Association for Learning Technology
Fortnightly news digest 101, 10 February 2006

Lots of calls for papers, events and great jobs this week.

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Deadline for next issue (number 102): Tuesday 21 February 2006

Join ALT at http://www.alt.ac.uk/membership_join.html
Corporate and institutional members list: 
http://www.alt.ac.uk/corporate_members.php

1. Association news: two new vacancies at ALT, and new resources to read
2. Association events: ALT-C 2006 final call for papers and keynotes 
announced
3. Invitations to tender: HE Academy and JISC
4. Calls for papers: five calls for events and journals
5. Other events: lots of staff development events
6. News: JORUM User Service launched
7. Vacancies: seven excellent vacancies
8. Courses: MSc e-learning at Edinburgh; Open Source software

1. Association news

1.1 A warm welcome to the following organisation which has recently 
joined ALT:
   Learning Light   http://www.learninglight.com/
- and to all the individual members who have joined in the last 
fortnight.

1.2 Vacancies at ALT
Please apply using the application form at 
http://www.brookes.ac.uk/vacancy
Closing date for both posts: 24 February 2006
* Projects Manager
Starting salary: £24,161, rising annually to £26,401, plus opportunity 
for performance awards up to £28,850.
Ref: 094/15682/SK
http://www.alt.ac.uk/docs/projects_manager_web_info_2006.pdf
* Assistant Administrator (0.5 FTE)
Starting salary: £14,618, rising annually to £15,943 pro rata (0.5 FTE)
Ref: 068/15681/SK
http://www.alt.ac.uk/docs/website_advert_assistantadmin_2005.pdf

1.3 ALT-N
Our online newsletter issue no 3 (with RSS feed) is now available at 
http://newsletter.alt.ac.uk
A printed summary version will be posted to members later in February. 
Please accept our apologies for the delay.

1.4 Current learning technology issues in UK further education
A useful paper from the FE Advisory Committee is available at
http://www.alt.ac.uk/docs/fe_issues_2005-06.pdf

2. Association events

2.1 ALT-C 2006: the next generation
5-7 September 2006, Edinburgh, UK
Conference co-chairs: Prof Terry Mayes and Prof Ron Oliver
http://www.alt.ac.uk/altc2006/

** FINAL CALL FOR PAPERS **
We welcome research papers for publication in the peer-reviewed 
Proceedings of ALT-C 2006 (ISBN allocated), as well as short papers, 
symposia, workshops, demonstrations and posters.
NB: You can enter a draft submission on the site and edit it up to the 
deadline.

* Research papers close 21 FEBRUARY 2006 (extended by popular demand!)
* Other streams close 28 FEBRUARY 2006
* Submit now at https://www.alt.ac.uk/pss/index.php
* Conference themes: http://www.alt.ac.uk/altc2006/papers.html
* Submission guidelines: http://www.alt.ac.uk/guidelines_papers.html

Keynote speakers announced: Stephen Heppell, Diana Oblinger, Tim O'Shea
http://www.alt.ac.uk/altc2006/keynotes.html

2.2 Spring Conference & Research Seminar 2006
New connections, new challenges
6-7 April 2006, Leiden University, The Netherlands
In association with SURF and ILTA.
* Speakers include: Prof Angela McFarlane, Prof Robert Jan Simons, Scott 
Wilson, Leo Waaijers, Igor Mayer
* Booking deadline: 23 March 2006 (hotel booking deadline: 5 March)
http://www.alt.ac.uk/conferences.php

2.3 Bidding for learning technology funds: a one-day workshop
26 April 2006, Birmingham (tbc)
Presenters include: Mark Stiles, Staffordshire University, and Jeff 
Haywood, University of Edinburgh.
An excellent opportunity to learn the secrets of successful project 
funding applications.
Programme to follow soon - put the date in your diary!
Conact: [log in to unmask]

2.4 Edublogs: the educational use of weblogs, weblogging tools and really 
simple syndication (RSS)
4 May 2006, King’s College, London
Presenters: Josie Fraser, Wyggeston & Queen Elizabeth I College, and 
Steven Warburton, King’s College London.
Another chance to attend this popular workshop; bookings will open soon.
Conact: [log in to unmask]

3. Invitations to tender

3.1 The Higher Education Academy
Call 2: e-Learning research grants
These projects will focus on improving understanding of e-learning as a 
means of enhancing the students’ learning experience. Total funding is 
£150,000, and 3-5 projects will be funded. The deadline for receipt of 
expressions of interest is 24 February 2006.
http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/researchprojects.htm

3.2 JISC ITT: Strategic Review of JISC Discovery Services
The purpose of the review is twofold:
- to assess potential for convergence and economies of scale in the 
underlying technologies used to deliver the services;
- to look at how the services may be enhanced with new technologies in 
order to support flexible integration across the services and within the 
wider resource discovery environment such as library management systems, 
digital repositories or search engines.
Deadline for receipt of tenders: 1300 hours on Friday 3rd March 2006. 
Funding of up to £50,000 including VAT is available. 
http://www.jisc.ac.uk/index.cfm?name=funding_strategic_review_jisc_resourc
e_discovery_services

4. Calls for papers

4.1 Alt-i-lab Demonstrator 2006: call for demonstrations
19-22 June 2006, Indianapolis, USA
Deadline: 24 February 2006. Contact: Kevin Riley [log in to unmask]
http://www.imsglobal.org/altilab/

4.2 SOLSTICE 2006 Conference: Enhancing student learning through the 
intelligent deployment of technologies
Wednesday 3rd May 2006, Edge Hill, Ormskirk
Deadline for receipt of submissions: Monday 27th February 2006.
http://www.edgehill.ac.uk/SOLSTICE/Conference2006submission.htm
Please return completed forms to Amanda Boult, SOLSTICE Administrator, at 
[log in to unmask]

4.3 Call for Papers: Interactive Learning Environments
For further information on Interactive Learning Environments, including 
instructions for authors, please visit
http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/titles/10494820.asp

4.4 Call for Workshop Participation
Developing a Framework for e-Learning 2006
Wednesday 30th August 2006, Dublin, Eire
http://www.ics.heacademy.ac.uk/Events/HEADublin2006
Deadline for receipt of abstracts: 3rd March 2006.
Deadline for receipt of full papers: 23 June April 2006.

4.5 Blended Learning Conference
15 June 2006, University of Hertfordshire, UK
Deadline for abstracts and papers: 17 March 2006.
http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/events/List_4033.htm

5. Other events

5.1 eLearning Alliance Workshop: Action Learning
Wednesday, 22 February 2006, Glasgow, UK
http://www.elearningalliance.org/events/event_viewer.cfm?id=692

5.2 New Adventures in Learning
Wednesday 8th March, Edinburgh Festival Theatre, UK
Further information here: http://www.learnforever.co.uk/new.htm
Register here: http://www.learnforever.co.uk/register.htm

5.3 Learning Lab Seminars, Telford, Shropshire, UK
e-Portfolios: Wednesday 1st March 2006
What makes e-Learning effective for different sectors?: Wednesday 22 
March 2006
http://www.learninglab.org.uk

5.4 PICTAL Virtual Conference: ONLINE TEACHING AND LEARNING
29-31 March 2006; online conference (register by 22 March)
http://www.abdn.ac.uk/education/pictal/
 
5.5 Blended learning: Integration & Innovation
6th April 2006, Falmouth, Cornwall, UK
http://www.cuc.ac.uk/blendedlearning

5.6 Legal Aspects of Online Learning Environments
12 April 2006, Scarman House, University of Warwick, UK
http://www.jisclegal.ac.uk/events/OLE_06/OLE_06_program.htm

5.7 Legal Aspects of e-Repositories and e-Collections Conference
31 May - 1 June 2006, Scarman House, University of Warwick, UK
http://www.jisclegal.ac.uk/events/eRep_06/eRep_program.htm

5.8 Collaborative eLearning symposium: Sustaining communities, supporting 
processes
22-23 June 2006, University of Cambridge, UK
http://www.ucel.ac.uk/symposium/

5.9 Staff Development Events February-March 2006
Courses on VLEs, assessment, copyright and more, right across the UK
http://www.learningtechnologies.ac.uk/ask

6. News

6.1 JORUM USER SERVICE NOW AVAILABLE
Further and Higher Education institutions in the UK can now register for 
the JORUM User Service. JORUM User allows staff from registered 
institutions to search, browse, preview, download, review, reuse and 
repurpose resources in JORUM. Institutions must register first before 
staff are able to gain access at
http://www.jisc.ac.uk/index.cfm?name=coll_jorum. A Site Rep and a 
Technical Rep must also be nominated, providing a local point of contact 
for staff within the institution and for the JORUM Team.
http://www.jorum.ac.uk

5.2 Institutional change discussions
Mark Nichols from Massey University, New Zealand, would like to interview 
e-learning managers about their experiences with change management and e-
learning diffusion. Mark is a Flexible Learning Leader in New Zealand 
(FLLinNZ - see http://www.fllinnz.ac.nz) who would like to learn more 
about what it means to lead change in an e-learning context. Discussions 
will take place using Skype at your convenience.
Please contact Mark directly [log in to unmask]

6.3 Demand for flexible and innovative forms of higher education in UK
- report to HEFCE by SQW Ltd with Taylor Nelson Sofres.
http://www.hefce.ac.uk/pubs/rdreports/2006/rd01_06/

6.4 Blackboard and WebCT  merger cleared by US Justice Dept
http://chronicle.com/daily/2006/02/2006020701t.htm

7. Vacancies

7.1 King’s College London, Department of Pharmacy
Learning and Technology Officer
Ref: A2/GKP/43/05. Closing date: 15 February 2006.
http://www.kcl.ac.uk/jobs

7.2 King’s College, London
King’s Institute of Learning and Teaching (KILT)
Lecturer in Higher Education (e- & Web-based Learning)
Salary: £30,162 - £39,282 (Lecturer B scale) inc London allowance
Ref: A2/RTV/10/06. Closing date: 15 February 2006.
For an application pack email [log in to unmask]
Interviews to be held: 7th March 2006.

7.3 JISC, University of Bristol
JISC Programme Director, e-Learning
Salary: £38,685 - £43,850
Ref: 11916. Closing date: 0900, 21 February 2006
Informal enquiries to Mr C Wentworth on 020 7848 1800 or email 
[log in to unmask]
Anticipated interview date is 16th March 2006.
http://www.bristol.ac.uk/vacancies

7.4 Lancaster University, Department of Educational Research
Lecturer in Education (Advanced Learning Technology)
Ref: A607. Closing date: 27 February 2006
Further details about the Department’s current specialisms and its work 
are available at:
http://www.lancs.ac.uk/fss/edres/
Informal enquiries to Prof. David McConnell 01524 594728, 
[log in to unmask]

7.5 University of Leicester, Department of Computer Science
Research Associate in Technology-Enhanced Learning
Salary: Scale R&A1A  £20,044 to £30,002 pa
Ref: R2502/ALT. Closing date: Friday 3 March 2006
Available to 31 March 2007 with the possibility of extension until 30 
September 2008
http://www.le.ac.uk/personnel/jobs

7.6 University of Dundee   
Learning Enhancement Unit, Centre for Learning & Teaching
Learning Technologist
Salary: ALC Grade 1 (£20,044 - £22,289)
Ref: CS/1150/ALT. Closing date: 24 February 2006.
Informal enquiries to Anne Scott, Learning Enhancement Unit, email: 
[log in to unmask]
http://www.jobs.dundee.ac.uk

7.7 University of East London   
Leading Distance and E-Learning 
Salary: Not less than £60,000 plus benefits
Ref: 8896. Closing date: 3rd March 2006.
Informal enquiries to Alun Parry on 0870 190 4336 or Elliott Rae on 020 
7932 4281.
Download an information pack from http://www.veredus.co.uk
or ring the 24 hour response line on 020 7931 6331.

8. Courses

8.1 University of Edinburgh MSc in E-learning
A new, part-time and fully online programme starts September 2006. It 
aims to give professionals working in higher or further education, or in 
training and development, the practical skills and critical insight they 
need to become confident within this fast-moving field.
http://www.education.ed.ac.uk/e-learning/
or contact Sian Bayne, University of Edinburgh, [log in to unmask]

8.2 Open Source Software Courses
- new from the Sheffield College
http://www.skillsforbusiness.info/Training/IT/OSS/index.html

--

The digest returns on 22 February 2006. All news, jobs, events, etc, to
[log in to unmask] by Tuesday 21 February, please.

Regards
Rhonda

Disclaimer: Whilst every care is taken to provide accurate
information in compiling this digest, ALT cannot vouch for the
accuracy of information provided on other web sites to which the
digest links, and opinions expressed on those sites should not be
construed to be those of ALT.

  Rhonda Riachi, Director
  Association for Learning Technology
  Gipsy Lane, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP, UK.
  Tel: +44 (0)1865 484125   Fax: +44 (0)1865 484165
  Email: [log in to unmask]   URL: http://www.alt.ac.uk/
  Registered Charity Number: 1063519

  ALT-C 2006: 5-7 September, Edinburgh, Scotland
  http://www.alt.ac.uk/altc2006
  
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