Stephen Molyneux

Stephen Molyneux (born 24 February 1955) is a British educational technologist whose work as Microsoft Professor of Advanced Learning Technology and Apple Distinguished Educator has led to him influencing the use of technologies across the British School system. His use of technology across public life led to his resigning as a Justice of the Peace on 25 April 2009 due to his refusal to stop reporting on Twitter the outcome of public criminal hearings.

Not to be confused with Stefan Molyneux.
Stephen Molyneux
Born (1955-02-24) February 24, 1955
Walton, Liverpool, England

After spending 16 years in the multimedia and education industry working for ATARI, Ariolasoft and the German Ministry of Education and Science, Molyneux returned to the UK in 1991 when he founded, together with John Rodgers of TIME, the European Multimedia Awards. During the 1990s the EMMAs became one of the most prestigious awards in the Multimedia Industry, attracting as sponsors and judges pioneers of multimedia such as Douglas Adams.

For his pioneering work he was appointed, as one of only 25 people world-wide, a visiting Fellow of the British Computer giant ICL in 1994.

In 1995, whilst holding the Microsoft Chair of Advanced Learning Technologies at the University of Wolverhampton, he developed one of the first Virtual Learning Environments.[1]

In 1996, as a British Association for the Advancement of Science media fellow, he developed with Ed Briffa, Editor of the BBC Science programme Tomorrow's World, one of the first real-time online science magazines. The magazine was set up to report live from the Annual Festival of Science held at University of Birmingham.

In 2002 he was appointed by Estelle Morris, the then Secretary of Education as a member of the Post-16 eLearning Strategy Taskforce. The taskforce was chaired by Steve Morrison, CEO of ITV. The report was published in July 2002 under the title "Getting on with IT". In 2003 he proposed and attracted funding for an "e-Innovation Centre" at the university which could combine the research and development skills of the higher education sector with that of industry to promote Internet-based start-up companies.[2]

In October 2010, UK Prime Minister David Cameron announced £200 million to develop such technology centres as part of the government strategy to enhance UK growth.[3]

In 2005 he was appointed advisor to the UK Deputy Chief of Defence Staff to monitor the evaluation of a Defence Training Review initiative.[4]

Molyneux worked closely with Cambridge University Press and Abilene Christian University in Texas on redefining the 'textbooks' and the use of technologies to support mobile learning.

In 2012 he founded the Tablet Academy "Tablet Academy Website". as an education consultancy and teacher training organisation focusing on the use of tablet technology in the classroom and in 2014 took up a visiting post as International Professor of Global Education Leadership working alongside Dr. George Saltsman in the College of Education and Human Development at Lamar University (as a visiting academic based in the UK, Molyneux is not listed as a full faculty member).[5]

He is a former patron of Shropshire Young Enterprise and from 2003-2007 was Mayor of Oakengates, in Telford where he currently resides. He broadcasts occasionally on BBC Radio Shropshire Morning Show on issues relating to technology and in October 2009 was elected to the West Midlands regional committee of the British Science Association. As a former serving member of the Royal Air Force he is an active member of the Royal Air Force Association and works closely with the RAF STEM Ambassadors Education outreach programme at RAF Cosford and RAF Waddington.

In 2018 he relocated to Fuerteventura in the Canary Islands looking to support Schools and Young Learners on the Island in association with the Fuerteventura Technology Park.

References
  1. History of Virtual Learning Environments.
  2. "New role beckons for net expert". Times Higher Education. 2003-04-25.
  3. "Government allocates £200m to hi-tech development centres". ComputerWorld UK. 2010-10-25. Retrieved 2010-10-25.
  4. UK Parliament Select Committee on Welsh Affairs Fourth Report - 13 July 2006.
  5. "Faculty of the Center for Doctoral Studies, Lamar University in Texas". Archived from the original on 2016-02-16. Retrieved 2016-02-12.
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