Becoming a MirandaNet Associate
Since 1992 MirandaNet consultants have worked on continuing professional development programmes as well as included research, development and dissemination events with a range of small and medium companies as well as key multinationals in educational technologies. Projects have also been commissioned by international government agencies and charities. We have long associations with the company and government agents we work with and our colleagues often take post graduate courses themselves as part of the programme they design with us.
Contact Professor Christina Preston for more details and costs christina@mirandanet.ac.uk
What is the value of being a MirandaNet Associate?
Associates have brainstormed on some of the benefits of events, projects and networking that are designed to suit their needs. What is offered is opportunities to:
- market company policy and practice as an important element in school improvement;
- market company policy and practice as an important element in government policy;
- explain the policies, practice and products of the company to a wide range of education professionals through presentations, networking and hands on research;
- advertise and market the company’s products and services with 750 members in 80 countries as well as good targeted visitor statistics;
- network with members and publish news in the journal and newsletters;
- access new channels through all the key digital technologies professional organisations in conference presentations and through the professional journals;
- develop a new showcase for existing company research and case studies;
- talk to teacher educators and academics in informal surroundings;
- build relationships with experts in digital technologies in learning and their institutions;
- improve knowledge about how digital technologies might support product research and continuing professional development programmes;
- introduce to new modes of informal knowledge creation and sharing that are widely used outside school in the MirandaMod;
- organise a MirandaMod or conference on a company theme;
- contribute to the resources created in a MirandaMods.
- share in the design of professional development programmes for educators:
- undertake professional accreditation for associates in action research doing a Diploma, Masters or a doctorate. The work would also provide in-depth marketing copy and case studies for the company.
A channel to market
The MirandaNet Fellowship is a portal to market with nearly 750 members in 80 countries. The website, the internal debating spaces and newsletter provide a cost effective marketing channel for targeting influencers and taste makers in schools as well as at local, national and international level. The membership includes teachers, senior managers, advisers, teacher educators, researchers and policy makers who are often account holders. The website is well indexed and features prominently in Google searches. The site is well patronised and on average 1,300 pages are viewed each day. MirandaNet Fellows have an influential voice at national level on issues concerning digital technologies and meet regularly with government Think Tanks and key members of government as well as important figures in the research field and teacher education, many of whom are members of MirandaNet. We are also well connected with influential national organisations in the use of digital technologies in education such as ITTE, Naace, ICTRN, BCS, IFIT, UNESCO and several University Special Interest Groups.
The team
Dr Christina Preston, Professor of Educational Innovation at Bedfordshire University, founded MirandaNet in 1992,leads the consultancy team. She can include associates in relevant publications in internal professional journals as in the UK Nationals, the Times Higher, the Times Educational Supplement and the UK quality national newspapers. Her pieces are also syndicated in Holland and Russia. Dr Preston also works with working with 500 schools across the University of Bedfordshire region with training rooms in Luton, Putteridge Bury and Bedford that can be used by associates. MirandaNet companies can be involved in the design of professional development programmes for these schools with ideas about learning to use products and services effectively and developing action research around these elements.
Marketing at conferences
MirandaNet Senior Fellows give keynotes and papers at international conferences throughout the year. In 2010, for example, MirandaNet associates were mentioned at conferences in nine countries where there are members: Australia, England, France, Greece, India, Japan, Portugal, New Zealand, USA. This Fellowship activity has been supported in the past by small and medium sized companies like 2Simple and Inspiration and by multinationals like Apple, Toshiba, Steljes and Oracle. Over the years many companies have undertaken a range of projects as listed below.
The MirandaNet services
The MirandaNet Consultancy offers standard and bespoke Associateship Support Packages designed to accommodate the different needs of our clients. If you are an individual, a school, a regional group or any other group with an interest in innovative research and continuing professional development please contact Dr Christina Preston.
Our core products are:
The MirandaNet Fellowship – a portal to market with access to influencers In the education market and practitioners who are willing to engage as co-researchers in product evaluation and research into educational practice
Etopia – research and evaluation where advisers and practitioners investigate products and service and provide research reports and marketing copy: www.mirandanet.ac.uk/consultancy/publications/ and www.mirandanet.ac.uk/researchexchange.
iCatalyst - accredited practice-based programme about digital technologies including programmes on key products . Company representatives can also be accredited for their involvement in designing, implementing and following programmes: www.mirandanet.ac.uk/consultancy/professional-development-programmes/
Braided Learning – Seminar and events management including publishing targeted resource banks badged by sponsors: www. mirandanet.ac.uk/mirandamods/. The emergent theory of online Braided Learning can be found on www.mirandanet.ac.uk/researchexchange
World Ecitizens – an international web publication and exchange service for schools that includes the Peace Room:
www.world ecitizens.net/
STANDARD ANNUAL PARTNERSHIP PACKAGE 2012
The MirandaNet Fellowship is a not-for-profit organisation. There are three tiers of subscription that help to pay the MirandaNet Fellowship overheads. The prices are negotiable based on turnover:
- a logo on the splash page
- a MN page in the Associates section, and links to your web site;
Standard
all of the above, plus
- the permissions to upload case studies;
- 3 entries within the MirandaNet newsletter focused on good practice, product launches and free opportunities for members
Premium
basic + standard plus
- a presence at all our events and advice in setting up, resources and publishing a
- MirandaNet Action Research project and a MirandaMod for dissemination (exclusive of participant expenses.
Other benefits for discussion
- Representation at the full international MirandaMod programme throughout the year
- Update reports about educational reforms and ICT programmes across the globe
- Business and schools networking throughout the year
- Opportunities to contribute to MirandaNet responses to Government policy and consultation documents
- Chances to publish in the MirandaNet e-journals
- Access to debate and opportunities to share ideas and issues with MirandaNet members who are often account holders
- Logo, promotional materials, lead speaking places at all MirandaMods
- Logo contained within all MirandaNet promotional material also including company references within relevant presentations and publications
Bespoke Associateship packages
In addition to our standard packages we also offer bespoke packages to our partners. These are made from a selection of our most popular services and dependent on individual discussion of requirements and marketing targets:
- Supervising an accredited Certificate, Masters or Doctoral programme at the University of Bedfordshire for company representatives and groups of teachers selected by the company
- Developing and writing up reports and case studies on the uses of products and services in education
- Hosting of a seminar / focus meeting on a key topic of your choice
- Web questionnaire providing business relevant research data relating to the actual use of your products and services by practitioners
- Networking suppers and private dinners
- Privileged access to city functions
Bespoke consultancy services
Many more of our services are listed on the website but here are a few:
- Product evaluation, development and marketing for the education market
- Designing and creating websites for communities
- Facilitating and advising on optimization of approach to the education marketplace
- Evaluating and accrediting tailored professional development programmes for the workforce to embed systemic change
- Business interpretation of key policy consultations and white papers
- Assessment, understanding of government initiatives and how to work together in a smarter way and to the greater good of the community
- Building collaborative community knowledge and creating theory online with direct focus on your products and services
- Optimising use of learning platforms
- Evaluating ICT CPD programmes against the school’s targets
Project design
Below is a comprehensive list of the kind of projects MirandaNet consultants undertake.
Research and Development
Industry, Government and education research partnership
ICT professional development and training models
Data collection and analysis
Case studies and interviews
Product investigation and development
Web-based Ideas
Dynamic Web Environments for international, national and local web-based learning communities
Use of elearning for the conflict resolution, problem solving, thinking skills and international citizenship
Developing ebooks and expert knowledge bases
Change Management and Leadership Programmes
Planning and negotiation
Implementation
Dissemination
Accreditation
Evaluation
Organising Seminars, Forums, Focus Groups, Conference and Training Programmes (face to face and online)
Planning, organisation
Programme development
Dissemination
Running related courses
Papers, ebooks and online Publications
Finding appropriate publishers
Joint authoring
Web versions of paper publications
Camera ready copy
Publicity and conference papers
Some selected projects are listed below:
1998-2002 EU TEMPUS – 4 years
Working with Finland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic on digital technologies in schools
2000-2010 Oracle Think.com-
Learning platform development for children
2002-2007 EU SEN-NET – 3 years
Working on a learning platform for European SAGES
2002-2004 Teacher Training Agency
Evaluation of the National Opportunities Fund ICT CPD training programme 1999-2004
2005 – 2007 E-LAPA –
Developing a learning community in Free State Province, South Africa
with the British Education Suppliers Association and the British Embassy
2005-2008 Promethean
Interactive Whiteboard action research evaluation in England, Mexico, China and South Africa
2009 – 2011 Podar Education Complex, India
iCatalyst Management of change CPD for x50 schools in Marahestra, India
2004-ongoing iCatalyst courses
Certificate, diploma and masters level
Key groups
- GTCe e-facilitators
- Select Education e-facilitators (England)
- Barnfield School, Luton, England
- Steljes advisors, England
- Podar Education Complex, Mumbai
2008-2011 Becta: MirandaMod webinar and research programme
2007-2010 WLE Centre, Institute of Education, University of London
- Visual Learning Research
- Unconference research
2009 Becta ICT Tools for Future Teachers research
2009 Becta ICT CPD Landscape research
2009 TAG learning
MAPPS Learning platform evaluation- I year
2009 Becta E-safety research
2010 Staffordshire Advisory Service – Learning platform evaluation
2010-2011 Achievement for All : MirandaMods support at BETT11 and the Education Show 2011
2011 Saudi Arabian Education Department – ICT CPD for teachers in three cities.
Contact christina@mirandanet.ac.uk for more details.