Learning Spaces and the Student Experience: Do Spaces Matter?

The University of Wales, Newport and IBI Nightingale are jointly holding a one day event which aims to explore the impact of the learning environment on the student experience. It is looking to draw together academics, support staff, colleagues from university estates management and architectural experts to share diverse perspectives on the learning environment.

The conference has a keynote presentation by Richard Mazuch which will raise awareness of principles of sense sensitive design. The event will also feature presentations on new learning environments developed at the University of Birmingham, Bournemouth University and the University of Wales, Newport and include a focus on learning spaces beyond the classroom.

The conference takes place on Monday 11 March 2012 in Cardiff Bay. For more details, and to register go to the conference website: www.newport.ac.uk/events/ResearchEvents/Pages/LearningSpacesandtheStudentExperienceDoSpacesMatter.aspx

JISC CETIS Informal Horizon Scan 2011

 

The 2011 edition of the JISC CETIS Informal Horizon Scan is available for download. This is the third time JISC CETIS has produced such a document, which is essentially a write-up of thoughts and discussion-points from members of CETIS rather than being a robust set of predictions.

Topics include:

MOBILE AS WEB "FIRST CITIZEN"
EDUCATIONAL INFORMATICS
MOTION CAPTURE CONTROLLERS FOR GESTURAL INTERFACES

Technology Outlook: UK Tertiary Education

During the spring and summer of 2011, JISC sponsored a study by the New Media Consortium as part of their Horizon Project which produces a series of widely-read Horizon Reports. “Technology Outlook: UK Higher Education” is the principle output from this study.
“Technology Outlook” explores the impact of emerging technologies on teaching, learning, research or information management in UK tertiary education over the next five years, as identified by the Horizon.JISC advisory board. That group of experts is comprised of an international body of knowledgeable individuals representing a range of diverse perspectives across the learning sector. The study involved several stages of discussion and refinement of description of potentially influential technologies, their time-lines and impact.

The content of the report has a Creative Commons licence.

Ireland International Conference

CALL FOR PAPERS

*********************************************
Ireland International Conference on Education (IICE-2012),
April 16-18, 2012, Dublin, Ireland (www.iicedu.org)
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The IICE is an international refereed conference dedicated
to the advancement of the theory and practices in education.
The IICE promotes collaborative excellence between academicians
and professionals from Education.
The aim of IICE is to provide an opportunity for academicians
and professionals from various educational fields with
cross-disciplinary interests to bridge the knowledge gap, promote
research esteem and the evolution of pedagogy. The IICE 2012 invites
research papers that encompass conceptual analysis, design
implementation and performance evaluation. All the accepted papers
will appear in the proceedings and modified version of selected
papers will be published in special issues peer reviewed journals.


The topics in IICE-2012 include but are not confined to the
following areas:

*Academic Advising and Counselling
*Art Education
*Adult Education
*APD/Listening and Acoustics in Education Environment
*Business Education
*Counsellor Education
*Curriculum, Research and Development
*Competitive Skills
*Continuing Education
*Distance Education
*Early Childhood Education
*Educational Administration
*Educational Foundations
*Educational Psychology
*Educational Technology
*Education Policy and Leadership
*Elementary Education
*E-Learning
*E-Manufacturing
*ESL/TESL
*E-Society
*Geographical Education
*Geographic information systems
*Health Education
*Higher Education
*History
*Home Education
*Human Computer Interaction
*Human Resource Development
*Indigenous Education
*ICT Education
*Internet technologies
*Imaginative Education
*Kinesiology & Leisure Science
*K12
*Language Education
*Mathematics Education
*Mobile Applications
*Multi-Virtual Environment
*Music Education
*Pedagogy
*Physical Education (PE)
*Reading Education
*Writing Education
*Religion and Education Studies
*Research Assessment Exercise (RAE)
*Rural Education
*Science Education
*Secondary Education
*Second life Educators
*Social Studies Education
*Special Education
*Student Affairs
*Teacher Education
*Cross-disciplinary areas of Education
*Ubiquitous Computing
*Virtual Reality
*Wireless applications
*Other Areas of Education  


Important Dates:

*Extended Abstract (Work in Progress) Submission Date: January 15, 2012  
*Research Paper, Student Paper, Case Study, Report Submission Date: January 20, 2012
*Proposal for Workshops: December 15, 2011  
*Notification of Workshop Acceptance/Rejection: December 20, 2011  
*Poster Proposal Submission Date: January 10, 2012
*Notification of Poster Acceptance/Rejection: January 15, 2012
*Notification of Extended Abstract (Work in Progress) Acceptance/Rejection: January 25, 2012
*Notification of Research Paper, Student Paper, Case Study, Report Acceptance /Rejection: January 30, 2012
*Camera Ready Paper Due: February 10, 2012
*Early Bird Registration Deadline (Authors and Participants): February 15, 2012
*Late Bird Registration Deadline (Authors and Participants): March 10, 2012
*Conference Dates: April 16-18, 2012

 
For further information please visit IICE-2012 at www.iicedu.org

The JISC Online Conference

Innovating e-Learning 2011 – Can you afford to miss it?

The JISC Online Conference, Innovating e-Learning 2011, has opened with a pre-conference Activity Week preparing the way for next week’s main conference programme 22-25 November.

Are you interested in?
· Technology-mediated learning and teaching
· Institutional efficiency and curriculum transformation
· Open educational practice
· Introducing change in assessment practice
· Digital literacies
· Students as agents of change in curriculum enhancement

Do you want to know more about?
· Using Facebook in learning and teaching
· Using Web 2.0 technologies to create online communities for non-traditional learners
· Using mobile devices in the classroom
· A range of freely available online tools and resources to enhance your practice

You can still register for this big conference experience with a low carbon footprint. But don’t delay. The main conference programme commences Tuesday 22 November.

Follow the conference on Twitter @ jiscel2011
Contribute your views on Twitter using #jiscel11
Programme and booking at www.jisc.ac.uk/elpconference11

TechWatch report on 'Augmented Reality for Smartphones'

A new state-of-the-art TechWatch report looking at Augmented Reality for Smartphones is now available for comment: See Augmented Reality for Smartphones (PDF).

The report was commissioned by UKOLN for the JISC Observatory and written by Ben Butchart from EDINA, based at the University of Edinburgh.

Visitors and Residents: What Motivates Engagement with the Digital Information Environment?

The University of Oxford and OCLC Research are collaborating on a short-term, JISC-funded study to investigate the theory of digital residents and visitors with students in the transitional educational stage, the time between late-stage secondary (high school) and the first year of college or university.

This work is intended to increase understanding of how learners engage with the Web and how educational services and systems can attract and sustain a possible new group of lifelong learners. The trans-Atlantic partnership will support comparison of students' digital learning strategies in different cultural contexts.

For more information, see the project website: http://www.oclc.org/research/activities/vandr/default.htm

Games, simulations and virtual worlds: what evidence do we have that they change practice?

While there’s a lot of interest in games, simulations and virtual worlds, and much talk of their potential, there is arguably less evidence about what their benefits are. Where there is evidence, this is often for the feasibility of new pedagogic approaches or of student enjoyment – not necessarily about learning.

The Games, Virtual Worlds and Higher Education Special Interest Group are holding an event on 15th April at the London Knowledge Lab to look at these issues - as part of the event they intend to bring together a body of evidence that develops this situation and starts to make sense of it. The day will combine short presentations with workshop-like sessions, so that evidence about changes to practice can be shared and analysed. For more information on the event and details on how to submit a proposal see this post.

For more information about the Game SIG, see http://www.game-sig.info/?page_id=80

Virtual trenches immerse students in First World War poetry

With Armistice Day fast approaching a JISC project team has taken an unusual approach to ensuring that people continue to learn about the First World War.

The First World War Poetry Digital Archive and the Learning Technologies Group at Oxford University have collaborated on an exciting new venture in the 3D virtual world Second Life to simulate areas of the Western Front 1914-18. The team believes this is the first time anything of its kind has been done on Second Life.

Visitors to the virtual trenches can explore digitised archival materials like poetry manuscripts, letters and diaries from the major poets of the First World War as they walk around a training camp, a trench network and No Man’s Land dressed as a soldier or a nurse. The terrain is waterlogged and difficult to navigate, rife with rats and littered with poppies; moving nearer to the front line the clamour of shell blasts and artillery fire becomes louder and louder.

The resources include works by Wilfred Owen, Isaac Rosenberg and Vera Brittain, along with contextual primary source materials. These materials have been supplemented with new interpretative content and a spectrum of interactive tools and tutorials, streaming video and audio effects.

The artefacts have been drawn from the highly successful First World War Poetry Digital Archive, launched in 2009 to mark the 90th anniversary of the end of the war. By placing them in an online virtual model the collection is made even more useful and engaging to a range of different user groups across UK education sectors, research communities and the heritage industry.

Ben Showers, digitisation programme officer at JISC, said:

“The First World War Digital Poetry Archive is constantly pushing the boundaries of what it means to be an academic archive, and now users are able to interact with the collections and materials. JISC funding for this additional virtual environment means students, researchers and everyone interested in this material can collaborate and become immersed in the world of the Western Front to experience the immediate context of these manuscripts and poems like never before.”

As guests explore the simulation, they can listen to the voices of veterans recounting their experiences of the war, watch original film footage from the time, and learn about life on the Western Front. Within this context they can encounter some of the most powerful poetry in English literature by handling the original manuscripts, turning the pages of the poet’s war diaries and letters, and listening to readings.

For more information see: http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/ww1lit/secondlife

Getting Started with Second Life

This JISC guide offers a basic overview of how to get started in Second Life, along with some tips on how to facilitate learning in this space.

The guide is written by representatives from several projects from within JISC’s recent Users and Innovation programme, which gave project teams the opportunity to work in emergent technology spaces that at the time were the domain of very few in higher education. These included multi user virtual environments such as Second Life.

During the life of the Second Life projects, one area stood out as needing support more than any other - getting started in Second Life. And here it is: aimed at staff who are looking to connect through a virtual world to learning and research activities, this guide should be the first step in any proposed use of Second Life for learning and teaching, providing a step by step approach and a range of guidance in the key areas and issues.

To download and view the report, go to http://www.jisc.ac.uk/publications/documents/gettingstartedsecondlife.aspx

Evaluating Learning Spaces Study - Final Report Available

This JISC funded study aimed to identify and review the tools, methods and frameworks used to evaluate technology supported or enhanced physical learning spaces. A key objective was to develop the sector knowledgebase on emerging practice in the evaluation of learning spaces, identifying innovative methods and approaches beyond traditional post-occupancy evaluations and surveys that have dominated this area to date.

The study found that less than a third of evaluations studied made use of any sort of baseline data, therefore limiting the extent to which impact could be fully assessed. It also found that a tension existed between evaluation studies and research into student learning. However it did find pockets of good practice, and these are detailed in the report.

The study also proposes a conceptual Framework for Evaluating Learning Spaces (FELS), which builds upon the input gathered through study interviews and project workshops.

The report can be downloaded at www.jisc.ac.uk/whatwedo/projects/learningspaces08.aspx

iCamp handbook: How to Use Social Software in Higher Education

Just stumbled across this publication - not had chance to read it yet, but it looks like it should be an interesting read. The handbook is a result of the iCamp project, a three-year EC-funded research project that set out to encourage innovative educational practices within European higher education. According to its authors, iCamp promotes the eff ective integration of emerging Social Software technologies within the changing landscapes of European higher education, and this handbook illustrates possible strategies for making good use of these technologies, guided by a constructivist pedagogical vision.

You can download the handbook here as PDF or get in contact with any of the iCamp partners for a printed version.

EQ Magazine - special issue on learning spaces

The latest edition of EDUCAUSE Quarterly Magazine focusses on learning spaces covering a wide range of approaches. To view the issue, follow this link: http://www.educause.edu/library/EQM091W

Call for posters - 3rd Annual Conference of Technology Supported Learning in the 21st Century

Are you using Web 2.0 tools to support student learning in post-16 education or have you done exciting work in any of the following areas at the cutting edge of technology supported learning?

• Sustaining creative cultures
• Learner-led models of technology supported learning
• Changing academic identity and practice

If so, the 3rd Annual Conference of Technology Supported Learning in the 21st Century is looking for practitioners to present posters. The conference takes place at Staffordshire University on 1st June 2009.

If you would like to present a poster, please submit an abstract of no more than 250 words to Christa Appleton (contact details c.appleton@staffs.ac.uk) by noon on 6th May 2009. Please note that a reduced conference rate is offered to poster presenters.

See http://www.staffs.ac.uk/tsl09conference for full details of the conference themes and programme.

effective use of social software report & case studies now available

This JISC funded report, and collection of 26 case studies, which examined the effective use of social software in the UK further and higher education sectors in enhancing student learning and engagement is now available for download at www.jisc.ac.uk/whatwedo/projects/socialsoftware08.aspx.

This very readable report provides insights about the:

• educational goals of using social software tools;
• enablers or drivers within the institution, or from external sources which positively influence the adoption of social software;
• benefits to the students, educators and institutions;
• challenges that may influence a social software initiative;
• issues that need to be considered in a social software initiative.

It also includes a very useful 'recommendations' section aimed towards anyone considering implementing a social software initiative to support student learning and engagement.

I'd like to end this blog post with a quote taken from the study:

"When I thanked an educator, associated with one of the initiatives investigated in this study, at the end of a long day of interviews with her and her students, she said: ‘my heart is with the learners; if I know that something works for them, I want to share it with others so that other learners can also benefit; that is what we are here for - to help our learners’. This statement embodies the spirit of this study: the willingness of colleagues to share their experiences with the wider community."

Quote from study author

Evaluating Learning Spaces Newsletter

Following the first JELS (JISC Evaluating Learning Spaces) Study Workshop, the first JELS newsletter has been published and is available for download from the project website at http://www.lsri.nottingham.ac.uk/jels/news.php. The newsletter provides a review of the activities of the first workshop, along with an overview of the aims of the project itself. The follow-up Learning Spaces Workshop is due to take place on 24 February. If you are interested in taking part in the study, or final workshop the team would be interested to hear from you- www.lsri.nottingham.ac.uk/jels/contact.php

Maximising the effectiveness of virtual worlds - presentations available online in real-time

The 'Maximising the effectiveness of virtual worlds in teaching and learning' event in Glasgow (jointly organised by Eduserv and CETIS) this week has been fully subscribed for some time, however for those still wishing to attend (if only virtually) may be interested to know that Andy Powell from Eduserv is planning to make the audio and slides of all the presentations available in real time on Eduserv Island in Second Life.

Audio will be made available using the SL voice chat facility and copies of all the speakers' slides will be visible in-world. Andy is also going to try and allow for questions to speakers from virtual delegates via text chat.

Virtual delegates should make their way to the Virtual Congress Centre on Eduserv Island:

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Eduserv%20Island/155/33/32

Presentations start at 10.30am (2.30am SL time) though Andy suggests getting there a little earlier to test out audio, etc. Delegates are welcome to drop in for only those presentations that interest them. The full programme is available at http://wiki.cetis.ac.uk/CETIS-Eduserv-VW2009.

IPR in the web 2.0 world: animation

This new six-minute animation highlights the importance of considering IPR in the use and re-use of interactive Web 2.0 technologies such as blogging, podcasting and other multimedia and links back to the very helpful free Web2Rights online diagnostic tool. The tool provides a step-by-step user guide to ensure the protection of both their and others’ copyright in using, deploying and repurposing content.

The animation presents the issues in an accessible, colourful and light-hearted way via three typical case studies: a researcher, a lecturer and a student. These examples pinpoint areas where confusion often exists, or even where many may not consider IPR to be an issue at all, and signpost back to the online diagnostic tool for further guidance and information.

Web2Rights is a JISC funded project, whose purpose is to develop a practical, pragmatic and relevant toolkits to support the projects funded within the JISC Users and Innovation Programme in their engagement with next generation and Web2.0 technologies and emerging legal issues, such as IP, libel and accessibility.

the digital student

A JISC sponsored supplement, 'Digital student' was published in the Guardian on Tuesday, exploring the achievements of institutions (with the use of various technologies) and some of the future challenges as universities and colleges look to exploit technology and place the student experience at the heart of learning and teaching.

The kinds of technologies that have placed technology at the heart of the learner experience such as podcasting, wikis, immersive worlds such as Second Life and texting were highlighted in the publication. It also considered how such technologies have impacted on student progression and retention, assessment, the management of intellectual property rights and the building of new and more flexible learning spaces.

What came out quite strongly for me was the theme of technology supported student control and collaboration, both with other students and with their tutors.

"...students must have more control - they should have the opportunity to choose to learn using texts rather than having texts 'pushed' onto them.."
Paul Brett, MELAS (push the button article)

"There is a greater expectation from students that they are involved in the design of their education"

David Melville (students fashion their own education article)

All in all an interesting read - available online at www.guardian.co.uk/digitalstudent

SOLSTICE 2009 call for proposals

The 4th SOLSTICE Conference 'It's all in the blend?' has announced its call for papers. The 2009 conference aims to actively explore the 'blend' between innovation, research and development supported and blended online learning. To this end they welcome papers, presentations, demonstrations and posters on a range of themes. Of particular interest to the tele activity area is:

Technologies and learning environments - physical and virtual spaces
For example, the development and deployment of technologies and spaces for delivering appropriate learning and activities is a pertinent issue for learning technologists, practitioners and institutions alike. We particularly invite contributions which discuss the types of technologies and spaces currently in use in higher education.

However, it is worth noting that contributions are also welcomed on issues that do not readily fit into the categories identified in the call, but which can be aligned with the conference title, or that offer opportunity for debate and discourse around work in progress linked to the conference themes.

For full details of the call for proposals see http://www.edgehill.ac.uk/solstice/Conference2009/call.htm
And for general information on the conference see http://www.edgehill.ac.uk/solstice/Conference2009/