Association for Learning Technology - Weekly News Digest 344, 12 February 2016

Submit your news at http://go.alt.ac.uk/ALT-Digest, deadline 5pm on Wednesdays. 

Table of Contents
1. News from ALT
2. ALT and ALT member events
3. News
4. Events
5. Calls for proposals
6. Job vacancies
7. #altc blog
8. Research in Learning Technology


1. News from ALT

1.1 OER16: 'Early bird' registration now open
http://go.alt.ac.uk/1mux0PX 

1.2 Call for Proposals for 2016 ALT Annual Conference now open
The call is now open for this year’s Annual Conference
http://go.alt.ac.uk/1TGvzeO 

1.3 Call for Expressions of Interest to Chair the #OER17 Conference
We are seeking experienced Co-Chairs for the 2017 Conference Committee of the 8th OER  Conference, who will play a major role in planning and facilitating the conference in 2017.
For further information and to express an interest, see: http://go.alt.ac.uk/1ldyM7f 


2. ALT and ALT Member Events

2.1 OER16: Open Culture, Edinburgh, 19-20 April 2016 - ‘Early bird’ registration now open. The 7th Open Educational Resources Conference, OER16: Open Culture, will be held on the 19th-20th April 2015 at the University of Edinburgh. Chaired by Melissa Highton and Lorna Campbell.
Register now at http://go.alt.ac.uk/OER16-Registration
More information at https://oer16.oerconf.org/ 

2.2 Blended Learning Essentials: meet ups for digital champions, 16, 23 February 2016
Weekly meet ups for digital champions in the Blended Learning Essentials course.
https://www.alt.ac.uk/events 

2.3 ALT West Midlands Region Learning Technology Group Start-Up Meeting, Worcester, 29 February 2016, 2.00 - 4.00 PM
There will be an initial meeting to discuss the remit of the ALT West Midlands Region Learning Technology Group on 29th Feb 2016. This will take place at Mulberry House, City Campus, Worcester, WR1 3AS. All those interested in learning technology are very welcome; please come and have your say and get involved - you might like to take on a lead role. To register your interest and for any questions please contact [log in to unmask]

2.4 Blended Learning Essentials: Getting started - course preview, 1 March 2016. 12.30 - 1.00 PM
This webinar is about the upcoming Futurelearn course Blended Learning Essentials: Getting started - A free course for the Vocational Education and Training sector to promote effective practice and pedagogy in blended learning. Come along to this free webinar and find out more from some of the creators of the course.
http://go.alt.ac.uk/1V64uA3

2.5 FELTAG SIG webinar: Summary of Skills Funding Agency actions from the FELTAG report, 8 Mar 2016 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM 
For this webinar organised by ALT's FELTAG Special Interest Group we welcome Stephen Nichols, Policy Implementation Manager, Skills Funding Agency who will provide a summary of Skills Funding Agency actions from the FELTAG report. Brief Q&A with Stephen before opening up the session to an open discussion for all participants facilitated by the Chair.
http://go.alt.ac.uk/20NVKW5 

2.6 Blended Learning Essentials: Meet up for Digital Champions at Loughborough College
15 Apr 2016 10:30 PM to 2:00 PM 
This face-to-face event is kindly hosted by Loughborough College and is for Digital Champions and college partners of the Blended Learning Essentials course. The event will provide an opportunity for Champions to discuss their role, how best they can continue to support the course, and to give feedback. Refreshments will be provided.
http://go.alt.ac.uk/1Wg8iPs

2.7 Playful Learning Conference, Manchester, 13-15 July 2016
ALT Games and Learning SIG (GLSIG) Officers Alex Moseley and Nicola Whitton are co-chairing this conference pitched at the intersection of learning and play for adults. Playful in approach and outlook, yet underpinned by robust research and working practices, it aims to provide a space where teachers, researchers and students can play, learn and think together. A space to meet other playful people and be inspired by talks, workshops, activities and events.
http://go.alt.ac.uk/1llHRM8 


3. News

3.1 Jisc invites nominations for 50 influential FE and Skills professionals on social media
Are you using social media effectively to enhance, enrich teaching and learning and assessment in FE and Skills? Maybe you are using Twitter to enhance learning keeping lessons topical using a Hashtag? Are you enabling learners to discuss using the communities feature of Google+ and using Google Docs for collaboration and assessment? Do you have a Facebook group to engage with learners? Help Jisc celebrate and share best practice by nominating yourself or nominating someone who is in FE and using social media effectively to support learners and learning.
Nominate here: http://go.alt.ac.uk/1ROWV2z 

3.2 Association of Colleges (AoC) and Centre for Skills, Knowledge and Organisational Performance (SKOPE) project on localism in Further Education has published its first research paper: ‘FE and Localism in the Context of Wider Debates Concerning Devolution’
http://go.alt.ac.uk/1PbN4D4 


4. Events

4.1 OEP Forum, Stirling, 9 March 2016, 10.00 AM - 4.00 PM
Registration for the next OEPS Forum is open. This free event is on Wednesday 9th March 2016, 10:00am – 4:00pm at the Stirling Court Hotel, Stirling FK9 4LA. The focus of the forum is on taking a strategic approach to OER and OEP and the culture change needed to facilitate this. This will be addressed by keynote speaker Josie Fraser and through workshops including ‘Using OER – what does good practice look like?’; ‘Changing culture, changing practice’ and ‘Open education and digital engagement through a widening participation lens’
 http://go.alt.ac.uk/1Qf0UQ7 

4.2 MLEARN Final Conference, Ixelles, 15th March 2016 09:30-12:30
Free event on the MLEARN project, which aims to embed mobile technologies within mainstream learning. In July 2014, expert trainers in the UK delivered training to teachers from partner countries: Italy, The Netherlands, Romania and Greece. This training was adapted to national contexts and cascaded within each of the countries. Over the course of a year researchers tracked the impact of MLEARN training on teachers and their follow-up use of devices in the classroom.
http://go.alt.ac.uk/20qv8oK 

4.3 Xerte Conference 2016, Nottingham, 14 April 2016
There is a fee to attend this year but after conference fees any remaining funds will contribute towards further Xerte developments and community support. Early-bird prices for the first 50 tickets sold are now on sale but will disappear fast. Numbers for the event are also limited. 
http://go.alt.ac.uk/1nPvCZF 

4.4 Going to the Polls 2016: Enhancing student learning through Electronic Voting Systems, 20 April, 9.30 AM - 3.30 PM
The event is intended to highlight current use of polling technology in teaching and learning. Although the University of Birmingham has been using TurningPoint and ResponseWare, we want to bring together users of other polling solutions. This year we are pleased to have Dr Fabio Aricò, a senior lecturer in Economics at the University of East Anglia as this year’s keynote speaker. He will talk about how he uses polling data to produce learning analytics and pedagogical research. There will be an opportunity to discuss key themes and issues raised by the presentations.
Enquiries to: [log in to unmask] 

4.5 Talis Insight Europe 2016 Conference, 20 April 2016 8:30 AM - 7:30 PM & 21 April 2016 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Bringing together learning technology and library professionals to examine the impact of technology on teaching and learning. Confirmed speakers include Paul Feldman, CEO of JISC, Nick Bevan, PVC and Director of Library and student support at Midlesex University, Simon Thomson, Head of Digital Pedagogy at Leeds Beckett University among others. For more information and to register for this free two-day event, please visit http://go.alt.ac.uk/1SKady8 

4.6 Educational Technology and Education Conferences for January to June 2016
Clayton R Wright has circulated an updated version of his thorough listing of conferences and, as with previous updates this is now on the ALT Open Access repository at 
http://repository.alt.ac.uk/2362/


5. Calls for proposals

5.1 Publication Project "The Disruptive Power of Online Education"
In a current publication project the Management Center Innsbruck is looking at 'The Disruptive Power of Online Education', focusing on challenges and new business models with respect to online education in higher education. 
The deadline for submission of abstracts is 28 February 2016.
http://go.alt.ac.uk/1ROXnxE 

5.2 SaITE 2016 - IFIP TC3 Joint Open Conference, ‘Stakeholders and Information Technology in Education’, Portugal, 5-8 July                                          
Calls for symposia abstracts; deadlines extended.
For the following symposia for this conference, please contact the chair to discuss your abstract further: Stakeholders of Education in ICT4D: STI (Science, Technology and Innovation) for the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals). Email: [log in to unmask] and [log in to unmask]
Roles of CS/ Informatics in the curriculum – why, what, how? Email: [log in to unmask]
Deadline for submissions: 29 February 2016 for papers; 8 March 2016 for all other submissions
http://go.alt.ac.uk/1PCS0zH 

5.3 14th CfP Academic Practice and Technology (APT) conference, 5 July 2016
“Mind the gap”: exploring institutional practices in the post-digital age" takes place on July 5th 2016. Proposals invited to explore the role of academic practice and technology in identifying, avoiding, reducing or even exploiting the ‘gaps’, real or perceived, in the contemporary educational landscape. Jointly hosted by the University of Greenwich and the London School of Economics, it will provide an opportunity for delegates and presenters to debate and explore the significant challenges for higher and post-compulsory education and training arising from the waves of rapid change in a post-digital age. 
Submission deadline is March 7, 2016. 
http://tiny.cc/apt16 

5.4 Learning at City Conference - Theme: Promoting and Enhancing Teaching Excellence, 8 June 2016
The Department for Learning Enhancement and Development (LEaD) at City University London invites proposals for their 8th Annual Conference on the theme of Promoting and Enhancing Teaching Excellence. The call for papers, workshops and posters is open to all staff working in Higher Education.
Deadline for submissions: 11 March 2016
http://go.alt.ac.uk/1SdBqJp 

5.5 The 11th European Conference on Technology-Enhanced Learning, Lyon, 13-16 September 2016
The theme of this year's EC-TEL conference is 'Adaptive and Adaptable Learning'. The conference will explore how research in collaborative and personalized learning can be combined with new developments in analytics, interaction design, mobile and ubiquitous technologies, and visualization techniques, to enhance learning for everyone. We call for papers addressing the conference topics, informed by theories of pedagogy and evidence of
effective practice. Papers offering robust meta-analyses, new methods of TEL design and analysis are also welcomed. Proceedings will be published in Springer "Lecture Notes in Computer Science" (LNCS) Series.Initial deadlines for proposals are as follows: 
Papers, Short Papers, Posters & Demonstrations: 14 March 2016
Workshop proposals: 29 March 2016
Doctoral Consortium: 23 May 2016
www.ec-tel.eu

5.6 Designs on eLearning 2016 - Anxiety and Security, New York, 21 – 22 September 2016 
Contributions are invited from art and design educators, technical and support staff, researchers, artists and designers, cultural theorists and other practitioners whose work intersects with technology in higher education in the creative disciplines. Submissions for workshops and short paper presentations can be made on the following themes:
Anxiety and Security in the curriculum; Identity and Privacy in Online Educational Spaces; Digital Presence and Professionalization; Digital Wellbeing
Full details: www.designsonelearning.net Enquiries: [log in to unmask]
@designselearn #del16

5.7 Europe, Middle East and North Africa Conference on Technology and Security to Support Learning (EMENA-TSSL 2016), Saïdia, Morocco, 03-05 October 2016
Call is open for proposals for this international, multidisciplinary learning technology conference. The conference tracks are: 1. Educational Technology; 2. Artificial Intelligence in Education; 3. Networks and Web Technologies Applications; 4. Security, Privacy and Data Forensic. Submission deadline is April 5, 2016
www.emena.org


6. Job vacancies

6.1 Imperial College London
ICT
E-learning Technical Specialist
SS 2016 018 TAA
£34,720 – £42,830
Full time, Permanent
Closing date: 15 February 2016
Informal enquiries to Mrs Sue Pritchett [log in to unmask]

6.2 Glasgow Caledonian University
Information Services Directorate
IT Learning Facilitator
GCU00100
£31,655 - £36,672
Full time, Permanent
Closing date: 16 February 2016
Informal enquiries to [log in to unmask]

6.3 London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
Infectious Tropical Diseases
Ecommunications manager (to assist in the creation and deployment of high quality and accessible digital educational assets – video, audio, animation, graphics and text based - and accompanying promotional material for the Disability and Eye Health Group.)
SP012
£24,065 - £27,284
Full time, 1 year contract
Closing date: 19 February 2016
Informal enquiries to [log in to unmask]

6.4 Robert Gordon University
School of Pharmacy & Life Sciences
E-Learning Adviser
B46835
£32,600 - £37,768
Full time, Permanent
Closing date: 21 February 2016
Informal enquiries to [log in to unmask]

6.5 Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine
Education and Training
Educational Technologist
1139
£32,600 - £37,768
Full time, 3 Year Fixed Term Appointment
Closing date: 24 February 2016, 12 Noon GMT
Informal enquiries to Recruitment Team, [log in to unmask]

6.6 Loughborough University
Centre for Academic Practice
Technology Enhanced Learning Officer
REQ16052
£28,982 - £ 37,768
Full time
Closing date: 4 March 2016
Informal enquiries to Dr Sarah Williamson, Assistant Director (Technology-enhanced Learning), [log in to unmask], +44 (0)1509 222405


7. For latest posts, visit the #altc blog https://altc.alt.ac.uk/blog/


8. For latest articles, visit Research in Learning Technology http://go.alt.ac.uk/RLT_Journal


The digest is published weekly on Fridays. Submit your news at http://go.alt.ac.uk/ALT-Digest, deadline 5pm on Wednesdays. This issue was compiled by those who submitted content for it, and very lightly edited by Tom Palmer.

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. 

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