AoC Quality, Teaching, Learning and Assessment Conference 2023

Eden Network Development Ltd specialises in Quality Improvement software solutions including Observation and CPD Management, Reporting & Dashboard Tools. Curriculum Observer is an on-line solution for managing your teaching and learning observations, learning walks, peer observations, SAR, appraisals, induction checklists, compliance tracking, professional standards, course reviews, ESFA FE Workforce return and any other bespoke process using our comprehensive design tools.

Eden Network website

You will find AoC Jobs both an easy and cost-effective way to attract high-quality candidates to your organisation. We have thousands of candidates using AoC Jobs every month to find jobs within the FE sector. For more information on AoC Jobs and our advertising options, please visit our recruiter site.

AoC Jobs Website

LessonUp is a user-friendly all-in-one platform for teachers. Create interactive lessons from scratch, work with our AI assistant to save time, use ready-made lessons from our lesson library, and import your existing material. Thanks to our 10+ interactive assessment features it increases student engagement, and captures all assessment data in one safe, central place.

Lesson Up Website

Most Quality Managers are given responsibility for improving teaching and learning outcomes without being given the resources they need to succeed. So we created a platform that allows Quality Managers to offer the individualised CPD they know their teachers deserve that is scalable across entire teaching institutions, with the capacity to reach hundreds or thousands of educators at a time. We also added a unique range of social learning features designed to help busy teachers share best practices and learn and develop together.

Teachinghow2s website

Jake has been part of the wonderful world of Further Education for the last 15 years, navigating her way through a range of roles, collecting experience, ideas and a deep-rooted love of FE along the way. As Head of Digital Education at SGS College, she leads on initiatives that enhance teaching and learning and provide all stakeholders with the necessary 21st century future-proofing digital skills. Jake presented at BETT and Digifest in 2023, is a long standing MIEE within a Microsoft Showcase College and always enthusiastically shares her knowledge with colleagues from other educational institutions.

I'm Dean Blewitt, Senior Innovation and Investments Manager at NCFE, and my role revolves around managing various innovation pilots that explore the potential benefits and disbenefits of new educational technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning, and Virtual Reality/Augmented Reality. My focus lies specifically within the context of further and vocational education where NCFE operates as the third largest technical and vocational Awarding Organisation in the UK.

Evelyn is a former science teacher. She studied Physics and got into teaching to foster a passion for science. In the classroom, however, it became clear that there was something quite fundamental missing for many learners. They weren’t able to confidently speak to peers or adults, they struggled to be creative or work logically through problems, and teamwork often ended in tears! A lack of transferable skills became a barrier to learning. Evelyn joined Skills Builder Partnership in 2016 and is now Director of Education, leading the team who work with over 500 schools and colleges globally.

Peter has worked in FE as a lecturer, Curriculum Manager and Learning Technology Director from 1986 -2020. He is best known for his work in Blended Learning and for setting up and managing the Blended Learning Consortium while at Heart of Worcestershire College.

Since 2020 Peter has been working as an independent consultant. This has included working with the Ministry of Education in Jordan and the World Bank to develop a national blended learning strategy and setting up TeacherMatic, an AI platform currently used by over 50 colleges and other post 16 providers.

Lisa has been immersed in Further education for 22 years in multifaceted roles such as Lecturer, teacher educator, learning coach and staff development lead. As a Deputy Head of teaching, learning and assessment at SGS college, I ensure I am aware of growing initiatives for developing pedagogy, including technological growth, this includes active research in education literature, digital resources and AI. Lisa is an MIEE within a Microsoft showcase college and transcends knowledge with new and existing teachers and managers.

Charley Jarrett is policy and public affairs manager for exam board and education charity AQA. He has previously worked for a democratic reform think tank, as a parliamentary researcher and as a campaigns intern at Humanists UK. He has an MRes in quantitative political science from the London School of Economics. He is a governor of a local primary school, a trustee of his old youth club, a volunteer admissions assessor for his alma mater United World Colleges GB and the Humanist representative on Lambeth SACRE.

Paul Joyce is one of His Majesty’s Inspectors and is the Deputy Director for Further Education & Skills. Paul joined Ofsted in 2005 as an HMI having previously worked within the Further Education and Skills sector in both general and specialist further education colleges. Immediately prior to working for Ofsted, Paul was a consultant for the former Department for Education and Skills and worked on national initiatives supporting improvements to teaching and learning and in leadership and management. Paul has significant inspection experience in both the schools and further education & skills remits and prior to being appointed Deputy Director was a Senior HMI with responsibility for the college inspection programme nationally.

Dr Paul Newton is Research Chair at the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation in England (Ofqual). He has published widely on topics including validity, comparability, purposes, qualification theory, and the public understanding of assessment. Prior to joining Ofqual, Paul was Professor of Educational Assessment at the Institute of Education, University of London; and, prior to that, he worked in a variety of assessment agencies, from the Associated Examining Board to Cambridge Assessment. Paul is a Fellow of the Association for Educational Assessment – Europe.

I am the Programme Manager at Calderdale College, working across the whole college to bring curriculum, employers, stakeholders and funders together to deliver innovation projects linked to economic and social development.

With a varied background spanning theatre production management and working for the Department for Education, my interests lay in creating meaningful projects that push the boundaries of established thinking to create collaborative partnerships to affect positive change in education and skills for all learners.