In parallel to the last day of the EC-TEL 2010 conference the University of
Barcelona will be hosting an International Conference on Self-regulated learning in technology enhanced learning environments. The event is organised by TACONET and the STELLAR Network of Excellence
financed Theme Team project on Self-regulated Learning in Technology Enhanced Learning Environments (SRL in TELEs).

The conference attendance on October 1. is free of charge but registration is required through the TACONET Website.

Key note speakers in the morning will be…

Ana Margarida Simão (Lisbon University),
Heinz Mandl (Munich University),
Ton de Jong (University of Twente),
Yves Punie (EC – ITPS, Sevilla)

There will be parallel sessions in the afternoon… and I have just received the notice that our proposed paper titled “Personal learning contracts as a modelling device for one’s activities and instrumentation” will be on the programme.

[Sebastian Fiedler]

The Technology and Knowlege Unit (http://technikundwissen.zsi.at) at the Centre for Social Innovation, (http://www.zsi.at), Vienna, is offering a full-time position (beginning July/August 2010).

Responsibilities:

• internal project management and conceptual work in an international network-project in the research area “Technology Enhanced Learning” (TEL)
• collaboration in a roadmapping project in the research area “Technology Enhanced Learning” (TEL)

We expect:

• appropriate higher-education degree (at least Master or equivalent) (in psychology, education, sociology, educational technology, etc.)
• personal history in the research area “Technology Enhanced Learning”
• several years of professional experience
• very good written and spoken English
• experience in the use of Internet-based communication and collaboration tools (Web 2.0 applications, Social Media, Video-conferencing, etc.)
• readiness to travel

Desirable experiences:

• collaboration within EU financed R&D projects
• international project management

We offer:

• a very good working atmosphere
• flexible worke schedules on the basis of 30 to 40 hours per week
• co-operation with numerous national and international partners of our centre

Please, send your expressions of interests and applications to Sebastian Fiedler not later than June 30., 2010.

Folks, this really is a nice opportunity. Give me a shout if you need to know more about it… or simply send your applications.

[Sebastian Fiedler]

Nordic ISCAR and FISCAR welcome researchers and students from all around the world to its 2010 conference in Helsinki, on the 23-25 of May. The conference is dedicated to examining human creative activities. The conference theme is “Perspectives on social creativity, designing and activity”. We conceive of design as a field of knowledge and activity concerned with the creation of artifacts. Creative activities operate with diverse modes of knowing and representations. Creativity is a social quality that involves communication and community formation. Creative activities and design are needed when humans transform their circumstances by developing new technologies and institutions. Creation of the new relies on cultural mediation and historically accumulated resources. Activity theory and socio-cultural approaches offer fresh perspectives on these themes. The conference aims at bringing together diverse points of view and disciplinary orientations to discuss social creativity, design and activity… [FISCAR 2010 Website]

Unfortunately, I only discovered this event after the deadline for proposals had already been passed. I still would like to go. After all, the preliminary programme (pdf) of this conference features a nice selection of prominent proponents of contemporary activity theory in education, human-computer interaction, and organisational development. Since last summer I must have studied about 50 to 70 papers related to Cultural and Activity Research. It is about time to meet some of the people in this area in person. Oh, well… I am not sure if I can still pull this off. We shall see…

[Sebastian Fiedler]

On March 10. I will attend a workshop that is part of the E-Learning Symposium 2010 at the University of Technology Dresden (TU Dresden). The session will touch upon Personal Learning Environments, E-Portfolios, and Knowledge Management issues.

[Sebastian Fiedler]

[Sebastian Fiedler]

The most needed social innovations of the 21st century

The ZSI is organising a pannel discussion on “The most needed social innovations of the 21st century” together with the faculty of social sciences at the Vienna University on Monday, 30th of Novermber, 2009, 18:00 – 20:00.

High representatives of organisations dealing with social innovations from various continents will discuss the development, support and diffusion of social innovations.

The event is part of the European year of creativity and innovation. For more information on the event click here.

[via Technology and Knowledge Unit]

This public panel discussion will take place in English. The following scholars have confirmed their participation:

Dekan Univ.-Prof Dr. Rudolf Richter, Universität Wien (Intro)

Brenton Caffin, The Australian Centre for Social Innovation (TACSI), Adelaide

Kriss Deiglmeier, Center for Social innovation (CSI), Stanford University, Graduate School of Business

Hans-Werner Franz, TU Dortmund – professor for Social Innovation

Josef Hochgerner, ZSI – Zentrum für Soziale Innovation, Vienna

Louise Pulford, Young Foundation (coordinator of the SIX/Social Innovation Exchange)

Tonya Surman, Centre for Social Innovation (CSI), Toronto
Diogo Vasconcelos, CISCO und member of the Barroso workgroup on Social Innovation

[Sebastian Fiedler]