Simon Atkinson:
Educational Development, e-Learning and Future Thinking

Simon Atkinson is an educational developer with specialist interests in the future of tertiary education and strategic planning in the light of technologically driven social change. Whether you are a commercial or educational organization, learning in the future will be different. Foresight planning or 'Futures Thinking' allows organisations to anticipate future environments and plan sensibly.

Current University based research examines the impact of online social networking tools on cultural interactions, on the relationship between the values of academe in knowledge creation and the impact of technology on sustaining those values in learners. Simon is currently working on a number of frameworks to support academics engagement with technology. His contributions to the DiAL-e Framework (Digital Artefacts for Learner Engagement) are available at http://simonatkinson.blip.tv

Capacity building for new modes of delivery

Simon has provided consultancy since 1996, focused primarily around capacity building for flexible, distance and on-line delivery of tertiary education in the context of institutional strategies for e-Learning tools. He provides tailored workshops and professional development programmes for learning & teaching staff across all disciplines.

Links to some Presentations & Workshops are available here.

You can contact Simon on spa@sijen.com

Background

He is Strategic e-Learning Advisor to the College of Education, Massey University, New Zealand.

He was formally Acting Director of the Learning & Teaching Support Unit, Head of the Centre for Learning Development, and Head of eLearning at the University of Hull from 2003-2008.

Prior to joining Hull, Simon was part of the Academic Professional Development Programme of the Institute for Educational Technology (Open University-UK) 2001-2003, and the Centre for Continuing Education at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand 1999-2001. He has also worked in development at the University of Oxford Campaign and in continuing education at Exeter University UK