My experience of BectaX in London...

A while back I was contacted by the charming Katz Kiely about the work I do in education and especially about the partnership I have forged with the Watershed. She was keen for me to attend a Becta event at the beginning of March in London to contribute to a event of which aims were to "help identify how education might evolve in a connected world" and to look at "Building on existing events and research...develop a growing community of movers and shakers from education and digital media to collaboratively design solutions to drive change. The findings will help Becta to shape future policy" (see http://www.becta-x.co.uk/)

That coupled with the offer of an exclusive meal at the Ivy the night before lured and flattered me into attending and getting ready to prepare a presentation. I haven't really done work like this before and this was a stand out, nerve shattering, eye watering event that once done I swore I would NEVER do again...

However, on reflection, at the beginning of a fresh sun lit term, I would do it all over again (albeit a tad differently and less emotionally)! The outline of the challenge was this:

• Produce a presentation about the work I do ("warts and all and no hot air" as Katz stated)
• 12 slides and each slide no more than 30 seconds
• No more than 15 words per slide

Oh lordie! I agonised over this. I will openly admit I create great visual resources for my lessons but now this was in a different sphere of scrutiny. Every image I choose was hackneyed and cheesy, oozing clunky symbolism that these high flying media types would cringe and laugh at. In the end, with the help of the noble Hugh Thomas, I kept it simple.

But this was only the first hurdle.

I now had to complete a succinct, stylish speech to acompany my images. How do you sum up 3 years of work in 6 minutes? Let alone present it clearly, without stumbling, to slides that were automated to move every 30 seconds in front of over 150 people?

Well, my friends, I did it. I also managed to not completely screw it up.I was also terrified of the constant uploading of Twitter comments appearing on the huge screen to the right (seriously, some comments about some of the speakers were highly critical - see the picture to the left!) and I was the last presenter at this section of the event. All the cliches were true; my heart felt like it was going to explode, my mouth was dry and I couldn't see clearly. However, it was a truly educational experience and I am proud I saw it through (and check out my page in the Becta X publication - pretty swish like something out of Sim City...maybe!)