effective learning environments
New Extended Deadline for Paper Submission on Learning and Active Ageing: April 27!
Learning and Active Ageing
This issue of eLearning Papers will explore innovative teaching methods and new learning environments being used effectively to promote lifelong learning among older people in Europe.
The ageing of the European population raises issues in almost all aspects of life: the employment and housing markets, pension schemes, health and welfare systems, transport networks, goods and services which will have to adapt to new needs and new social and financial realities. The way European society as a whole addresses these challenges will condition our future, its capacity to create smart and inclusive growth, strengthening knowledge, creativity and innovation that will benefit citizens of all ages , while at the same time reinforcing solidarity between generations to reinvent a new way of living together.
Active ageing in Europe calls for a new vision of older people and their social roles that are more in line with the reality of the 21st century. Lifelong learning is a key component of active ageing, ensuring to develop up-to-date skills right to the end of one’s professional career and continuing post-retirement to improve an individual’s social functioning and well-being and increase the potential for older adults to contribute actively to society through paid employment, volunteering, active citizenship and self-help for independent living. The relationship between higher educational attainment and living longer with improved health has been established in many countries. Furthermore, the roles of older people in workplace, or as volunteers or informal caregivers, contribute to their personal health and the wellbeing of communities.
In order to foster active ageing, older citizens need to have access to quality employment, the means to participate fully in society and the ability to live independently a fulfilling old age. This presents a two-fold learning challenge that addresses the skills and training of this target group and also raises awareness within the greater community.
This issue of eLearning Papers explores what teaching methods and learning environments are being used effectively to promote lifelong learning among older people. Enrichment and skill building educational programmes for older people must be continuously supported, promoted and facilitated as part of the active ageing process. This issue will also consider ways in which civil society, governments and employers support learning and active ageing.
Environments can be made much more age-friendly by increasing the public's sensitivity to the needs of older citizens and fostering an awareness of what they can contribute and why we need to mobilise all the human capital they represent. Public campaigns like the European Year for Active Ageing and Solidarity between Generations 2012 are giving rise to new initiatives that need to be shared and analysed.
eLearning Papers seeks submissions about learning and active ageing in the 21st century, for both sections: In-Depth and From the Field. We specifically invite contributions which address one or several of the following issues:
- Bridging the digital divide among older people paying due attention to specific challenges faced by older persons with impairments, ethnic minorities, low incomes, older women, etc.
- Open educational resources for non-traditional students
- Age-friendly environments, goods and services
- Fostering technical skills to create adept senior e-learners
- Learning environments for older learners
- Challenges for teachers and developers working with older students using ICT
- Policies and practice: institutional innovation supported by ICTs
The article submission has been extended to 27 April, 2012. The provisional date of publication is May, 2012.
For further information and to submit your article, please contact: jimena.marquez@elearningpapers.eu
Guest editor: Anne-Sophie Parent, Secretary General, AGE Platform Europe.
- See the complete guidelines at: Instructions for writers
Call for Papers on Learning and Active Ageing Open until April 20, 2012
This issue of eLearning Papers will explore innovative teaching methods and new learning environments being used effectively to promote lifelong learning among older people in Europe.
The ageing of the European population raises issues in almost all aspects of life: the employment and housing markets, pension schemes, health and welfare systems, transport networks, goods and services which will have to adapt to new needs and new social and financial realities. The way European society as a whole addresses these challenges will condition our future, its capacity to create smart and inclusive growth, strengthening knowledge, creativity and innovation that will benefit citizens of all ages , while at the same time reinforcing solidarity between generations to reinvent a new way of living together.
Active ageing in Europe calls for a new vision of older people and their social roles that are more in line with the reality of the 21st century. Lifelong learning is a key component of active ageing, ensuring to develop up-to-date skills right to the end of one’s professional career and continuing post-retirement to improve an individual’s social functioning and well-being and increase the potential for older adults to contribute actively to society through paid employment, volunteering, active citizenship and self-help for independent living. The relationship between higher educational attainment and living longer with improved health has been established in many countries. Furthermore, the roles of older people in workplace, or as volunteers or informal caregivers, contribute to their personal health and the wellbeing of communities.
In order to foster active ageing, older citizens need to have access to quality employment, the means to participate fully in society and the ability to live independently a fulfilling old age. This presents a two-fold learning challenge that addresses the skills and training of this target group and also raises awareness within the greater community.
This issue of eLearning Papers explores what teaching methods and learning environments are being used effectively to promote lifelong learning among older people. Enrichment and skill building educational programmes for older people must be continuously supported, promoted and facilitated as part of the active ageing process. This issue will also consider ways in which civil society, governments and employers support learning and active ageing.
Environments can be made much more age-friendly by increasing the public's sensitivity to the needs of older citizens and fostering an awareness of what they can contribute and why we need to mobilise all the human capital they represent. Public campaigns like the European Year for Active Ageing and Solidarity between Generations 2012 are giving rise to new initiatives that need to be shared and analysed.
eLearning Papers seeks submissions about learning and active ageing in the 21st century, for both sections: In-Depth and From the Field. We specifically invite contributions which address one or several of the following issues:
- Bridging the digital divide among older people paying due attention to specific challenges faced by older persons with impairments, ethnic minorities, low incomes, older women, etc.
- Open educational resources for non-traditional students
- Age-friendly environments, goods and services
- Fostering technical skills to create adept senior e-learners
- Learning environments for older learners
- Challenges for teachers and developers working with older students using ICT
- Policies and practice: institutional innovation supported by ICTs
The article submission closes on 20 April, 2012. The provisional date of publication is May, 2012.
For further information and to submit your article, please contact: jimena.marquez@elearningpapers.eu
Guest editor: Anne-Sophie Parent, Secretary General, AGE Platform Europe.
- See the complete guidelines at: Instructions for writers
Opening Learning Horizons: eLearning Papers Special Edition 2012 released
eLearning Papers Special Edition 2012 presents a selection of the best contributions from last year about Open Educational Resources, Virtual Learning Environments and Creative Classrooms. A tablet-friendly version of this edition can now be downloaded, browsed and enjoyed as an e-journal. Summaries are available in 21 languages.
eLearning Papers continues to support researchers and practitioners in the ongoing dialog about the role of ICT in education. The special annual edition 2012 focuses on Open Educational Resources, Virtual Learning Environments, and Creative Classrooms. We want to thank all our contributors for sharing their work and enriching the debate.
The six In-depth articles and five 'From the field' articles bring together selected contributions from last year, representing the ‘best of the best’ of eLearning Papers from 2011. Two of the articles cover three case studies of OER use in institutional contexts. Three articles address the wide spectrum of game-based learning, from schools to informal learning and language learning.
Learning design is addressed by three in-depth articles, while the potential of virtual mobility in higher education is explored in another. Blogathlon 2011 presents a case study of language learning and another case study looks into the potential of art-based learning interventions in eLearning.
Read more at www.elearningpapers.eu.
eLearning Papers topics for 2012 announced!
Cyber Security and Education; Learning and Active Ageing; 21st Century Teachers and their Workplace; The Worlds of TEL: Scientific and Cultural Perspectives; Mobile Learning, Cloud Computing and the Promise for Ubiquitous Learning are the topics of eLearning Papers for 2012. Read more!
eLearning Papers 28: Cyber Security and Education
With the rapid evolution of online media, new technologies have become more targeted and more sophisticated. This new context has been widely recognized in relation to its educational, social and even economic benefits. Wide use and popularity of social media also brings to the fore the notion of security and concerns regarding the management of the personal information circulating and stored on the web. Schools are an important resource, now that young people's use of the Internet is growing, and smaller children are quickly gaining access to and becoming proficient users of technology. Publication: April, 2012.
eLearning Papers 29: Learning and Active Ageing
Inspired by the European Year of Active Ageing and Solidarity Between Generations 2012, eLearning Papers will investigate how eLearning affects the lives of senior citizens. As a population at risk of marginalization, the elderly appear particularly suited to benefit from open educational resources. What is being done to make sure these digital immigrants can use and benefit from new educational technologies. Publication: May, 2012
eLearning Papers 30: 21st Century teachers and their workplace
This issue looks at how new learning technologies and other recent innovations have affected teachers' professional environments. 21st century learners has become a buzz-word in the field of educational research. This issues applies that term to the teachers, seeking practical examples and prospective visions that analyse what it means to be a teacher in the knowledge society. Publication: July, 2012.
eLearning Papers 31: The worlds of TEL - Scientific and Cultural perspectives
Technology-enhanced learning is not a new topic but the more normalized it becomes, the more we are able to develop nuanced critical perspectives on its development and impact. This issue will invite contributions that present a diverse range of practical and theoretical examples in order to discuss the state of the art regarding this topic, with special attention to areas that seem to be more problematic, or in particular need of further research. Publication: September, 2012.
eLearning Papers 32: Mobile learning, cloud computing and the promise for ubiquitous learning
While learning has always expanded beyond the walls of the classroom, the proliferation of devices and applications, which have greatly expanded when, where and how information can be accessed and stored, brings this issue to the fore. How have such devices had an impact in learning, and what role may they play in the future? This issue hopes to showcase practical examples and generate serious reflection on an emerging topic. Publication: December, 2012.
To know about the dates planned and to see the the Calls for Papers (to be published) click here
To know more about eLearning Papers click here
Future Classroom Lab
The Future Classroom Lab is created by European Schoolnet, its supporting 30 ministries and industry partners to help visualise how conventional classrooms and other learning spaces can be easily reorganised to support changing styles of teaching and learning.
CERI: Innovative Learning Environments
How can today’s schools be transformed so as to become environments of teaching and learning that makes individuals lifelong learners and prepare them for the 21st Century? This is the question, the “Innovative Learning Environments” Project will answer. It will focus on teaching and learning at the micro-level as opposed to educational policies, management or organisational structures. This is based on the fundamental belief that the most fruitful area in which to search for new approaches to learning within the education system calls for close attention to the nature of learning itself.
Empowering Educators for Creative Learning: A European View. Results from the DG EAC workshop in OEB
Once more DG Education and Culture and the Agency were present at the ONLINE EDUCA conference in Berlin. This is the largest yearly event on technology supported learning & training at an international level. The theme of this 17th edition was "New Learning Cultures". The conference included more than 100 sessions (workshops, demos, labs work, etc.) organised between the 1st and 2nd December, attracting more than 2000 participants from approximately 100 countries.
At the conference, DG EAC and the Agency organised a workshop titled "Empowering Educators for Creative Learning: A European View" chaired by Brian Holmes.
Presentations
Creative classroom
Lieve van den Brande, from Directorate General Education and Culture underlined the need for a wide mobilisation of stakeholders to facilitate the integration and use of ICT in education and training. There is a gap between the potential of ICT, the evidence coming from research, the policy objectives and the reality of use of ICT in formal and non-formal education. To fill in this gap the European Commission is launching a new initiative called "Creative classrooms" which will help mainstream innovation in learning and teaching, providing systemic impact.
Presentation 1 
Presentation 1(PDF)
Presentation 2 Presentation 2(PDF)
Orchestrating technologies: Empowering teachers in creative classrooms
Pierre Dillenbourg, professor at the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne made a presentation on "Orchestrating technologies: Empowering teachers in creative classrooms" which emphasised the benefits of keeping teachers and educators at the centre of the educational process. There is a need to focus on solving problems rather than simply running after innovation and sometimes rather simple technology can greatly assist educators in their work.
Presentation (available soon)
These interventions were followedbypresentations from 3 EU funded projects two of which are co-funded by the Lifelong learning programme Key Activity 3-ICT. The projects illustrated various strategies to engage and empower educators with innovative pedagogies:
Teaching to Teach with Technology
Teaching to Teach with Technology ("T3" project): Maria Luisa Nigrelli from the Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie della Cognizione, CNR (Italy) showed how pupils can effectively use ICT and how teachers can support their learning through technology. The project also developed a framework matching different technologies with various pedagogical strategies. Maria Luisa Nigrelli emphasised that ownership of the process if fundamental and embracing ICT in education is a challenge for today and not for tomorrow.
Presentation Presentation (PDF)
Fostering Teacher's creativity through Game-based learning
Fostering Teacher's creativity through Game-based learning ("ProActive" project): Mario Barajas from the University of Barcelona (Spain) introduced some of the challenges faced by game-based learning approaches being perceived as entertainment whereas research has shown that they can result in very effective learning. Teachers can have a central role in using these tools, and putting creativity at the centre of the learning experience.
Presentation Presentation (PDF)
Innovative Technologies for an Engaging Classroom
Innovative Technologies for an Engaging Classroom ("ITEC " project): Will Ellis presented possible scenarios for future classrooms and introduced some of the key challenges in this context: visions versus pragmatism; innovation versus mainstreaming, conservatism versus popular educational philosophy and secure versus open learning systems.
Presentation Presentation (PDF)
The workshop, attended by approximately 100 participants, concluded on the need to involve a wide range of actors including school leaders, public authorities, and practitioners at large to provide educators with the necessary support to effectively implement ICT in education.
eLearning Papers special edition presented in OEB workshop on Creative Learning Environments
Director of the eLearning Papers editorial board, Tapio Koskinen, along with Dr. Gráinne Conole, guest editor of the journal issue n.27 Designing for learning, presented a widely-attended workshop earlier this month at ONLINE EDUCA BERLIN in collaboration with Lieve Van den Brande, a Principal Administrator at the DG Education and Culture of the European Commission. Also in attendance was Pierre-Antoine Ullmo, founder of P.A.U. Education.
The session, which had more than 80 participants, was promoted through LinkedIn, Twitter, Google+, and Facebook. Addressing the new European initiative to overcome the implementation gap of technology in education, the workshop presented material from the new special issue of eLearning Papers, focussing on best practice experiences and concrete examples that demonstrate how good learning design can make a difference.
The event also launched the first tablet version of eLearning Papers. This interactive PDF format, suitable for all tablets, marks a new and exciting direction for the journal. Workshop attendees interacted with the tablet and were able to experiment with its functionality.
Drawing on the material from eLearning papers, the workshop focused on the following issues:
- What are the implications of new social and participatory media for education and how can they be harnessed more effectively to support learning?
- What are the different ways in which learning interventions can be represented?
- How can social networking and other dialogic tools be used to enable teachers to share and discuss their learning and teaching practices, ideas and designs?
- What are the implications for learners, teachers and institutions of new social and participatory media?
- What new pedagogies are emerging as a result of the use of new social and participatory media?
- How are Open Educational Resources being design, used and repurposed?
The workshop opened with an introduction by Tapio Koskinen that discussed the history and current role of eLearning Papers. Tapio is Executive Committee Member of European Distance and e-Learning Network – EDEN, Board member of the Finnish eLearning Centre and Director of the Editorial Board of eLearning Papers. He is currently Head of New Solutions at Aalto Professional Development, extension of Aalto University. Since 1995 he has been participating in the work of several European R&D and training projects. His works include NoE Prolearn roadmapping (FP6) and Time2Learn roadmapping (FP5). In 2011 he was invited as a rapporteur for the Digital Agenda Assembly workshop: “Mainstreaming e-Learning in education and training”.
Next, Lieve Van den Brande, presented the talk: “Creative learning environments: a new European initiative to overcome the implementation gap”. Lieve is a Principal Administrator at the DG Education and Culture of the European Commission. She is responsible for "ICT for learning" both in terms of policies as parts of the Lifelong learning programme. She holds a Ph.D. in educational sciences from the University of Liège and has several degrees in education, psychology and teacher training. Lieve has been working for more than 20 years at the EC: DG Information Society around 'Telematics for Education and Training'; DG Research around social sciences research and now since 4 years at DG EAC on e-Learning and digital competences. Lieve is also a member of the Editorial Board of eLearning Papers.
Afterwards, Gráinne Conole offered a comprehensive presentation of the state of the art on designing for learning. Gráinne is Professor at University of Leicester since September 2011. Previously she was Professor of e-learning in the Institute of Educational Technology at the Open University. Gráinne has research interests in the use, integration and evaluation of Information and Communication Technologies and e-learning and impact on organisational change. Her latest book about Learning Design will be out any time soon. She guest edited the eLearning Papers special issue on Learning Design that will be published in this workshop.
The workshop ended by opening the floor to the audience members for discussion. The eLearning Papers board members were pleased to have the chance to interact with readers and contributers of the journal, and to receive their enthusiastic responses to the tablet format. The board looks forward sharing the journals' new issues and further developments with them, as they arise.