What makes me me?
Lord Professor Robert Winston and Michael O’Neill OBE
When: 25th September 2007, 9am-4pm
Cost: £115 +VAT (Total £131.13)
Where: Glasgow Royal Concert Hall
This National Conference was hosted by the Tapestry Partnership and supported by Urban Learning Space. The event is framed in the context of education in Scotland in its widest sense. It has as its focus the importance of the brain in learning for young people and adults. Lord Winston requires no introduction; he is a world renowned scientist who is committed to scientific education and regularly writes or hosts popular science programmes for TV.
'The Human Mind: And How to Make the Most of It!' was be tackled from different perspectives and Lord Winston presented 'The Amazing Mind' and 'The Learning Mind'. Cognitive, physical, emotional and moral aspects were discussed alongside memory, motivation and intuition.
Michael O'Neill will highlighted the importance of all aspects of health - mental, emotional, spiritual/moral and physical in relation to 'A Curriculum for Excellence'. The power of interpersonal skills, body language and profound emotions was analysed – all proof of the 'Genius Inside!
Biography
Sir Robert Winston
Lord Winston is Emeritus Professor of Fertility Studies at Imperial College and Chancellor of Sheffield Hallam University. His research, which has produced over 300 publications, is known worldwide.
Robert Winston is committed to scientific education and his many TV series on different aspects of science have been shown in many countries overseas. Perhaps the best known is ‘The Human Body, which won 3 BAFTAs, an Emmy nomination and a Peabody award. He has published 12 books for lay readership.
His activities in the House of Lords include speaking regularly on education, science, medicine, and the arts. He was Chairman of the Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology 1999-2002, initiating enquiries into Antibiotic Resistance, Non-Food Crops, Nuclear Waste, Science and Society, Genetic Databases, Aircraft Passenger Environment and Science in Schools. Finally, Lord Winston is a board member and Vice-Chairman of the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology.
Michael O’Neill
A graduate of Glasgow University (Economics/History) he began as an Economist/Town Planner before switching to teaching. He spent 15 years at the chalkface as a teacher, principal teacher and assistant head, followed by posts of adviser in social subjects, senior adviser and education officer in 2 divisions of the former Strathclyde Region. In August 1995, he took up the post of Director of Education in North Lanarkshire from which he retired in March 2007. In 2000, following the SQA exams problem, he was on of the 4 directors asked to investigate the causes on behalf of the Education Minister. He is currently Chair of the National Review Group of the Chartered Teacher Scheme. In 2004 he was awarded an OBE for services to education in Scotland
