Collaborative Learners Group - Informal Education Networks

This is our third meeting looking at informal collaborative learning - and it's a practical session. The group is gradually taking shape according to the interests of the people who are getting involved.

You're equally welcome if you're completely new to this group or if you have joined us already at The 21st Century – An Age of Informal Learning and Learning Networks (http://www.meetup.com/21stCenturyNetwork/events/89006142/) or the follow-up (http://www.meetup.com/GlobalNet21/events/100206472/?action=detail&eventId=100206472)

At our first meeting we discovered, and discussed, wide-ranging interests regarding learning. At the second meeting we focussed more on future plans and practical issues. By then some good discussion about the group was appearing in the conversation areas under the meetup announcements and we wondered about other ways to spill over from face-to-face meetings to the Internet. We started to discuss how using the Internet could increase our opportunities to continue learning together. Also, it could be a way to include people who couldn't get to the face-to-face meetings. We found that we had very different levels and areas of expertise within the group about Google-hangouts, Skype and other communication channels - which meant we were in a perfect situation for some collaborative learning.

We decided that our next session would be a practical one - which is what this session will be - tapping into the knowledge of the group. There's wifi at Central Station, but there won't be a big screen for everyone to look at. We'll be exploring communication, and developing our practical skills, so if you can easily bring along a laptop, tablet or smart phone then please do - but you'll be equally welcome if you just bring yourself. Probably the ideal will be more people than screens but enough screens for everyone to easily see one. For some of the session we'll want to include sound input and output - but other practical work will be sound free. When we do have two way sound we'll need headsets (or mute buttons) to avoid dreadful whistles and echoes. (It won't be a problem if some people aren't wearing headsets, as we'll all be able to hear what people are saying across the room.) This will be a friendly, informal, practical, learning-from-each-other session appropriate no matter now much or how little you know. It should be enjoyable whether you come to learn, to share what you know, or for a mixture of the two.

The session will again be led by Pamela McLean - described by one of her friends as an online learning and collaboration explorer. She also introduces people and helps them to do useful things - learning a lot in the process and sharing what she has learned. She usually collaborates under the name Dadamac - http://www.dadamac.co.uk/index.html

Although membership of our site is free we do expect all those who attend our events to pay an annual subscription that covers attendance not just one meeting but also to the vast majority of our meetups and webinars for any one year. It also allows you to bring one guest free to every meeting or webinar.

The subscription is £10 a year for those who commit to a recurrent annual payment for the next three years. During that time the price will not go up. For those who want to pay for one year only then it will be £12 for this year.

Both of the above applies to those who pay in advance by paypal, eventbrite or by cheque. For those who pay at the door or after the event then the subscription will be £15

If you are unable to pay online this way can you please let us know and we will make other arrangements. Also we never refuse membership to anyone who is unable to pay so please let us know if there are difficulties this way and you will still be able to join in.