Conference Highlights
Fresh takes on digital education and training
Marleen Stikker
Founder of Waag, Professor of Practice at HvA, Member of the Netherlands Academy of Technology and Innovation, The Netherlands
Marleen Stikker is founder of Waag. Marleen Stikker (1962) is also founder of 'De Digitale Stad' (The Digital City) in 1993, the first virtual community introducing free public access to the Internet in Amsterdam.
She leads Waag, a social enterprise that consists of a research institute for creative technologies and social innovation and Waag Products, that launched companies like Fairphone, the first fair smartphone in the world.
She is also member of the European H2020 Commission High-level Expert Group for SRIA on innovating Cities/DGResearch and the Dutch AcTI academy for technology & innovation. Marleen Stikker strongly adheres to the Maker's Bill of Rights motto: "If You Can't Open It, You Don't Own It".
Marleen believes that society needs open technologies that meet societal challenges.
Links
https://waag.org/en/users/marleen-stikk…
How to Take Your Virtual Classroom from Good to Great
How to Take Your Virtual Classroom from Good to Great
You may have felt an initial reluctance to deliver learning live online, but by now have embraced the wonder of the webinar and virtual classroom.
As individuals and organisations, the time has come to advance our skills to ensure our offerings are at the standard that workplaces & education institutions need and employees & students expect. Are you confident that you are at that standard? Would you like to know how what the next steps are to go “above and beyond”?
Solid knowledge of learning theories, online design and online facilitation skills are just some of the factors that will take virtual classrooms to the next level. This session will start with an introduction on key skills and key ideas to help you identify where you can advance. This is followed by a conversation to discuss your practical questions to make sure that everyone can keep benefitting from the value of virtual classrooms in the future.
Speaker
Jo Cook
Lightbulb Moment, UK
Jo Cook is a speaker, instructional designer and classroom facilitator who specialises in virtual classrooms, webinars and live online learning technology. Jo’s passion is in helping and supporting teams, professionals and organisations embrace the benefits of the virtual classroom. Jo’s background includes: further and higher education; the charity sector; small and large organisations, including CNN News and Bupa International.
Through her company Lightbulb Moment, Jo has specialised in training learning professionals about virtual classroom design and delivery since 2013 and has spoken on various topics at conferences such as Learning Technologies, OEB and keynoted for Colleges Wales and E-learning Fusion.
How to Build the Future of Teaching and Learning While Growing from the Changes and Challenges of 2020-21
How to Build the Future of Teaching and Learning While Growing from the Changes and Challenges of 2020-21
During 2020-21, higher education around the world pivoted in-person teaching and learning online in response to the COVD-19 pandemic. As campuses re-open(ed) with vaccinations, what’s the longer-term positive impact of all of the rapid changes for students, instructors, and staff? How do we take the lessons learned from difficult times and great challenges to transition to a better future rather than just a blind return to the pre-pandemic state of teaching and learning?
In this workshop, we will go beyond just thinking about the transition to more digital but also consider the increased awareness of more student-centered teaching methods during a time of great attention to diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. At the time of this workshop, some participants will have already experienced a semester or two of how this new future is developing at their institute along with the hurdles and early reactions.
Learning Outcomes and take-aways:
- Reflect upon a time of change and challenge to identify beneficial impacts for the future of how students learn and how those those behind instruction work.
- Strategise maintaining the good and stopping the bad practices not working for students or not based on evidence-based pedagogy.
- Build systems to support instructors in higher education continuing some percentage of digital learning.
- Adjust and adapt during a time of transition to the “new normal” of teaching and learning.
Speaker
Mary Ellen Wiltrout
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA
Mary Ellen Wiltrout, PdD, has led the execution of the digital learning strategy for the Department of Biology at MIT for over eight years. As a Lecturer and Director of Online and Blended Learning Initiatives, she trains and mentors instructors, postdoctoral fellows, and students, manages the digital learning projects for the department including MOOCs and hybrid learning experiences and conducts research on the design of digital learning experiences. She and her team created two of the MOOCs on the list of the best online courses of all time according to ClassCentral. Her group received a silver award in the science of learning category at the 2019 Reimagine Education conference.
Prior to her current position, Mary Ellen earned her PhD in Biology from MIT, and then taught at Harvard University.
Mary Ellen’s broader roles at MIT include being a senior member of the Digital Learning Lab, an organizer of workshops on digital learning and has positions on committees that span all departments at MIT.
"E-Examinations@Home" - Transforming Digital Examinations for Remote Settings
"E-Examinations@Home" - Transforming Digital Examinations for Remote Settings
Since the launch of "@email" in July 2020, more than 27,000 students of Freie Universität Berlin have been digitally tested at a safe distance using this concept.
This talk shares insights into the process of implementing a scalable concept for remote online tests, assessments and examinations and highlights differences to conventional on-site e-assessments.
Among others, speakers will discuss:
Assessment Literacy: participants will learn about possibilities to construct tasks and exams which respond to higher education learning taxonomies as well as fit within the remote framework. This includes the mitigation of cheating via means of randomized task selection, adaption of task formats and the effective use of different exam versions.
Assessment Technologies: participants will learn about setting up remote e-assessments, including technical perspectives such as e-assessment platforms, anti-cheating software as well as challenges and specifications of BYOD.
Logistics: participants will learn about logistical needs and challenges when setting up a scalable e-assessment solution in a university environment. They will receive insights into workflows for introducing and expanding the concept to teachers and other staff, creating support structures such as guidelines, training and information material and channeling as well as mitigating support requests. Furthermore, they will learn about choosing software with regard to its ease of use and resource requirements such as staff and servers.
Overall, this presentation will provide valuable insights into different areas which have to be considered when setting up remote e-assessments.
Speakers
Nils Hernes
Center for Digital Systems (CeDiS), Freie Universität Berlin , Germany
Nils Hernes works as an e-assessment specialist at the Center for Digital Systems (CeDiS), Freie Universität Berlin.
With a degree in education (M.Ed.), he focuses on transforming assessment practices via technology and, thereby, improving assessment formats, didactics and logistics. Within the E-Assessment Alliance, a project of the Berlin University Alliance, Nils Hernes works closely with other Berlin Universities to establish common e-assessment standards and to advance new projects and ideas within the field of e-assessment in higher education.
He is one of the persons closely involved with the development, introduction and deployment of the remote e-examination concept "@email" at Freie Universität Berlin which already provided over 27'000 remote exams since June 2020 and, thus, enables students to advance their degrees during the pandemic.
Alexander Schulz
Center for Digital Systems (CeDiS), Freie Universität Berlin, Germany
Dipl- Soz. Alexander Schulz coordinates the E-Learning and E-Examinations unit at the Center for Digital Systems (CeDiS), Freie Universität Berlin. His field of work and research interests center around the wholistic connection of technology and teaching, learning as well as assessment in higher education. Alexander's main focus lies on the topic of digital tests, assessments and examinations. Besides coordinating the E-Examination Centers at Freie Universität Berlin, he also currently coordinates federal funded projects like the AI project “Technology for Competence (tech4comp)” as well as the Berlin University Alliance (BUA) project “E-Assessment Alliance (EA2)”. Alexander was also closely involved in the development, introduction and deployment of the remote e-examination concept "@email“ at Freie Universität Berlin which already provided more than 27'000 remote exams for students between July 2020 and May 2021.
Luis Cadenas
RedCLARA, Peru
LUIS ELIECER CADENAS is a Computer Engineer with postgraduate studies in economics, telematics, networks and computer science, with almost 30 years of experience in the sector of information technology and telecommunications in the private and public sphere.
He has been co-founder, President and member of the Board of Directors of the national academic network of Venezuela, REACCIUN.
He was President of the Latin American Research Network Association (Enredo 1998-1999), member of the board of the National Center of Supercomputing of Venezuela (Cecalcula, 1997-1999), and the directory of the Park Technological of Sartenejas (1997-1999). He worked seventeen years in Cisco Systems Inc.
He is Executive Director of RedCLARA since August 1, 2017 (Orcid at https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9762-1986).
Links
How AkzoNobel is Preparing its Employees for the Skills of the Future (Resilience, Digital, Social & Emotional)
How AkzoNobel is Preparing its Employees for the Skills of the Future (Resilience, Digital, Social & Emotional)
Don't miss this talk if you're looking to provide employees with skills for the future.
It shares the story of AkzoNobel's new skills curriculum (Resilience, Digital, Social & Emotional) and the steps that were taken to support employees to cope with the ever-changing future. This session will not only provide you with ideas how to analyse what is needed, how to design a program via curation and by developing content yourself, and what is important for the implementation. One of the additional key take-aways is how to focus on communication and senior stakeholder involvement.
Speaker
Carin de Weme
AkzoNobel, The Netherlands
It is Carin de Weme's passion to guide employees to develop themselves, which in turn supports the growth of the organisation. By analysing what the needs are, she creates engaging and inspiring learning opportunities that also cater to cultural norms and preferences. Measuring and showing the effectiveness of talent & development activities, as well as the return of expectations, are key to add value as well. Being aware of new technologies and methods as well as being inspired by other learning professionals is her vital for her to stay updated.
Inge De Waard
EIT InnoEnergy and The Open University UK, Belgium
Inge de Waard (PhD) is currently leading the learning part of an InnoEnergy project that alleviates skill and competency gaps by combining Artificial Intelligence (AI, specifically Natural Language Processing), Human Resources (HR), learning analytics to provide a personalised learning trajectory (including micro-credits, blockchain in education, informal and formal learning options...). This project combines the expertise of people working at InnoEnergy, The Open University (UK), FutureLearn and many European University partners working on renewable energy.
Since 1999, Inge has set-up, coordinated and developed several innovative online, blended and mobile learning projects, always with a focus on participation and durability. These projects involved partners and individuals from both the Northern (Canada, United States, Italy, Belgium, Ireland, Germany, UK) and Southern regions (South-Africa, India, Peru, Morocco). As an avid enthusiast of open science, she is an active international speaker giving keynotes and guest lectures, as well as providing and receiving knowledge input through seminars, SIGs and workshops.
Enlightened by the first connectivist MOOCs, she set up the first MOOC on mobile learning, called MobiMOOC (2011 & 2012). This was a community and project-oriented MOOC, enabling international learners to realize their own project by the end of the MOOC.
Her core sentiment on learning is: “I have come to realize that there is no single solution for all. The diversity which is at the core of nature’s success, is replicated by the diversity in learning preferences and ways to achieve learning success in humans”. She loves to exchange ideas, so feel free to talk to her.
Links
Working Smarter @ Citi
Working Smarter @ Citi
This presentation shows how to implement a programme, based on an established knowledge management framework, that promotes better sense-making and knowledge sharing across a globally distributed organisation of 230,000 employees.
Speaker
Anca Iordache
Citi Learning, Switzerland
Anca is in the role of Global Collaboration Practice Manager in Citi Learning. In her everyday work, Anca helps leaders and teams become more effective at how they learn and perform. The Collaboration Practice covers subjects as: team effectiveness, network strategies, team agility, accelerating transitions - with the goal of maturing capabilities related to these topics through thought leadership and the sourcing, curation, design, and adoption of best-in-class learning solutions.
Citi Learning provides opportunities for Citi colleagues to develop the skills required for their own and the company’s success today, and in the future. We approach this with the philosophy of building learning into day to day work as well as through initiatives such as culture change programs; collaboration forums; performance support tools; Leadership Labs.
Anca joined Citi in 2002 and held a variety of roles across our HR Function, working from Romania, Switzerland and UK. Prior to leading the Collaboration Practice, Anca acted as a Senior Learning Advisor for Citi’s Private Bank Business. Anca is passionate about the future of work and thriving to develop a culture of workplace learning. She enjoys playing with new tools that augment people’s capabilities, and enable groups access their collective intelligence.
Video for Learning - What the Research Says
Video for Learning - What the Research Says
Video for learning is great at some things, not so great at others. Research evidence shows that many of the things we do in video can result in illusory learning: it may look as though people are learning and they may feel as though they are learning, but it is an illusion. To produce effective videos for learning we must look at learning research. That not only tells us about the cognitive basis of good learning, it gives us sound recommendations about what we need to do to increase retention, some of it surprising and counterintuitive. You have to break some of the rules of traditional video production and directing to adjust video towards learning. Among others, we’ll discuss why, when and how to: chunk videos; support learner-created videos; produce interactive videos, boost learner engagement & retention and; use AI for video generation.
Speaker
Donald Clark
eLearning Expert and Strategist at Plan B Learning, UK
Donald is an entrepreneur, CEO, Professor, speaker and blogger. He was CEO and one of the original founders of Epic Group plc, which established itself as the leading company in the UK e-learning market, floated on the Stock Market in 1996 and sold in 2005. Describing himself as ‘free from the tyranny of employment’, he now the CEO of an AI learning company WildFire, investor and Board member of PlanB learning, LearningPool and Cogbooks. He has been involved in consulting and implementing online learning in schools, FE, HE, corporate and government.
Donald has been involved in film, games, web, mobile, MOOCs, Oculus Rift and won many awards for the design and implementation of online learning. He is a regular speaker at national and international conferences, having delivered talks in the US, Europe, Far East, Middle East and Africa, and won several ‘Best speaker’ awards … also a regular (and controversial) blogger on online learning!
Links
http://www.planblearning.com/Bio/
Kaisa Vuorivirta
Lahti University Campus, Finland
I am an expert in the field of university collaboration and joint projects. I am working at the Coordination Unit of Lahti University Campus. It is a service unit for the universities operating in the area. It handles the universities’ joint communication, service and lobbying tasks, in addition to organizing events and gatherings. Through its operations, the unit brings together individuals, universities, interest groups and organisations, building bridges between the universities and the region’s business and industry. In this way, it helps to translate new ideas into practice.
Niemi Campus is at the heart of operations, housing the facilities of University of Helsinki, LUT University and the coordination unit of Lahti University Campus.
My job is to connect people for the benefit of the region and stakeholders. Innovating, leading joint projects, managing meetings with various stakeholders are my everyday business. Part of my job is to promote the cooperation of university students and local business life. I'm linking students writing their theses with companies: organizing challenges programs, summer schools etc. in the Lahti region. I have a long career at the University of Helsinki and Lahti University Campus.
Previously, I worked for years on developing e-learning and blended learning at the Open University. I saw the early stages of distance learning in practice, slowly moving towards digital learning of today.
Abtar Kaur
Asia Pacific University of Technology and Innovation, Malaysia
Abtar has many years of teaching and leadership experience at various learning institutions. She is an alumnus of the University of Malaya (PhD), Malaysia, Syracuse University (MS Instructional Design) and Indiana University (Post-Doctoral Fulbright), USA. She was attached to the Ministry of Education (Malaysia) before she joined the University of Malaya as a lecturer and Chief Instructional Designer. When you moved on to the Open University Malaysia, she held the following posts: Director, Centre of Instructional Design and Technology; Director, the Open and Distance Learning Pedagogical Centre, and Deputy Dean, Post Graduate Studies. Abtar was in Dubai as the Dean of the School of E-Education at Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University from 2014- 2019.
Currently, Abtar is Professor, Innovative Digital Learning at the Asia Pacific University of Technology and Innovation, driving innovative digital learning and positioning APU as the influencer in digital learning. Abtar trained educators worldwide under the auspices of various organizations such as the World Bank, UNESCO, the UNDP and the Commonwealth of Learning (COL). Her most impactful e-learning project was for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia where together with a team from Open University Malaysia, the National E-Learning Centre was set-up.
Abtar is on several journals and advisory boards, her recent appointments being the International Advisory Board member of the International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education (ETHE) and quality assurance member for the International council of Badges and Micro- credentials (ICoBC).
Abtar has published widely in international journals, books, and book chapters and has won numerous international awards related to e-learning. Her current co-edited book is Cases on Smart Learning Environments (https://www.igi-global.com/book/cases-smart-learning-environments/197081). Her research is focused on amongst others, how to create powerful and impactful learning designs for online, e-learning, hybrid learning and mobile learning. Abtar is currently looking into Next Generation Digital Learning Environments (NGDLE) and AI Technologies related to disruptive learning environments.
Teachable and Learnable Resilience Skills
Teachable and Learnable Resilience Skills
For years we have talked about change in L&D and in Higher Education institutions, but last year the talking stopped. It was time for action. The shift to online teaching and training has not been easy for everyone. At the same time, there is more opportunity than ever before for digital learning to have a positive impact on all organisations.
In this session you’ll have a chance to meet and engage with others who are making sure that learning can have a bigger impact by investigating “resilience” in a pragmatic way. If we view resilience as having the capacity to re-shape, to develop the adaptive capacity to change, then we allows ourselves to approach the concept as a method, with a set of skills that are learnable and teachable. This approach can be applied to individuals, teams and organisations in their drive for resilience. How can these skills be acquired? How will you adapt to support resilience? What are your team’s needs to keep the pace and stay afloat? Make sure to join this conversation.
Speaker
Irina Matthews
GÉANT Vereniging (Association), UK
Last 14 years have been one continuous journey in the world of education, training, teachers’ professional development, technology enhanced learning and corporate learning. The professional environments of private, government-funded, work-based, community learning and lately multicultural technology driven EU project have provided the backdrop to the most exciting professional and personal journey.
Passion for the teaching, interest in the transformational impact of technology on pedagogy and life overall have remained the constant focus of professional interests. Perceptions of the role of technology, models and paradigms of learning and development have been evolving variables. The opportunity to share lessons learnt is the way to connect with the rich and diverse world of learning professionals, to get new experiences to enable further quest for innovation and creativity in supporting learning and professional growth in the landscape that is defined by the fast-paced technological change.
Maren Deepwell
Association for Learning Technology, UK
Dr Maren Deepwell has been CEO of ALT, the Association for Learning Technology since 2012, shaping the direction of education technology and driving the field forward internationally.
Dr Deepwell is a seasoned keynote speaker, conference convener and writes regularly for publications in Higher and Further Education as well as policy development.
With a background in Anthropology, Dr Deepwell’s particular focus is on a critical perspective on the development and future of technology in education, professionalisation and skills in Learning Technology including development of the CMALT accreditation framework and leveraging technology to create greater equity in education.
Recent projects include open policy development, edtech start ups and organisational transformation which puts her commitment to open leadership into practice. Her work is bridging Learning Technology discourse across sectors in the UK and internationally.
Links
Sina Fäckeler
Global Head of People Development & Well-being, Axa Group Operations, Germany
Sina is truly a wanderer between the worlds and has never stopped being curious and open for what life offers her. Her passion is building a reputation of HR as a strong partner of business and cultural transformation. She is currently working at AXA Group Operations /AXA's tech & data engine) in Paris as Global Head of People Development & Wellbeing. In her current role she is leading three teams with global responsibility (L&D, Talent & Leadership Development, D&I/Wellbeing) to accelerate AXA Group Operations Business Transformation. Born in a little village in the German area “Sauerland”, she spent her Kindergarten-time in the Netherlands and her teenager years by travelling to China twice a year. She studied/worked in Germany, Switzerland, UK, the Netherlands, Belgium and France. Her highest degree is a Ph.D. from the University of St.Gallen, Switzerland. She changed sides several times: from academia to the business world, from smaller to larger companies (e.g. METRO Group, Deutsche Telekom, AXA), from Germany to other European countries – and vice versa.
A New Era for Teaching Using Synthetic Media?
A New Era for Teaching Using Synthetic Media?
Right now, it's not easy to use AI-powered tools to generate convincing deepfakes. But we can expect that major advances in the technology will lead to commodification and more common uses of synthetic media. This may offer possibilities for the future of teaching and teachers so in this session we set out to explore technical as well as ethical questions.
Make the Right Choice! Deciding Between Asynchronous Online Learning, Synchronous Online Learning and Face-to-Face Learning
Make the Right Choice! Deciding Between Asynchronous Online Learning, Synchronous Online Learning and Face-to-Face Learning
In this session we will explore possibilities and limitations of asynchronous online learning, synchronous online learning and face-to-face learning from a teacher’s perspective. Taking a pedagogical-didactical perspective, we will look at key issues and questions that you will need to consider whether you face making a choice – or a blend.
Speaker
Wilfred Rubens
Consultant, Edublogger and Editor at e-learning.nl, The Netherlands
Wilfred Rubens (1964) currently works as an independent consultant on technology enhanced learning. He works as a project leader and he provides advice about strategy and the use of technology for learning. Wilfred delivers keynotes and presentations, and he facilitates workshops and classes about technology enhanced learning. Wilfred has been professionally involved in e-learning for almost 30 years. For more than 15 years he blogs about ICT and learning. He published a book about elearning trends and developments (in Dutch), and he is co-author of a book about social learning. Wilfred is also one of the editors of the Dutch portal e-learning.nl, member of the advisory board of the anual Dutch Next Learning conference and member of the advisory board of OEB Global.
Links
Centres of Vocational Excellence - Building “Skills Ecosystems” For Innovation, Regional Development, Smart Specialisation and Social Inclusion
Centres of Vocational Excellence - Building “Skills Ecosystems” For Innovation, Regional Development, Smart Specialisation and Social Inclusion
The combined effects of rapid technological change, demographic trends, and new forms of work, call for innovative ideas to ensure that VET not only adapts to change, but is also at the forefront of mastering and driving this change.
As the "shelf-life" of skills is becoming increasingly short, VET institutions must become more flexible and responsive to the need for renewing their offer, companies have to become an active partner in designing and providing opportunities for work-based learning, and individuals need to embrace lifelong learning to maintain their employability, active citizenship and quality of life.
How can VET rapidly adapt skills provision to evolving local economic and social needs, while the challenges they are facing is increasingly complex and global? How can they provide both initial training of young people as well as continuous up-skilling and re-skilling of adults?
Join Joao Santos to learn about the European Commission's initiative on Centres of Vocational Excellence, which aims to address these issues and support the paradigm shift needed for VET to collaborate internationally, as well as interact with partners in local innovation ecosystems.
Speaker
João Santos
European Commission, Belgium
João Santos is a Senior Expert in the Directorate General for Employment, Social Affairs, and Inclusion at the European Commission in Brussels.
The Unit is responsible for the coordination of Vocational Education and Training policy in the EU, as well as for the policy orientation of the Erasmus+ programme in this field.
He previously worked as the coordinator of a geographical desk, and was involved in the negotiations on the EU structural polices supported by the European Social Fund. His responsibilities included the Employment chapter of the Lisbon Strategy for growth and jobs, and the Strategy on Social Protection and Social Inclusion. He also worked on international relations covering the employment and social affairs dimension of the EU bilateral cooperation with China, the USA, and Canada, as well as on multilateral cooperation within the United Nations framework, on issues related to the Social Dimension of Globalization and the Decent work Agenda.
From 2009 to 2013 he was posted at the EU Delegation to China and Mongolia as a diplomatic Counsellor dealing with bilateral trade and investment issues.
Irina Matthews
GÉANT Vereniging (Association), UK
Last 14 years have been one continuous journey in the world of education, training, teachers’ professional development, technology enhanced learning and corporate learning. The professional environments of private, government-funded, work-based, community learning and lately multicultural technology driven EU project have provided the backdrop to the most exciting professional and personal journey.
Passion for the teaching, interest in the transformational impact of technology on pedagogy and life overall have remained the constant focus of professional interests. Perceptions of the role of technology, models and paradigms of learning and development have been evolving variables. The opportunity to share lessons learnt is the way to connect with the rich and diverse world of learning professionals, to get new experiences to enable further quest for innovation and creativity in supporting learning and professional growth in the landscape that is defined by the fast-paced technological change.
Annette Peet
SURF, The Netherlands
Annette Peet (1964) is an experienced project and program manager at SURF. SURF is the collaborative ICT organization for Dutch higher education and research. It offers students, lecturers and scientists in the Netherlands access to the best possible internet and ICT facilities. The last 20 years she has been working in the field of higher education. She has expertise on online & blended learning and digital assessment.
Annette graduated as Master of Science at Utrecht University. Since then she has worked as senior consultant and project manager for several consultancy agencies, the Ministry of Transport, Utrecht University and SURF. Her focus has always been on accelerating adoption of (IT) innovation within institutions and facilitating collaboration between parties involved; she's an experienced community builder and knowledge exchange manager.
Links
Sean Michael Morris
Director of Digital Pedagogy Lab, University of Colorado Denver, USA
I am a digital teacher and pedagogue, with experience especially in instructional design, networked learning, digital composition and publishing, collaboration, and editing. I've been working in digital teaching and learning for 16 years. My work in the field of Critical Digital Pedagogy and Critical Instructional Design is founded in the philosophy of Paulo Freire, and finds contemporary analogues in the work of Howard Rheingold, Audrey Watters, Henry Giroux, bell hooks, and Jesse Stommel. I am committed to engaging audiences in critical inspection of digital technologies, and to turning a social justice lens upon education.
I am currently Senior Instructor of Learning, Design, and Technology in the School of Education and Human Development at the University of Colorado at Denver. I am also the Director of Digital Pedagogy Lab, an experiential, exploratory professional development gathering for a global digital pedagogy community; and I am the former director and managing editor for Hybrid Pedagogy, a digital journal of learning, teaching, and technology. I am the co-author of An Urgency of Teachers: the Work of Critical Digital Pedagogy, and a contributor to Disrupting Digital Humanities, Digital Pedagogy in the Humanities, MOOCs and their Afterlives: Experiments in Scale and Access in Higher Education, Applied Pedagogies: Strategies for Online Writing Instruction, and Critical Examinations of Distance Education Transformation Across Disciplines.
I have been working in digital learning environments since 1999, first as an instructional designer, and later as an adjunct instructor and English program chair. I've consulted with institutions and corporations including the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Marylhurst University, the Community College of Denver, Udacity, Instructure, the City University of New York, HASTAC, the University of Delaware, the University of Dayton, the American University in Cairo, Iliff School of Theology, Warwick University, Open University, and the University of Mary Washington, among others. I received my M.A. in English from the University of Colorado at Boulder.
Links
Kara Chan
Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong
Dr. Kara Chan (PhD in psychology; City University of Hong Kong) worked in the advertising profession and as a statistician for the Hong Kong Government before she joined the academia.
Her research areas include advertising and children/youth, as well as cross cultural consumer studies.
She has published eight books as well as over 170 journal articles and book chapters. She was a Fulbright Scholar at Bradley University. Her journal articles won five Emerald Literati Network Awards for Excellence. She received Outstanding Performance in Scholarly Work at Hong Kong Baptist University in 2006 and 2014 and a Knowledge Transfer Award in 2016.
She was the recipient of President’s Award of Outstanding Performance in Research Supervision in 2018, the General Education Teaching Award AY2020/21 and the Finalist for the 2020 University Grants Committee Teaching Award.
Helping Students Consider the Impact of Digital Technologies
Helping Students Consider the Impact of Digital Technologies
If educators have an obligation to teach students to think about the impact of digital technologies, how can this best be done? Students will need to be provided with essential facts as well as with general capabilities that enable them to consider the role of a technology/technologies. In order to achieve this, educators must use structured methods and tried-and-tested tools to support students. Asking the right questions will be key: is a specific digital technology the only and best solution to a certain problem? Is the technology transparent? Inclusive? Sustainable? Join Rens van der Vorst to discuss techno-ethics and how students can be taught to make smart decisions about technologies, for instance by using the (free, open) Technology Impact Cycle Tool (TICT).
Speaker
Rens van der Vorst
Fontys University of Applied Science, The Netherlands
Rens van der Vorst works as Technophilosopher at Fontys University. He teaches, writes and does research. Does technology make our lives better? And, what is exactly meant by better? Can we combine humor and technology and still communicate this very important message? Rens van der Vorst is program lead of the Technology Impact Cycle Tool, a free online tool that helps people think about the impact of technology (www.tict.io) and runs www.quantifiedstudent.nl. A project to create a RunKeeper App for studying.
He also manages www.technofilosofie.com a leading website on technophilosophy. He is the author of "Waarom je altijd wilt winnen van je navigatiesysteem (2020)" a book with the 100 most important technological questions of today. He also wrote Smartphones are the New Smoking (Appen is het Nieuwe Roken in 2017) and writes columns for online and offline outlets. He gives a lot of talks, mostly as a keynote speaker, on our relation with technology. These talks are funny, confronting and interactive and for everyone. He also gave two TedxTalks on different subjects.
Rens van der Vorst (50) lives in Breda, is married and has two children.
João Santos
European Commission, Belgium
João Santos is a Senior Expert in the Directorate General for Employment, Social Affairs, and Inclusion at the European Commission in Brussels.
The Unit is responsible for the coordination of Vocational Education and Training policy in the EU, as well as for the policy orientation of the Erasmus+ programme in this field.
He previously worked as the coordinator of a geographical desk, and was involved in the negotiations on the EU structural polices supported by the European Social Fund. His responsibilities included the Employment chapter of the Lisbon Strategy for growth and jobs, and the Strategy on Social Protection and Social Inclusion. He also worked on international relations covering the employment and social affairs dimension of the EU bilateral cooperation with China, the USA, and Canada, as well as on multilateral cooperation within the United Nations framework, on issues related to the Social Dimension of Globalization and the Decent work Agenda.
From 2009 to 2013 he was posted at the EU Delegation to China and Mongolia as a diplomatic Counsellor dealing with bilateral trade and investment issues.
Rose Luckin
Professor of Learner Centred Design at UCL Knowledge Lab and Director of EDUCATE, UK
Rosemary (Rose) Luckin is Professor of Learner Centred Design at UCL Knowledge Lab.
Rose’s research involves the design and evaluation of educational technology using theories from the learning sciences and techniques from artificial intelligence(AI). She has a particular interest in how AI techniques can be used to enable more effective, continuous, formative assessment processes and tools.
Her 2018 book: Machine Learning and Human Intelligence: The Future of Education for the 21st Century, describes how we can best benefit from using AI to support teaching and learning, and how the prevalence of AI in our future means that we need to revise what and how we teach and learn now. She has also published numerous academic articles, authored two monographs and edited two paper collections.
Rose is also Director of EDUCATE Ventures Research Ltd, a London hub for educational technology start-ups, researchers and educators to work together on the development of evidence-informed educational technology; president of the International Society for AI in Education; co-founder of the Institute for Ethical AI in Education; a member of the UK Office for Students Horizon Scanning panel;adviser to the AI and Robotics panel of the Topol review into the future of the NHS workforce; and a member of the European AI Alliance. Rose held an International Franqui Chair at KU Leuven in 2019 and was named as one of the 20 most influential people in Education on the Seldon List 2017.
Supporting Agile Learning across the Extended Enterprise: How Future-proof is L&D?
Supporting Agile Learning across the Extended Enterprise: How Future-proof is L&D?
Current developments paint a clear picture: the ability to learn on an individual as well as on organisational levels will determine a company’s competitive advantage. Without the ability to learn, business will not reach the needed level of organsational agility. The strategic relevance of L&D has thus been widely acknowledged, but pressing questions have not yet been answered:
• How ready are Learning & Development departments for addressing this challenge?
• How ready do learners perceive L&D to be?
• What are the necessary actions to take to better support the business?
Among others, this session will present the results of a recent German survey on L&D's and learners' views on the current state and future of learning in their organisations.
Join us to explore how we can strategically align the learning function with organisational objectives in a world that requires unprecedented levels of agility.
Speakers
Anja Schmitz
Pforzheim University, Germany
Prof. Dr. Anja Schmitz ist Professorin für Human Resource Management an der Hochschule Pforzheim und Studiendekanin des Masterstudiengangs Human Resources Management, wo sie zu Themen der Personal- und Organisationsentwicklung lehrt. Im Institut für Personalforschung forscht und veröffentlicht sie zu aktuellen Fragestellungen des Human Resource Managements (New Work - New Learning, Zukunftsfähigkeit der Personalentwicklung, Employee Experience, Auswirkungen der digitalen Transformation…) und begleitet Organisationen als Expertin für New Learning.
Nele Graf
University of Applied Management (UAM), Germany
Prof. Dr. Nele Graf is a researcher, entrepreneur, speaker and author in the field of human resource development.
At the University of Applied Management she leads the Competence Centre for Innovations & Quality in Leadership & Learning (CILL) , which conducts research on corporate learning, learning competencies and leadership for the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, among others.
In addition, she teaches on the topic of human resources at the University of Applied Management in Berlin.
As managing director of Mentus GmbH, she advises companies on future-oriented personnel, organisational and management development.
Nele Graf is a recognised expert and author on the topic of agile learning and trainer of agile learning coaches.
The Role of Digitalision in Shaping an Education-led Recovery for High-quality and Resilient Education
The Role of Digitalision in Shaping an Education-led Recovery for High-quality and Resilient Education
This panel discussion brings together the perspectives of teachers, students, employers, and policymakers at the European level.
Drawing on lessons from emergency online teaching and learning, participants will address a question that is crucial to the future of education: “How to support a systemic education led recovery for a resilient and high-quality education in a digital area through the participation of all the stakeholders in education?”.
Building on the different perspectives, the discussion will provide concrete ideas and policy recommendations.
It will provide you with hands-on experience on how to implement a decision-making process that uses the method of the whole-school approach in education. Furthermore, you will get an in-depth understanding of the challenges, opportunities, and future perspectives of digitalisation in education, by discussing concrete testimonies and experiences from the speakers.
Among others, speakers will include:
Larry Flanagan
President, European Trade Union Committee for Education (ETUCE)
Barbara Novinec
President of the European Federation of Education Employers (EFEE)
Martina Darmanin
President of the European Students' Union (ESU)
Leveraging the Southeast Asia Teachers Competency Framework for Teacher Development in the New Normal
Leveraging the Southeast Asia Teachers Competency Framework for Teacher Development in the New Normal
Educators need to continuously develop themselves professionally to thrive in complex and constantly changing education contexts.
Supporting them in doing so around Southeast Asia is the Regional Center for Educational Innovation and Technology. It has developed the Southeast Asia Teachers Competency Framework (SEA-TCF), a common reference guide for improving teacher quality.
Transitioning to remote learning, partnering with parents as facilitators of learning, helping students who mostly have limited access to technology have been just some of the challenges of dealing with COVID. Teachers have needed to develop emotional and psychological scaffolds as well to better navigate these challenges.
We'll share lessons learnt from one of the Center's digital initiatives that will highlight its appraoch to teacher professional development with a special focus on agency and resilience.
Rens van der Vorst
Fontys University of Applied Science, The Netherlands
Rens van der Vorst works as Technophilosopher at Fontys University. He teaches, writes and does research. Does technology make our lives better? And, what is exactly meant by better? Can we combine humor and technology and still communicate this very important message? Rens van der Vorst is program lead of the Technology Impact Cycle Tool, a free online tool that helps people think about the impact of technology (www.tict.io) and runs www.quantifiedstudent.nl. A project to create a RunKeeper App for studying.
He also manages www.technofilosofie.com a leading website on technophilosophy. He is the author of "Waarom je altijd wilt winnen van je navigatiesysteem (2020)" a book with the 100 most important technological questions of today. He also wrote Smartphones are the New Smoking (Appen is het Nieuwe Roken in 2017) and writes columns for online and offline outlets. He gives a lot of talks, mostly as a keynote speaker, on our relation with technology. These talks are funny, confronting and interactive and for everyone. He also gave two TedxTalks on different subjects.
Rens van der Vorst (50) lives in Breda, is married and has two children.
Perttu Pölönen
Futurist, Inventor and Author, Finland
Perttu Pölönenhas been given many titles, such as inventor, author, composer, keynote speaker, futurist and visionaire.
In Finnish media Perttu has been called a gentle highbrow and a fearless inventor. Perttu himself still prefers not to use titles at all –it’s difficult to put him into any known box.
Perttu is a classically trained composer by education, but became an entrepreneur at a young age. Perttu has studied at Singularity University, a think tank located at the NASA Ames Research Center in California. While in California, he co-founded a non-profit, 360ed, that develops AR apps for the education sector in developing countries–the company is run and operated in Myanmar.
Perttu’s own invention, MusiClock, is an example of how a personal challenge can be turned into an internationally awarded and patented invention. It won the at biggest science fair in Europe, the European Union's Competition for Young Scientists. The MusiClock mobile app became #1 music app in over 10 countries. In 2014 Perttu was given the “Most Creative Finn” Award at Slush and in 2018 MIT Tech Review honored him among 35 Innovators Under 35 in Europe.
Perttu has written two books: Future Skills (2020) and Future Identities (2021). Perttu is known as an inspiring thinker who believes that human skills and values will be crucially important in the future, to balance technological advancements.