Spaces of Interaction: An Online Conversation on Improving Traditional Conferences

February 18 - 20, 2009

AACE is pleased to announce and sponsor "Spaces of Interaction: An Online Conversation on Improving Traditional Conferences," an online conference. The conference is without fee and will include live interactive sessions, in addition to discussions in Ning.

Click Here to view a short introduction to Spaces of Interaction
(Flash Player Needed)

Pre-Conference Introductory Session (recorded)
(Flash Player Needed)

Invited Speakers

The last several decades of technological development has substantially increased the ability for individuals to access content (online journals and databases) and to participate in global conversations (through online conferences, blogs, podcasts, and social/collaborate tools). Formal education has started to grapple with the shift to greater learner control, autonomy, and agency.

• What is the role of education when learners have unprecedented access to information and conversations outside of the control of faculty and institutions?
• What changes are required for universities and colleges to leverage, rather than combat, these new opportunities for learner control and engagement?

Conferences face a similar challenge. While a keynote speaker is presenting, back channel conversations occur through Twitter, facts are checked through Google searches, and opinions are expressed on blogs.

• What changes are required in traditional conferences in order to take advantages of these ongoing conversations?
• How can conferences be designed to amplify multiple back channel conversations, foster interaction over content presentation, and create opportunities for serendipitous learning?

To enroll (no fee) and receive more information on the conference, please enter your email address above.

Program Committee:

• Program Chair: George Siemens, Univ. of Manitoba, Canada
• Theo Bastiaens, Open Univ. of the Netherlands, The Netherlands
• Curtis Bonk, Univ. of Indiana, USA
• Margaret Driscoll, IBM Global Services, USA
• Jon Dron, Athabasca Univ., Canada
• Erik Duval, Katholieke Univ. Leuven, Belgium
• Janette Hill, Univ. of Georgia, USA
• Joe Luca, Edith Cowan Univ., Australia
• Mimi Miyoung Lee, Univ. of Houston, USA
• Gary Marks, AACE, USA
• Craig Montgomerie, Univ. of Alberta, Canada
• Tom Reynolds, National Univ.-San Diego, USA
• Duan van der Westerhuizen, Univ. of Johannesburg, South Africa
• Ellen Wagner, Sonoma Solutions Group (formerly with Adobe), USA