David Warlick on Video Games

I had the pleasure of sitting in on a couple sessions led by David Warlick this week at the Fall TECSIG conference. TECSIG is the technology coordinators special interest group for the Texas Computer Education Association. I led a session on educational gaming a couple years back, and was interested in hearing what Warlick was going to say on the topic.

As tech directors around Texas streamed into Austin, my good friend Tim Holt, Director of Instructional Technology for El Paso ISD and current President of TECSIG, joked that the majority were showing up to listen to his presentations. In reality, he continued, many registered for the conference to see David Warlick. In the past we were surveyed as to who we’d like to see as a keynote, and Warlick topped the list.

Warlick’s keynote session over lunch focused on “cracking the digital native experience [so that] we can hack the digital native experience.” He gave several examples how students learn, even hearkening back to his personal experiences during high school industrial arts class. The teacher at that time served as consultant, helping students ask the right questions and come to the right conclusions. But the students did the work, spending class time to create something, whether a bookcase or some other project.

Today, technology should be taught in the same way, Warlick asserted. Students should create something. They learn by asking questions. During the keynote, he played a trailer for Assassin’s Creed 2, and noted the game is not designed to be learned by reading the instructions. Like many games, players start playing to learn how to accomplish goals within the game.

Later in the day during his gaming presentation, Warlick noted there are generally two types of presenters on the subject: those in their twenties who are strong hard core players, and those in their fifties who are interested in gaming, feel video games are useful for education, but are not hard core players themselves. He humbly stated he fell in the latter camp. I thought he did a fine job of introducing the crowd to some of the literature and research out there on the topic. He showed off Scratch in his keynote, but during the gaming session he also introduced the crowd to Phunland.com, a “2D physics sandbox.” I noticed at least one in attendance playing on the site on their laptop.

Warlick rounded out the presentation with a brief intro of ARGs, machinima, and serious games. He offered some suggestions for teachers and administrators interested in investigating further, and showed off some student work in the field. He makes this presentation often throughout the country, and you can find his notes on the topic here.

CFP: SITE 2010

______________________________________________________

SITE 2010

Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education
International Conference

March 29 – April 2, 2010  *  San Diego, CA

(Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina)

CALL FOR PARTICIPATION

** Submissions Due: Oct. 21, 2009 **

Organized by:
Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education (SITE)
http://site.aace.org/
and
Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE)
http://aace.org/

Co-sponsored by:
Education & Information Technology Digital Library
http://EdITLib.org
______________________________________________________________

AVAILABLE (digital & paper formats):
Research Highlights in Technology and Teacher Education 2009
http://editlib.org/p/31425

** SUBMIT YOUR FULL PAPER FOR THE 2010 BOOK **

SITE 2010 will offer again an alternative Full Paper submission category.
“Full Papers (Book)” are Full Paper submissions submitted in their final by Oct. 21.
These will be reviewed for publication in a book of selected papers as well as a presentation.
http://site.aace.org/conf/categories.htm#FullPapersBook
_____________________________________________________

COLOR POSTER–SITE 2010 CALL FOR PARTICIPATION
Available to Print & Distribute (PDF to print)
http://site.aace.org/conf/pdf/SITE10poster.pdf

>> CONTENTS & LINKS <<

1. Invitation & Call for Papers, Deadline Oct. 21: http://site.aace.org/conf/call.htm

2. Scope & Topics:  http://site.aace.org/conf/topics.htm

4. Presentation Categories: http://site.aace.org/conf/categories.htm
5. Proceedings & Paper Awards: http://site.aace.org/pubs/

6. Corporate Participation: http://site.aace.org/conf/corporate.htm
7. For Budgeting Purposes: http://site.aace.org/conf/rates.htm

8. San Diego, California:  http://site.aace.org/conf/cities/san-diego/
9. Deadlines: http://site.aace.org/conf/deadlines.htm

INVITATION & CALL FOR PAPERS, DUE OCT. 21:
——————————————————————
SITE 2010 is the 21st annual conference of the Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education. This society represents individual teacher educators and affiliated organizations of teacher educators in all disciplines, who are interested in the creation and dissemination of knowledge about the use of information technology in teacher education and faculty/staff development.

You are invited to participate in this international forum which offers numerous opportunities to explore the research, development, and applications in this important field. All proposals are peer reviewed.

SITE is the premiere international conference in this field and annually attracts more than 1,200 leaders in the field from over 50 countries.

* Keynote Speakers & Invited Panels/Speakers
* Papers (Full & Brief) & Posters/Demonstrations
* Corporate Showcases & Demonstrations
* Tutorials/Workshops
* Roundtables & Symposia

———————–
Submission Guide: http://site.aace.org/conf/submitguide.htm
Presentation and AV Guide: http://site.aace.org/conf/PresenterLounge
Presenter Lounge: http://site.aace.org/conf/PresenterLounge
————————

SCOPE & TOPICS:
————————-
http://site.aace.org/conf/topics.htm

The Conference invites proposals from the introductory through advanced level on all topics related to:

(1) the use of information technology in teacher education, and
(2) instruction about information technology in
* Preservice
* Inservice
* Graduate Teacher Education
* Faculty & Staff Development

Proposals which address the theory, research and applications as well as describe innovative projects are encouraged.

GENERAL TOPICS:
* Assessment and E-folios
* Corporate
* Digital Video
* Distance/Flexible Education
* Electronic Playground
* Equity and Social Justice
* Evaluation and Research
* Games and Simulations
* Graduate Education and Faculty Development
* Information Literacy
* Information Technology Diffusion/Integration
* International
* Latino/Spanish Speaking Community
* Leadership
* New Possibilities with Information Technologies
* Web/Learning Communities
* Workforce Education

CONTENT AREA TOPICS:
* Art Education
* Early Childhood Education
* English Education
* Human Languages Education
* Information Technology Education
* Innovative Technology Experiences for Teachers and Students (ITEST)
* Mathematics Education
* Middle School Education
* Science Education
* Social Studies Education
* Special Education/Assistive Technology
* Technological, Pedagogical, And Content Knowledge (TPACK)

PRESENTATION CATEGORIES:
——————————————
http://site.aace.org/conf/categories.htm
The Technical Program includes a wide range of interesting and useful activities designed to facilitate the exchange of ideas and information. These include keynote and invited talks, paper presentations, roundtables, poster/demonstrations, tutorials/workshops, panels, and corporate showcases.

PROCEEDINGS:
———————-
http://EdITLib.org
Accepted papers will be published by AACE in the Technology and Teacher Education Annual proceedings series. Books in this series serve as major source documents indicating the current state of teacher education and information technology. This proceedings will be published as a searchable electronic book on CD-ROM.

The Proceedings are internationally distributed through and archived in the Education and Information Technology Digital Library, http://EdITLib.org.

First and second paper authors are limited to two papers published in the Annual.

PAPER AWARDS:
———————–
http://site.aace.org/pubs/
All presented papers will be considered for Best Paper Awards within several categories.

Award winning papers may be invited for publication in the:
- Journal of Technology and Teacher Education (JTATE) ( http://site.aace.org/pubs/jtate/) or
- Online journal, Contemporary Issues in Technology & Teacher Education (CITE) ( http://www.citejournal.org/),

Highlighted in the:
- Education and Information Technology Digital Library, http://EdITLib.org.

CORPORATE PARTICIPATION:
—————————————–
http://site.aace.org/conf/corporate.htm
A variety of opportunities are available to present research-oriented papers, or to showcase and market your products and services. For information about Corporate Showcases (30 minutes) and Corporate Demonstrations (2-hours, scheduled with the Poster/Demos),
click here.

FOR BUDGETING PURPOSES:
——————————————
http://site.aace.org/conf/rates.htm
http://site.aace.org/conf/hotel.htm
The conference registration fee for all presenters and participants will be approximately $325 (members); $365 (non-members).  Registration includes Proceedings on CD, receptions, and all sessions except tutorials.

The conference hotel, the beautiful Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina, is offering SITE a specially discounted guest room rate of $149/169 (single/double).

SAN DIEGO, CA:
———————-
http://site.aace.org/conf/cities/san-diego/

Where blue skies, miles of beaches, and a gentle Mediterranean climate meet!

It’s not just a conference; it can be a vacation! So plan to join us in San Diego for SITE 2010 a great conference in one of America’s greatest destinations.

For more information about San Diego, CA, USA, see: www.sandiego.org

DEADLINES:
—————-
Proposals Due:              Oct. 21, 2009
Authors Notified:             Dec. 2, 2009
Proceedings File Due:    Feb. 10, 2010
Early Registration:          Feb. 10, 2010
Hotel Reservation:          Mar. 1, 2010
Conference:                    Mar. 29 – April 2, 2010

—————————————————————————-
Join the SITE Community: http://www.sitecommunity.org/

To be added to the mailing list for this conference, link
to  http://aace.org/info.htm

If you have a question about SITE, please send an e-mail to
SITE/AACE Conference Services, conf@aace.org

Contact:
SITE–Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education
P.O. Box 1545, Chesapeake, Virginia 23327  USA
Phone: 757-366-5606 * Fax: 703-997-8760
E-mail: conf@aace.org  *  http://site.AACE.org

========================================================

CFP: ED-MEDIA 2010

_______________________________________________________________

ED-MEDIA 2010

World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia & Telecommunications

June 28-July 2, 2010  *  Toronto, Canada

(The Westin Harbour Castle on Lake Ontario)

CALL FOR PARTICIPATION

** Submissions Due: Dec. 18, 2009 **

Organized by
Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE)
http://aace.org

Co-sponsored by:
Education & Information Technology Digital Library
(http://EdITLib.org )
______________________________________________________________

** What are your colleagues saying about ED-MEDIA conferences? **
http://aace.org/conf/edmedia/testimonials.htm

COLOR POSTER–ED-MEDIA 2010 CALL FOR PARTICIPATION
Available to Print & Distribute (PDF to print; 200kb)
http://aace.org/conf/edmedia/ed10poster.pdf

>> CONTENTS & LINKS  (details below) <<

1. Call for Papers and Submission & Presenter Guidelines, Deadline Dec. 18th:
http://aace.org/conf/edmedia/call.htm
http://aace.org/conf/edmedia/submitguide.htm
http://aace.org/conf/edmedia/PresenterLounge

2. Major Topics:  http://aace.org/conf/edmedia/topics.htm
3. Presentation Categories: http://aace.org/conf/edmedia/categories.htm

4. Corporate Showcases & Demonstrations: http://aace.org/conf/edmedia/corporate.htm
5. Proceedings & Paper Awards: http://aace.org/pubs
6. For Budgeting Purposes: http://aace.org/conf/edmedia/rates.htm

7. Toronto, Canada http://aace.org/conf/Cities/Toronto
8. Deadlines: http://aace.org/conf/edmedia/deadlines.htm

INVITATION:
ED-MEDIA 2010–World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia &
Telecommunications is an international conference, sponsored by the
Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE). This
annual conference serves as a multi-disciplinary forum for the discussion
and exchange of information on the research, development, and applications
on all topics related to multimedia, hypermedia and
telecommunications/distance education.

ED-MEDIA, the premiere international conference in the field, spans all
disciplines and levels of education and attracts more than 1,500 attendees
from over 60 countries. We invite you to attend ED-MEDIA and submit
proposals for presentations.

All presentation proposals are peer reviewed and selected by three reviewers on the
respected international Program Committee for inclusion in the
conference program, proceedings book, and CD-ROM proceedings.

For Call for Presentations, connect to:
http://aace.org/conf/edmedia/call.htm

All authors MUST follow the submission guidelines and complete the Web form at:
http://aace.org/conf/edmedia/submitguide.htm

For Presentation and AV Guidelines, see:
http://aace.org/conf/edmedia/PresenterLounge

PROGRAM ACTIVITIES:
* Keynote Speakers
* Invited Panels/Speakers
* Papers
* Panels
* Demonstrations/Posters
* Corporate Showcases & Demonstrations
* Tutorials/Workshops
* Roundtables

TOPICS:
http://aace.org/conf/edmedia/topics.htm

The scope of the conference includes, but is not limited to, the following
major topics as they relate to the educational and developmental aspects of
multimedia/hypermedia and telecommunications:

1. Infrastructure: (in the large)
- Architectures for Educational Technology Systems
- Design of Distance Learning Systems
- Distributed Learning Environments
- Methodologies for system design
- Multimedia/Hypermedia Systems
- WWW-based course-support systems

2. Tools & Content-oriented Applications:
- Agents
- Authoring tools
- Evaluation of impact
- Interactive Learning Environments
- Groupware tools
- Multimedia/Hypermedia Applications
- Research perspectives
- Virtual Reality
- WWW-based course sites
- WWW-based learning resources
- WWW-based tools

3. New Roles of the Instructor & Learner:
- Constructivist perspectives
- Cooperative/collaborative learning
- Implementation experiences
- Improving Classroom Teaching
- Instructor networking
- Instructor training and support
- Pedagogical Issues
- Teaching/Learning Strategies

4. Human-computer Interaction (HCI/CHI):
- Computer-Mediated Communication
- Design principles
- Usability/user studies
- User interface design

5. Cases & Projects:
- Country-Specific Developments
- Exemplary projects
- Institution-specific cases
- Virtual universities

6. Special Strand:  ** Universal Web Accessibility  **

PRESENTATION CATEGORIES:
http://aace.org/conf/edmedia/categories.htm
The Technical Program includes a wide range of interesting and useful activities
designed to facilitate the exchange of ideas and information.

CORPORATE SHOWCASES & DEMONSTRATIONS:
http://aace.org/conf/edmedia/corporate.htm

Companies have the opportunity to demonstrate and discuss their educational
technology products and services in through Corporate Showcases and Demonstrations/Literature.

PROCEEDINGS & PAPER AWARDS:
http://aace.org/pubs
Accepted papers will be published by AACE in the Proceedings Book and on CD-ROM.
Proceedings in this series serve as major resources in the multimedia/
hypermedia/telecommunications community, reflecting the current state of
the art in the discipline.

In addition, the Proceedings also are internationally distributed through and archived in the Education and Information Technology Digital Library, http://EdITLib.org Do You Subscribe?

Papers with high review scores will be invited for publication consideration by AACE’s respected journals, especially for:
- Journal of Educational Multimedia and Hypermedia (JEMH),
- International Journal on E-Learning (IJEJ), or
- Journal of Interactive Learning Research (JILR).

All presented papers will be considered for Best Paper Awards within several categories.
Award winning papers may be invited for publication in the AACE journals.

FOR BUDGETING PURPOSES:
http://aace.org/conf/edmedia/rates.htm

The conference registration fee for all presenters and participants will be
approximately $395 U.S. (AACE members), $450 U.S. (non-members).
Registration includes proceedings on CD, receptions, and all sessions
except tutorials.

All conference sessions will be held at The Westin Harbour Castle on Lake Ontario ( http://aace.org/conf/edmedia/hotel.htm) located on the scenic Lake Ontario and in walking distance to the city’s shopping, dining, and theatre districts.  Special discount hotel have been obtained for ED-MEDIA participants!

TORONTO, CANADA
http://aace.org/conf/cities/toronto/

Toronto is a city built with and for the limitless imaginations of the people who come here to live and those who come to visit. It’s a centre of rare openness, energy and style an intimate metropolis showcasing world-class dining, shopping, creativity, architecture and entertainment. Its skyline includes the CN Tower, one of the Modern Wonders of the World; miles of waterfront, boardwalks and trails; and distinct neighbourhoods with inspiring surprises from artisans’ exhibits to cool cafés around every corner.

For further Toronto Ontario Canada information see: http://www.torontotourism.com/.

Local Attractions with distances from The Westin: http://aace.org/conf/cities/toronto/toronto-attractions.htm

DEADLINES:
http://aace.org/conf/edmedia/deadlines.htm

Submissions Due:          December 18, 2009
Authors Notified:             February 9, 2010
Proceedings File Due:    May 3, 2010
Early Registration:          May 3, 2010
Hotel Reservations:        May 27, 2010
Conference:                   June 28-July 2, 2010

—————————————————————————-
To be added to the mailing list for this conference, link
to  http://www.aace.org/info.htm

If you have a question about ED-MEDIA, please send an e-mail to
AACE Conference Services, conf@aace.org

Contact:
AACE–Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education
P.O. Box 1545
Chesapeake, Virginia 23327  USA
Phone: 757-366-5606 * Fax: 703-997-8760
E-mail: conf@aace.org  *  http://www.AACE.org
***************************************************************

RFP: CELDA 2009 Deadline for Submissions Extended

Dr. Dirk Ifenthaler indicated the deadline for submissions to IADIS CELDA 2009 has been extended to Sept. 7. Click here for the CFP. David Jonassen will be one of the keynote speakers at what is promising to be a great conference in Rome this November.

SIGGRAPH Announces Game Competition

SIGGRAPH 09 will have an on the spot videogame competition. Here are the relevant bits from their press release:

SIGGRAPH announces the launch of GameJam!, a new international videogame competition to be held at SIGGRAPH 2009, the 36th International Conference and Exhibition on Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques.

Teams of three people will compete for 24-consecutive hours to create, design, and implement their best effort at a comprehensive videogame in the allotted timeframe. Each team must contain at least one Programmer, Artist, and Sound Designer. Individuals and teams are welcome to apply. Contestants will be provided with a pre-designated theme as well as the necessary tools and software to complete the challenge. All work must take place on site within the 24-hour period.

Videogames will be judged by a panel of industry experts with prizes awarded in several categories including Best Game Play, Best Sound Design, Best Appearance, Best of Show, Crowd Favorite and Epic Failure. GameJam! will be produced in conjunction with The Sandbox, an area at SIGGRAPH 2009 focused specifically on the gaming industry.

SIGGRAPH 2009 will bring an anticipated 20,000 computer graphics and interactive technology professionals from six continents to New Orleans, Louisiana, USA for the industry’s most respected technical and creative programs focusing on research, science, art, animation, music, gaming, interactivity, education, and the web from Monday, 3 August through Friday, 7 August 2009 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. SIGGRAPH 2009 includes a three-day exhibition of products and services from the computer graphics and interactive marketplace from 4-6 August 2009. More than 200 international exhibiting companies are expected. More details are available at www.siggraph.org/s2009.

CFP: FROG 09

Dr. Konstantin Mitgutsch asked I post the CFP for FROG 09. I understand the previous two FROG conferences were very good.

Call for Papers: 3rd Vienna Games Conference –  Future and Reality of Games (F.R.O.G.) 2009

“Exploring the Edge of Gaming”
Vienna, Austria, Friday 25 to Sunday 27 September 2009; www.bupp.at/frog

Vienna’s annual Games Conference FROG brings together leading game studies researchers, game designers, players, and education professionals from around the world. The main objective of FROG 09 is to explore the edge of gaming and discuss insights into how to reach beyond the limits of theory and practice of game play.

In 2009 the City of Vienna hosts the high profile event “Game City” for the third time, bringing together representatives of the games industry, non-profit organizations, academia and the general public to discuss the current state of computer games, digital youth cultures and games research. The Vienna Games Conference is a key element of the “Game City” roadshow and offers the unique opportunity for researchers from different disciplines and countries, game designers, educators and gamers to meet and discuss in the magnificent Vienna city hall. FROG 2009 is jointly organized by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Economy, Family and Youth, the City of Vienna, wienXtra, the University of Vienna and the Danube-University Krems.

Conference Theme: “Exploring the Edge of Gaming”

Recent discussion in the field of game studies has focused on exploring the phenomenon of play, concepts of game theory, cultural aspects of play and its problematic aspects such as violence and addiction, questions of game design and many more. This year the FROG Conference will focus on questions, challenges, and innovation exploring the edge of gaming, as well as on insights reaching beyond limitations of theories, concepts and models of practice. Therefore not just disciplinary difficulties, methodological obstacles and cultural border crossings shall be investigated, but also new ideas and visions of how to overcome such limitations. The organizers seek proposals covering all aspects of cutting-edge research on digital gaming, gaming culture and game studies within or across academic disciplines that focus on innovation exploring the edges of gaming. All theoretical and methodological approaches that explore the edge of gaming are welcome.

We encourage participation from a wide range of disciplines including Education, Cognitive Psychology, Computer Science, Cultural Anthropology, Fine Arts, Human-Computer Interaction, Media and Communication Studies, Philosophy and Social Science. The FROG Conference facilitates the exchange of ideas and current research findings in an engaging and convivial atmosphere. Submissions are welcome on a wide range of topics, such as:

Exploring the Edges of … Game Studies, Game Design & Game Industry
·    Methods in game research & new frontiers in game studies
·    Border cases: from entertainment to simulation, from … to ….
·    Applied game studies
·    Innovative forms of gaming (e.g. Alternative Reality Games)
·    Innovations in game design, development and production
·    New forms of interactivity and revolutionary game interfaces
·    The rise of independent games (e.g. casual games, art games)

Exploring the Edges of … Learning & Education
·    Methodology of exploring learning
·    New challenges of media literacy
·    Teaching through digital games

Exploring the Edges of … Consumption, Use & Society
·    Gaming cultures (e.g. eSports)
·    Community building
·    Games as Social Software (e.g. XBox Live, Facebook)
·    Playing across generations
·    Barrier-free playing and learning / Inclusion and exclusion
·    Protection of minors & youth policies
·    Questions of violence and addiction

Abstract Submission:
All authors are invited to submit an abstract of research work relating to the FROG 09 subject “Exploring the Edge of Gaming” in either German or English. Authors are required to submit an extended abstract (1500-2000 words) by e-mail no later than 31 May 2009 to the following address: frog@bupp.at.

Extended abstracts should contain:
1. The title of the presentation.
2. Name(s) of the author(s) and affiliation of each author(s).
3. Assignment to the topics (a) Game Studies, Game Design & Game Industry, (b) Learning & Education, (c)  Consumption, Use & Society.
4. Reference to the subject of the FROG 09 Conference “Exploring the Edge of Gaming”.
5. Profound extended abstract outlining the thesis and methodology of the paper.

Workshop sessions: There will also be time slots for workshop sessions for playful brainstorming and the development of new research ideas and projects. Abstracts for the FROG workshop sessions should outline a specific idea or research question (200-300 words).
Reviewing: All abstracts will be reviewed and judged on originality, quality and relevance to the Conference. All accepted abstracts will be printed in a book of abstracts, which will be distributed during the Conference.
Proceedings: Authors of accepted abstracts will be invited to prepare a full paper for publication in the printed proceedings of FROG

Important Dates:
Abstract submission: 31 May 2009
Notification: 25 June 2009
Conference: 25-27 September 2009
Full paper: October 2009

Registration for the Conference & Conference Fee:
·    Early bird: 25 April – 27 July 2009
·    Registration: 25 July – 25 September 2009
·    Conference fee: € 120,- / Early bird: € 100,-
·    Conference fee for students & staff members of youth organizations: € 50,- / Early Bird: € 35,-
·    The registration fees includes admission to all sessions, a printed copy of the Conference Programme, coffee breaks and daily lunch, the Conference Dinner and the Players’ Party.

Conference Programme Co-Chairs:
Jennifer Berger (University of Vienna)
Christoph Klimmt (Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz)
Konstantin Mitgutsch (University of Vienna)
Claus Pias (University of Vienna)
Martin Pichlmair (Vienna University of Technology)
Maja Pivec (University of Applied Sciences FH Joanneum)
Herbert Rosenstingl (Austrian Federal Ministry of Economy, Family and Youth)
Doris Rusch (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
Christian Swertz (University of Vienna)
Michael Wagner (Danube-University Krems)

For any questions, please contact the programme chairs at Konstantin.Mitgutsch(at)univie.ac.at or visit the Conference website www.bupp.at/frog.

Interactive Technologies At the T+L Conference

The folks over at the Educational Technology by IQity blog are at the T+L Conference in Seattle. They’re doing a bang-up job of reporting on presentations and workshops, which are leaning heavily on the interactive, high-tech approach.

The National School Boards Association (NSBA) is presenting the conference. The folks at IQity noted the NSBA’s top 3 educational trends were: Online learning opportunities; Access to school related software and projects anywhere on the network tied with unlimited Internet access; and Online communication tools, notably global social networks. There has long been a convergence of social sites with gaming. Many social sites offer games which members can play together with friends. Meanwhile, many online games serve the same functions as social sites, allowing friends to play together while socializing. A lot of interest is percolating around the idea of harnessing social networks for education, as we saw recently with the development news of a MMORPG for SAT studies.

Another interesting post at the IQity blog centered on virtual science lab software from Toolworks. Virtualizing lab experiments has always been a good idea, and I was impressed by a presentation on Virtual Chemlab earlier this year at FETC. It’s heartening to see the concept produced by a variety of companies aiming at the whole of spectrum of age and grade groups.

You can keep up with all the great posts over at the IQity blog by checking in on their October archive here. I’ve also added them to the blog roll.

CFP: ED-MEDIA 2009

>> Call for Participation Deadline: December 19th <<

ED-MEDIA 2009–
World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia & Telecommunications

* Please forward to a colleague *

http://www.aace.org/conf/edmedia/call.htm
_______________________________________________________________

ED-MEDIA 2009

World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia & Telecommunications

June 22-26, 2009  *  Honolulu, Hawaii

(Sheraton Waikiki Beach Resort)

CALL FOR PARTICIPATION

** Submissions Due: Dec. 19, 2008 **

Hosted by the University of Hawaii

Organized by
Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE)
http://www.aace.org

Co-sponsored by:
Education & Information Technology Digital Library
(htttp://www.EdITLib.org)
______________________________________________________________

** What are your colleagues saying about ED-MEDIA conferences? **
http://www.aace.org/conf/edmedia/testimonials.htm

COLOR POSTER–ED-MEDIA 2009 CALL FOR PARTICIPATION
Available to Print & Distribute (PDF to print; 200kb)
http://www.aace.org/conf/edmedia/ed09poster.pdf

>> CONTENTS & LINKS  (details below) <<

1. Call for Papers and Submission & Presenter Guidelines, Deadline Dec. 19th:
http://www.aace.org/conf/edmedia/call.htm
http://www.aace.org/conf/edmedia/submitguide.htm
http://www.aace.org/conf/edmedia/PresenterLounge

2. Major Topics:  http://www.aace.org/conf/edmedia/topics.htm
3. Presentation Categories: http://www.aace.org/conf/edmedia/categories.htm

4. Corporate Showcases & Demonstrations: http://www.aace.org/conf/edmedia/corporate.htm
5. Proceedings & Paper Awards: http://www.aace.org/pubs
6. For Budgeting Purposes: http://www.aace.org/conf/edmedia/rates.htm

7. Waikiki Beach, Honolulu, Hawaii http://www.aace.org/conf/Cities/Honolulu
8. Deadlines: http://www.aace.org/conf/edmedia/deadlines.htm

INVITATION:
ED-MEDIA 2009–World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia & Telecommunications is an international conference, sponsored by the Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE). This annual conference serves as a multi-disciplinary forum for the discussion and exchange of information on the research, development, and applications on all topics related to multimedia, hypermedia and telecommunications/distance education.

ED-MEDIA, the premiere international conference in the field, spans all disciplines and levels of education and attracts more than 1,500 attendees from over 60 countries. We invite you to attend ED-MEDIA and submit proposals for presentations.

All presentation proposals are peer reviewed and selected by three reviewers on the respected international Program Committee for inclusion in the conference program, proceedings book, and CD-ROM proceedings.

For Call for Presentations, connect to:
http://www.aace.org/conf/edmedia/call.htm

All authors MUST follow the submission guidelines and complete the Web form at:
http://www.aace.org/conf/edmedia/submitguide.htm

For Presentation and AV Guidelines, see:
http://www.aace.org/conf/edmedia/PresenterLounge

PROGRAM ACTIVITIES:
* Keynote Speakers
* Invited Panels/Speakers
* Papers
* Panels
* Demonstrations/Posters
* Corporate Showcases & Demonstrations
* Tutorials/Workshops
* Roundtables

TOPICS:
http://www.aace.org/conf/edmedia/topics.htm

The scope of the conference includes, but is not limited to, the following major topics as they relate to the educational and developmental aspects of multimedia/hypermedia and telecommunications:

1. Infrastructure: (in the large)
- Architectures for Educational Technology Systems
- Design of Distance Learning Systems
- Distributed Learning Environments
- Methodologies for system design
- Multimedia/Hypermedia Systems
- WWW-based course-support systems

2. Tools & Content-oriented Applications:
- Agents
- Authoring tools
- Evaluation of impact
- Interactive Learning Environments
- Groupware tools
- Multimedia/Hypermedia Applications
- Research perspectives
- Virtual Reality
- WWW-based course sites
- WWW-based learning resources
- WWW-based tools

3. New Roles of the Instructor & Learner:
- Constructivist perspectives
- Cooperative/collaborative learning
- Implementation experiences
- Improving Classroom Teaching
- Instructor networking
- Instructor training and support
- Pedagogical Issues
- Teaching/Learning Strategies

4. Human-computer Interaction (HCI/CHI):
- Computer-Mediated Communication
- Design principles
- Usability/user studies
- User interface design

5. Cases & Projects:
- Country-Specific Developments
- Exemplary projects
- Institution-specific cases
- Virtual universities

6. Special Strand:  ** Universal Web Accessibility  **

PRESENTATION CATEGORIES:
http://www.aace.org/conf/edmedia/categories.htm
The Technical Program includes a wide range of interesting and useful activities designed to facilitate the exchange of ideas and information.

CORPORATE SHOWCASES & DEMONSTRATIONS:
http://www.aace.org/conf/edmedia/corporate.htm

Companies have the opportunity to demonstrate and discuss their educational technology products and services in through Corporate Showcases and Demonstrations/Literature.

PROCEEDINGS & PAPER AWARDS:
http://www.aace.org/pubs
Accepted papers will be published by AACE in the Proceedings Book and on CD-ROM. Proceedings in this series serve as major resources in the multimedia/hypermedia/telecommunications community, reflecting the current state of the art in the discipline.

In addition, the Proceedings also are internationally distributed through and archived in the Education and Information Technology Digital Library, http://www.EdITLib.org Do You Subscribe?

Papers with high review scores will be invited for publication consideration by AACE’s respected journals, especially for:
- Journal of Educational Multimedia and Hypermedia (JEMH),
- International Journal on E-Learning (IJEJ), or
- Journal of Interactive Learning Research (JILR).

All presented papers will be considered for Best Paper Awards within several categories. Award winning papers may be invited for publication in the AACE journals.

FOR BUDGETING PURPOSES:
http://www.aace.org/conf/edmedia/rates.htm

The conference registration fee for all presenters and participants will be approximately $395 U.S. (AACE members), $450 U.S. (non-members). Registration includes proceedings on CD, receptions, and all sessions
except tutorials.

All conference sessions will be held at the Sheraton Waikiki Resort ( http://www.aace.org/conf/edmedia/hotel.htm) located on the famous Waikiki Beach and in walking distance to the city’s shopping district – with magnificent views of the Pacific Ocean.  Special discount hotel have been obtained for ED-MEDIA participants!

WAIKIKI BEACH, HONOLULU, HAWAII
http://www.aace.org/conf/Cities/Honolulu

Whether your idea of fun is soaking up the sun on a pristine, white sand beach or nightclubbing in Waikiki, hiking the trails or sampling some of the fantastic Hawaiian Regional Cuisine, we know that you’re going to enjoy yourself on O’ahu.

Explore Hawaii online at:  http://www.gohawaii.com * http://www.visit-oahu.com

DEADLINES:
http://www.aace.org/conf/edmedia/deadlines.htm

Submissions Due:          December 19, 2008
Authors Notified:             February 23, 2009
Proceedings File Due:    May 1, 2009
Early Registration:          May 1, 2009
Hotel Reservations:        May 20, 2009
Conference:                   June 22-26, 2009

—————————————————————————-
To be added to the mailing list for this conference, link
to  http://www.aace.org/info.htm

If you have a question about ED-MEDIA, please send an e-mail to AACE Conference Services, conf at aace.org

Contact:
AACE–Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education
P.O. Box 1545
Chesapeake, Virginia 23327  USA
Phone: 757-366-5606 * Fax: 703-997-8760
E-mail: conf at aace.org  *  http://www.AACE.org
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Rural Broadband, Tech Trends 2008, & TCEA 09

Kathy Sargent, editor of TechEdge, the journal for the Texas Computer Education Association, featured my article “Rural Broadband: High Speed Access Outside the Country School” on the cover of the Fall 08 issue. The cover shot is really interesting, showing a fellow sitting cross legged in the middle of a rural highway, working on a laptop. A nice thing about being published by TCEA, they make my words look good.

I was browsing through the online archives today and found my article from the Spring issue, “Tech Trends 2008.” That’s worth a read for an informal survey of education and industry leaders to capture their thoughts toward trends in education, including some folks heavily involved in educational video games. Click here for the PDF (large file warning).

Now is a good time to remind readers of TCEA 2009, which will happen the first week of Feb. I’ll be involved in two sessions, participating in a round-robin discussion on gaming with Lee Wilson in one and presenting on educational gaming in another.

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A Presentation in Huntsville

I’ve been invited to present on classroom video games at the ESC 6 Educational Technology Conference in Huntsville, TX in November. In years gone by the ESC 6 conference was quite big, and usually held on the campus of Texas A&M University. It seems the state conference came to overshadow it and other regionals as the state conference grew gargantuan in size. Alas, in recent years teachers have tended to focus exclusively on TAKS (the state exams) after Christmas, causing many core teachers to miss the big TCEA Conference in February (or at least not go all 4 days). Now these regional conferences are gaining in popularity, especially for teachers who can’t get to Austin in February. I think they’re also good for vendors who are looking to target teachers and administrators directly. So, if you’re in the Huntsville area north of Houston next month, drop by the conference. More details here.