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Monday 20 September 2010

Free RSC art & design event this week: "Stepping into the Future"

Date: Friday 24th September 2010 (noon - 4:30pm)
Venue: Edinburgh College of Art, Edinburgh, EH3 9DF
Cost: Free!

The ‘Stepping into the Future’ series of events organised by the JISC Regional Support Centre (RSC) Scotland North & East aims to explore how technology can be used to enhance everyday teaching and learning.

Hosted by the Edinburgh College of Art, this ‘Stepping’ event brings together subject specialists from Art and Design departments to learn about initiatives that have made a real impact on students. During the day, you’ll have the chance to experience some of the technology that brought those gains about, through a series of workshops and presentations. It’s also an opportunity to showcase the support that we, the RSC, provide colleges and universities in Scotland – a resource that we sincerely hope that you will want to take advantage of in the future.

Just some of the sessions on the day:

3D Printing: Demonstration of rapid prototyping with 3D printers. The technology is already being trialled in schools around Scotland and in colleges and universities around the country. You’ll have a chance to see the RapMan (pictured left) in action and discover how printing in 3D can transform your lessons. Previously such printers would have been far beyond departmental budgets, but advances in manufacturing mean that units costing tens of thousands can now be purchased for a fraction of the cost.

Portfolios for Art & Design Students: A portfolio should be able to present student work in the best possible light, yet typical electronic or ‘e-Portfolios’ never quite look as if they have designed with artists in mind. Dropr, designed by art graduates, seeks to offer a solution for creative individuals. The Dropr network can be used by educational institutions to provide a hub for discussion and showcase artwork, with features such as interactive galleries, news, events and discussion forums.

QR Codes: QR Codes (Quick Response Codes) are 2D barcodes that link the real world and virtual worlds. If you happen to have been to the National Galleries in Edinburgh recently and bought a ticket for an exhibition you'll have noticed on the reverse of the ticket a strange looking barcode - that's a QR code. A hands-on workshop examines how QR Codes can be used in education. You will also have the opportunity to use and generate your own QR Codes.

Capturing the Design Process: The e-scape Scotland project uses a variety of methods to capture the process of design, compiling audio, video and text ‘snapshots’ into a central system using wireless portable devices. The project was originally developed as a summative assessment tool utilising ‘comparative judgement’ techniques to arrive at a final grade (which have proven more reliable than standard assessment practices). Now adapted for formative assessment, you’ll have a chance to experience how the escape team follows the design process in this hands-on workshop.

Places are limited for this event, so please book early to avoid disappointment! The booking form and programme can be found at the RSC Scotland North & East website.

Friday 17 September 2010

British Museum catalogue: now online


As noted on the British Museum libraries and archives site:

Catalogues for all of the [British] Museum's libraries can now be searched online. Work to develop and enhance the catalogue will continue over the coming months ... not all Museum libraries have their entire collection recorded in the online catalogue. Please note that you should contact the relevant library prior to your visit for further details or to make an appointment where necessary.