Australasian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education

AJET Call for Papers for Special Issues

Call for Special Issue (2019): “Re-Examining Cognitive Tools: New Developments, New Perspectives, and New Opportunities for Educational Technology Research”

This special issue seeks to rekindle and re-energise scholarly interest in, and dialogue around, the concept of educational technologies as cognitive tools for learning, with a particular focus on higher education and other post-secondary education contexts. A major goal is to encourage researchers and practitioners to take a fresh look at the concept and its possible applications in light of developments in technology, learning theory, pedagogy, instructional design, cognitive science, and psychology that have taken place since it was first popularised in the early 1990s.

While full manuscripts are not due until 1 August 2018, prospective authors are strongly encouraged to make initial contact with the guest editors well ahead of that date (ideally prior to June 2018), providing them with a brief proposal or abstract outlining the nature, content, and aims of the article they intend to submit.

The full Call for Papers is available here (HTML version) and here (PDF version), and queries may be directed to the guest editors at ajet.cogtools@gmail.com.  Full details of the call may also be found on the AJET website here.

Call for Special Issue (2018): “Designing, using and evaluating learning spaces – the generation of actionable knowledge”

Guest editors

This special issue will include papers that consider the design, use and/or evaluation of learning spaces and contribute actionable knowledge for future learning spaces. Learning spaces are fundamental to engagement in tertiary education. They are growing more complex: as sites where the physical/material, digital and social come together and where the needs and activities of multiple stakeholders (students, teachers, managers, designers, etc.) co-exist. Understanding how such spaces function is also complex. Research often needs to combine multiple methods and multiple data sources. To generate actionable knowledge, researchers also need to consider who is in a position to create and improve learning spaces, and what kinds of knowledge can inform and improve their actions. For example, spaces are ‘brought to life’ by individual self-managing students, students working on group projects, teachers using conventional lecturing or facilitation methods, infrastructure managers, library, IT and Ed. Tech. staff, architects, furniture makers and interior designers. There are overlaps and differences in the knowledge needed by users, managers and designers if they are to co-create better learning spaces.

This special issue provides an opportunity to: bring together researchers in learning technology and learning spaces; examine learning spaces as technologies for learning; foreground the spatial aspects of learning with technology; consider ideas about learning as physically, digitally, socially and epistemically situated; explore ways of making research-based knowledge easier to share and use.

Further details of the call may be found on the AJET website here.


Final Reminder for Community Mentoring Program Applications

Have you thought about joining the ASCILITE Community Mentoring Program?  The closing date for applications has been extended to 31 January so there’s still time to get your applications in and an information session (webinar) has been scheduled for 29 January for those of you who would like further details or have questions about the program.  See below for details.

Everything you need to apply is on the ASCILITE Community Mentoring (CMP) page at: https://ascilite.org/get-involved/community-mentoring-program/

And of course you can ask Helen Farley who heads the program if you need any further information (or just join today’s webinar).  Last year, Helen also wrote a blog post reflecting on her own experiences as a mentor and a mentee which you will find here.

This is a great opportunity so be sure to get your applications in. Mentees and mentors get a generous discount to the ASCILITE Conference to be held at Deakin University on 25 – 28 November 2018.


CMP Information Session Webinar, 29 January 2018  ***TODAY***

A webinar for those interested in the 2018 Community Mentoring Program is scheduled for 29 January at 4pm ADST and you can join the session by clicking the following link at the scheduled start time.

The 40 minute webinar aims to provide participants with an understanding of how the CMP works and how it can benefit both mentors and mentees.  The session will be presented by Assoc. Prof. Helen Farley (Digital Life Lab, University of Southern Queensland) who is the current chair of the CMP.  At the Digital Life Lab, Helen is leading the Australian government-funded, $4.4 million Making the Connection Project which is taking digital technologies into prisons to provide access to higher education. The project was recently awarded a prestigious Australian Award for University Teaching. Her research interests include digital equity, mobile learning and immersive virtual world environments.  This is Helen’s second year leading the CMP.

A similar session for those interested in the 2017 CMP was conducted at this time last year and you can view the video recording of that session here.


OTHER NEWS

ACCE2018 Call for Proposals: 2 – 5 October 2018, Sydney

The Australian Council for Computers in Education (ACCE) invite proposals for papers, presentations and posters. Refereed (double-blind) and non-refereed contributions are invited for the various steams and session types listed on the website: acce2018.com.au All proposals must be submitted online no later than Thursday, 12 April 2018.

ACCE is the national professional teachers association for those involved in the use of ICT in education. This includes educators who teach computing/information technology subjects in schools as well as educators who strive to improve student learning outcomes through ICT. This national conference has a long-established reputation for delivering more than hype with lots of workshop activity delivered by classroom teachers, alongside research paper sessions.

Sydney is the Australian base for many of the significant technology, film and media companies. We will offer you an opportunity for a ‘behind-the-scenes’ view. There’s also some fun to be had working with our venue, Royal Randwick Racecourse. Please consider putting in a submission, no matter how ‘out there’ it may be. We are looking for creativity and innovation as well as solid research and we encourage you to consider adding a few days either side (as its school holidays) to experience all that Sydney has to offer the entire family.

Leanne Cameron
ACCE2018 Conference Convenor
Leanne.Cameron@ictensw.org.au


Job Vacancy: Senior Educational Development Officer, Hong Kong Polytechnic University

The mission of the Educational Development Centre is to enhance the quality of teaching and learning at the University and support its strategic initiatives in nurturing the development of all-round students with excellent professional competence. The Centre offers a variety of services, including short courses and workshops on teaching and learning, individual consultations, teaching evaluation services and activities which promote and support the use of educational technologies to enhance student learning. For details, please visit the website at http://edc.polyu.edu.hk/ for more information about the Centre.

Duties

The appointee will be required to:

  • contribute as a core member of the Centre to promote the effective and integrative use of educational technologies for enhancing teaching and learning in the University
  • provide consultation and expert advice to subject and e-learning project teams on effective application of online pedagogy and instructional design
  • support the University in promoting and implementing strategic initiatives in teaching and learning, including support for designing and implementing student-centred learning strategies
  • plan, develop and offer professional development opportunities for staff in the areas of online pedagogies and instructional design
  • contribute to other educational development activities and services of the Centre, including the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning and other key University initiatives
  • take up managerial duties, and establish proactive liaison with academic and non- academic staff; and
  • perform any other duties as assigned by the Director of the Centre or her delegates.

Qualifications

Applicants should have:

  • good   academic/professional   qualifications,   preferably   with  a  doctoral   degree   in Education or a relevant discipline
  • not  less  than  twelve  years  of  proven  and  successful  experience   in  educational development in higher education contexts
  • substantial experience in, and knowledge of, educational development work relevant to e-learning
  • strong organisational, problem-solving and management/leadership skills
  • excellent  facilitation/interactive  teaching  skills and a commitment  to student-centred learning
  • a proactive and innovative work style with the ability to work independently and co- operatively; and
  • excellent communication, consultation and interpersonal skills.

Applicants should include a cover letter in which they address the job responsibilities and qualifications above, a CV, an HR application form downloadable at http://www.polyu.edu.hk/hro/job/en/form/hrform72b.doc with a list of two or more referees, and their current and expected salary on the form.

Please submit application form via email to hrstaff@polyu.edu.hk or by fax at (852) 2764 3374; or by mail to Human Resources Office, 13/F, Li Ka Shing Tower, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong.  If you would like to provide a separate curriculum vitae, please still complete the application form which will help speed up the recruitment process.

Shortlisted candidates will be required to attend an interview and to present a portfolio of work they have undertaken relevant to this post.

A highly competitive remuneration package will be offered. Initial appointment will be made on a fixed-term gratuity-bearing contract. Re-engagement thereafter is subject to mutual agreement. Applicants should state their current and expected salary in the application.

Institutional Members