Emerging Technologies for Online Learning Conference - July 25-27 - Las Vegas

Call for Presentations is Now Open
Closes March 5, 2012



Track Descriptions


Digital Learning Environments & Communities


This track showcases learning environments and communities which support improved teaching and learning online (through Mobile, Virtual, Augmented Reality, artificial intelligence, future LMS adaptations, and/or Social Networks). The track welcomes submissions that provide evidence of the effectiveness and impact of new learning communities that succeed in experiential and service learning, collaboration, and practice for critical skills and training. Suggestions include:

What are replicable or shareable examples of new teaching and learning environments that improve outcomes in learning, accessibility, affordability, faculty satisfaction, or student satisfaction?
How are new social networking applications transforming online and blended educational environments?
How do these affect: student learning and satisfaction; the roles of faculty, administration, and staff; access to educational opportunities; or the formation of non-traditional networking?
What evidence measures the effectiveness of these environments?
Can virtual environments that feature physical replicas assist in learning?
What are effective approaches to technology selection, open source utilization and partnerships, peer learning, or self-learning paradigms?



Accessible Learning for All


This track is especially designed for researchers and practitioners to share information about Open Education Resources, Open Learning, Accessibility, Affordability and Open Research. Suggestions include:
Which emerging OER practices make sense for use in everyday instruction? For STEM instruction?
How can technology bridge the tension between access and intellectual content?
What can technology do to ease the tension between intellectual freedom and open access?
What evidence supports the inventive uses of open educational resource to improve outcomes in learning, accessibility, affordability, faculty satisfaction, or student satisfaction?
How can we use mobile learning to reinforce open learning?
How can social networking tools be used in your classes to support OER?
What types of tools do we have for valid student assessment of OER?
What emerging technologies support students with disabilities?
What practices/technologies can make education more affordable?
Will open research requirements speed the cycle of information and impact teaching and learning?



Evidence-based Learning and Reflection


This track includes sessions on pioneering and innovative uses of assessment alternatives to supported academic and life-long learning. The crossroad where technology, learning and, assessment meet is the focus of this track. This track includes e-portfolios, performance assessment, project-based learning, experiential learning, and/or authentic assessment tools and techniques. The track sessions will serve as guides and support for currently-understood high-impact educational practices, and an array of new high-impact educational practices. Sample questions include:
How can assessment support reflective and integrative learning designs?
How can technology provide alternatives to testing to assess student achievement in STEM fields?
What examples do we have of effective electronic portfolio practices? Performance assessment practices?
How does a campus implement alternate assessments across the academic enterprise?
What types of practices and tools lead to greater changes of career success?
What technologies best support “evidence-based learning” and what significance does this hold for the future of education?
How can graduates develop their digital identities for career success?
How can experiential learning use the latest technologies to document success, create community and support academic continuity?



Learning And Data Analytics

This track examines learning analytics for improved teaching and learning. The track includes analytics in a broader sense, including standards for institutional, programmatic, and course improvement. This track is especially for practitioners to share information about using data analytics for specific institutional goals, to increase retention, better serve students, and improve learning outcomes and success. The track includes results of data analytic studies to describe inventive approaches. Suggestions include:
Which data analytics make sense for use?
What is the evidence that data analytics really improve outcomes in learning, accessibility, affordability, faculty satisfaction, or student satisfaction?
How can we use mobile learning to improve data?
Does social media impact data analytics?
What types of tools do we have for valid analysis?
How can analytics assist learning in technical disciplines? What are ways to best teach the use of analytics online?



Faculty and Student Development


This track focuses on new paradigms for learning and information technology to support student and faculty services, emphasizing support for online and hybrid environments, including 24/7 learning, professional development, and academic continuity. Suggestions include:
How have the myriad new applications and technologies affected student, faculty and staff support systems and models?
How do we know what technology to adopted?
What best practices exist in the development and support of faculty in STEM fields including mathematics, engineering, technology and science topics?
What type of instructional delivery works best for faculty? for students?
How should faculty development efforts be evaluated?
What are creative and cost effective applications of technology for student, staff and faculty development and training, library, academic and student support services?



Innovation in Media and Tools


This track is especially for practitioners to share information about using media and tools for specific learning objectives, to explain results of media studies, and to describe inventive approaches. Suggestions include:

Which emerging technologies make sense for use in everyday instruction?
Which emerging technologies make sense for use in STEM instruction?
What is the evidence that inventive uses of media and tools really improve outcomes in learning, accessibility, affordability, faculty satisfaction, or student satisfaction?
How can we use mobile learning to reinforce what we teach?
How can social networking tools be used in your classes?
What types of tools do we have for valid student assessment?