Design for Learning Spaces and Innovative Classrooms  (Deadline, July 28^th 2013)

 

The context of the learning experience changes over time, with technological, economic and social developments influencing the types of spaces learners and teachers require in order achieve their desired outcomes. Throughout Europe, the educational facilities sector is undergoing significant change both in the demographics of the student body and from technologically driven changes in teaching and learning. Currently, the financial climate and resulting government budget cuts are creating challenging times for the sector.

 

How can we inform, guide and support the sustainable development of learning and teaching spaces and practices, maximizing flexibility so they can be used by as many disciplines as possible? Learning space designs frequently reflect didactic modes of learning without paying adequate attention to other important modes. As Gibbons and Fried Foster (2007, p. 82) point out, university staff tends to assume that the experiences of students today are similar to their own experiences as students, but this is not the case. Research suggests that we should make use of technologies and approaches that students prefer; future schools  should be organized to accommodate learner-generated aspects of their learning experience.  Gibbons and Fried Foster advocate a user-centered design approach founded in an understanding of the diversity of student experiences.

 

Over the last few years, we have observed a paradigm change that shows a move towards an increasingly learner-centered approach to teaching and learning. The meaning of learning has changed from a one-directional instructional method to emphasizing the fact that knowledge is built through collaboration between teachers and students, or amongst peers themselves, working on projects and tasks or solving problems.

 

Another major factor that has had a tremendous impact on the way we learn is the sometimes overwhelming amount and presence of all kinds of technologies that support teaching and learning. These range from whiteboards and tablets, to web-conferencing online tools and all sorts of digital resources.

 

All the above has increasingly made traditional learning spaces obsolete. In the same way that formal and informal learning blur, so do the confined spaces devoted to such learning practices. Study rooms, common areas and cafeterias merge into one-for-all spaces that allow learning to spring from interaction amongst different actors. Current learning spaces require some flexible physical spaces that are able to host embedded technologies almost unnoticeably, while also integrating the physical environment outside the building as yet another source of direct knowledge and exploration for students.

 

As blended learning becomes the new trend in constructing effective innovative classrooms, the demand for small and easily adaptable learning becomes more apparent. In this state of affairs, it is crucial to bring together instructional designers and architects when designing learning spaces.

 

To what extent are higher education institutions and school communities working towards this goal? What type challenges do instructional designers face regarding physical and virtual spaces when creating their syllabi and class plans? And what type of problems can practitioners share in order to effectively design virtual and physical learning environments? Will changing learning spaces force better teaching practices for those teachers less convinced of the benefits of technological and innovative classrooms?

 

This issue of eLearning Papers explores practices and experiences in designing learning spaces specifically for innovative and creative classrooms. We especially invite contributions which address one or several of the following issues:

 

• Experiences about the design and implementation of innovative learning spaces
• Creative learning spaces to inspire teachers and students
• Learning spaces for different purposes to motivate different types of learning
• Designing flexible learning spaces to accommodate innovative pedagogies
• Design and teamwork in developing the e-mature school environment
• Designing and refurbishing schools and classrooms for 21^st century learning
• Redefining physical space and time (ubiquitous learning)
• Innovative experiences with learning spaces

The article submission deadline is July 28^th, 2013. The anticipated publication date: end of August 2013. For further information and to submit your article, please contact Laia Canals, current chief editor, at editorialteam[at]elearningeuropa.info

 

The submissions must comply with the following guidelines:

• Submission language: English
• Title: must effectively and creatively communicate the content of the article and may include a subtitle.
• Executive summary for the In-depth section should not exceed 200 words.
• Executive summary for the From the Field section should not exceed 50 words.
• Keywords: up to five relevant keywords must be included.
• In-depth full texts: articles should range from 4,000 to 6,000 words.
• From the Field texts: texts should not exceed 1,200 words.
• Conclusions: special importance is given to the representation of the conclusions, which should be clearly stated both in the summary and at the end of the article.
• References: All the references must be adequately cited and listed.
• Author profile: author name, institution, position and e-mail address must accompany each submission.
• Images: Please send high resolution JPEG files

See the complete guidelines at: Instructions for writers

 

Upcoming call for papers

• Personal Learning Enviroments, September 2013.
• Learning Analytics and Assessment, November 2013.
• Digital Literacies and eCompetence, December 2013.

Continuous call for papers on open topics (no deadline)

Besides the specific calls for papers, we always consider open topic papers to be published according to available space in the publication and quality of submissions. Please feel free to contact us for further information and submit your paper by sending it to: editorialteam[at]elearningeuropa.info.

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MOOCs and Beyond (Deadline, March 25th 2013 EXTENDED DEADLINE  April 8th 2013)

 

In August, 2009, four months after opening, Coursera – one of several Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) providers quickly gaining traction on the Internet – registered 1 million students, from nearly 200 countries. This is only one of the many staggering statistics that could be shared about the sudden popularity of MOOCs, the total of which speak to the worldwide interest in accessing university courses online.

 

The term MOOC dates from 2008, developed initially as a pedagogical experiment focused on creating a more connected and democratic learning environment. However, since 2011, universities have used the term to describe course offerings geared toward a worldwide student body. Today, “MOOC” describes a range of pedagogical models. George Siemens distinguishes between “cMOOCs” which follow the original “connectivist” model and the more institutionalised an tightlu structured “xMOOCS”. Will we see other models emerge, such as pMOOCs (project based) or iMOOCs (inquiry)? Can we still talk about MOOCs as a unified phenomenon or do these models represent completely different cratures? Despite the differences, taken as a whole the emergence of MOOCs poses a set of challenges to the educational community.

 

With the expansion of xMOOC platforms connected to different networks of higher education institutions–Coursera, Udacity, edX, or the newly launched European Futurelearn –a central question today is: what are MOOCs role in the higher education system? In particular, what threat do they pose to institutions as they currently operates? Can they potentially compete with university accreditation, or can they offer alternative scheme? MOOCs also pose challenges on the micro pedagogical level. Retention rates are typically very low (around 10%), and there are frequent reports of plagiarism. On a broader level, MOOCs offer an exciting site for exploring the intersection between technology and pedagogy, in the effort to improve our understanding of how to support learning. How do MOOCs differ from face-to-face, or even on-line closed courses? What is particular about the MOOC learning experience, and what does that teach us?

 

This special issue of eLearning Papers seeks to generate debate and bring together critical voices to discuss this emerging research area. Contributions to both the In-depth and From the field sections are invited to submit theoretical or empirical research, in particular regarding the following topics:

 

- Experiences speaking to the design, implementation or assessment of a MOOC.

- Empirical evaluation of MOOCs.

- The impact of MOOCs within Higher Education.

- Learning analytics and MOOCs.

- Peer-to-peer learning and MOOCs.

- Analyses of the impact and reach of MOOCs – considering course completion, global recognition.

- Challenging the MOOC concept: how “massive” is massive, how “open” is open?

- Possible MOOC off-line elements. Should we be talking about MOOLEs (Massive Open Online Learning Environments) and MOOLCs (Massive Open Online Learning Communities) instead?

- Design patterns and principles of MOOCs.

 

The article submission deadline is March 25th, 2013. The foreseen publication date: end of April, 2013. For further information and to submit your article, please contact the Laia Canals, the current chief editor, at editorialteam[at]elearningeuropa.info.

 

Guest editor: Prof. Dr. Yishay Mor, Senior Lecturer at the Institute of Educational Technology, the Open University, UK.

 

The submissions need to comply with the following guidelines:

• Submission language: English
• Title: must effectively and creatively communicate the content of the article and may include a subtitle.
• Executive summary for In-depth section should not exceed 200 words.
• Executive summary for From the field section should not exceed 50 words.
• Keywords: up to five relevant keywords need to be included.
• In-depth full texts: articles should range from 4,000 to 6,000 words.
• From the field texts: texts should not exceed 1,200 words.
• Conclusions: special importance is given to the representation of the conclusions, which should be clearly stated both in the summary and at the end of the article.
• References: All the references must be adequately cited and listed.
• Author profile: author name, institution, position and e-mail address must accompany each submission.
• Images: Please send high resolution JPEG files

 

See the complete guidelines at: Instructions for writers

 

Upcoming call for papers

• Learning Analytics and Assessment, estimated publishing date, June 2013.
• Design for Learning Spaces and Innovative Classrooms, estimated publishing date, July 2013.

 

Continuous call for papers on free topics (no deadline)

Besides the specific calls for papers, we consider continuosly free topic papers to be published according to available space in the publication and quality of submissions. Please feel free to contact us for further information and submit your paper by sending it to: editorialteam[at]elearningeuropa.info.

 

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Mobile Learning (Deadline November 19th, 2012)

 

Today’s youth are growing up in a world very different from the world their teachers or parents knew when they were young. Where and how they learn is changing as mobile learning and social networking become part of their every day life. Ubiquitous access to social media, tools and knowledge resources is taken for granted, while passive teacher-directed work dominates life at school.

 

Open, social and participatory media have significant potential to transform learning and teaching. They offer numerous ways to communicate, collaborate and connect with peers. The range of free educational resources and tools is rapidly increasing. Cloud computing has enabled free or inexpensive access to applications that were once available only to those who were willing to pay premium license fees.

 

The gap between the potential and actual use of technology in education is a paradox. eLearning Papers seeks to facilitate the sharing of innovative and creative uses of technology to support learning among its readers. The upcoming 32nd issue focuses on mobile technology applications and their potential to enhance learning within the broad spectrum of education and training. Papers are welcome on any aspects related to the use of open, social and participatory media, cloud computing or mobile learning. Some suggested focus areas  are listed below.

 

• How do mobile devices enhance learning and creativity?
• Mobile learning and creative classrooms
• OER for mobile learning
• Mobile learning management models and strategies
• Learning design for mobile learning
• Mobile learning platforms, devices and operating systems
• Authoring tools and technologies for mobile learning
• Content design and development for mobile learning
• Platform specific applications for learning
• Augmented reality in education
• Mixed reality and mobile devices supporting learning
• Mobile devices and schoolwork, in classrooms and beyond
• Mobile devices supporting performance and learning at work
• Low-tech mobile learning, e.g. the power of SMS

 

The article submission deadline is November 19th, 2012. The provisional date of publication is December, 2012. For further information and to submit your article, please contact: jimena.marquez@elearningpapers.eu

 

Guest editor: Prof. Dr. Martin Wolpers, Fraunhofer-Institut für Angewandte Informationstechnik FIT

 

The submissions need to comply with the following guidelines:

• Submission language: English
• Title: must effectively and creatively communicate the content of the article and may include a subtitle.
• Executive summary for In-depth section should not exceed 200 words.
• Executive summary for From the field section should not exceed 50 words.
• Keywords: up to five relevant keywords need to be included.
• In-depth full texts: articles should range from 4,000 to 6,000 words.
• From the field texts: texts should not exceed 1,200 words.
• Conclusions: special importance is given to the representation of the conclusions, which should be clearly stated both in the summary and at the end of the article.
• References: All the references must be adequately cited and listed.
• Author profile: author name, institution, position and e-mail address must accompany each submission.
• Images: Please send high resolution JPEG files

 

See the complete guidelines at: Instructions for writers

 

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Learning and Work (Deadline extended to October 18th, 2012)

 

Today, over two thirds of our learning occurs at the workplace. Knowledge and skills needed at work are acquired at the workplace. We are witnessing the merging of working and learning environments that provide a wide variety of opportunities for learning, ranging from formally-structured training programmes to peer learning support and rich opportunities for informal learning. Technology solutions for supporting teamwork and collaboration are increasingly used also for training, especially when learners are scattered over a large geographical area. Simulations and virtual worlds have been successfully applied to train specialists on how to act in a state of emergency; nowadays they are commonly used to train service personnel. Performance support systems and embedded learning solutions are becoming general components of man-machine user interfaces.

 

Companies need to develop their personnel in order to remain competitive. This presents a range of challenges for the education and training sector, which must address how to best support training and professional development for workers and managers.

 

This issue of eLearning Papers, dedicated to the topic of Learning and Work, seeks articles dealing with trends and best practices on learning experiences in the workplace that show how technology can support new learning approaches and new skills, competences and qualification systems to match users’ personal knowledge development plans.

 

Submissions are invited to explore and share experiences related to the integration of learning technologies into the professional sphere. Papers can be more specifically aimed at exploring the following themes:

 

• Competence-based learning and e-Learning
• Personalised and adaptive learning services
• Embedded learning and performance support
• Games and simulations supporting induction and learning at work
• Training in virtual worlds
• Collaboration systems and virtual meeting rooms in support of workplace learning
• Semantic Web convergence and interoperability
• Generating learning content from information sources and the Web
• Integrating Media and Learning Management for Mobile and Instant Learning
• Online Validation and Qualification (such as badges, e-portfolios, etc.)
• Computer and Internet Certificates
• Informal and Non-formal Learning

 

The article submission has been extended to October 18th, 2012. The provisional date of publication is November, 2012. For further information and to submit your article, please contact: jimena.marquez@elearningpapers.eu

Guest editor: Fabrizio Cardinali, C.E.O. (eXact learning solutions S.p.A.), Chair of the European Learning Industry Group (ELIG)

 

The submissions need to comply with the following guidelines:

• Submission language: English
• Title: must effectively and creatively communicate the content of the article and may include a subtitle.
• Executive summary for In-depth section should not exceed 200 words.
• Executive summary for From the field section should not exceed 50 words.
• Keywords: up to five relevant keywords need to be included.
• In-depth full texts: articles should range from 4,000 to 6,000 words.
• From the field texts: texts should not exceed 1,200 words.
• Conclusions: special importance is given to the representation of the conclusions, which should be clearly stated both in the summary and at the end of the article.
• References: All the references must be adequately cited and listed.
• Author profile: author name, institution, position and e-mail address must accompany each submission.
• Images: Please send high resolution JPEG files

 

See the complete guidelines at: Instructions for writers

 

 

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Changing schools and creative clasrooms: 21st century teachers and their new roles

(Deadline August 10th, 2012)

 

The effective use of new technologies in education has been a top priority throughout Europe. Various national and regional initiatives have been introduced to facilitate the integration of digital tools into schools, from providing each student with a personal laptop, to the use of digital textbooks, eTwinning projects, and complex learning management systems.

 

These initiatives are often grounded in the belief that schools must provide students with the skills needed to participate in our knowledge society, while the reality has shown that a well-planned use of ICT in education calls for profound pedagogical changes in schoolwork. In light of changing schools and the evolution towards creative classrooms and open educational resources, this special issue of eLearning Papers will explore the new role of teachers in 21^st century learning contexts.

 

The implications of ICT in education touch on all aspects of teaching practice, affecting not only the way content is presented in class but also emphasising the teacher's role as a facilitator of the learning process rather than the possessor of knowledge. As learning spaces extend beyond the classroom walls, so too does teacher’s work. Guiding and counselling students via e-mail or LMS systems like Fronter or First Class often takes place outside of school hours. Balancing the advantage of being available and the right to privacy calls for new rules and ways for coordinating teachers’ and students’ expectations.

 

While educational technologies are full of potential, and are currently evolving educational practice, they pose a series of challenges. The fast-paced evolution of technology is difficult for teachers, who may suffer from the demands of staying up-to-date as new programs and tools are released. Initiatives for the enhancement of ICTs in education often address the issue of getting tools into the classroom, without considering how these tools may affect and change the way people teach and learn.

 

Teachers themselves are often tasked with negotiating between the tools and the networked, ICT-savvy students they have in class, and the curriculum, school administration and educational objectives that influence how, and to what extent, technology should be used. Strategies for navigating the cultural divide between what education was, is and can be are currently being written and rehearsed by teachers in classrooms all over Europe.

 

eLearning Papers seeks submissions about Changing schools and creative classrooms: 21st century teachers and their new roles, for both sections: In-Depth and From the Field. We specifically invite contributions which address one or several of the following themes:

1-Teachers and students

• The teacher and the creative classroom
• If we are beginning to understand 21^st century learning and the Future of Learning, then what is the Future of Teaching?
• Teacher training: Innovative experiences

2-Classrooms: space and time

• Design and teamwork in developing the e-mature school environment
• Designing and refurbishing schools and classrooms for 21^st century learning
• Redefining physical space and time (ubiquitous learning)
• Innovative experiences with learning spaces
• Organizing class time

3-Methodologies

• OER in the classroom
• 21^st  century homework for 21^st century pupils
• Challenges related to the pedagogical design of lifelong learning content
• Progressive inquiry learning and other pedagogical models
• Use of role play for learning and training
• New curriculum or No curriculum
• Evaluating… What? What for?
• Creative classrooms: best practices around Europe

4-National educational policies

• Education for employment
• Education for citizenship
• Inclusive education and teacher practices: What’s going on in Europe?
• New ways to recognise teacher’s innovative practices

5-Tools and resources

• What new pedagogies are emerging as a result of the use of new social and participatory media?
• 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?
• How are Open Educational Resources being designed, used and repurposed?
• What are the implications for formal institutions of the increasing availability of free resources, tools and even complete educational offerings, such as Massive Online Open Courses (MOOCs)?

6-Families, community, social context

• Gender, age and cultural issues in educational practices
• Culture change through open education
• Recognizing the social role of teachers

7-New scenarios for pedagogical practices

• New social skills and competencies for lifelong learning
• Different innovative learning concepts and practices in lifelong learning
• Stimulating and creating incentive for change towards openness in education
• What are the implications for learners, teachers and institutions of new social and participatory media?
• Quality and equity in new learning environments

 

The article submission closes on August 10th, 2012.

The provisional date of publication is early September, 2012.

For further information and to submit your article, please contact: jimena.marquez@elearningpapers.eu

 

Guest editors:

Hans Laugesen, GL - the National Union of Upper Secondary School Teachers.

Jim Devine, JD Policy | Projects | Innovation, EDEN Fellow (and former President, IADT, Dublin)

 

The submissions need to comply with the following guidelines:

• Submission language: English
• Title: must effectively and creatively communicate the content of the article and may include a subtitle.
• Executive summary for In-depth section should not exceed 200 words.
• Executive summary for From the field section should not exceed 50 words.
• Keywords: up to five relevant keywords need to be included.
• In-depth full texts: articles should range from 4,000 to 6,000 words.
• From the field texts: texts should not exceed 1,200 words.
• Conclusions: special importance is given to the representation of the conclusions, which should be clearly stated both in the summary and at the end of the article.
• References: All the references must be adequately cited and listed.
• Author profile: author name, institution, position and e-mail address must accompany each submission.
• Images: Please send high resolution JPEG files

 

See the complete guidelines at: Instructions for writers

 

 

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Learning and Active Ageing (Deadline extended to April 27, 2012)

 

Europe is getting older. 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 21^st 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 until 27 April, 2012. The provisional date of publication is June, 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.

 

The submissions need to comply with the following guidelines:

• Submission language: English
• Title: must effectively and creatively communicate the content of the article and may include a subtitle.
• Executive summary for In-depth section should not exceed 200 words.
• Executive summary for From the field section should not exceed 50 words.
• Keywords: up to five relevant keywords need to be included.
• In-depth full texts: articles should range from 4,000 to 6,000 words.
• From the field texts: texts should not exceed 1,200 words.
• Conclusions: special importance is given to the representation of the conclusions, which should be clearly stated both in the summary and at the end of the article.
• References: All the references must be adequately cited and listed.
• Author profile: author name, institution, position and e-mail address must accompany each submission.
• Images: Please send high resolution JPEG files
• See the complete guidelines at: Instructions for writers

 

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Cyber Security and Education (Deadline extended to March 23, 2012)

 

With the rapid evolution of online media, new technologies have become more targeted and more sophisticated. Web 2.0 applications facilitate users' creativity, they not only enable sharing of content, but also co-creating it with others. 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.

 

In fact, the European Safer Internet Program (2009-2013) has assessed the status of online safety education in schools and has identified the educational sector as a main stakeholder in the promotion of safe use of the Internet and other communication technologies. In this light, the next issue of eLearning Papers will address the role the educational sector has in teaching children and young people about cyber security.

 

Addressing Cyber Security in schools should foster critical digital literacy, such that children can become empowered to make informed decisions about how they choose to use and share information online. Certain competences have been identified as necessary skills young people should have in order to manage security online. These skills include the ability to adopt a critical use of new media (including the ability to assess sources), understanding how to present oneself online, in terms of privacy, identity and reputation management, and developing responsible and ethical online behaviour. A focus on these competencies signals a shift in teaching ICT in the classroom, providing instruction not only on at how technology works, but also on its use.

 

An educational approach to Cyber Security means raising student awareness of the risks and consequences of their online practices. It should provide a platform that teaches students to recognize and prevent real risks, such as cyber-bullying, identity theft or sexual harassment, and introduces them to existing risk prevention resources, like the Online Police. While there is consensus on the pressing nature of these risks, incorporating Cyber Security into the curriculum is a new practice, at best. The field is in need of best practice scenarios and in-depth discussions surrounding how students can be encouraged to engage in safe Internet use.

 

eLearning Papers seeks contributions about Cyber Security for young people and the educational sector in both sections: In-Depth and From the Field. We specifically invite contributions which address one or several of the following issues:

• Useful approaches to online security in curriculum design and teaching practice
• Good practice in Cyber Security
• Teaching, learning and promoting critical digital literacy
• Defining at-risk populations and specific security concerns
• National approaches to online safety; national information society policies or ICT in education policies
• Competences for online safety education
• Safety risks for young people and children (safe behaviour online, privacy issues, cyber-bullying, intellectual property rights, involuntary disclosure, etc.)

 

The article submission closes on March 23, 2012.

The provisional date of publication is April 20, 2012.

For further information and to submit your article, please contact: jimena.marquez@elearningpapers.eu

 

Guest editor: Jean Underwood, Professor of Psychology, Nottingham Trent University, UK

 

The submissions need to comply with the following guidelines:

• Submission language: English
• Title: must effectively and creatively communicate the content of the article and may include a subtitle.
• Executive summary for In-depth section should not exceed 200 words.
• Executive summary for From the field section should not exceed 50 words.
• Keywords: up to five relevant keywords need to be included.
• In-depth full texts: articles should range from 4,000 to 6,000 words.
• From the field texts: texts should not exceed 1,200 words.
• Conclusions: special importance is given to the representation of the conclusions, which should be clearly stated both in the summary and at the end of the article.
• References: All the references must be adequately cited and listed.
• Author profile: author name, institution, position and e-mail address must accompany each submission.
• Images: Please send high resolution JPEG files

 

See the complete guidelines at: Instructions for writers

 

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Designing for learning (Deadline October 21, 2011)

 

 

New open, social and participatory media clearly have significant potential to transform learning and teaching. The emergence of these technologies has shifted practice on the Internet away from passive, information provision to active, user engagement. They offer learners and teachers a plethora of ways to communicate and collaborate; to connect with a distributed network of peers, and to find and manipulate information. In addition there are now a significant range of free educational resources and tools. However despite this, technologies are still only used marginally in an educational context. Learners and teachers lack the necessary digital literacy skills to harness these new technologies.

 

This new learning context raises some thought-provoking issues. In a world where content and services are increasingly free, what is the role of formal education? What new teaching approaches and assessment methods are needed? How can we provide effective learning pathways to guide learners through the multitude of educational offerings now available? How can teachers develop new approaches to the design of learning activities and whole curricula that takes account of this new complex, technologically enhanced context? What assessment strategies are appropriate?

 

Falconer and Littlejohn (2008, p. 20) argue that there are three challenges facing teachers: i) the increasing size and diversity of the student body, ii) the increasing requirement for quality assurance, and iii) the rapid pace of technological change. Conole (2004) has argued that there is a gap between the promise and reality of the use of technology in education and that there is little evidence that education has changed fundamentally. Much use of technology appears to simply replicate bad classroom practice resulting in simple Web page turning (Oliver, 2000). Similarly Masterman (2008a, p.210) argues that the lack of uptake of technologies is due to a number of factors: lack of awareness of the possibilities, technophobia, lack of time to explore the use of technologies, aversion to the risks inherent in experimentation and fear of being supplanted by the computer. Agostinho et al. (2008: 381) suggest that the uptake of the use of high-quality ICT-based learning designs in higher education has been slow. Factors include: low levels of dissemination of ICT-based learning projects, lack of ICT-based learning examples to model, lack of time, support and training. Sawyer (2006, p. 8) argues that the impact of the significant investment in computers in schools has been disappointing. There are few studies that show that computer use is correlated with improved student performance. Similarly Koedinger and Corbett (2008, p. 61) write that as new technologies have emerged many hoped that they would have a radically transformative effect on education, but in reality the impact was much less than expected.

 

The gap between the potential and actual use of technology is a paradox and this is at the heart of the growth of a new area of research that has emerged in recent years. Learning design research aims to better understand this mismatch. It focuses on the development of tools, design methods and approaches to help teachers design pedagogically effective learning activities and whole curriculum, which make effective use of technologies.

 

Two recent edited collections provide a useful overview of the field of learning design (Beetham and Sharpe, 2007; Lockyer et al., 2008). Conole (forthcoming) defines learning design as follows:

 

A methodology for enabling teachers/designers to make more informed decisions in how they go about designing learning activities and interventions, which is pedagogically informed and makes effective use of appropriate resources and technologies. This includes the design of resources and individual learning activities right up to curriculum-level design. A key principle is to help make the design process more explicit and shareable. Learning design as an area of research and development includes both gathering empirical evidence to understand the design process, as well as the development of a range of  learning design resource, tools and activities.

 

This call focusses on learning design. Learning design as a term is being used in a number of different ways, this special issues aims to clarify these different perspectives.  Arguably, designing for learning is one of the key challenges facing education today; it offers a potential solution to address some of the challenges outlined above. It provides a methodology to help guide and support teachers in the creation of effective learning interventions and resources, which harness the potential of social and participatory media. Papers are welcome on any aspects of learning design, some suggested areas of focus are listed below:

• 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?
• What are the implications for formal institutions of the increasingly availability of free resources, tools and even total educational offerings, such as Massive Online Open Courses (MOOCs)?

Papers of the follow types are welcome:

• Reviews of aspects of the latest learning design results.
• Empirical studies and evaluations of learning design interventions.
• Policy papers and briefings, particularly looking at the implications of new social and participatory media for learning and teaching.
• Papers on different learning design methodologies and representations.
• Reports and evaluation on learning design visualisation tools.
• Reports and evaluations of pedagogical planners.
• Empirical studies on the nature of social and participatory media, their key characteristics and how they can be used by learners and teachers.
• Case studies on how learners and teachers are using technologies and associated design implications.
• Theoretical underpinnings of the field of learning design.
• The relationship between learning theories and learning design.
• Critiques of the relationship between learning design and related fields, such as instructional design, pedagogical patterns and learning sciences.

 

The article submission closes on October 21, 2011 The provisional date of publication is December 2011.

For further information and to submit your article, please contact: jimena.marquez@elearningpapers.eu

 

Guest editor

Professor Gráinne Conole, University of Leicester, UK.

The submissions need to comply with the following guidelines:

• Submission language: English
• Title: must effectively and creatively communicate the content of the article and may include a subtitle.
• Executive summary for In-depth section should not exceed 200 words.
• Executive summary for From the field section should not exceed 50 words.
• Keywords: up to five relevant keywords need to be included.
• In-depth full texts: articles should range from 4,000 to 6,000 words.
• From the field texts: texts should not exceed 1,200 words.
• Conclusions: special importance is given to the representation of the conclusions, which should be clearly stated both in the summary and at the end of the article.
• References: All the references must be adequately cited and listed.
• Author profile: author name, institution, position and e-mail address must accompany each submission.
• Images: Please send high resolution JPEG files

See the complete guidelines at: Instructions for writers

 

References

• Agostinho, S., Harper, B., Oliver, R., Hedberg, J., and Wills, S. (2008). A visual learning design representation to facilitate dissemination and reuse of innovative pedagogical strategies in university teaching. In L. Botturi and S. T. Stubbs (Eds.), Handbook of visual languages for instructional design: theories and practices (pp. 380-393). Hershey, New York: Information Science Reference. Conole, C. (2004). E-Learning: The Hype and the Reality Journal of Interactive Media in Education, 2004 (12), available online at http://www-jime.open.ac.uk/2004/12.
• Beetham, H., & Sharpe, R. (2007). Rethinking Pedagogy for a Digital age: Designing and Delivering E-Learning, London: Routledge.
• Conole, G. (forthcoming), Designing for learning in an open world, Springer: Verlag.
• Falconer, I, and Littlejohn. A. (2008), Representing models of practice” (2008), (L. Lockyer, S. Bennet, S. Agostinho, and B. Harper (eds) Handbook of Research on Learning Design and Learning Objects, Idea Group.
• Koedinger, K. R., & Corbett, A. (2008). Technology bringing learning science to the classroom. In R. K. Sawyer (Ed.), The Cambridge Handbook of the Learning Sciences (pp. 61-77). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
• Lockyer, L., Bennett, S., Agostinho, S. and Harper, B. (2008), Handbook of research on learning design and learning objects, New York: Information Science Reference.
• Masterman, L. (2008a). Activity theory and the design of pedagogic planning tools. In L. Lockyer, S. Bennett, S. Agostinho and B. Harper (Eds.), Handbook of research on learning design and learning obkects: issues, applications and technologies (Vol. 1, pp. 209 - 227). Hershey, New York: Information Science Reference.
• Masterman, L. (2008b). Phoebe Pedagogy Planner Project: Evaluation Report, JISC E-Learning and Pedagogy Programme: Oxford University.
• Oliver, R. (2000), Where teaching meets learning: design principles and strategies for Web-based learning environments that support knowledge construction, ASCILITE 2000 conference, Coffs Harbour, 9th-12th December 2000, available online at http://www.ascilite.org.au/conferences/coffs00/papers/ron_oliver_keynote.pdf
• Sawyer, R. K. (2006). The Cambridge handbook of the learning sciences: Cambridge University Press: Cambridge.

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Learning and Social Networking (Deadline September 09, 2011)

For years we have followed the changes taking place in the teaching and learning landscape brought about by the development of information and communication technology. The Internet and associated technologies have been around for two decades now. Networked access and computer ownership are the norm. As such, the context within which today’s students learn is radically different from the context for learning in the past. However, we understand very little about the design and use of digital and social learning tools. How are they be beneficial in complex social learning situations and learning systems?

 

In 1999 Sugata Mitra started his well-known experiments in self-teaching. Since then he has done a considerable amount of empirical research to prove his argument: Groups of children can learn almost anything on their own, regardless or who they are or where they are, provided they have a computer with Internet access. Children navigate collaboratively through open resources and find answers to given assignments.

 

The rapid emergence of social computing applications is changing the ways people connect with each other, as well as how they exchange and create knowledge. In particular, young people entering higher education are integrating ICT seamlessly into their everyday life and expect their educational institutions to support their digital lifestyle. Use of social software in combination with open content to support learning is a phenomenon largely emerging from outside educational institutions.

 

This phenomenon has been recognized for its strong potential for supporting the innovation that education and training needs to meet the demands of digital society. Educational agendas are shifting to address ideas about how we can create personalized and collaborative knowledge spaces, where learners can access people and information in ways that encourage creative and reflective learning practices that extend beyond the boundaries of the school, and beyond the limits of formal education.

 

eLearning Papers seeks contributions about social networking and/or social software and/or social computing contributions to supporting learning in both sections: In-Depth and From the Field. We specifically invite contributions which address one or several of the following issues:

• Innovative social computing technologies, applications, tools and environments for supporting learning
• Tools for supporting group-learning
• Case studies and best practices in social networking supported learning
• Communities of practice
• Progressive inquiry learning and other pedagogical models
• Assessment in social networking supported learning
• Gender, age, cultural issues in social networking supported learning
• Ethical issues in social networking supported learning
• IPR issues in social networking supported learning

 

The article submission closes on 9 September 2011. The provisional date of publication is October 2011.

For further information and to submit your article, please contact: jimena.marquez@elearningpapers.eu

 

Guest editor:

Teemu Leinonen, Professor, New Media Design and Learning, Aalto University

 

The submissions need to comply with the following guidelines:

• Submission language: English
• Title: must effectively and creatively communicate the content of the article and may include a subtitle.
• Executive summary for In-depth section should not exceed 200 words.
• Executive summary for From the field section should not exceed 50 words.
• Keywords: up to five relevant keywords need to be included.
• In-depth full texts: articles should range from 4,000 to 6,000 words.
• From the field texts: texts should not exceed 1,200 words.
• Conclusions: special importance is given to the representation of the conclusions, which should be clearly stated both in the summary and at the end of the article.
• References: All the references must be adequately cited and listed.
• Author profile: author name, institution, position and e-mail address must accompany each submission.
• Images: Please send high resolution JPEG files

See the complete guidelines at: Instructions for writers

 

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Mixed realities, virtual worlds and gaming (deadline extended to June 3, 2011)

 

In parallel to the phenomenal rise of the digital game development industry through time, the acceptance of games in other sectors has also been changing. Computer game skills have been increasingly applied in almost all areas of human activity within modern societies. Digital games have now been embraced by the academic research community as a research topic, as well as discovered by the education sector as a highly interactive media that can support and foster learning. As a popular and powerful media, computer games are being considered for use in various education and training settings to motivate learners, to focus their attention, and to help them to construct meaningful and permanent records of their learning.

 

Games have high presence in informal segments of learning – but in formal education, games are still often seen as an unserious activity and the potentials of games for learning remain undiscovered. However, when evaluating games with their children, 85% of parents believed that computer games contributed to learning as well as providing entertainment.

 

Beside fantasy and fun elements, games have potential to foster players’ ability to communicate and interact with others during gameplay. Computer games can help players to think critically when they are required to construct connections between virtual and real life. Game-like learning environments can provide motivating interdisciplinary learning settings, creating opportunities that could improve student collaboration skills as well as help them learn new concepts and synthesize new information. Games have also been praised for the potential they offer in learning business leadership and other skills by practicing in a safe environment.

 

The potential of Game Based Learning (GBL) is still underestimated. It can play a major role in renewing learning as it is perceived by learners in all levels of education and training systems. eLearning Papers seeks contributions about mixed realities, virtual worlds and gaming in both sections: In-Depth and From the Field.

 

We specifically invite contributions which address one or several of the following issues:

• Innovative game based learning technologies, applications, tools and environments
• 3D virtual worlds supporting learning, e.g. in language learning or leadership training
• Use of mobile games and location-based technology for learning
• Innovative applications of mixed realities for learning
• Use of simulations in education, corporate training and military
• Technology for massive multiplayer online games (MMOGs) for learning
• Interactivity design in game based learning applications
• Player immersion and learning
• Case studies and best practices in GBL
• Social and collaborative aspects of GBL
• Implementation issues associated with GBL
• Learning design, good gameplay and instructional theory for GBL
• Use of role plays for learning and training
• Assessment and evaluation in GBL
• Gender, age, cultural and ethical issues in GBL
• Rating of games for learning
• Accessibility of games for learning

 

The article submission has been extended to June 3, 2011. The provisional date of publishing is 14 July 2011. For further information and to submit your article, please contact: jimena.marquez@elearningpapers.eu

 

Guest editor:

Professor DI Dr. Maja Pivec, University of Applied Sciences FH JOANNEUM in Graz, Austria

 

The submissions need to comply with the following guidelines:

• Submission language: English
• Title: must effectively and creatively communicate the content of the article and may include a subtitle.
• Executive summary for In-depth section should not exceed 200 words.
• Executive summary for From the field section should not exceed 50 words.
• Keywords: up to five relevant keywords need to be included.
• In-depth full texts: articles should range from 4,000 to 6,000 words.
• From the field texts: texts should not exceed 1,200 words.
• Conclusions: special importance is given to the representation of the conclusions, which should be clearly stated both in the summary and at the end of the article.
• References: All the references must be adequately cited and listed.
• Author profile: author name, institution, position and e-mail address must accompany each submission.
• Images: Please send high resolution JPEG files

See the complete guidelines at: Instructions for writers

 

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Redefining the university (Deadline extended 24 February 2011)

 

Changing schools, universities or the education system as a whole, in order for them to be able to serve their purpose and fulfil their roles in today’s rapidly changing societies, is a highly demanding task. While the Bologna process is leading the transformation of universities, PISA studies denounce gaps at basic education levels. Redefining implies innovating in order to transform, to change, and to better respond to new situations or environments. Innovation is the natural way systems adapt to survive.

 

We can think of innovation in the organisational sense, or in terms of improving teaching methodology, changing learning strategies, implementing ICT, or developing new formats for teacher training. On the other hand, redefining means reflecting on how we understand the human being, the soul or life on the Earth.

The public education system was institutionalised in the 19th Century, refined during the 20th and is now disintegrating. Perhaps the question is when death will arrive to universities, and if schools will survive. We could also reflect on the relationship between the process of redefining education and current changes in modes of communication: are universities and schools a mere product of what is written in books?

 

We can observe that society is demanding changes in traditional schooling. Multicultural or transcultural societies, new ethical frameworks, a highly individual participation level and networked situations require new education paradigms. Indeed, multiple approaches to this topic clearly illustrate the need for transformation and innovation.

eLearning Papers seeks contributions about ‘Redefining Education’ in both sections: In-Depth and From the Field. These are some of the suggested topics for articles:

• Redefining teachers’ roles
• Defining new universities and schools
• The transformation of Public Education Systems
• Innovation with new methods, new media
• Education for a new society
• Ethics in 21st century schools and universities
• Education within a new communication framework
• Isolated schools in a networked world
• New curriculum or No-curriculum.
• Evaluating… what? What for?
• Teachers’ reactions to change
• Redefining physical space and time (ubiquitous learning)
• Foresight in education and learning.

The article submission closes on 18 February 2011. The provisional date of publication is April 2011.For further information and to submit your article, please contact: jimena.marquez@elearningpapers.eu

 

Guest editor

• Antonio Bartolomé, Universitat de Barcelona

The submissions need to comply with the following guidelines:

• Submission language: English
• Title: must effectively and creatively communicate the content of the article and may include a subtitle.
• Executive summary for In-depth section should not exceed 200 words.
• Executive summary for From the field section should not exceed 50 words.
• Keywords: up to five relevant keywords need to be included.
• In-depth full texts: articles should range from 4,000 to 6,000 words.
• From the field texts: texts should not exceed 1,200 words.
• Conclusions: special importance is given to the representation of the conclusions, which should be clearly stated both in the summary and at the end of the article.
• References: All the references must be adequately cited and listed.
• Author profile: author name, institution, position and e-mail address must accompany each submission.
• Images: Please send high resolution JPEG files

See the complete guidelines at: http://www.elearningpapers.eu/index.php?page=collab_guide

 

 

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Open Education: Changing Educational Practices (extended deadline 22 January 2011)

 

The presence of open education has spread to hundreds of educational institutions across the globe, in particular centres for higher education and adult learning. Starting with important initiatives demanding access to information and spreading quickly into the making available of educational resources, it has became clear that open access is not only an issue of accessibility or availability but also of institutional change and innovation in teaching, studying and learning.

 

Open educational resources (OER) fall high on the agenda of educational institutions and policy makers, and they are supported by many stakeholders of the educational sphere. However, their use has not yet reached the critical threshold. This poses an obstacle for developing a seamless provision of quality learning resources and practices for citizens’ lifelong learning biography, due to the fact that the current focus in OER is mainly put on building more access to digital content in the form of repositories and infrastructures. There is little consideration of whether this will support educational practices, open education, and promote quality and innovation in teaching and learning.

The purpose of the 23rd issue of eLearning Papers on Open Education is to further our understanding of the way in which open access and open educational resources impact educational practices in organizations, and for learners and other stakeholders, both today and in the future.

 

We are calling for contributions on open education with a focus that goes beyond issues relating to OER access, addressing innovative open educational practices (OEP) that transform educational experiences. OEP can be initially understood as practices which support the (re)use and production of quality OER through institutional policies, promote innovative pedagogical models, and respect and empower learners as co-producers on their lifelong learning path. Furthermore, we recognize that our understanding of the impact of openness on educational scenarios, and especially on educational institutions, is still in early stages. For this reason we welcome design papers as well as empirical papers that simulate critical debate and collect data, as well as contribute to the theoretical foundation of this still-young field. We specifically invite contributions which address one or several of the following issues:

• Open education
• Open educational practices
• Quality and innovation through openness
• From open content to open courses to open institutions
• Impact of openness to bridging the educational and digital divide
• Peer-to-peer learning, validation and reviewing in open learning scenarios
• Assessment in open educational scenarios
• Culture Change through open education
• Stimulating and creating incentive for change towards openness in education
• Digital literacy and practice enhancing openness in education

The article submission closes on 22 January 2011. The provisional date of publication is February 2011.For further information and to submit your article, please contact: jimena.marquez@elearningpapers.eu

 

Guest editor

• Ulf-Daniel Ehlers, University Duisburg-Essen

The submissions need to comply with the following guidelines:

• Submission language: English
• Title: must effectively and creatively communicate the content of the article and may include a subtitle.
• Executive summary for In-depth section should not exceed 200 words.
• Executive summary for From the field section should not exceed 50 words.
• Keywords: up to five relevant keywords need to be included.
• In-depth full texts: articles should range from 4,000 to 6,000 words.
• From the field texts: texts should not exceed 1,200 words.
• Conclusions: special importance is given to the representation of the conclusions, which should be clearly stated both in the summary and at the end of the article.
• References: All the references must be adequately cited and listed.
• Author profile: author name, institution, position and e-mail address must accompany each submission.
• Images: Please send high resolution JPEG files

See the complete guidelines at: http://www.elearningpapers.eu/index.php?page=collab_guide

 

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Training and work (deadline extended 15 October 2010)

 

In order to offer a better response to reader’s expectations, we have extended the deadline for submissions until 15 October. Find below a more detailed request for this Call for Papers

According to some estimates, more than 80% of all learning occurs on the job rather than in tertiary and post-tertiary education. Currently, the Lisbon Council estimates that over two thirds of human capital from work is accumulated on the job rather than in education. In order to stay relevant and contribute to the human capital of future workers, learning will need to be tightly integrated into organizational work processes and become an integral part of workers' and managers' everyday activities.

 

One of the hindering factors of e-learning systems has the lack of interfaces that are compatible with business information systems. This impairs aligning learning with business processes and affects the speed at which organizations can improve the competencies of their employees in accordance with continuous changes in business requirements. To solve this problem, open and standards-based service-oriented applications are used today in order to connect business process management systems with learning repositories, market places and mobile and location-based technologies, and to provide ambient content management and ambient learning networks. These new learning systems will understand the skills and competencies required by new business processes and match them with learning experiences in a way that will be transparent to the user. Therefore, 3rd generation e-learning systems will be able to offer ubiquitous, nomadic and mobile learning experiences and rich media content, while supporting users’ personal knowledge development plans.

 

Today, the leading companies in the consumer gaming market are located in the USA and India. Europe has traditionally been strong in solving complex business scenarios, developing integrated business software and inventing new application software for business processes. It is anticipated that an important market segment of learning technologies will be collaborative business-oriented learning games and learning management for assessing results. Typical application areas could be the training of standard operating procedures within companies or the simulation of people's professional behavior, e.g. when serving or interacting with customers. Key technologies for this market are authoring systems that allow a faster production of business learning games and simulations, learning management platforms that allow collaboration among users while playing, as well as progress monitoring and the certification of learning results.

 

Embedding learning into technologies, processes and media products will create new ways for us to learn and will open new markets for learning technology. In the case of knowledge workers, for instance, learning has to be embedded into the business process and software must be used within this process. It thus makes sense to establish links between various interdisciplinary research domains from the fields of information technology, cognition and engineering.Papers can be more specifically aimed at exploring the following themes:

• Semantic Web Convergence and Interoperability
• Generating Learning Content from Information Sources and the Web
• Integrating Media and Learning Management for Mobile and Instant Learning
• Business Learning Games and Simulation
• Embedded Learning, Performance Support and Collaboration
• Online Validation and Qualification
• Computer and Internet Certificates
• Informal and Non-formal Learning
• Competence-based learning and e-Learning
• Virtual World in Training

The article submission closes on 15 OCTOBER 2010. The provisional date of publication is December 2010. For further information and to submit your article, please contact: jimena.marquez@elearningpapers.eu

 

Guest Editor

• Dietmar Albrecht, Head of Human Resources Development Strategy, Volkswagen Coaching GmbH 

The submissions need to comply with the following guidelines: 

• Submission language: English
• Executive summary: Every submission must include an executive summary of 250-320 words.
• Keywords: 3-6 descriptive keywords need to be included
• Full texts: Full texts must have 2,000-6,000 words and must be divided into chapters with indicative subtitles.
• References: All the references must be adequately cited and listed. 
• Author profile: The authors must publish their profile with full details in the elearningeuropa portal  

See the complete guidelines at: www.elearningpapers.eu/index.php?page=collab_guide

 

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Innovation in Lifelong Learning (deadline 28 June 2010)

 

Learning and Innovation go hand in hand. Learning is characterized by a change in behaviour, while innovation involves a change in the thought process. Both imply a change for the better.

The 21st issue of eLearning Papers proposes a broad approach to the theme of Innovation in Lifelong Learning. We are not only interested in research on innovation within formal education; this issue aims to reveal the potential of those innovations that are shaping informal learning in our everyday environments or in the workplace.

 

In addition to considering how innovation transforms our current educational practice, we are also interested in discovering how educational practice can support innovation in the greater socio-economic system. This is especially relevant in the context of adult education and training. Adult learners and corporate learners apply their new knowledge at their work organisation and in their work processes. Their learning benefits the organisation, which may introduce changes or become more competitive as a result of the learning and innovation acquired by employees that participated in training/education.

 

Higher education institutions increasingly include courses on entrepreneurship and innovation in their curricula. Such programmes have the potential to have a wide impact on innovation, emphasizing the role of higher education in generating innovation in a regional socio-economic system.

Submissions might address the following issues:

1. Policies about new social scenarios of lifelong learning
2. New social skills and competencies for lifelong learning
3. Challenges related to the pedagogical design of lifelong learning content
4. Simulations and games as part of lifelong learning content
5. Community practices of lifelong learning
6. The role of the different actors and applications involved in lifelong learning in everyday contexts (the learner, the teacher, online platforms, the institutional environment, and so on)
7. Creative coalitions that redefine innovation systems in higher education and working life
8. Networks in lifelong learning
9. Different innovative learning concepts and practices in lifelong learning
10. Sustainable innovation supported by conceptualized lifelong learning

The article submission closes on 28 JUNE 2010. The provisional date of publication is September 2010. For further information and to submit your article, please contact: jimena.marquez@elearningpapers.eu

 

Guest Editor

• Seija Kulkki, Center for Knowledge and Innovation Research, Helsinki School of Economics.

The submissions need to comply with the following guidelines:

• Submission language: English
• Executive summary: Every submission must include an executive summary of 250-320 words.
• Keywords: 3-6 descriptive keywords need to be included
• Full texts: Full texts must have 2,000-6,000 words and must be divided into chapters with indicative subtitles.
• References: All the references must be adequately cited and listed.
• Author profile: The authors must publish their profile with full details in the elearningeuropa portal

See the complete guidelines at: www.elearningpapers.eu/index.php?page=collab_guide

 

 

Technology Enhanced Learning in Science Education (deadline 3 May 2010)

 

Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) have opened new ways of learning science. With ICT tools, for example, learners have now access to enhanced hands-on experiments and empirical data such as simulations and virtual reality environments in several areas of physics, chemistry, biology and nano-science. These developments have changed the context of learning natural sciences in the initial education, as well as during vocational education and professional training. Moreover, by supporting collaborative learning and providing tools to outline and test hypothesis, ICT facilitate new pedagogical approaches, including problem-based and inquiry learning. The recent emergence of mobile learning creates the possibility to include on-the-field approaches and to lower barriers between formal and informal learning, thereby opening new avenues to lifelong learning of science.

 

This special issue of eLearning Papers will examine how ICT can enhance science education, from the perspectives of the learner and the teacher-trainer. Among the issues to be addressed are the following themes, reflecting the current trends of innovation, research and development:

• Computer tools and environments for scaffolding inquiry, design, problem and project-based learning
• Mobile tools for collecting field data
• Intelligent games for learning science
• Simulation and virtual phenomena representation
• Tools to support scientific argumentation
• User modelling and intelligent support

Based on the new technologies and the technology enhanced research-based knowledge now available, which strategies and pedagogical approaches best benefit from the use of ICT? Which is the impact of technology-based science education on curricula and assessment? How can teacher training take recent ICT innovations into account?

We are looking for articles and practical case descriptions with real life examples about how ICT have been already used for science education.

The submissions need to comply with the following guidelines:

• Submission language: English
• Executive summary: Every submission must include an executive summary of 250-320 words.
• Keywords: 3-6 descriptive keywords need to be included
• Full texts: Full texts must have 2,000-6,000 words and must be divided into chapters with indicative subtitles.
• References: All the references must be adequately cited and listed.
• Author profile: The authors must publish their profile with full details in the elearningeuropa portal

See the complete guidelines at: www.elearningpapers.eu/index.php?page=collab_guide

The article submission closes on 3 MAY 2010. The provisional date of publication is July 2010. For further information and to submit your article, please contact: jimena.marquez@elearningpapers.eu

 

Guest editors:

• Nicolas Balacheff, CNRS, Laboratoire d’Informatique de Grenoble, France
• Sibel Erduran, University of Bristol, United Kingdom
•  

 

Technology Enhanced Learning against social exclusion (deadline: 26 January 2010)

 

Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) are already part of our everyday life and key enablers for many activities, such as working environments, daily communications and relationships, handling of administrative affairs, etc. However, it is still necessary to encourage eInclusion, to promote ICT in order to enhance social inclusion in the knowledge society and to boost barrier-free technologies usable by all citizens.

 

In 2006, the Riga Declaration set a number of targets to promote an inclusive knowledge society for all European citizens. This was followed by an awareness and dissemination campaign in 2008 under the slogan: "eInclusion, be part of it!". The year 2010 has been declared the European Year against Poverty and Social Exclusion, and among its objectives are:

• Promoting inclusive labour markets;
• Eradicating disadvantages in education and training;
• Accessibility to adequate resources and services;
• Promoting social inclusion of immigrants and minorities.

Education and training have an important role to play in the activities that enhance eInclusion, for example through the promotion of digital literacy, e-skills, integration and cultural diversity. This also brings considerable challenges, such as issues around accessibility, the promotion of education and training among excluded groups, and the development of new pedagogic models and methods for inclusive learning.



This special issue of eLearning Papers will examine how Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) can help individuals and institutions to fight against poverty and social exclusion. Three ways of social inclusion, made possible by TEL, will be considered in this issue:

• Material inclusion: fight against poverty and the digital divide, contribute to “education for all”;
• Physical inclusion: help disabled and geographically isolated populations to be “mobile”;
• (Inter-)cultural inclusion: integration of minorities (Rroms), refugees and migrants, boost inter-generational relations, fight against discriminations.

Which strategies and pedagogical approaches can be applied through the use of technologies in order to contribute to these three categories? What is the role of, for example, foreign languages and/or intercultural education/citizenship in these approaches? Our hypothesis is that through technologies people can find new ways of reflecting on the notions of inclusion/exclusion and gain a feeling of being included and integrated. We are looking for articles and practical case descriptions with real life examples about how ICT have been already used for social inclusion in any of the three ways above mentioned.

The article submission closes on 26 January 2010. The provisional date of publication is the end of April 2010. See the author guidelines at: http://www.elearningpapers.eu/index.php?page=collab_guide

 

Guest editors:

• Fred Dervin, University of Turku,
• Finland Christine Develotte, INRP, Lyon, France
•  

 

New Learning for a New Society (deadline: 14 December 2009)

 

Several recent forward-looking international reports about new technologies in education, such as the Horizon Report 2009 [1] and New Generation Learning [2], coincide to present a consolidation of new socio-digital learning environments within a couple of years. These environments are based on the establishment and regular use of advanced socio-technological concepts, such as cloud computing, integrated solutions for mobiles, full connectivity and “personal web”.

 

All this is accompanied with the fast development of the Web 2.0 and 3.0 technologies (also known as “semantic web”) and even beyond: we are going towards the Web 4.0, which will represent a qualitative leap towards a new concept of a self-manageable “spider web”. This web will build new connections and links in an intelligent, contextual and geolocalised way, taking into account the needs of individuals and groups. New technologies will also facilitate and enhance learning experiences, further reducing scarcity of information and communication opportunities.

The changing context of the socio-digital environment, based on relations and lifelong learning without physical or time limits, is where we need to plan the new ideals, tendencies and focuses of e-learning, and carry out analysis, reflection and innovative pedagogy.

 

The new learning context is characterised by webs, connectivity, self-oriented students and online learning communities, creation of shared knowledge and constant and omnipresent interactivity. In this context, exercising creativity and innovation takes us closer and closer to the true “ubiquitous learning environment”.

 

For the next issue of eLearning Papers we welcome articles which analyse these new environments, concepts and strategies of learning through social computing in the framework of the new knowledge society and the web.

Submissions may include vision papers based on literature research, and empirical research related to both learning in the corporate and in the regular education sector. If you are unsure whether your research topic is valid for this issue, please contact the editorial team. We offer the following aspects as examples, which do not exclude any other relevant topics.

1. Policies about the new social computing scenarios of learning

2. Tendencies and development of the e-learning offer

3. New social computing skills and competencies for and through learning

4. Efficiency and effectiveness of the new e-learning offers

5. Sustainability of the new e-learning offers

6. Quality and equity of the new learning environments

7. The strengths and weaknesses of an ubiquitous learning environment

8. Independency and dependency of the new social computing networks

9. Trends and examples of augmented and mixed reality for learning

The submissions need to comply with the following guidelines:

• Submission language: English
• Executive summary: Every submission must include an executive summary of 250-320 words.
• Keywords: 3-6 descriptive keywords need to be included
• Full texts: Full texts must have 2,000-6,000 words and must be divided into chapters with indicative subtitles.
• References: All the references must be adequately cited and listed.
• Author profile: The authors must publish their profile with full details in the elearningeuropa portal

See the complete guidelines at: http://www.elearningpapers.eu/index.php?page=collab_guide

The article submission closes on 14 December 2009. The provisional date of publication is the end of February 2010. For further information and to submit your article, please contact: jimena.marquez@elearningpapers.eu

 

Guest Editors:

• Jordi Riera i Romaní, Professor of Pedagogy and researcher, University of Ramon Llull, Spain
• Wim Veen, Professor of Education & Technology, Delft University of Technology, the Netherlands

[1] Johnson, L., Levine, A., & Smith, R. (2009). Informe Horizon. Austin, Texas: The New Media Consortium. Traducción al español de The 2009 Horizon Report.

[2] BECTA: Next Generation Learning - The Implementation Plan for 2009-2012: Technology Strategy for Further Education, Skills and Regeneration - June 2009.

 

Call for papers: eLearning content (deadline: 15 September 2009)

The landscape of e-learning content is undergoing continuous change. The development of digital media is providing radical new opportunities for learning content providers as well as learners. The increasing bandwidth of telecommunications enables the unforeseen use of media wealth (video clips, audio clips, simulations, etc.) in e-learning content provision. Digital libraries and other resource bases liberate learning providers and users from the use of physical libraries with restricted access.



The boundaries between learning providers and learners are also altering in relation to e-learning content: learners are entering the nucleus of content production. The fascinating examples of Wikipedia, YouTube and MySpace among others show the power and potential of peer production and user-created content in learning. Alternative ways of designing and distributing learning content have also created new e-learning models. One example is iTunes U, which is based on the use of audio and video courses stemming from elite universities and educational institutions. Learning content also originates from a broader variety of actors; for example, third sector organisations, museums and news companies can be important providers of learning content.



However, although the attractive technological opportunities are providing new opportunities for e-learning, good e-learning still has to be properly designed, implemented and supported. There are still important aspects of thorough pedagogical and instructional design to be respected. The interactivity of e-learning content does not just happen; it must be planned, implemented and supported. Access to learning remains a key challenge, now and in the future.



For the following issue of eLearning Papers, we welcome articles and papers that address practical experiences in the planning, design, implementation and continuous improvement of e-learning content. Although not limited to the following aspects, we look forward to receiving papers and articles addressing the following issues:

1. Interactivity of e-learning content
2. Evaluation and quality assurance of e-learning content
3. Challenges relating to the pedagogical design of e-learning content
4. Designing, planning and implementing access to e-learning content
5. Innovative design of e-learning content
6. Peer production of e-learning content
7. Simulations and games as part of e-learning content
8. The challenges of e-learning content intellectual property rights

The submissions need to comply with the following guidelines:

• Submission language: English
• Title: The title should be no longer than 15 words.
• Executive summary: Every submission must include an executive summary of 250-320 words. The abstract shall present the main points of the paper and the author’s conclusions.
• Keywords: 3-6 descriptive keywords need to be included
• Full texts: Full texts must be of 2,000-6,000 words divided into chapters with indicative subtitles. The text may be enriched with non-textual data, such as pictures, tables and figures. Graphs and images must be included in the article.
• References: All the references must be adequately cited and listed
• Author profile: The authors must provide their profile with full details (incl. a photo) to be published in the elearningeuropa portal

See the complete guidelines at:

http://www.elearningpapers.eu/index.php?page=collab_guide

The provisional date of publication is the end of November 2009.

For further information and to submit your article, please contact: jimena.marquez@elearningpapers.eu

Guest Editor:

• Ari-Matti Auvinen, Senior Partner, HCI Productions Oy, Helsinki, Finland.
•  

 

Open topics (Deadline: 15 June 2009)

 

eLearning Papers launches a call for papers on open topics. We are looking for interesting and inspiring articles which will be published in September's issue. The deadline for article submission is 15 June 2009. Practical experiences on European projects are especially welcome.

 

The scope of the eLearning Papers reflects the four interest areas of elearningeuropa.info: schools, higher education, training and work and learning and society. All eLearning related themes are accepted as topics. The following subjects are provided as an example and are not restrictive in any way:

For further questions and to submit your article: jimena.marquez@elearningpapers.eu

 

 

The New Learning Generation (Deadline 30 March 2009)

 

Children and adolescents in modern societies are growing up in a world where digital technologies are ubiquitous. The widespread use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and online services by youngsters in their everyday life, for leisure, entertainment and social interaction is also impacting on their learning needs, requirements and expectations. There is evidence that the internet is being used by youngsters also for education and learning purposes, often outside the classroom. This gives rise to a "new learning generation" (also labeled New Millennium Learners by OECD/CERI) and to new ways of learning which are enabled but not determined by the possibilities offered by ICT.

 

This special issue on the "new learning generation" and on "new ways of learning" enabled by ICT seeks to bring together evidence, practice and/or theories on the key elements of this emerging new learning landscape.

 

The topic can be approached in many different ways. Nevertheless, the following could be used as a guideline:

 

• Possible questions to be addressed:
• What are the similarities and differences with current and previous learner generations and learning styles?
• What is the role of ICT applications (social computing, social media, web 2.0, learning 2.0, mobile learning, and game-based learning) in the new learning?
• Where is the learning in the "new" learning? Is it new?
• Is learning becoming more efficient, equitable, innovative, and creative?
• What are the implications of the new learner generation for lifelong learning?

Themes or issues that can be taken up:

• New learning cultures
• Learning theories
• The role of the learner, the teacher, the classroom, the school environment, the everyday life context outside school
• Learning outcomes, assessment, certification
• Collaboration, networking, personalization, innovation, creativity
• Self-regulated and self-directed learning

Please consult the eLearning Papers website for writer guidelines:

http://www.elearningpapers.eu/index.php?page=collab_guide



The deadline for article submissions is 30 March 2009

Provisional publishing date is June 2009



For further information and to submit your article, please contact: jimena.marquez@elearningpapers.eu



Invited Editor: Yves Punie, Institute for Prospective Technological Studies, European Commission, Seville.

 

 

Innovation and creativity (Deadline: 12 January 2009)

 

There are numerous definitions of innovation. It is understood in many different ways in scientific and professional discourses, not to mention the colloquial use and over-use of the term in business, media and politics. Similar exploitation applies to the term ‘creativity’. Globalization of knowledge, and the subsequent dissemination of concepts and best practices, are turning the working and learning cultures more innovative. On a European scale, competitiveness cannot be reached without competence development throughout the educational systems and working life. This requires a committed change towards passionate learning. We need and welcome a continuous debate over the concepts and the phenomena which link learning, ICT development and innovation.

 

To encourage creativity, the concept of innovation should be traced back to economy, technology and sociology, from where it has spread across other fields of research and professional practice. A common criterion for calling any phenomenon “innovation” is that it has to have some novelty and economic exploitability. Creativity stemming from psychology has a clear humanistic not-for-profit connotation.

 

There is, however, a double bind between these concepts. There is no innovation without creativity and creativity will not be fully benefited unless the fruits of creative activities can also be spread and exploited through business and other societal interaction mechanisms. Therefore, putting these concepts together under the loop could create fertile juxtapositions and clashes which we would like to solicit in this special issue of eLearning Papers dedicated to “Creativity and Innovation”. Particularly when addressing such an exciting polarity, we would not want to be restrictive in defining subthemes. Nevertheless the following might help to narrow down your foci:

1. Open innovation and learning
2. Creative coalitions redefining innovation systems in higher education and working life
3. Empowering peer networks in knowledge creation, sharing and exploitation
4. Towards true knowledge economies and increased productivity through networking and innovative working life practices
5. Different innovative learning concepts and practices
6. Sustainable innovation supported by conceptualized learning
7. Global value networks and technology enhanced learning

The extended deadline for article submissions is January 19, 2009.

Provisional publishing date is April 28, 2009.

For further information and to submit your article, please contact: jimena.marquez@elearningpapers.eu



Guest Editor: Markku Markkula, Director of the Lifelong Learning Institute Dipoli at the Helsinki University of Technology

Supported by the Learnovation Project Consortium

 

 

Digital Literacy: the evolution of the 21st century Literacies (Deadline: 10 November 2008)

 

Call for contributions to enhance the European learning communities’ approach to the 21st century Literacies’ Agenda – for policies and practice

 

In the beginning of the 21st century, we are experiencing an interesting evolution of the demand for learning by individuals, societies and education authorities. Economic globalization and the emergence of what has been identified as the Knowledge Society go, hand-in-hand, with a gradually changing set of key competencies, thus feeding the dialogue about academic and policy implementation of what some thinkers and stakeholders already have named as the Literacies of the 21st century.

 

The so called Paradigm Shift in the education model is related to a re-orientation of Lifelong Learning to a holistic view of learning as a critical factor of social development, both of the society at large and of the individual as a social actor. It is also related to a shift in the emphasis from learning as a process of reproduction to transformative learning.

 

The skillful, thoughtful and benefiting handling and use of information (and media stuff) by the individual and the communities has led to the adoption of the concept of Information Literacy, alternatively termed as Media Literacy and more recently as Digital Literacy.

 

We are facing a demanding exercise of re-defining the Competencies or Literacies in a lifelong learning perspective that correspond to the societal and conceptual structures of the emerging Knowledge Society. The Competencies – or the new Literacies – are being conceived as the pillars of Knowledge building and Skills development, not to mention their impact on the structuring of the School Education system (K-12) paradigm in the 21th century.

 

Whether or not we deal with a paradigm shift, we certainly need to face the increasing Policy inter-dependence between Education and Social Inclusion. In other words, the new Equity Challenge implies that we have to re-engineer our learning systems, from delivering massive education towards engaging people in massive knowledge experiences, by up-grading their Learning-to-learn Competency, whereby Digital Literacy takes a pivotal meaning. Download the full introduction text here

We invite the members of the European and international research and practice community to submit papers which could – indicatively and not exhaustively - address the following themes:

• Digital Literacy, Information Literacy and Media Literacy: defining competencies and skills
• Digital Literacy as a Key Competency: positioning in the set of other (basic/key) Competencies
• Digital Literacy and School Curriculum
• The Learning-to-learn Competency development agenda: the relation to Digital Literacy
• The Social (e)inclusion agenda in the lifelong learning perspective
• Digital Literacy, eSkills and Professional Development
• eSkills and the Learning Organization
• Digital literacy and critical thinking

The deadline for article submissions is November 10, 2008.

Provisional publishing date is February 25, 2009.

For further information and to submit your article, please contact: jimena.marquez@elearningpapers.eu

Guest Editor: Dr Nikitas Kastis, President, MENON Network & Director, Lambrakis Foundation

 

 

Training and work (Deadline: 18 August 2008)

 

In the context of economic globalization and development of an information society, we observe, in all economic areas, a recurring questioning of activities and employment associated to a transformation of competences related to technological evolution, company structure changes and an accelerated renewal of knowledge.



Consequently, lifelong learning becomes an essential method for permanently adapting qualifications, with a view for individuals to engage in learning and build a sustainable career and, in parallel, for companies to find human resources needed within the framework of the evolution of their activities. This issue of continuous adaptation of the relationship between learning and employment generates heterogeneous applications for training and a need for tools, both internal and external to companies, which can satisfy individuals as well as the masses of applicants.



Lifelong learning needs to develop flexible learning tools that can be adapted to each specific request (modularity, capitalizable units, shaping with various types of training and of learners…), but also to develop integrated solutions (competence assessment, skills and learning validation ...), in order to consider all formal, informal and non-formal learning when assessing and following-up training needs.



Use of ICT is an essential contribution to the learning environment as it places the individual in the midst of the training process while at the same time creates real multi-actor learning communities and helps to establish active, innovative and enriched pedagogy.



Employees’ competence acquired in vocational and personal contexts is a reference for company productivity evolution. With this in mind, it is important to define qualifications in a broader sense than academic programmes.



Faced with this determining stake in terms of economic dynamism and social cohesion, the eLearning Papers invite contributions on the general subject "Training and work" with a view to presenting reflections, innovating solutions and good practices.



Possible questions to be addressed

• How is learning and training in companies changing?
• How do lifelong learning and working life adapt to each other?
• What new partnerships are there for professional training?
• How are organisations changing into learning organisations?
• How are informal learning and Web 2.0 affecting everyday work?

Papers can be more specifically directed at the following themes:

1. Online Validation and Qualification
2. Computer and Internet Certificates
3. Informal and Non-formal Learning
4. Competence-based learning and e-Learning
5. Virtual World in Training
6. Training Communities
7. Collaborative working
8. New partnership for Learning
9. Transforming organizations (Distance learning, In-company training, blended system…)

Please consult the eLearning Papers website for writer guidelines:

http://www.elearningpapers.eu/index.php?page=collab_guide

 

The deadline for article submissions is August 18 2008.

Authors will be notified by September.

Provisional publishing date is November 28 2008.



For further information and to submit your article, please contact: jimena.marquez@elearningpapers.eu



Invited Editor:

Alain Nicolas, Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines University (France)

Alain.nicolas@uvsq.fr

 

Open Educational Resources (Deadline: 6 July 2008)

 

Open Educational Resources (OER) are learning and teaching materials that are offered freely to anyone under licenses that allow to use, modify and distribute the items. But that's not all. Through the world-wide movement of OER, magnified with user-generated content and underlying Web 2.0 technologies, the advantages and opportunities are numerous for teachers, authors, eLearning practitioners, developers and content providers, researchers and decision-makers, and last but not least: the learners.

 

Different models to develop, use and make OER content available have evolved. Examples vary from leading educational institutions that have made their content available for users who otherwise would be deprived of it, to communities of educators who collaboratively create content and share it. Moreover, new effective technical architectures are now in place to enable better discovery of Open Educational Resources across learning repositories on the international level, which allows users to access larger and more varied collections. Also, easy-to-use ways to acquire re-mix and mash-up user-generated content are around, examples of which are seen in the educational context too.

 

With this issue, we want to support the establishment of a new kind of ecology of Technology Enhanced Learning that focuses on Open Educational Resources as a chance to make a real difference in education and lifelong learning. We want to give a possibility to share OER-related practices and experiences that support people in acquiring the competences, knowledge and skills they need as individuals in the political, economic, social and cultural life of a modern society.

Against this background, the eLearning Papers invites contributions in the area of Open Educational Resources. The papers should focus on one or more of the following themes:

• Lessons learned and best practices of OER projects, tools and initiatives
• New findings, facts and figures of OER development and usage
• Discussion and position papers on how the OER movement can be supported
• Pedagogical innovations and OER, does OER make any difference?
• Transferability and usability of OER
• OER as a way to create and support sustainable development
• Business models around OER

Please consult the eLearning Papers website for writer guidelines:

http://www.elearningpapers.eu/index.php?page=collab_guide



The extended deadline for article submissions is July 6, 2008

Authors will be notified by July 28

The provisional data of publishing is September 30, 2008.



For further information and to submit your article, please contact: jimena.marquez@elearningpapers.eu



Invited Editors:

Sandra Schaffert http://edumedia.salzburgresearch.at

Riina Vuorikari http://flosse.dicole.org/