Cloud Computing

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eLearning Papers: Call for articles on Mobile Learning open until November 19th

29 Oktobris 2012

While learning has always expanded beyond the walls of the classroom, the proliferation of devices and applications, which have greatly expanded when, where and how information can be accessed and stored, brings this issue to the fore. How have such devices had an impact in learning, and what role may they play in the future? This issue hopes to showcase practical examples and generate serious reflection on an emerging topic.

 

 

Today’s youth are growing up in a world very different from the world their teachers or parents knew when they were young. Where and how they learn is changing as mobile learning and social networking become part of their every day life. Ubiquitous access to social media, tools and knowledge resources is taken for granted, while passive teacher-directed work dominates life at school.

 

Open, social and participatory media have significant potential to transform learning and teaching. They offer numerous ways to communicate, collaborate and connect with peers. The range of free educational resources and tools is rapidly increasing. Cloud computing has enabled free or inexpensive access to applications that were once available only to those who were willing to pay premium license fees.

 

The gap between the potential and actual use of technology in education is a paradox. eLearning Papers seeks to facilitate the sharing of innovative and creative uses of technology to support learning among its readers. The upcoming 32nd issue focuses on mobile technology applications and their potential to enhance learning within the broad spectrum of education and training. Papers are welcome on any aspects related to the use of open, social and participatory media, cloud computing or mobile learning. Some suggested focus areas  are listed below.

  • How do mobile devices enhance learning and creativity?
  • Mobile learning and creative classrooms
  • OER for mobile learning
  • Mobile learning management models and strategies
  • Learning design for mobile learning
  • Mobile learning platforms, devices and operating systems
  • Authoring tools and technologies for mobile learning
  • Content design and development for mobile learning
  • Platform specific applications for learning
  • Augmented reality in education
  • Mixed reality and mobile devices supporting learning
  • Mobile devices and schoolwork, in classrooms and beyond
  • Mobile devices supporting performance and learning at work
  • Low-tech mobile learning, e.g. the power of SMS

 

The article submission deadline is November 19th, 2012. The provisional date of publication is December, 2012. For further information and to submit your article, please contact: jimena.marquez@elearningpapers.eu

 

Guest editor: Prof. Dr. Martin Wolpers, Fraunhofer-Institut für Angewandte Informationstechnik FIT

 

Pasākumi

19th EUNIS Congress - ICT Role for Next Generation Universities

07 Maijs 2013

The 19th edition of the EUNIS Congress is an ICT conference centered on the theme of higher education in Europe, which will be held in Riga (Latvia) from the 11-14 of June 2013.

EUNIS 2013 is the 19th congress in a series of conferences aimed at audiences from higher educational institutes. The following keynote speeches will be the centerpiece of this year's event:

 
"MOOCs - Inflection Point for Higher Education?"
  • Richard Katz (President at Richard N. Katz & Associates) -
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  • "IT Leadership and Governance for Next Generation University"
  • Voldemar A. Innus (Owner and principal of VAI Consulting, Pendleton, NY, USA) -
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  • "Innovation, incubation and the future of ICT in support of the academic mission"
  • Ian Dolphin (Executive Director at Sakai Foundation)
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  • "The CIO and Finding the Future Technology Ecosystem Fit For Your Organization"
  • Dr.Jan-Martin Lowendahl (Research Vice President at Gartner, Higher Education Strategies)
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  • "Opening Up Education – The European Commission initiative towards more ICT and OER in Education and Training Systems in Europe"
  • Ricardo Ferreira (Policy Officer at European Commission)
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  • "Technological Tools for distance Collaborations"
  • Greg Palmer (Executive Director at University of Pennsylvania, MAGPI (the Mid-Atlantic Gigapop in Philadelphia for Internet2))
  •  
  • "Current status of Open Source and Kuali for administrative systems and the “Marketecture of Community”"
  • Jennifer L. Foutty (Executive Director at Kuali Foundation)
  •  
  • "Management Trends in Educational Institutions"
  • Greg Mathers (RTU Riga Business School,Director of Accel Performance Consulting)
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  • "TERENA initiatives and the future of online video in Higher Education"
  • Vicente Goyanes (Head of IT-Media technical assistance for University of Vigo & Campus do Mar, member of the TERENA Technical Committee and the Opencast Boarda)
Katalogs

Cloud Computing and the Power to Choose

30 Aprīlis 2013

“Cloud Computing and the Power to Choose” is an article published by the magazine Educause Review in June 2010. Written by Rob Bristow, Ted Dodds, Richard Northam, and Leo Plugge, it provides insight into the chances and risks in cloud computing and cloud services for higher education and research.

With many in higher education today eyeing the potential of the cloud, the question now according to the authors of the paper is not so much "Is cloud computing a good idea?" The key question to answer is: "What can we do with the cloud?"

 

Colleges and universities around the world are discussing, planning for, and using cloud computing and cloud services. The rate of adoption varies from country to country, but the need for awareness and preparation is universal.

 

This article examines cloud issues (both opportunities and risks) by looking at examples from four countries: Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom.

Katalogs

Building an open social learning community around a DSpace repository on statistics

23 Aprīlis 2013

Learning Object Repositories (LORs) addressing content management and preservation have the positive collaterals of institutional positioning and dissemination, but their main benefit is the empowerment of interest-centred learning communities: the LOR provides the learner interaction with the LOs, but also with other learners and teachers.

“Building an open social learning community around a DSpace repository on statistics” was a conference delivered by Cesar Córcoles, Julià Minguillón and Brian Lamb at the 4th International Conference on Open Repositories, in Atlanta (USA) on May 2009. The text explains how the Open University of Catalonia (UOC) has built a LOR combining DSpace with Delicious.

Katalogs

University on a Cloud

02 Aprīlis 2013

This book, recently published by the Laboratori de Mitjans Interactius (Interactive Media Lab), surveys university presence "in the cloud" and the extent to which different institutions incorporate online learning systems into higher education. The book collects research from two research groups on either side of the Atlantic - the University of Barcelona's Interactive Media Lab, in Spain, and the Federal University of Santa Catarina New Technology Lab (Communic), in Brazil. 

Projekti

MobiCloud - Mobile Business Cloud Applications Platform

25 Februāris 2013

MobiCloud is a collaborative platform for developing, deploying and managing mobile cloud applications for business-critical scenarios such as public transport, field service or construction. Its initial demonstration scenarios focus on industries where collaborative mobile applications can support a more efficient, greener organization.
MobiCloud is also an online technology marketplace where end-users, mobile developers, application vendors, system integrators and cloud service providers can collaborate to develop end-to-end solutions with high ROI. MobiCloud is co-funded by the European Commission under the ICT Policy Support Programme (ICT PSP) of the Competitiveness and Innovation framework Programme (CIP).

 

Many of us use 'cloud computing' every day without even realising it. Web-based e mail and social media sites such as Facebook and Spotify all use the technology to store data such as pictures, videos and text files. But what exactly is 'the cloud'? Even many people who have heard of the concept aren't always sure about what it involves. 
 
Cloud computing relies on sharing computing resources rather than having local servers or personal devices to handle applications. In cloud computing, the word cloud (also phrased as "the cloud") is used as a metaphor for "the Internet," so the phrase cloud computing actually means "a type of Internet-based computing," where different services - such as servers, storage and applications - are delivered to an organisation's computers and devices through the Internet. The files are stored in massive data centres containing hundreds of servers and storage systems that are compatible with nearly all computer software. When you wish to access your information, you simply connect to the 'cloud' from your PC, smartphone or tablet. 
 
The advantages are numerous. Users for example don't have to buy or maintain expensive servers and data-storage systems. For corporations, the technology helps them lower their costs by reducing the need for in-house IT support and extra office space. 
 
The European Commission's Digital Agenda is the EU's strategy to help digital technologies, including the internet, to deliver sustainable economic growth. The reduction in the cost and complexity of mobile application development using cloud technologies is one of the objectives of the European Commission. The €4.45M Mobicloud project, co-funded under the ICT Policy Support Programme (PSP) Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (CIP), aims to do just that. 
 
The project's objective is to stimulate the provision of new mobile services in the cloud and help support the emergence of a European ecosystem of mobile cloud application developers. With MobiCloud, it will become feasible for smaller companies, and not only global enterprise resource planning vendors, to quickly develop and market mobile extensions of their existing business applications. The Commission therefore aims to enable and facilitate faster adoption of cloud computing throughout all sectors of the economy. This will have the knock-on effect of cutting ICT costs, and boosting productivity, growth and jobs when combined with new digital business practices. 
 
MobiCloud will become an online technology marketplace where end-users, mobile developers, application vendors, system integrators and cloud service providers can collaborate to develop end-to-end solutions with high return on investment (ROI). This collaborative platform will develop, deploy and manage mobile cloud applications for business-critical scenarios such as public transport, field service or construction. Its initial demonstration scenarios focus on industries where collaborative mobile applications can support a more efficient, greener organisation. It provides a composite screen (mobile mash-up) that aggregates data from various corporate IT systems. Depending on context (location, role, skill set, available colleagues, etc.) the application displays different services which react in real-time to changes (work orders, fault reports, alerts). 
 
Despite its ubiquity, cloud computing is at an early stage. As analyst firm Gartner puts it: "Many factors, including advances in cloud, mobile, information and social technologies, change how applications can be built and the value they can deliver to the enterprise. To keep their enterprises competitive, application development leaders must continuously embrace new technologies and disciplines." Through the Mobicloud project, this is exactly what Europe is doing. 
Pasākumi

The 2013 European Cloud Computing Conference

25 Februāris 2013

 

Following the release of the European Cloud Computing Strategy by Vice President Kroes, in September 2012, the 2nd Annual European Cloud Computing Conference 2013 will provide a platform to hear from the key policymakers and stakeholders involved in this field.  The conference will discuss further the opportunities offered by the technology and examine the necessary steps to be undertaken so that Europe can fully take advantage of the benefits provided by the Cloud while continuing to protect European businesses and citizens interest.
 
The conference will assess the plans outlined in the Strategy, analyse the barriers to a successful implementation of the proposed measures, and finally look into various solutions to overcome the remaining challenges to maximize the potential of Cloud Computing in Europe.
 
A full conference programme and speaker list is available to view by clicking here.
Katalogs

Critical Cloud Computing

25 Februāris 2013

This report considers cloud computing from a Critical Information Infrastructure Protection (CIIP) perspective and analyses a number of scenarios and threats, based on a survey of public sources on uptake of cloud computin,  large cyber attacks, and disruptions of cloud computing services.

Pasākumi

17th Meeting of the EDUC Commission

19 Februāris 2013

The chair, Mr Anton Rombouts, invites you to attend the commission's 17th meeting, to be held at the Committee building, 101 rue Belliard/Belliardstraat, 1040 Bruxelles/Brussel (room JDE 52) on Monday 25 February 2013 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

 

10.30 a.m.–11 a.m. The political coordinators' meeting will be held in camera (room JDE 70).
 
The draft agenda is as follows:
 
11 a.m.–1 p.m.
 
1. Adoption of the draft agenda (CDR2382-2012_00_01_TRA_CONV-POJ)
 
2. Approval of the minutes of the 16th meeting (CDR2381-2012_00_00_TRA_PV), held on 22 November 2012 in Brussels
 
3. Statement by the chair
 
4. Organisation of future work 
 
For decision:
- Appointment of rapporteurs
- Renunciations: Decisions not to issue an opinion
- Proposals for own-initiative opinions
 
For information:
- Ongoing work programme (CDR1674-2012_00_02_TRA_TCD)
- Follow-up of opinions (CDR244-2013_00_00_TRA_TCD)
- EDUC work programme for 2013 (CdR 2144/2012 rev. 1)
 
5. Opinion on Unleashing the Potential of Cloud Computing in Europe
COM(2012) 529 final
EDUC-V-026 – CDR1673-2012_00_01_TRA_PA
Rapporteur: Gábor Bihary (HU/PES)
 
- Presentation of the draft opinion by the rapporteur
- Statement by a representative of the European Commission (tbc)
- First discussion and adoption of the draft opinion
- Adoption foreseen for the plenary session of 11-12 April 2013
 
6. Opinion on Enhancing and Focusing International Cooperation in Research and Innovation
COM(2012) 497 final
EDUC-V-027 – CDR2076-2012_00_01_TRA_PA
Rapporteur: Paolo Valentini Puccitelli (IT/EPP)
 
- Presentation of the draft opinion by the rapporteur
- Statement by a representative of the European Commission (tbc)
- First discussion and adoption of the draft opinion
- Adoption foreseen for the plenary session of 11-12 April 2013
 
7. Opinion on Cultural and Creative Sectors for Growth and Jobs
COM(2012) 537 final
EDUC-V-029 – CDR2391-2012_00_00_TRA_PA
Rapporteur: Anton Rombouts (NL/EPP)
 
- Presentation of the draft opinion by the rapporteur
- Statement by Ms Marie-Thérèse Sanchez-Schmid, Member of the European Parliament and rapporteur for "Promoting cultural and creative sectors for growth and jobs in the EU"
- Statement by a representative of the European Commission (tbc)
- First discussion and adoption of the draft opinion
- Adoption foreseen for the plenary session of 30-31 May 2013
 
1–2.30 p.m.: Lunch buffet reception, hosted by EDUC chair Mr Anton Rombouts
 
2.30–4 p.m.
 
8. Opinion on Rethinking Education
COM(2012) 669 final
EDUC-V-030 – CDR2392-2012_00_00_TRA_PA
Rapporteur: Fiona O'Loughlin (IE/ALDE)
 
- Presentation of the draft opinion by the rapporteur
- Statement by a representative of the European Commission (tbc)
- First discussion and adoption of the draft opinion
- Adoption foreseen for the plenary session of 11-12 April 2013
 
9. Opinion on Closing the Innovation Divide
EDUC-V-031 – CDR2414-2012_00_00_TRA_DT
Rapporteur: Markku Markkula (FI/EPP)
 
- Presentation of the working document by the rapporteur
- Statement by a representative of the Council of the EU (tbc)
- First discussion and adoption of the draft opinion by EDUC on 25 April 2013
- Adoption foreseen for the plenary session of 30-31 May 2013
 
10. CoR conference "An agenda for new skills and jobs" (28 February-1 March 2013, Dublin). Preparation of the second CoR conference on the Europe 2020 flagship initiatives
 
- Presentation of preliminary findings of the Europe2020 platform survey 
- Discussion
 
11. Any other business
 
 
Confirmation of the date of the next meeting: 25-26 April 2013 in Espoo, Finland.
 
 
Interpreting: 15/13 BG/DA/DE/ET/EL/EN/FR/IT/LT/HU/NL/PL/SK/FI/SV
(participants may speak in their own language) – to be confirmed
BG/DE/EL/EN/FR/IT/LT/HU/NL/PL/SK/FI/SV
(participants may listen in) – to be confirmed
 
Amendments must be submitted through the online tool for tabling amendments (available on the Members' Portal: http://cor.europa.eu/members) no later than midnight (Brussels time) on Wednesday 13 February 2013.
 
N.B.: Only members of this commission and alternates appointed to attend the meeting will be entitled to travel and subsistence payments.
 
Members are asked to use the online system for delegation of presence and voting rights in order to confirm their presence at the meeting or to notify the secretariat of any delegation of presence to another member or alternate under Rule 5(2) of the Rules of Procedure. The online system is accessible through the Members' Portal on the CoR main website. The deadline for submitting a delegation of presence is at midnight on 24 February 2013 (midnight before the meeting).
 
The Helpdesk (+32-2-546-9697; email: helpdesk@cor.europa.eu) is at your disposal to provide you with any assistance you may need.
 
Observers wishing to attend the meeting are asked to confirm their presence by sending an email to the commission secretariat at the following email address: educ@cor.europa.eu 
 
Ziņas

Issue 32 of eLearning Papers on Mobile Learning published!

18 Decembris 2012

The 32nd issue of eLearning Papers focuses on mobile technology applications and their potential to enhance learning within the broad-spectrum of education and training. The articles clearly demonstrate that mobile learning is moving beyond its early infancy.

This latest expansion is accelerated by the increasing penetration of smart phones and the ecosystems that they have enabled. In this environment, the student population has become more diffuse, but also more connected.

 

The issue features a wide range of topics, describing research ranging from eportfolios, serious games and OER for mobile learning scenarios. Furthermore, articles discuss the vendor’s perspective and describe two studies for developing and using mobile devices in advanced learning scenarios.

 

eLearning Papers 32 that has been guest edited by Prof. Dr. Martin Wolpers, Fraunhofer-Institut für Angewandte Informationstechnik FIT and Tapio Koskinen, www.elearningpapers.eu, Director of the Editorial Board, includes the following articles:

 
In Depth articles
 
Keywords: content repository, open educational resources, learning object, ubiquitous learning, mobile learning
Keywords: mobile gaming, contextual learning, social constructivism, 21st century skills
 
From the Field articles
 
Keywords: mobile technology, m-portfolio, e-portfolio, teacher education
Keywords: cloud computing, e-safety policy, implementing mobile learning, innovative schools
Keywords: professional development and training, technical support, mobile learning, company-wide device concepts
Keywords: mobile learning, collaboration, mobile applications, virtual teams, learning network