Please circulate on your lists, if relevant. Thanks.
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SOFTWARE AGENTS AND INTERNET LEARNING
A one-day workshop from ALT

DATE: Wednesday 20th March
TIME: 10.00-16.30
VENUE: University of Salford
COST: Stlg 80 (ALT members), stlg 130 (non-members)
BOOKING DEADLINE: 6 March 2002

OVERVIEW
Software agents have the potential to help learners in many ways.
Agents can work actively and adapt to users, which means they
can simulate the role of tutors.  This is particularly useful when
working online or in the traditional setting when student numbers
restrict the time tutors can spend with each student. Agents can
monitor progress, give instruction when needed, organise students’
work and provide feedback to tutors.

A number of researchers are working on different applications for
software agents to assist learners in a variety of ways. Some of
these prototype applications will be demonstrated to stimulate
discussion between participants as to their usefulness in the arena
of online learning.

TOPICS TO BE COVERED
* What we mean by agent technology
* How agents might help online learners
* Virtual environments for learning
* Learner support agents
* Knowledge management agents

EXPECTED OUTCOMES
At the end of the workshop you should be able to:
- Identify ways in which software agents may be incorporated into
your online provision;
- Contribute to the debate on current and future
implementations of agent technology in the support of online
learners.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND
Researchers in software agents for learning and lecturers who
intend to use online learning. Research into software agents needs
input from lecturers using online learning, who may provide a user
perspective on the ways learners interact with such systems. In
demonstrating some current ideas in software agents for supporting
learners, we aim to generate discussion, bringing together
researchers’ ideas and learners’ needs for a more complete design
of software agents.

PROGRAMME
10.00 Registration and coffee
10.30 Introductions, agent technology overview
11.15 User experience of online learning difficulties
11.30 Demonstrations and discussion of virtual
         environments for learning
12.30 Lunch
13.30 Demonstrations and discussion of student support systems
14.30 Tea
14.45 Demonstrations and discussion of knowledge management
      and self-help agents
15.45 Discussion of reflections on agents within participants’
         application areas and feedback to the whole group
16.15 How to involve people in future research
16.30 Close and depart

ABOUT THE PRESENTERS
Janice Whatley is a lecturer at the Information Systems Institute of
the University of Salford. Her research interests involve both agent
technology and pedagogical issues in group working online.

Elaine Ferneley is also a lecturer at the Information Systems
Institute of the University of Salford. She has research interests in
agent technology.

Martin Beer is a principal lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University in
the School of Computing and Management Sciences. Part of his
research has been focused on facilitating collaborative online
learning, including the use of pedagogic agents.

VENUE
This workshop will be held at the University of Salford.

TRAVEL AND ACCOMMODATION
Travel directions can be found at
http://www.conference.salford.ac.uk/location.html

Please note it is the responsibility of delegates to arrange their own
accommodation.

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ALT WORKSHOP BOOKING FORM
Software agents and internet learning

Date: Wednesday 20th March
Time: 10.00-16.30
Location: University of Salford
Cost: stlg 80.00 for ALT members; stlg 130.00 for non-members

Name: ____________________________________________

Department: _______________________________________

Institution: ________________________________________

Address: _________________________________________

_________________________________________________

Postcode: _________________________

Tel: ______________________________

Fax: ______________________________

Email: ____________________________________________

Please indicate membership status:
 Individual / Institutional / Corporate

___ Please send me ALT membership details

Please indicate any special dietary or physical requirements:

___________________________________________________

ALT will maintain the data you supply in keeping with the UK Data
Protection Act.  All delegates will receive a list of participants,
including name, organisation and email address.  Tick here if you
do
not wish to be included on that list. __

PAYMENT DETAILS

a) I enclose a cheque for stlg _______ made payable to the
Association for Learning Technology and drawn on a UK bank

b) Debit stlg _________ from my Visa/Mastercard

Account no: ______  ______  _______  ______

Expiry date: ___ /___

Cardholder's name: ___________________________

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Signed: ________________________        Date: __________


c) Please invoice against purchase order number ____________

Please note that bookings will only be confirmed on receipt of
payment and that cancellations after 6 March 2002 will
incur a 50% cancellation fee.

Please complete the booking form & return it NO LATER THAN 6
MARCH 2002 to:
ALT Administration, Oxford Brookes University,
Headington, OXFORD OX3 0BP, UK.
Fax: 01865 484165
Email: [log in to unmask]