New Zealand's Jedd Bartlett, CORE Education, presents at AACE Global Learning Asia Pacific conference in Malaysia

Jedd Bartlett of CORE Education, New Zealand, presented papers this week on ICT professional development at the AACE Global Learning Asia Pacific conference in Penang, Malaysia.

The conference, the first Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE) conference in this region, was attended by 520 delegates from 48 different countries in the Asia Pacific region.

Jedd presented two papers at the conference. The first, Recognising Dimensions of Culture in the Design of ICT Professional Development programmes, and the second, Drawing Links Between a Decade of ICT Professional Development and Best Evidence on Teacher Professional Learning and Development. Both presentations were well received, with many of the delegates sharing similar concerns regarding their country's ability to implement programmes of teacher professional development that will lead to transformation of teaching practice and sustained change.

Jedd reports that there was a distinct focus on e-learning and the role of mobile learning technologies in the keynotes and paper presentations. With 100% penetration of mobile phones in many Asian countries, along with fast growing access to phone and internet services, attendees were keen to discuss related research and appropriate pedagogies, and hear about the experiences of delegates from the various countries represented.