disneyland paris
students attend ict live seminar
March 2011
by Ms Waller
Year 10 Diploma students attended an ICT LIVE seminar which was held in the Disneyland Paris resort. The seminar was a fantastic opportunity for our students to hear and meet some of the most influential people working in technology today.
The seminar was chaired by the newsreader Dermot Murnaghan and the students had the opportunity of speaking with him and discussing the use of technology in the media.
The idea behind this Live conference was for students to meet professionals who have made an impact in their specific area of expertise. Among the speakers was one of the most famous and successful men in the gaming industry. Ian Livingstone - Leading pioneer of interactive entertainment and fiction Ian Livingstone gave an account of his struggles as an entrepreneur in the 1970s when he and Steve Jackson set up Games Workshop and launched Dungeons & Dragons. He also talked about his Fighting Fantasy game books and the rise of interactive entertainment. The third part of his presentation was the history of computer games including a very visual and entertaining story of a digital icon; the life of Lara Croft - Tomb Raider, which Ian and his team created.
Ian also spoke with our students after the seminar and gave them some tips on how to break into the gaming industry. Sam Patrick-Robinson was extremely excited to meet Ian as he is very much into designing games…..Ian offered Sam some help and I believe they have communicated since the trip. So watch this space Sam could become the next generation gaming pioneer!
Also as part of this experience, students had the opportunity to quiz all the speakers which included Internet advertising giants ASOS and a young American student who designed a new computer programme. It was lively, and the presenters were invariably on the receiving end of some testing questions. Students left Disneyland Resort Paris with a broader understanding of issues that shape their subject area, and with some fabulous memories and hopefully a greater understanding of the impact technology has on our lives.
ICT Live! Was designed to give students the opportunity to come face to face with speakers from high profile companies, who presented the most current ICT Issues within their industry. The conference was held during the afternoon, which allowed the students free time to visit the Parks during the morning and engage in a lot of fun! Next year the seminar is being held in New York…..so fingers crossed!
