Dear Colleague, We look forward to inviting you to e/merge2018 - our upcoming online festival of elearning in Africa taking place from 9–20 July 2018. In this newsletter we share the latest information about confirmed keynotes, presentation topics and speakers. ● Confirmed keynotes ● Presentations and Workshops ● What you need to know to participate
The conference theme is ‘Growing e-learning capacity together’. e/merge 2018 will present an exciting combination of research colloquium, innovative practice presentations, workshops and unconference sessions. e/merge 2018 will convene a welcoming space and a diverse, dynamic community across multiple networks to discuss, debate, review, showcase and celebrate e-learning in higher education in Africa. Our focus is on e-learning in African higher education and on joining up the African and global conversations about elearning research and practice. The presenters and festival interactions will be supported by a team of trained and experienced online facilitators from across Africa. To participate, please register online at https://sites.google.com/view/emerge2018/registration Standard registration fees are: ZAR 200 for participants from Africa ZAR 600 for participants from other continents Presenters and facilitators attend free of change.
1
Confirmed keynotes:
Rob Branch - Professor, College of Education, University of Georgia
Maha Bali - Associate Professor, The American University in Cairo
Keynote title: Instructional Design for Global E-Learning Environments
Keynote title: Challenging Academic Gatekeeping: Open scholarship and Virtually Connecting
Laura Czerniewicz - Director of the Centre for Innovation in Learning and Teaching at the University of Cape Town
Esther Gacicio - Assistant Director, Kenya institute of Curriculum Development
Keynote title: Marketisation in a digitising higher education sector in Africa
Keynote title: Beyond Chalk And talk: Kenyan Teachers embracing technology in Education
Tutaleni I. Asino - Assistant Professor at Oklahoma State University & President of the Culture, Learning and Technology Division of AECT Keynote title: Bridging Afrikan and global perspectives about technology in education
Mohammad Santally Associate Professor and ProVice-Chancellor (Planning and Resources) at the University of Mauritius Keynote title: Two Decades of eLearning: The University of Mauritius Experience
2
Presentations and workshops We have received a fascinating blend of proposals that include topics ranging from global debates to the application of pedagogic approaches and technology-mediated initiatives in local contexts, blended and online learning, open education (i.e. OERs, OEP, MOOCs, open online courses), professional development of university staff to the integration of devices, pedagogic approaches inside, outside and beyond the classroom. In addition to the keynotes there will be 30 presentations and workshops with the presenters coming from 13 African countries and from across 4 continents. The online workshop topics include collaborative e-learning, digital fluency, Liberating Structures in online learning, and teacher professional development. e/merge 2018 is also part of a larger conference ecosystem which will give e/merge 2018 participants access through online streaming to a keynote from the DELC conference at Makerere University in Uganda, selected presentations from University of Cape Town Teaching and Learning Conference, and online participation in a workshop at the Wikimania conference in Cape Town. We soon send an invitation for further proposals to the e/merge 2018 Unconference track.
What you need to know to participate Unlike a face-to-face conference where travelling involves cost and time, you can participate in an online festival as a presenter or participant from the comfort of your workplace or home. e/merge 2018 is an online festival that includes opportunities for experiential learning and celebration of achievement and community as well as conceptual debate about research presentations. More info‌ The online festival will be hosted on its own website with access for registered delegates. Within the festival site you will be able to connect with colleagues from across the continent and beyond, access selected presentations, read conference papers, share useful resources, take part in online discussion forums, attend webinars, share good practices and participate in experiential learning workshops.
Do I need to register to participate? Yes! Since we are using e/merge 2018 to grow a professional community participation is managed via registration. After you have registered you have full access to the festival site that opens on 9 July. Login details will be sent to you via email. MOST Presenters and conference hosts attend free of charge and will be sent information about how to access their complimentary registration.
Check your tech Access to technology: There will be no need for other equipment than a PC, laptop or tablet with an up-to-date browser and headphones. Presenters will require a microphone. Internet access: e/merge 2018 does require fair network speed, especially for our live sessions, however even with limited bandwidth you are still able to participate in text discussions and view recorded presentations. If you have any further questions about our online festival please email us at info@emerge2018.net
3
OTHER NEWS: Call for Papers International Journal of Designs for Learning Special Issue: Designing learning for high-impact, high-stakes distance contexts. Submit a 250-word abstract by 15 July 2018. Details here. Have you published an article in a reputable journal recently that you’d like us to share in our newsletter? Please email your article details to us info@emergeafrica.net Further reading and journals for interest ● ● ●
Articles for interest (editable - feel free to add) Journals for interest Become an AECT member
Best Wishes, The e/merge Africa team
Connect via Twitter Join our Facebook Group View our YouTube Channel Visit our website
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. 2018 e/merge Africa. You are receiving this mail as you have previously subscribed to the e/merge Africa mailing list Our mailing address is: e/merge Africa University of Cape Town Centre for Innovation in Learning and Teaching Cape Town, Western Cape 7701 South Africa
4