Sharon Tonner

Biography

Sharon Tonner is lecturer in Technologies-ICT in the School of Education. She joined the University in August 2007 after eight years experience as a primary school teacher. Whilst a primary teacher, Sharon held the role of Primary ICT Specialist for four years where she taught ICT to all stages of the primary school. It was through this role that Sharon was awarded the British Council's eTwinning Award for Excellence in using innovative methods to connect children with their peers around the world. This followed shortly with Sharon becoming a British Council eTwinning Ambassador where her role is to promote and train European educators how to use technologies to create collaborative projects with schools around Europe.

Sharon has developed this innovative approach to using technologies in education. This has been acknowledged at the University where she has been awarded:

• Honorary Graduates Award for Innovative Teaching - May 2010
• DUSA Innovation in Teaching Award - May 2011
• CASS Award for Professional and Public Research Graduates - Jan 2012

Sharon's innovative and forward thinking approach to using technologies has also been acknowledge by a wider community where she was awarded the prestigious titles of:

• Apple Distinguished Educator - Jan 2011
• SMART Exemplary Educator - March 2011

It is through these roles that Sharon develops the use of interactive mobile technologies in education with student primary teachers and through her professional and public engagement activities with:

• Dundee Science Centre
• Dundee and Fife Education Local Authorities

Sharon is also part of the BEd (Hons) management team through her role as School Convener.

Qualifications

• 2011-2012: Postgraduate Module (Research Methods & Design) - University of Dundee
• 2009-2010: Postgraduate Module (Learning & Teaching in Higher Education) - University of Dundee
• 2006-2007: Postgraduate Module (Progressive Enquiry & Knowledge Building Society) - University of Strathclyde
• 2005-2006: HNC ICT (Web Page Design & Internet Services) - Dundee College
• 2003-2005: Postgraduate Modules - (Computer Based Learning & Teaching, Internet Resources and Emerging Technologies) - University of Aberdeen
• 1999-2001: BEd (Hons) Dundee Northern College (First Class Honours Degree)

Research Interests

• Mobile Technologies
• Interactive Technologies
• Collaborative Technologies

Research Projects

• 2008-2010: ICT4T (ICT For Teachers) - Leonardo Da Vinci Mobility Project. Lead practitioner from University of Dundee researching ICT in Early Years across Europe with European collaborators, InHolland & PCSV Netherlands, Chrysalis in Greece, AFL in Austria and EST Education Centre in Poland. Awarded €18.000.

Teaching

• ICT Lecturer: BEd Primary, Years 1-4; PGDE Primary; PGDE Secondary
• School Experience inputs: BEd Primary
• School Experience Tutor: BEd Primary, Years 2 - 4
• Also involved in generic inputs for PGDE Secondary

Membership of Professional Bodies

• Membership of Groups British Council's eTwinning Ambassador Group
• Teacher Education GLOW Team
• Science, Technology and Maths Group
• Scottish ICT Development Group
• SMART Distinguished Educator Group

Professional & Public Engagement

In 2011-12:

• Steljes (SMART) Partnership created with University
• Mobile Learning - Dundee Science Centre
• Scottish Science and Technology Group
• British Council eTwinning Ambassador
• ICT - Liaison with Dundee, Perth and Fife local authorities

Administration

• Module Leader
  • BEd 2 Technologies-ICT Elective
  • PGDE (P) Technologies-ICT
  • School Experience BEd 1 to 4
• School Experience Convener

Publications

Chapters
Tonner, S., 2012	Tonner, S. (2012) What School Leaders Need to Know About Digital Technologies and Social Media (Mobile Phones), College of Human Sciences, Iowa, USA (forthcoming).
Conference Presentations
Tonner, S., 2012	Tonner, S. (2012) Interactive Whiteboards: Bolted onto Education? SMART Conference, September 2012, Berlin.
Tonner, S., 2012	Tonner, S. (2012) Interactive Whiteboards: Bolted onto Education? BETTs Conference, January 2012, London.
Tonner, S., 2011	Tonner, S. (2011) Using Mobile Learning and QR Codes to Engage Learners. eTwinning British Council Conference, June 2011, Nottingham.
Tonner, S., 2010	Tonner, S. (2010) Using 21st Century Tools to Learn. eTwinning British Council Conference, January 2010, Seville.
Tonner, S., 2010	Tonner, S. (2010) Using 21st Century Tools to Learn & Handheld Learning. Conference, February 2010, Katholieke Hogeschool Kempen, Belgium.
Tonner, S., 2010	Tonner, S. (2010) Handheld Learning in Education (Iphones & iTouch). Mobile Technologies Conference, February 2010, Oldham.
Tonner, S., 2009	Tonner, S. (2009) Web 2.0 Tools That Connect. eTwinning British Council Conference, January 2009, Netherlands.
Tonner, S., 2009	Tonner, S. (2009) Avatars in Education. eTwinning British Council Conference, June 2009, Nottingham.
Tonner, S., 2009	Tonner, S. (2009) Learning In Their Hands. Scottish Learning Teaching Festival, September 2009, Glasgow.
Tonner, S., 2008	Tonner, S. (2008) Avatars in Education & Handheld Learning. Scottish Learning Teaching Festival, September 2008, Glasgow.
Professional Publications
Tonner, S., 2012	Tonner, S. (2012) e-Learning v’s Face-To-Face Learning: Preparing student primary teachers for the use of Interactive Whiteboards for Teaching and Learning. SMART White Paper.