innovation
ONLINE EDUCA BERLIN 2013: Call for Proposals now open
What role does technology play in promoting creativity and innovation? How is the world of learning changing, and how can technology help us change the world? Proposals are now being accepted for this year's Online Educa Berlin 2013, which will focus on these questions.
Proposals are being accepted from now until June 3 for Online Educa Berlin 2013, to be held December 4-6 in Berlin. This year's event will encompass:
eLearning Papers Call for Papers on Changing schools and creative classrooms: 21st century teachers and their new roles
eLearning Papers seeks submissions for the issue 30 Changing schools and creative classrooms: 21st century teachers and their new roles. This issue explores the new role of teachers in 21st century learning contexts, focusing on the challenges they face and the changes in teaching practice caused by the rapid spread of educational technologies and the evolution towards creative classrooms and open educational resources. Deadline: 10 August 2012.
We are interested in contributions that address: national policies, methodologies, new tools and resources, the teacher-student relationship or class organization, among others. Guest editors: Hans Laugesen, GL - the National Union of Upper Secondary School Teachers. Jim Devine, JD Policy, Projects Innovation, EDEN Fellow (and former President, IADT, Dublin)
Click here to read the complete Call for Papers
What will schools be like in 2030?
Major changes will take place by 2030 if school education is based on the active participation of the students themselves; the enthusiasm and engagement of digital natives constitute the new milestone for our educative systems.
Memorandum of Understanding OCWC ICDE 2013
The OpenCourseWare Consortium (OCWC) and the International Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE) signed on 8 May, 2013 a Memorandum of Understanding between the two global associations.
The signature took place during a ceremony at the OpenCourseWare Consortium (OCWC) Global Conference 2013 at Bali, Indonesia.
With this agreement, ICDE and OCWC enter into closer cooperation in recognition of their mutual interest in expanded access to high quality higher education through open and distance education.
Both parties undertake to explore opportunities in the following areas:
- Mutual promotion of activities.
- Joint regional conference.
- Explore a joint initiative to support policy discussion and development facilitating open and distance education at governmental and institutional levels.
- Joint membership services.
- Opportunities to have synergy in projects, for example in giving attention to and promote "flagship projects".
ITU Young Innovators’ competition calls for innovative ICT solutions to global challenges
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has launched the third edition of its annual Young Innovators’ Competition, offering talented social technopreneurs the opportunity to present their ideas to industry leaders at ITU Telecom World 2013 in Bangkok this November – as well as winning funding, mentorship and ongoing support.
Open to 18-26 year-olds worldwide, the Young Innovators’ Competition is looking for concrete solutions using cutting-edge technology to one of six Global Challenges developed in partnership with specialized UN agencies and leading private sector players:
- Improve employment opportunities for young people and migrant workers
- Reduce food and water wastage at individual and retail level
- Facilitate access to public services for the elderly
- Improve natural disaster prediction and response
- Improve road safety for both drivers and pedestrians
- Protect sensitive personal data and inspire the creation of local digital content
ITU is the leading United Nations agency for information and communication technology. The competition seeks pragmatic, market-oriented, scalable solutions making use of connected technologies, such as augmented reality, mobile apps, 3D printing or geospatial tracking.
Submissions may be either in the form of a concept, well-researched or documented ideas which have not yet been implemented, or a start-up, which is already up and running but in need of funding to take it to the next stage.
Ten finalists selected by a committee of experts will win the chance to attend ITU Telecom World 2013, the platform for high-level debate, networking and knowledge-sharing, as well as an ICT showcase, which will be held 19-22 November in Bangkok, Thailand, on the theme "Embracing Change in a Digital World".
The deadline for initial submissions is 30 June 2013.
MOOCs and disruptive innovation: Implications for higher education
The opportunity that Massive Online Open Courses (MOOCs) offer for cost effective massification of learning has generated significant interest from governments, higher education institutions (HEI) and commercial organisations. A growing number of HEI have been involved in experimenting with MOOCs for the purposes of expanding access, marketing and branding, as well as the potential of developing new revenue streams. The motivation for some MOOC providers is a philanthropic one and for others a business proposition. However, in both cases, there is the challenge of finding a viable business model that allows for sustainability of MOOC provision.
This paper will use the theory of disruptive innovation (Bower and Christensen, 1995) to examine MOOCs development and how their approach could be used to help institutions explore innovative approaches for teaching and learning and to develop new business models in order to gain competitive advantages in the education market. MOOCs provide institutions with a vehicle to think creatively and innovatively to explore new business models and flexible learning paths in HE provision. However, there is a need to rethink current higher education structures and policies and working practices that obstruct innovation. This includes funding arrangements and the ability to disaggregate teaching from assessment and accreditation for differential pricing and pursuit of marketing activities.