In remembrance of Tom ConlonThere are currently 24 entries on 3 pages (63272 people have viewed this guestbook)
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| Name: Gordon Cookson From: Edinburgh E-mail: Contact |
I never knew Tom, but was lucky enough to have what turned out to be an all too brief email conversation with him on the topic of his last paper in SER; the Dark Side of Glow. At a time when his absence is no doubt felt most by his family, friends and former colleagues, I just wanted to express my appreciation and gratitude that this site remains open. While much of the technology Tom referred to in his work has since been superseded, his thoughts regarding its proper role in education remain valid and unsurpassed. His ‘Seven Deadly Sins of Educational Technology’ should be required reading for teachers and technologists alike. Respect and Regards.
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| Name: Nick Hood From: Moray House E-mail: Contact |
It was a pleasure to meet Tom's family and a small part of the large circle of Tom Conlon's influence at the memorial lecture this evening in Paterson's Land G1 lecture theatre, where I heard Tom give his outstanding and memorable lecture on cognitive apprenticeship. I remember Tom as an engaging and committed teacher and as a man with sharp intellect and humour. His influence remains.
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| Name: David Walls From: Garvald E-mail: Contact |
I first met Tom in 1984 when I was a DPSE student at Moray House... two wonderful years of escape one day a week from a heavy school teaching load. I enjoyed his classes immensely and learned a huge amount. Tom took us painstakingly through the delights of Pascal and Prolog programming. His absolute insistence that our course workbooks be "pristine" (his favourite word, we used to joke) gave me a first-hand understanding that the expectations that a teacher places on a student can have an enormous impact on achievement. More than that, Tom's entire approach to his own teaching was "pristine"... His preparation for each class was immaculate and thorough. Each unit was carefully delivered with clear objectives... and of course, a refreshing sense of humour and fun, even sometimes at his own expense. His high level of professional self-discipline and ambition for his learners were inspirational. Although programming became second nature to me, what I came away with at the end of the day was so much more both as a teacher and as a person. He certainly numbers among the foremost of my educational and life mentors. In particular, he raised my awareness of technology's potential to impact hugely on society. His keen academic interest in the ethics of application and practice and the lead that he took in this dimension of computer science were equally stimulating. My contact with Tom thereafter was sporadic, even though we lived in the same village. Latterly, I would meet him striding out with his hill-walking sticks as he pushed himself vigorously up the hill past my farmhouse. My wife was also suffering from cancer, but Tom would never speak about his illness. I sensed a fierce determination in him to keep going and to fight it. He enjoyed a joke about fishing. As a one-time keen sea fisherman, I used to tease him that fly fishing was just lashing water to no purpose. He would get quite indignant and always "took the bait". His ardent love of his favourite sport was as inspirational as was his teaching. I can't say that we reached the height of having a close friendship, probably because we saw each other so rarely, but that is a regret that I now have. I admired Tom immensely. He is a great loss to all who knew him. David Walls.
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| Name: Kevin Thomson From: Edinburgh (Scotus Academy) E-mail: Contact |
Tom was my school and student contemporary, and one of those with whom I most looked forward to renewing contact. All those excellent qualites I see in these tribute messages were forming markedly in much earlier years - independent and acerbic thinker, tutor to the core, he debated formidably, to achieve clarity rather than to demolish his oppponent. Very many kindnesses remembered, from Tom and his siblings and parents. It seemed natural and inevitable Tom would become a fine and memorable teacher, and it never occurred to me he would close the circle and return to Moray House. How I wish I could have heard his views on his neighbouring institution over the road - The Parliament ! I remember his delight on landing one of the earliest trout to appear in Water of Leith after a cleanup in the 1970s. I'm sure the thinker formed and recharged on the riverbank. Someone mentioned a bike - yes, he was learning to master the motorbike when we last met, and LOVING it ! Tom brightened my life indelibly, I have many recollections of pure fun, and I'm deeply saddened he is gone. Kevin Thomson
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| Name: Morwenna Griffiths From: Edinburgh E-mail: Contact |
I only met Tom in 2006 when I first came to Moray House School of Education. In fact he was already ill when I first met him, and I wish I had known him for longer. He was there asking a very difficult question after my presentation when I was being interviewed. That set the tone, really. It was wonderful when he was there in Thomson's Land for lunch or coffee. The room lit up with conversation and debate, always serious, never solemn, always passionate. Even though he was only able to come in to work from time to time in 2008, in 2009 we are missing him dreadfully.
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| Name: Alan Bell From: Moray House E-mail: Contact |
Having first met Tom in 1976, as a colleague in an Edinburgh High School, I quickly came to like and respect him for his intelligence, his skill, his politics and his humour. Additionally he was a fisherman. We met up again in the early 1980s as co-toilers in the vineyard that was Moray House, where all the above attributes, including fishing, helped us survive. Tom's technical computing expertise was beyond my ken, but since he saw his job as promoting high quality education for individuals and in institutions we had much to discuss. Tom was one of the most trustworthy people I've ever met. He combined a generosity of spirit with an acerbic wit, which when applied in some of his writings was not appreciated by managerial types purveying half-baked received wisdom, critically unsupported. Latterly we'd been going fishing more regularly, sometimes taking our time if he wasn't feeling so well - though illness was rarely mentioned. In summer 2008 at Watch Reservoir we took a break and he told me of his plans to critique the "great Glow". Tears and laughter combined and we each caught well. I shall much miss Tom, on the bank and elsewhere. I admired his keenness of intellect and his matching love for his wife, friends and family. His courage too - a truly wry catcher of fish, of ideas and companions. Alan Bell
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| Name: Donald Somerville From: Inverness E-mail: Contact |
Well, Tom, your smart thinking days might be over but if only you knew what sort of legacy you have left behind. It has been a while since we first met and I dimly recall that one of my early reactions was academically probably gifted, a bit of an arrogant smart **** but not prepared to kow tow to teachers. It was that last quality that attracted me and is one of the main keys to understanding you. From early on you were both inquisitive and naturally gifted with a sense of fairness. It was not possible to separate your innate socialism from whatever you were doing. Alcohol was a feature early on - my liver still winces at the occasion when you and Jean returned from Jean’s folks near Bristol bearing a gallon of scrumpy which we washed down with my home brew wine. We weren’t the sharpest minds the next day. We will never know what chance collisions of atoms and molecules took you into teaching but I am pretty sure you could have excelled at many other things. I cannot remember discussing it, but my guess is that you were driven to use your not insignificant brain for a practical use from which many might benefit. When you decided to abandon the classroom for the lecture hall I thought this would be a loss as you had the ability to hold, amuse and interest children’s attention and thereby educate them. Only in the last 15 years did I fully appreciate that your talent demanded a wider stage. Mind, you were not always successful in dealing with children - once at my house you had been playing with my little daughter and getting on like a house on fire until you ruined it all by putting your motor bike helmet on and scaring her so much she almost screamed the place down. Whilst you never wisely tried to be a perfectionist you always put in your best effort whether it was pure work or some of your less eclectic pastimes but important to you on the bike, hill or water. I am not able to judge you as a pure academic but I see that most of the glowing tributes to your intellectual prowess come from academics - such a breed a people tend to be sparing in praise of their contempories and the conclusion must be that you were highly regarded. I am sure I had the better deal in our relationship. So what of your legacy - much loved by Jean, your family, your friends; a prolific author; respected by educational and academic peers and pupils. You didn’t have a great day, you had a great life. Farewell my friend I am diminished by your passing. Donald
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| Name: Derek Curran From: Edinburgh E-mail: Contact |
I knew Tom since the late 70s first through politics and latterly through our involvement in Education - he was also a tutor of mine at Moray House in the 80s. Tom's was a unique and inspiring voice in Scottish education. He stood solidly in the tradition of the liberal educator and his approach to the debates in our system were always based on 1st principles. He stood - often in an exposed position - against new orthodoxies that were based on shaky logic and sloppy thinking and we have much to be thankful to Tom for ensuring an alternative voice was always heard. No cynic, always engaged, his death deprives us of a champion of our education system and the values that stand at its heart. My deepest sympathies to Jean and Tom's family.
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| Name: Margaret Somerville From: Inverness E-mail: Contact |
I have known Tommy for 37 years from when we met as students at Edinburgh University. Memories of student parties, endless debates and the pursuit of idealism which Tom never lost. When I decided to pursue my interest in computers it was Tom who encouraged me to study with the Open University - he then went on to ask me to review his first book on Prolog - definitely to give the beginner's view! Knowing Tom added a dimension to my life which I cherish and will never lose.
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| Name: David Lodge From: Edinburgh E-mail: Contact |
Tom was my tutor when I did my Computing PGCE in 2000. He was an inspiration that year - not just in making me as competent as possible in my teaching but motivating me think about, debate and challenge the education system. His influence still remains strong in my teaching almost a decade later.
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