, an internationally recognized educator, speaker and consultant, has helped learners of all ages on six continents embrace the power of computers as intellectual laboratories and vehicles for self-expression. He led professional development in the world's first laptop schools (1990), has designed online graduate school programs since the mid-90s and is a collaborator in the MIT Media Lab's Future of Learning Group.

Mr. Stager's doctoral research involved the creation a high-tech alternative learning environment for incarcerated at-risk teens. Recent work includes teaching and mentoring in Victoria's "most troubled" state schools. Gary is Editor-At-Large of District Administration Magazine, Adjunct Professor at Pepperdine University, author of Exceeding Expectations for Apple Computer and an Associate of the Thornburg Center for Professional Development. In 1999, Converge Magazine named Gary a "shaper of our future and inventor of our destiny." (more biographical info at http://www.stager.org/bio)

Paul Kerr, Ivanhoe Grammar School, VIC

Paul has been at Ivanhoe Grammar for six years in the secondary area teaching senior Information Technology, Commerce and Humanities and Years 7 and 9. Paul's main role is in curriculum development and staff professional development.

Josie Hopkins, Ivanhoe Grammar School, VIC

Ray Lai, Heulab, SG

Ray Lai, Operations Manager of HeuLab Pte Ltd (also known as Heulab), joined Heulab in May 2004, Singapore.

1. Mr. Lai oversees a team of programmers for Heulab’s product development, including the whole suite of FunPack Series products.
2. With Mr. Lai’s extensive experience in IT deployment, his responsibilities involve the management of projects locally and internationally. He has successfully deployed Heulab’s applications for over 1000 Tablet PCs at Crescent Girls’ School, Singapore as well as close to 1000 Tablet PCs in several high schools in Singapore such as Catholic High School, Nan Hua Secondary School, Fairfield Methodist Secondary School, and Anglo-Chinese School (Independent)

Within a short span of two months, Mr. Lai has also deployed Heulab’s applications for 500 Tablet PCs overseas in Indonesia, Taiwan, Brunei and Thailand.

As an Operations Manager for Heulab, Mr. Lai also conducts end-user application training in the form of training workshops for both customers and interested educational institutions.

Margaret Meijers, New Town High School, TAS

Margaret Meijers is curriculum coordinator for ICT at New Town High School, a large government high school for boys in Hobart, Tasmania.  Margaret uses constructivist pedagogies and believes in using technology to create powerful learning environments where ICT tools are used for collaboration, to enhance thinking skills, engage students and help those with special needs to learn.  A large focus of her teaching is the use of games in learning.  Margaret recently won the Australian Microsoft Innovative Teacher Award and the Teaching Australia Best National Achievement by a Teacher.

Adrian Bruce, Emmanuel Anglican College Ballina NSW

Adrian Bruce is considered by many in the field of education to be an exemplary user of Information and Communication Technology in the modern classroom.

First and foremost Adrian is a classroom teacher. He works 4 days a week in a K-12 school as an integration specialist and then freelances as an ICT education consultant on the other day.

Adrian is a frequent speaker at Australian & now New Zealand ICT conferences and has recently had several articles published in Australian Educational journals. He is also often quoted in newspapers and magazines as ‘someone in the know’ in relation to ICT and education.

In recent years, Adrian has received several awards for his work - first place in the Global Virtual Classroom collaborative learning award - an honourable mention in the Global Schools Network Tele-collaborative Teacher of the Year Award - and last year saw the Federal Minister for Education in Australia present him with a Microsoft Innovative Teacher of the Year Award which had him jet off to Seoul South Korea to take part in the Microsoft Innovative Teachers’ Summit.

In his ‘spare time’ Adrian maintains a website that ‘gives back’ to the Internet by making printable teaching resources freely available to anyone in the world with access to the site.

Come along to Adrian’s session to be inspired and motivated towards the possibilities of ICT in the classroom while he shares with us some of the insights and processes that he has gained so far on his ‘technology journey’.

Darryl Hearsch, Wenona, NSW

Darryl's background is in Chemistry having taught senior chemistry and junior science for 27 years. He is a self taught learner as far as IT goes and started off using ICT in his classes in the early days by using Chemistry and Biology CD’s that were available. Darryl now uses ICT in his classes as his main teaching tool and enjoys experimenting and using any of the new technologies that are available in schools. Darryl experiments with Blogs, Wiki’s, Podcasts to name a few and loves using games in learning as much as possible. He is currently studying Cert 3 in Multimedia and has completed CCNA at UTS. Darryl also take VET IT at Wenona.

Helen Feutrill, Scotch College, VIC

Helen Feutrill works at Scotch College as an information specialist. As well as classroom teaching, her role is to work with students to improve their use of the Internet and also to assist teachers in developing materials which incorporate best practice IT into their curriculum.

Ian Thomas, Saint Kentigern, NZ

Ian Thomas has redeveloped Media Studies since hefirst arrived at the College 4 years ago. This subject now surpasses standard curriculum requirements and encourages students to take media communication to another level, challenging the boundaries and participants gain invaluable experience in various aspects of the industry. Previously Paul worked in IT for a telecommunications company while writing for television.

Janine Waixel, Frankston High School, VIC

Janine is a SSO who is employed as ICT Curriculum Design and Support Facilitator. She has been employed at Frankston High School for 9 years and just over 1 1/2 years in her current role. She is dedicated to ensuring students and staff benefit using  ICT both in and out of the classroom.

Leanne Guillon, Carey Baptist Grammar School, VIC

Leanne is a teacher of French with an interest in eLearning and the ways we can engage the digital natives in our classrooms. She enjoys bringing the French speaking world to the classroom using technology and enhancing student learning by allowing them to use different software to produce and practice their language.

Linda Hayman, Geelong Grammar School, VIC

In 2005 Linda became the ICT Applications & Project Manager at Geelong Grammar School.

Margaret Meijers, New Town High School, TAS

Margaret Meijers is curriculum coordinator for ICT at New Town High School, a large government high school for boys in Hobart, Tasmania.  Margaret uses constructivist pedagogies and believes in using technology to create powerful learning environments where ICT tools are used for collaboration, to enhance thinking skills, engage students and help those with special needs to learn.  A large focus of her teaching is the use of games in learning.  Margaret recently won the Australian Microsoft Innovative Teacher Award and the Teaching Australia Best National Achievement by a Teacher.

Lucy Francis, Frankston High School, VIC

Lucy Francis is an English/ESL teacher who has had the fortunate luck of working in a very innovative technology school for the last 5 years. Lucy teaches laptop classes but has also used technology in non laptop classes too.  Lucy believes in using technology as a tool to visually think, produce andcommunicate as stipulated by the new Victorian curriculum; and this doesn’t have to be difficult for teachers, but in fact an exciting journey to take with your students – they may be also in awe of you!!

Michael Valentine, Hale Junior School, WA

Michael Valentine is Headmaster of Hale Junior School where he has lead the introduction of Notebook Technology into Years 4 to 7 over the past 5 years.  He teaches extensively in Year 7 and is responsible for the development of the School’s Literature Based Reading, Research, Writing and Technology curriculum.  He has presented to numerous conferences and to parent groups on this curriculum and the importance of creative, inspired teaching programs being utilized in technology rich schools.  Michael was a key-note presenter at ELH 2004.

Nicole Caporn, Penrhos College, WA

Nicole Caporn has worked as a teacher for the past 9 years.  In 2002 she took up a position at Penrhos College in the ICT area, teaching specialist multimedia classes and providing support via PD for teachers in using ICT as a tool to enhance teaching-learning.  Since 2004 she has been focused on developing her interest in computer graphics moving from 2D to 3D applications in light of WA’s new curriculum changes.

Paul Kerr, Ivanhoe Grammar School, VIC

Paul Kerr has been at Ivanhoe Grammar for six years in the secondary area teaching senior Information Technology, Commerce and Humanities and Years 7 and 9. Paul's main role is in curriculum development and staff professional development.

Ray Lai, Heulab, SG

Ray Lai, Operations Manager of HeuLab Pte Ltd (also known as Heulab), joined Heulab in May 2004, Singapore.

1. Mr. Lai oversees a team of programmers for Heulab’s product development, including the whole suite of FunPack Series products.
2. With Mr. Lai’s extensive experience in IT deployment, his responsibilities involve the management of projects locally and internationally. He has successfully deployed Heulab’s applications for over 1000 Tablet PCs at Crescent Girls’ School, Singapore as well as close to 1000 Tablet PCs in several high schools in Singapore such as Catholic High School, Nan Hua Secondary School, Fairfield Methodist Secondary School, and Anglo-Chinese School (Independent)

Within a short span of two months, Mr. Lai has also deployed Heulab’s applications for 500 Tablet PCs overseas in Indonesia, Taiwan, Brunei and Thailand.

As an Operations Manager for Heulab, Mr. Lai also conducts end-user application training in the form of training workshops for both customers and interested educational institutions.

Rose Elsom, Lauriston Girls School, VIC

Rose has many years experience as a teacher of IT in years 7 - 12 and completed a Masters of Information Technology in Education in 2001. As Director of IT (Education) at Lauriston Girls’ School, Rose is responsible for the management of the school’s intranet and website, staff IT professional development programs, Student and Staff Notebook Programs and IT Curriculum K-12.

Richard Crighton, Knox Grammar School, NSW

Richard Crighton has been the Head of Geography at Knox Grammar School since July 2003. Prior to that Richard was Head of Geography at Camberwell Grammar School (VIC), 2002 to July 2003 and at Melbourne Grammar School as a Geography Teacher from 1988-1994.

Dr Heather Evans, John Douglas, Stuart Deane, Rob Flavell, Trinity Grammar School, VIC

Dr Heather Evans has been involved in education for over 30 years- across all year levels. Currently she is the Coordinator of Teaching and Learning Strategies at Trinity Grammar School. She enjoys actively exploring new methods and technologies to enhance her teaching, and her students’ learning.

Mr John Douglas is the current ICT Coordinator at one of Melbourne's most innovative and technological advanced Junior Schools in the state. With Interactive Whiteboards in every classroom in the Junior School and over 50 on campus John's role involves the development of Professional Development, school tours for interest groups and updating staff on new and current trends in ICT.

Mr Stuart Deane is an educator with 13 years classroom experience at Caulfield Grammar and Methodist Ladies' College and as a school IT consultant established LearnIT in 2000. Stuart has extensive knowledge and expertise as an IT trainer in professional development for classroom teachers and administration staff. Stuart currently consults to Trinity and Firbank.

Mr Rob Flavell worked as a teacher of Outdoor Education, Information Technology and Systems Technology for several years before making the switch to full time eLearning development at Trinity Grammar School, Kew. In this role he has designed, programmed and implemented a fully dynamic intranet, an online curriculum development tool, SchoolTool (presented at ELH 2002) and several other collaborative online tools to assist with promoting a constructivist approach to learning and teaching.

Suzanne Arnott, Elisabeth Murdoch College, VIC

Suzanne started her teaching career teaching Art and Textiles across Years 7 - 10, this then progressed to teaching mainly Photography at the senior levels. Suzanne was inspired by the conference “Still Photography” to step out of her comfort zone in traditional black and white processes and techniques to further explore the digital realm. Photoshop 2 was being used then, and she has seen this tool develop from then to what it is today. Suzanne use Photoshop with my students in Photography, VET Multimedia as well as her own art works.

Wendy Keen, Dromana Secondary College, VIC

Wendy has been a maths/science/psychology teacher for the past 18 years in the state system. As computer access in the classroom has increased Wendy has strived to adapt and integrate ICT to improve teaching and learning. In her current position as LT Coordinator, she am working hard to provide all staff with opportunities to use ICT in the classroom.

Sue Innes , Educational Experience, VIC

Sue Inness is a former Victorian Primary School teacher who has taught in five different rural and city schools as a grade teacher and art specialist. For the last 26 years Sue has been involved in curriculum days, conferences, network meetings and professional development in the areas of art, technology, mathematics and science. Sue is a general curriculum Education Consultant for Educational Experience and her specialist areas are robotics, datalogging and mechanical systems in science and technology. She is also actively involved with Robocup Junior Australia, the national robotics competition for school students. Sue's workshops present realistic solutions and classroom approaches with practical teaching techniques.

Michael Furdyk, TakingITGlobal.org

Michael Furdyk is the Co-founder and Director of Technology for TakingITGlobal.org, a global online community for young people, engaging hundreds of thousands of youth in over 200 countries and territories. In the past, he has turned his interest in technology into a series of successful online companies, co-founding MyDesktop.com in 1997 (later sold to Internet.com in 1999) and BuyBuddy.com in 1999 (which closed a $4.5-million round of funding in late 2000). Over the last few years, Michael has consulted for many Fortune 500 companies, including a 6-month engagement with Microsoft in Seattle, Washington.

As one of Teen People's "20 teens that will change the world", Michael has shared his opinions about Youth Engagement and experiences as a member of the Net Generation by speaking at dozens of events, including the US Government's National Youth Summit, two of Microsoft's Anytime, Anywhere Learning Summits, The Business Council, and TED. He has made numerous media appearances including The Oprah Winfrey Show, Time Magazine, Fast Company, BusinessWeek, CNN, MSNBC, and USA Today. He is an advisor to Microsoft, Pollution Probe, Future Possibilities, and several other national and global organizations

Walter Chieng, Saint Kentigern College, NZ

Walter Chieng is the Director of ICT of Saint Kentigern College, New Zealand, a role which has continued to develop as the College 'matures' in its integration of Information and Communications Technology into curriculum and business practices. His position involves providing strategic leadership in developing and maintaining systems to provide teaching staff and students with the tools and ready access to resources to enrich/extend their teaching and learning experiences.

Lloyd Brown, Henrico County Public Schools, Virginia, US

Lloyd Brown is the Director of Technology and Information Services for the Henrico Public School District in Virginia, which was the first District in the United States to supply laptops to all students in Grades 5 and above across all schools- a total of around 30,000 students and teachers. Lloyd manages a team of over 60 staff who manage all their schools' technology services, built around a core Central staff supporting other team members in schools.

Gary Stager, US

Since 1982, Gary has helped learners of all ages embrace the power of computers as intellectual laboratories and vehicles for self-expression. He led professional development in the world's first laptop schools, designed online graduate school programs and is a collaborator in the MIT Media Lab's Future of Learning Group. He is Editor-At-Large of District Administration Magazine, Adjunct Professor at Pepperdine University and an Associate of the Thornburg Center. In 1999, Converge Magazine named Gary Stager a "shaper of our future and inventor of our destiny."

Graham Hughes, Knox Grammar School, NSW

Graham Hughes is completing is 29th year of teaching at Knox and is continually searching for tools that will make the classroom experience more exciting and relevant for his students. Graham teaches General Science and HSC Biology, for the last 5 years using notebooks and this year a Tablet PC to assist with the learning processes."

Margaret Meijers, New Town High School, TAS

Margaret Meijers is curriculum coordinator for ICT at New Town High School, a large government high school for boys in Hobart, Tasmania.  Margaret uses constructivist pedagogies and believes in using technology to create powerful learning environments where ICT tools are used for collaboration, to enhance thinking skills, engage students and help those with special needs to learn.  A large focus of her teaching is the use of games in learning.  Margaret recently won the Australian Microsoft Innovative Teacher Award and the Teaching Australia Best National Achievement by a Teacher.

Lisa-Gaye Williams, St Philip's Christian College's Port Stephens campus, NSW

Lisa-Gaye Williams teaches in the Middle School at St Philip's Christian College's Port Stephens campus. She has been teaching for 21 years in 4 states of Australia, originally in English and History at Secondary level and, for the last 7 years in Middle Schools. Lisa-Gaye is in the second year of teaching a 'Core Studies' Yr 7/8 class of independent learners. She teaches English, History, Geography, Faith & Life, and Personal Development/ Health in an IT rich classroom. Lisa-Gaye's own IT expertise has developed exponentially over the last 3 years and has been greatly enabled by online collaboration with other teachers of similar mindset about empowering students' learning.