Association for Learning Technology Fortnightly news digest 220, issued on 4 March 2011 Submitting Digest items *NEW PROCESS* To submit items for the ALT Fortnightly Digest, including job vacancies, complete the form at http://tinyurl.com/32bcqyk taking careful note of the instructions given. Your care in completing the form will make our editing job quicker and more effective. The deadline for the next issue of the Digest is 12.00 on Wednesday 16 March 2011 for the Digest to be issued on Friday 18 March 2011. Key links * Join ALT at http://www.alt.ac.uk/membership_join.html * Summary of ALT membership rights and entitlements: http://www.alt.ac.uk/docs/membership_at_a_glance_2010_v2.pdf * List of sponsoring and organisational members of ALT: http://www.alt.ac.uk/corporate_members.php * ALT’s YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/ClipsFromALT * ALT on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/A_L_T * ALT wiki - http://wiki.alt.ac.uk/ * ALT open access repository - http://repository.alt.ac.uk/ Table of Contents 1. ALT news 2. ALT events 3. News 4. Other events 5. Calls for proposals 6. Funding calls 7. Job vacancies 8. ALT Online Newsletter - links to articles from the most recent issue 9. Current issue (18.3) of the ALT Journal - Research in Learning Technology - “The transformational impact of learning technology” 1. ALT News 1.1 2011 Learning Technologist of the Year Award - preliminary announcement and call for sponsors Here is a prelimary announcement about the 2011 ALT Learning Technologist of the Year Award 1. Judging panel Dave White - representing last year's team winner (the TALL team from the Department for Continuing Education at the University of Oxford) http://www.tall.ox.ac.uk/ Kevin McLaughlin (St Peter’s Church of England Primary School, Whetstone, Leicestershire) - one of last year's individual winners http://www.ictsteps.com/ Jane Hart - Founder of the Centre for Learning & Performance Technologies http://www.c4lpt.co.uk/ Peter Twining - Head of the Department of Education at the Open University http://goo.gl/LHfhg Christine Lewis - UK&EU Justice ICT Advisor, Ministry of Justice http://www.justice.gov.uk/ Carol Higgison - ALT President http://goo.gl/VcONM 2. Outline timetable i) details of the award announced March ii) closing date for entries early May iii) shortlisting of entries mid May iv) interviews in London or Birmingham in early June v) announcing the winners 7 September 2011 Organisations interested in discussing opportunities to sponsor the 2011 award should contact Seb Schmoller - [log in to unmask] 1.2 ALT nominees appointed to REF subpanels We are delighted to report that two of ALT's nominees made it through to REF subpanels. Jane Seale, from the University of Portsmouth, has been appointed to REF Sub-panel 25, Education, and Josie Taylor, from the Open University, has been appointed to REF Sub-panel 11, Computer Science and Informatics. There are links to PDFs with all Panel and Sub-panel membership at http://www.hefce.ac.uk/research/ref/panels/. 1.3 ALT three-year strategy Last month ALT's Trustees approved a new three-year strategy for the association, following consultation at the June 2010 ALT Policy Board, a workshop at the 2010 ALT conference, and a face-to-face meeting of ALT Assembly (ALT’s trustees plus the members of our Further Education, Membership Services, Publications, and Research Committees). The strategy is in our Open Access Repository at http://goo.gl/iF8oo. 1.4 Hayley Maisey, ALT Head of Operations and Events, is moving on We are very pleased for Hayley and very sad for ALT to report that Hayley, who has worked for ALT since the beginning of 2004, will be leaving ALT for a new job (bigger, different, closer to home) as eCommunications Manager with the Chartered Institute for Marketing. Hayley's last day with ALT will be 13/4/2011. 1.5 2010 Learning Technology Manager Salary Survey Last September, with ALT's support, Rich Ranker from Lancaster University conducted a survey about the salaries of those reporting themselves to be managers of learning technology services in UK institutions. A report by Rich, based on the survey, is on the ALT Open Access Repository at http://goo.gl/ZnRh1. 1.6 [Announcement by ALT Sponsoring Member Blackboard.] Introducing CourseSites – a new way to access and evaluate the latest Blackboard technology For many years, CourseSites has provided access to individual instructors to try out a hosted version of Blackboard technology. Approximately 90,000 students and teachers have managed their classes each year using CourseSites. Over the past year, as part of our renewed focus on product support, innovation, openness and transparency, we have updated and enhanced CourseSites. With CourseSites you can create, for free, a fully hosted interactive webpage for your courses. You’ll have a constantly-evolving suite of online tools to reach more students on their terms and devices-anytime, anywhere. Learn more at http://www.coursesites.com. 2. ALT events 2.1 ALT/eLN free webinar: Visual language for designers - an hour with Connie Malamed Jointly with the E-Learning Network, ALT will be running a free lunchtime webinar on 21 March: Visual language for designers - an hour with Connie Malamed. E-learning depends heavily on visual design in order to engage learners, convey meaning and ensure retention. In her book, Visual Language for Designers, Connie Malamed spells out what is required to achieve these objectives. Connie's background is a mix between art and cognitive psychology, which explains why the book contains such an excellent summary of what we know about the brain and perception, attention and memory. It might also explain how Connie became involved in e-learning. In this session, Connie will summarise some of the key themes from the book and respond to questions from host Clive Shepherd and from participants. Further info and booking form: http://www.alt.ac.uk/workshop_detail.php?e=384 2.2 ALT C 2011 – the call for proposals closed earlier this week and we are pleased to report that the number of submissions matched last year’s. Over the next two months all proposals will be reviewed by members of the ALT-C 2011 Programme Committee, with decisions due at the end of the first week in May. 2.3 Don't Lecture Me – follow-on webinar with Donald Clark The presentation slides, chat transcript, and the Elluminate transcript from the 18 January 2010 ALT webinar with Donald Clark are all now available from http://repository.alt.ac.uk/view/divisions/lecture/2011.html. Please note that the meat of the webinar starts *28 minutes in* owing to initial difficulties with Donald Clark’s audio. 2.4 Build, Buy or Collaborate? The recording from the 11 February 2011 ALT/ELN webinar with Dick Moore and Mark Berthelemy is now on the ALT Open Access Repository at: http://repository.alt.ac.uk/view/divisions/build/2011.html. Recordings from previous eLN/ALT webinars are at http://repository.alt.ac.uk/view/divisions/ALT=2FELN/ 2.5 Lecture capture - one day event – date and location fixed In response to the recent discussion on the ALT-MEMBERS email list we are working on a one day event about lecture capture, with a possible follow up event about the use of technology to support effective large group teaching. The lecture capture event will take place on 16 June, in London. Watch out for further details. 2.6 ALT/ELN 2011 webinar programme - dates for your diary. Jointly with the E-Learning Network, ALT is running another series of free 90 minute lunchtime webinars throughout 2011. Further details to follow. 11 April - Getting started with mobile learning 24 May - Making the most of informal learning 28 June - What's next in learning management? 20 July - Practical strategies for evaluation 15 September - Interview with top designer 10 October - Getting started with serious games 16 November - Writing effective quiz and assessment questions 13 December - The psychology of learning [We reserve the right to change the order and titles of these webinars] 3. News 3.1 2011 National Teaching Fellowship Scheme The Higher Education Academy has seeking nominations for the 2011 National Teaching Fellowship Scheme. Up to 55 awards of £10,000 will be made as recognition of individual excellence, with the award designed to support each National Teaching Fellow’s professional development in teaching and learning pedagogy. All higher education (HE) institutions in England Wales and Northern Ireland are eligible for the Scheme. Further education (FE) institutions which have 100 or more full-time equivalent students on higher education programmes directly funded by HEFCE or HEFCW are also eligible. The deadline for entries is 23 March 2011. Full details are on the Academy's web site at http://tinyurl.com/2uuj77x. 3.2 New HEFCE studies on flexible and innovative provision HEFCE has just published three studies: - Costing study of two-year accelerated honours degrees - http://goo.gl/BrIAP - Flexible learning pathfinders: key statistics 2008-2009 - http://goo.gl/cXzEc - Diverse provision in higher education: options and challenges - a report to BIS - http://goo.gl/J8Jkc [links straight to PDF] 4. Other events 4.1 Effective Assessment in a Digital Age Workshops: from challenge to change..... A series of free workshops based around the JISC Effective Assessment in a Digital Age publication and associated online resources will take place during January-March 2011. These workshops will explore how the use of technology in HE and HE in FE, linked to principles of good practice in assessment and feedback, can help promote more effective learning. They will have a practical, hands-on feel with a focus on how to move from current challenges towards sustainable change. Places are available at the following workshops: Newcastle - 24 March 2011 Sign up at http://www.jisc.ac.uk/assessworkshops 4.2 Blackboard Teaching & Learning Conference 2011 Blackboard (and ALT sponsoring member) is delighted to announce that its annual user conference will take place at the University of Leeds from 11-13 April 2011. All Blackboard users are invited to submit a proposal to the Call for Papers. At Blackboard Teaching & Learning Conference 2011 the most rewarding moments come from the presentations made by Blackboard clients. Your insights and experiences are the backbone of the conference programme. Share your success stories and lessons learned with your peers and be in with a chance to win a free delegate registration to BbWorld 2011 in Las Vegas. For full details go to http://www.blackboard.com/Leeds2011. We look forward to seeing you in Leeds and Las Vegas! 4.3 JISC annual conference Registration has opened for the JISC conference, to take place in Liverpool on 14 and 15 March 2011. Delegates from academic institutions, government, public sector bodies, charities and associations - £50 + VAT. Delegates from commercial/profit-making organisations - £500 + VAT. Register at http://tinyurl.com/6h9um2a. 4.4 Media & Learning Conference 2011 Dates Announced The Media & Learning Conference 2011, aimed at policy makers and practitioners interested in how media can be used to enhance learning opportunities for all citizens, will take place on 24-25 November 2011 in Brussels, Belgium. It is being organised in collaboration with the Flemish Ministry of Education and Training and the European Commission Directorate-General for Education and Culture and will take place in the Flemish Ministry of Education and Training Headquarters in Brussels. The deadline for receiving proposals is 1 June 2011. For more information, see the latest press release: http://media-and-learning.eu/press-and-publications 4.7 What kind of education enables us to cope with an interconnected world? Cambridge Assessment is hosting an event on Tuesday 15th March 2011, 10am – 1pm at One Great George Street, London to investigate what knowledge and skills are attractive to HE institutions and employers around the world – regardless of whether the ‘graduate’ goes into a national or international environment. Is there a common set of skills, body of knowledge, level of understanding or a mindset that enables students to flourish in an interconnected world whether that is in an HE institution, at work or merely in lifestyle? http://www.cambridgeassessment.org.uk/ca/Events/Event_Detail?id=135562 RSVP: Rebecca Birkett-Smith or Jennifer Roberts on 01223 556018 or email: [log in to unmask] 4.8 ‘Follow the Sun': Learning Futures Festival Online 2011, 13–15 April The Beyond Distance Research Alliance is collaborating with the Australian Digital Futures Institute to offer a non-stop, 48-hour global online festival called 'Follow the Sun'. This innovative conference will move between three time zones and offer delegates an exciting mix of keynotes, speakers, debates, workshops and virtual worlds delivered across three platforms. To register or joining the conference mailing list, go to http://tinyurl.com/followthesun. 4.9 Going Green and Saving Money Across the Globe with Collaboration Technologies - Blackboard Collaborate Distinguished Lecture Series on 22 February 2011 In an effort to use more cost-effective and greener technologies, Southern Cross University School of Commerce and Management took its course review meetings online in 2010. Join Salome Gallagher, with support from Kirsty Howton, Steve Rowe, and Keith Sloan, as they take you through their analysis of the cost savings and participant feedback for 26 virtual meetings held in Blackboard Collaborate. http://goo.gl/2Wikf 4.10 Free MEL SIG Podcasting Event - Liverpool John Moores University, 1st April 2011 The next (free) MELSIG event will be held on 1st April at Liverpool John Moores University. The day will be the usual mix of workshops and presentations with sessions for beginners and experienced podcasters. Come and join us to find out how podcasting is being used by many practitioners. To see the programme, visit the MELSIG wiki - http://ppp.chester.ac.uk/index.php?title=MELSIG:Current_events To reserve a place, please contact Lisa Rojas – [log in to unmask] MELSIG - Media enhanced Learning Special Interest Group (formerly known as the Podcasting for Pedagogic Purposes SIG) is a national, HEA funded project, managed by Carol Beattie, Learning and Teaching Institute, University of Chester. 4.11 Using Collaborative Technologies to Expand and Even Replace Face-to-Face Classes How did Babson College take a face-to-face class to the next level of engagement and interaction? Join team teachers Tova Duby and Eric Palson for this informative webinar on February 18 at 1 pm EST (GMT-5) when they share how they used Blackboard Collaborate to improve the overall student experience. Register now at http://tinyurl.com/4cu4d36 4.12 Institutional Strategies for OER 'Institutional strategies for OER' will consider a variety of current national and international open educational resource (OER) projects. It will explore the obstacles the projects have faced, and the successes they have won, with a particular focus on the impact of institutional strategy. The event will include an examination of the effect of government policy, and how it encourages or inhibits sector engagement in OER. 4.13 How to produce media rich learning materials 8 April 2011 Video is now more popular than ever - we consume it on our televisions, computers, mobile phones and tablet PCs; we use it for entertainment, knowledge and increasingly for learning. Audio can be published as podcasts, added to PowerPoint presentations or used as narration in elearning courseware. Screencasts provide an ideal way to deliver just-in-time IT systems training. All of these media can have a real impact and be quick to produce - but only if you know what you’re doing! This highly-practical event will show you how. Book via eLN website at http://www.elearningnetwork.org or contact Pat Straughan 01732 850650 5. Calls for proposals 5.1 The PLE Conference 2011 The Personal Learning Environment (PLE) Conference will be held at Southampton (July 11th-13th 2011). The conference includes a traditional research paper strand, but we also encourage proposals for sessions in different interactive formats as established by the opening event in Barcelona in 2010. The CFP is at http://www.pleconf.com and requires 500-800 word abstracts by 26th March 2011. 5.2 16th Annual SEDA Conference 2011 - "Using Technology to Enhance Learning" 17th - 18th November 2011, Birmingham. See www.seda.ac.uk for details. 5.3 SOLSTICE eLearning & CLTR 2011 Conference - Call for Proposals Effective Practices: Enhancing Learning, Teaching and Student Success. SOLSTICE (CETL) and CLTR Conference 2011. 8th - 9th June 2011, Edge Hill University, Ormskirk, UK. This two-day event incorporating both the SOLSTICE & CLTR conferences will focus on the enhancement of student learning through evidence informed practices. Deadline for abstracts: 14th March 2011. Full details: www.edgehill.ac.uk/solstice/conference2011. 5.4 Creative Education Journal Invites Submissions Creative Education is an Open Access Journal is freely available online from http://www.scirp.org/journal/ce and indexed by major services such as Proquest and Google Scholar. CE, published by Scientific Research, is currently inviting submission of original papers dedicated to the study of latest advancements in the field. All manuscripts submitted to CE must be previously unpublished and may not be considered for publication elsewhere at any time during CE's review period. Submissions can be made online http://papersubmission.scirp.org/login.jsp or email to [log in to unmask] 6. Funding calls 6.1 SBRI Assistive Technology Competitions JISC Techdis is running two competitions on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, designed to promote independent learning. The JISC TechDis website provides links to information and documentation for organisations that may be interested in applying. Competition 1 Making Waves - Gesture Communication System Competition 2 Plain Sailing – Easy Navigable and Personalisable Digital Info The deadline for both competitions is: Noon 15th March 2011. Please go to this link to find out more http://www.jisctechdis.ac.uk/sbricompetitions 6.2 Harnessing ICT to promote smart, sustainable & innovative Government Not for the feint hearted, not really a funding call, and a bit beyond the scope of the Digest, this document summarises The European eGovernment Action Plan 2011-2015: http://tinyurl.com/4hukcrz [16 page PDF]. 6.3 Grant 04/08: JISC learning and teaching innovation grants - closes 21 March 2011 JISC invites institutions to submit funding proposals for up to £50,000 for 12 month projects to undertake work under the 6th round of its full Learning and Teaching Innovation Grants Programme. Proposals may be submitted by HE institutions funded via HEFCE, SFC, HEFCW and DEL Northern Ireland, and by FE institutions funded via SFC, DCELLS Wales and DEL Northern Ireland. FE institutions in England that teach HE to more than 400 FTEs are also eligible to bid provided proposals demonstrate how the work supports the HE in FE agenda. Proposals may be from single institutions or consortia. Partnership arrangements may be developed outside the sector (for example with research council sites, publishers, commercial suppliers), but the lead partner must meet the criteria outlined above. Funds can only be allocated through the lead partner. . Go to http://goo.gl/9c0Cm 6.4 JISC study of the benefits of Open Access (OA) to scholarly research outputs to private sector businesses in the UK The JISC invites tenders to conduct a study of the benefits of Open Access (OA) to scholarly research outputs to private sector businesses in the UK. The aims of the study are: * To present the best evidence available of the benefits of OA to commercial companies. * To quantify, where possible, any financial benefits that have accrued. * To provide case studies of businesses which have realised benefits from OA. Total funding of £50,000 (including VAT, travel and subsistence) is available for this project. The deadline for proposals is 12 noon UK time on Monday 14 March 2011. It is envisaged that bidders will be notified of the outcome of the evaluation process by the end of March 2011. The successful bidder will be expected to start work in April 2011. The study is to be completed by the end of July 2011. A full version of the ITT can be found at: http://www.jisc.ac.uk/fundingopportunities/funding_calls/2011/02/benefits.aspx. 7. Jobs – slim pickings! 7.1 Desire2Learn Department: Marketing Job title: International Marketing Manager Reference number: D2LMMI2010 Salary: negotiable Full time, Permanent Informal enquiries to: [log in to unmask] URL for further particulars: http://tinyurl.com/3xsr73n 7.2 CIPD Training E-learning Co-ordinator for the CIPD (Short Term Contract 6 months) £20,000 - £23,000 pa pro rata Temporary, closing date for applications 11/3/2011 www.cipd.co.uk/about/jobs Informal enquiries to [log in to unmask] 020 8612 6476 7.3 There is a regular supply of mainly US jobs in the learning technology field at http://www.salt.org/salt.asp?ss=l&pn=joblistall, with a helpful RSS feed at http://www.salt.org/Weblink/SaltJobs.rss. 8. ALT Online Newsletter - links to articles from the 1 February 2011 issue Article – “Chief Executive’s Report” by Seb Schmoller http://newsletter.alt.ac.uk/10ltall5ycoz5e6g3n66lm Article - ‘The role of embodiment in student success in virtual worlds” by Mark Childs http://newsletter.alt.ac.uk/11sipwzwdww Article – “Glow: the world’s first national intranet and online community for education” by Andrew Brown http://newsletter.alt.ac.uk/fctye0xf3xc Article – “Going Mobile: our approach” by Kayvon Beykpour http://newsletter.alt.ac.uk/pv0420x866q Article – “The National College’s online network - A case study in building and managing a professional networking and learning system by Stuart Sutherland http://newsletter.alt.ac.uk/8ov4e6fk6y3 Article - ‘What to do when you get Google Apps for your school” by by Kevin McLaughlin http://newsletter.alt.ac.uk/11xp13p4k08 Article - ‘Why some 'successful' projects 'fail'’ by Tom Franklin http://newsletter.alt.ac.uk/1vk4dz2si0mz5e6g3n66lm Article - ‘Smartphone studying: the technology universities try to ignore? by Kent University student and ZDNet write Zack Whittaker http://newsletter.alt.ac.uk/1b98kryenqr Article - ‘Mahara 1.2 ePortfolios: Beginner's Guide’ by by Eamon Costello http://newsletter.alt.ac.uk/1bzpzf3ukhb Article - ‘Epigeum 'University and College Teaching'’ by by Wendy Harbottle http://newsletter.alt.ac.uk/165jdwaqmfe Article - ‘A week in the life of.Professor John Traxler, University of Wolverhampton’, by…… John Traxler http://newsletter.alt.ac.uk/1j5pnfi78wm 9. Most recent issue of Research in Learning Technology, the Journal of the Association for Learning Technology (Previously ALT-J) - "The transformational impact of learning technology" - article links: Volume 18 Issue 3 is a Special Issue, co-edited by John Bourne, Martin Hall, and Mike Keppell. You can access it online from the links below. If your organisation is a member of ALT, or if it has an online subscription to the Journal, *and* if its network is appropriately configured, then you should be able to click straight through to the individual articles. Note that all organisational and sponsoring members of ALT are entitled to online access to ALT-J for all their employees when logged into the network. *NB* If you cannot access the Journal online, this is something we may be able to help you fix. Table of contents http://tinyurl.com/3aylcgc Editorial – “Learning technology and organisations: transformational impact?” by Martin Hall, Mike Keppell, and John Bourne http://tinyurl.com/2d2buf2 DOI: 10.1080/09687769.2010.529314 Article – “Transforming distance education curricula through distributive leadership” by Mike Keppell; Carolyn O’Dwyer; Betsy Lyon; Merilyn Childs http://tinyurl.com/27bnxww DOI: 10.1080/09687769.2010.529112 Article – “Change, technology and higher education: are universities capable of organisational change?” by Stephen Marshall http://tinyurl.com/2cpdmyw DOI: 10.1080/09687769.2010.529107 Article – “Enhancing online distance education in small rural US schools: a hybrid, learner-centred model” by Claire de la Varre; Julie Keane; Matthew J. Irvin http://tinyurl.com/24z82tc DOI: 10.1080/09687769.2010.529109 Article – “The role of information and communication technologies in improving teaching and learning processes in primary and secondary schools” by Albert Sangrà; Mercedes González-Sanmamed http://tinyurl.com/22tgpkd DOI: 10.1080/09687769.2010.529108 Article – “Beyond the Yellow Brick Road: mobile Web 2.0 informing a new institutional e-learning strategy” by Thomas D. Cochrane http://tinyurl.com/2645cwe DOI: 10.1080/09687769.2010.529110 Article – “Using Voice Boards: pedagogical design, technological implementation, evaluation and reflections” by Elisabeth Yaneske; Briony Oates http://tinyurl.com/22mchd7 DOI: 10.1080/09687769.2010.529106 Article – “Web-based lecture technologies and learning and teaching: a study of change in four Australian universities” by M. Gosper; M. McNeill; R. Phillips; G. Preston; K. Woo; D. Green http://tinyurl.com/26xyayn DOI: 10.1080/09687769.2010.529111" ---- The digest returns on 18 March 2011. All news, jobs, events, etc, to http://tinyurl.com/32bcqyk by 12.00 noon on Wednesday 16 March. This issue was compiled by those who submitted content for it, and very lightly edited by Seb Schmoller. ---- Disclaimer. Reasonable care is taken to ensure that the ALT Digest is accurate. But ALT does not vouch for the accuracy of information provided on web sites to which the digest links, and opinions expressed on those sites should not be construed to be those of ALT. ----