ASCILITE NEWS

EOIs invited to attend the annual ASCILITE Spring into Excellence Research School

EOIs are now invited to attend the annual ASCILITE Spring into Excellence Research School which will be held 2 – 4 September 2019 at the University of New England in Armidale, NSW. This event, which will be hosted by UNE, will feature guest speakers and presenters including Professor Barney Dalgarno, Associate Professor Michael Henderson, Associate Professor Sue Gregory and Dr Chris Campbell.

The aim of the ASCILITE Spring into Excellence Research School is to:

Provide support and guidance to participants in developing and progressing Technology Enhanced Learning research initiatives including but not limited to:
– Formulating a relevant and effective TEL research project.
– Collecting appropriate TEL research data.
– Identifying what data is most appropriate for TEL research.
Assist participants to identify and plan a contemporary TEL research project.
Enable opportunities for participants to link with like-minded collaborators from other universities and potentially to establish viable cross-institutional research collaborations.
Guide participants in developing a grant application or research plan for a TEL research project. This would include both projects that have already been conceptualized as well as new projects that have not yet been conceived.

At the end of the ASCILITE Spring into Excellence Research School participants will:

Have gained a sound understanding of current topical areas and methodologies for TEL research
Have broadened their professional networks
Have a well-developed and comprehensive plan for a TEL research project
Appreciate how to be successful in publishing manuscripts in journals
Be able to confidently review a manuscript and provide constructive feedback;
Have a strategy for identifying potential funding opportunities and developing funding applications

The ASCILITE Spring into Excellence Research School is most suited to:

Early to mid-career researchers
Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SOTL) enthusiasts
Teaching intensive academics
ASCILITE mentors and mentees
Anyone interested in applying for a TEL research grant
Anyone interested in TEL research collaborations and cross-institutional research projects
Academics seeking to incorporate research into their TEL practice and approach
PhD supervisors

This 3-day Research School, which includes lunches, morning and afternoon teas and 2 nights accommodation (2 & 3 September 2019), is $750 for ASCILITE members and $950 for non-members (less $230 if accommodation is not required). The Research School will begin at 12:30 pm on the 2 September and finish at 3pm on the 4 September.

Expressions of interest to attend the 2019 ASCILITE Research School are due by 5 July 2019. Please note that there are limited places available so don’t be disappointed, register today.

EOI outcome notifications will be sent by 16 July 2019 and successful applicants will be provided with registration and payment options at that time.

If you have any further questions, please email Sue Gregory at the University of New England or Chris Campbell at Griffith University.

Call Out for Proposals to Host the 2020 ASCILITE Conference

ASCILITE is seeking expressions of interest from institutions that may be interested in forming a conference organizing committee to host the 2020 ASCILITE annual conference.

ASCILITE conferences are a central aspect of ASCILITE and provide opportunities for delegates to meet with international and national peers to exchange ideas, research and practice in educational technology.

Conferences provide a forum for the presentation of refereed papers, short concise papers, symposiums, posters and workshops. The conference also provides memorable opportunities for social interaction and networking.

There are a number of expectations of conference organizing committees including:

Justification for the conference location and a brief explanation as to why the venue chosen would attract delegates.
Identification of strategies for marketing and attracting 300 – 400 delegates to the conference.
Ongoing communication and collaboration with the ASCILITE Executive.
The inclusion of an ASCILITE Executive member on the conference organizing committee.

The deadline for proposals is 15 September 2019 although preliminary proposals are welcome prior to that date.

As a first step a potential conference organizing committee should obtain a copy of the ASCILITE Host Information, Host Proforma and the Conference Management Handbook and then discuss these with an ASCILITE Executive. A copy of the information package and Handbook are available by emailing the ASCILITE Secretariat.

Since the geographical location of the conference is an important consideration, you may wish to view past conference locations on the ASCILITE website here. The 2019 conference is being hosted by the Singapore University of Social Sciences in Singapore.

TELedvisors SIG Webinar: Engineering serendipity – Using network visualisations to identify collaboration opportunities, Thursday 30 May 2019 12 noon (AEST)

An identified issue for TEL edvisors is being able to identify opportunities to collaborate on projects and research. Another is to define our community of TELedvisors and their professional skills, expertise and experience.

Hans Tilstra, Sheryl Maher, Ian Thomas and Kate Mitchell will walk through an approach to network visualisation that could open up opportunities in this space, allowing individuals to ‘put themselves on the map’ and join the dots between themselves and others in a networked landscape. They will discuss what this might mean for both TEL edvisors work and roles but also how this process could be translated to other educational contexts.

Join us in the SIG’s webinar room.

Reminder: ASCILITE 2019 Call for Papers

ASCILITE warmly invites everyone with an interest in educational technologies in tertiary education to join us at the 36^th International Conference on Innovation, Practice and Research in the Use of Educational Technologies in Tertiary Education Conference, hosted by the Singapore University of Social Sciences, Singapore, from 2 – 5 December 2019.

The Call for Papers is now open and we are inviting contributions describing critical perspectives on the use of educational technology under the themes and submission types outlined on the conference website here.

If you have any queries, please email the conference organisers.

Reminder: ASCILITE 2019 Call for Reviewers

More reviewers are needed for ASCILITE 2019, and we will really appreciate your support. If you are able to participate in the review process, please register your interest by completing the online form provided below. We will be closing the call at the end of May, so please let us know if you can help.

What do you need to do?

Register your interest here
Commit to complete an online review of all assigned submissions by the due date around the end of August 2019
Adhere to review criteria as determined by the Program Committee
Advise immediately of any conflict of interest with papers allocated to their review

If you have any queries, please email the conference organisers.

New TELall Blog Post: Using an Artificial Intelligence Personal Assistant, do they really help?

In this latest post, Dr Chris Campbell discusses her experience in using an AI Personal Assistant in an effort to discover how well they work. You be the judge!

OTHER NEWS

Job Vacancies: 3 Learning Designers, RMIT

Full-time, permanent opportunity based in RMIT City campus; however, flexible working arrangements may be negotiated.
Opportunity to establish continuous, practical & impactful digital learning activities that integrate evidence-based educational design principles.
Provide excellent student experiences through creating fun and engaging digital content.
Be in a position that will lead new practices and trends in digital media design as well as proposing creative ideas
Create meaningful digital media design to support the effective use of blended and online learning.
Report directly to the Senior Manager, Learning Enhancement team
Competitive salary packaging + 17% superannuation

Position Summary

You will work in the Learning Enhancement team to assist in implementing RMIT’s Learning and Teaching plan by developing sustainable, functional and high quality digital learning experiences, incorporating a strong pedagogical framework. As a Digital Learning Designer, you will design, build and curate digital content with the aim of transforming the student experience. To thrive in this position, you will need to have strong technical skills and in-depth understanding of the importance of technology in enhancing student experience and outcomes. You will be an expert in the pedagogical affordances of discipline-specific digital platforms for both direct and online learning environments. In addition, you will be tasked to create innovative digital design solutions that a fit-for-purpose in applied contemporary educational environments.

Roles and Responsibilities

Create, develop and execute digital media designs.
Support and assist in digital learning resource development which includes advice on project scoping, coordinate contributions from learning analytics, video, audio, communication design, programming and other specialists.
Ensure that learning activities, products and services provided are homogeneous with College and University strategic and compliance requirements.
Build capacity in RMIT’s teachers as part of the process of program/course enhancement.
Work collaboratively in team initiatives and projects and cooperate with wider team members with the commitment to achieve team goals and objectives via open communication, knowledge sharing and brainstorming sessions.

Skills and Experience Required

Degree or postgraduate qualification in relevant discipline with commensurate professional working experience at similar level
Minimum 4 years experience as learning designer
Sound understanding of learning design principles/theory, practices and technologies that relate to flexible and online learning and teaching
Experience in designing and developing digital products at scale and pace
Proven experience in facilitation, the ability to identify and solve problem creatively as well as excellent communication and negotiation skills with stakeholders
Experience in operating digital media technologies and designing interactive learning experiences with strong pedagogical underpinnings.
Commitment to build strong relationships across all levels of professional staff within the organisation as well as external stakeholders to educate, support and advice on content solutions while meeting competing deadlines.
Ability to convey messages, connect and motivate through written, visual and digital formats.

To Apply

Full details along with a video introduction and detailed job descriptions (PDF) are available on the RMIT jobs website here. Applications close on Sunday 2 June 2019.