A very interesting-sounding conference! And great to see that the conference fee is waived for accepted speakers.
Mobile learning and autonomy in second language acquisition
> Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha
> Departamento de Filología Moderna
> Facultad de Humanidades
> TOLEDO, Spain
> 17th, 18th & 19th September, 2009
>
> Under the impact of ICTs in general and portable technologies in particular,
> mLearning (mobile learning) is becoming a vibrant variety of e-learning. In
> close connection with its disciplinary neighbours like CALL, CMC or Distance
> Learning, mLearning is challenging conventional teaching-and-learning
> practices, thereby becoming a fundamental area for future developments of
> autonomy and independence in second language acquisition.
>
> In this context, the EU-funded Lingua Projects EUROPODIANS (Language Courses
> for Mobile Technologies) and AMICITIAS (Ambient Intelligence as a Compelling
> Instructional Tool for Interlinguistic and Intercultural Skills) will be
> hosting a conference in the city of Toledo (Spain) on 18-20 September 2009.
> This conference invites 20-minute sessions addressing the connections between
> mLearning devices (iPods, PDAs, mobile phones, portable computers, etc.) and
> self-directed learning. The symposium will become a forum to share
> developments and experiences about theories, approaches, principles and
> applications of mLearning, with a especial emphasis on the application of
> mLearning for second language acquisition in general and learner autonomy in
> particular.
>
> Although other topics may be considered, we welcome paper proposals dealing
> with, but not being limited to, issues such as the following:
>
>
>
> 1. Theorizing mobile learning within second-language acquisition.
>
> 2. Mobile learning and its disciplinary neighbours: ICT-based Learning,
> CALL, Distance Learning, Lifelong Learning, Autonomy and Independence in
> language learning.
>
> 3. Mobile learning and its potential for blended learning programmes.
>
> 4. Portable technologies and their integration within conventional
> face-to-face tuition practices.
>
> 5. Mobile learning devices and language-learning virtual platforms.
>
> 6. The potential of portable technologies for the teaching and learning
> of culture.
>
> THE CITY OF TOLEDO:
> The conference will take place in the magnificent city of Toledo, World
> Heritage Site. The former capital of the Spanish Empire, and the place of
> co-existence of Christian, Jewish and Moorish cultures in the medieval
> period, is today a most culturally and monumentally rich tourist destination
> in Spain, attracting millions of visitors every year. Toledo is conveniently
> located, only 35 minutes from Madrid on the frequent high-speed trains
> servicing the city. The conference venue will be the Palace of Padilla in
> Toledo, located in the historic centre of Toledo.
>
> IMPORTANT DATES:
31st July, 2009: Submission of ABSTRACTS. Please send 250-word abstracts
> to: or Please indicate
> your full name, address and affiliation.
> § August 15th, 2009: Notification of acceptance.
> § 17th, 18th & 19th September, 2009: Conference dates.
>
> KEYNOTE SPEAKERS:
> Marie-Noëlle Lamy (The Open University, UK)
> David Robison (University of Bradford, UK)
>
> PUBLICATION:
> Selected papers will be published in a volume after the conference.
> CONFERENCE LANGUAGES:
>
> Although the official language of the symposium will be English, papers in
> other major languages are welcomed.
> CONFERENCE CONVENORS:
>
> Javier Enrique Díaz-Vera & Eduardo de Gregorio-Godeo
> ORGANISING COMMITTEE:
> María del Mar Ramón Torrijos, Helena Aikin, Edel Porter, Rafael Cruz
> González & José Miguel Alcolado Carnicero
> ENQUIRIES may be sent to: >
> > or
> >
>
> FURTHER INFORMATION:
>
> exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.uclm.es/actividades/2009/mobilearn>
> (currently under construction).
CALL FOR POSTER PRESENTATIONS: Autonomy in a connected world
Sponsored by IATEFL Learner Autonomy SIG, the SWON (formerly SWAN) one-day conference will be hosted this year by the Open University, Milton Keynes (within easy reach of London and Birmingham by train). SWON is a network of academics and research students at the universities of Sheffield, Warwick, Nottingham and the Open University, who share an interest in researching and promoting autonomy in language learning.
This year’s event entitled ‘Autonomy in a connected world’ will take place at the Open University in Milton Keynes on Friday 11 December 2009. As well as a number of researchers from the Open University, three invited speakers will be giving presentations at this event:
* Bernd Rüschoff, Professor of Applied Linguistics, Duisburg-Essen, Germany
* Ema Ushioda, Programme Director of the Doctorate of Education in Applied Linguistics, University of Warwick, UK.
* Elspeth Broady, Independent educational consultant, joint editor of Language Learning Journal
Presentations will include the following topics:
* Autonomy and identity
* Autonomy and agency in a virtual learning community
* Developing distance teachers to support collaborative, autonomous language learning
* Teacher-learner autonomy in a connected world
* Affect and autonomy: issues for learning and performance
* Shared autonomy: creating learning objects for others
* Web 2.0 social software and autonomous language learning
* Multimodal competence and autonomy
There will also be a poster session where PhD and EdD students in particular are encouraged to present their work. Poster presenters who would like to take part in the conference are invited to submit a summary of the content for a proposed poster in no more than 200 words by Friday 19th June 2009. Please send your summary to Julie Grayson (j.grayson@open.ac.uk).
The conference fee, which will include lunch and refreshments, will be:
Early-bird registration (by Friday 30th October)
IATEFL Members £45
Non-Members £55
Students £25
Late registration
IATEFL Members £50
Non-Members £60
Students £30
Someone recently pointed me to the The European Learning Styles Information Network (ELSIN), which I had not heard of before. It is an organisation in the area of general education but I am sure a lot of their work would be relevant to language learning and teaching to. On their website, (which appears to be down at the moment) they say:
The European Learning Styles Information Network (ELSIN) is an association ofacademics, researchers, trainers and practitioners in the fields of education, psychology, business, computer science, information systems, management and other related fields who are interested in the theory and application of learning and cognitive styles and strategies of learning and thinking. One of ELSIN’s greatest strengths is its interdisciplinarity.
They are organising a conference next year on ‘learning in higher education’, which includes the following themes:
1. Style in higher education
2. Style in vocational and professional education
3. Student learning styles and strategies
4. Methodologies for researching style in education
5. Putting style research into practice in the classroom
6. Style test development and psychometrics
7. Paradigms and style
For more information about the ELSIN 2009 conference, please contact the conference organisers at: charlesworth@glion.ch or c.evans@ioe.ac.uk
The 8th International Language and Development Conference will be held on 23 - 25 June 2009 in Dhaka, Bangladesh. I attended the 2005 event in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) and thought it was a wonderful conference and a great opportunity to see, in my opinion at least, the bigger picture of what we are doing. I highly recommend you consider going to this conference. Below is the information as sent out:
British Council Bangladesh is pleased to announce the Eighth International Conference on Language and Development. The Ministry of Education and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of People’s Republic of Bangladesh and Department for International Development (DFID) Bangladesh has agreed to provide necessary support for the conference. University Grants Commission of Bangladesh (UGC), Institute of Education and Research (IER), University of Dhaka, Bangladesh have also given their consent to work as strategic partners.
The broad theme of the conference will be: Language and Development: Socio Cultural Issues and Challenges
Subtheme - 1. Language, Gender and Development
Subtheme - 2. The Role of Languages in National and Cultural Identity
Subtheme - 3. Sociolinguistic issues: Challenges and Opportunities
Subtheme - 4. Capacity building for National Development
Subtheme - 5. Language and Technology
These issues will be approached from the perspective of policy makers, language and literacy educators and that of multi-lateral and bilateral donors.
The 2009 conference is the eighth in a series which began in Bangkok in 1993 and was followed by Bali in 1995, Langkawi in 1997, Hanoi in 1999, Phnom Penh in 2001, Tashkent in 2003, and Addis Ababa in 2005.
For further information please contact Mirza Beg, Education Projects and ELT Manager, British Council, Bangladesh at mirza.beg@bd.britishcouncil.org, and Jui Judith Gomes, Education Officer, British Council, Bangladesh at judith.gomes@bd.britishcouncil.org.
Conference details are available on http://www.langdevconference-bd.org/
