Malcolm Moss's Profile

Ultralab became part of my life in 1998 when I was seconded from my teaching post via HTI (Heads and Teachers into Industry) as an adviser for Tesco SchoolNet 2000. That led to me join Ultralab at Anglia Ruskin University in 2000 and work on the Talking Heads pilot, an online community for headteachers, now part of the National College for School Leadership's online provision.

My contribution centred on online communities, specifically headteacher links with DfES ministers and officials and online network communities of headteachers and teachers. This included action research projects with the Secretary of State, the permanent secretary and many other officials. For the first time thousands of practitioners were in direct contact with legislators as policy was formulated.

I established a number of localised headteacher communities and networked learning comunities. This together with the research of other Ultranauts, informed the creation of NCSL’s Networked Learning Communities and a completely new thrust to continuing professional development. We demonstrated the potential of online communities for the viral sharing of tacit knowledge. Tacit knowledge is considered ‘sticky’ and inherently difficult to move around but our research into carefully formed communities has shown that need not be true.

Our findings are included in Ultralab’s reports published by Ultralab and NCSL. The lessons learned have formed the basis of further research both in the UK and internationally.

I contribute to papers written by other Ultranauts and they inform my work. Ultralab is a unique organism, composed of dedicated team all focused on research and committed to developing ways of making learning delightful with new technologies.

From 2003 I have been involved in many other Ultralab research projects mainly associated with online education, continuing professional development and particularly assessment. These include ICDC, eViva and COGS.

I'm currently negotiating a collaborative research project in partnership with the Technology Enhancement Programme, a national CPD provider and others.  The focus will be on CPD for practicing teachers involved in innovative e-learning and assessment, initially in design technology .

Meanwhile my work as a learning facilitator on Ultralab’s BA Hons Learning Technology Research degree is enabling my experience to be shared and giving me further insights into research for continuing professional development for teachers.

Still teaching, still researching, still learning and still getting a thrill from working with this unique organisation.

Publications

 Personalised Learning - A Failure to Collaborate?

Eviva - ICT Assessment for Learning at Key stage 3.

Published by QCA