The inaugural Social Media for Learning in Higher Education Conference is to be held on 18th December 2015 at Sheffield Hallam University. The call for papers has just gone out and closes Midday 3rd September 2015.
Full details can be found on the conference website
https://blogs.shu.ac.uk/socmedhe/
Do follow @SocMedHe on Twitter and updates via the conference hashtag #SocMedHE15
Below captures a snapshot from the conference page.
We are delighted to announce the inaugural Social Media for Learning in Higher Education Conference #SocMedHE15, a one day conference, with pre-conference dinner to be held at Sheffield Hallam University. #SocMedHE15 is about the use of social media for learning in Higher Education; it has been designed to create a forum for academics, their students, developers and strategic managers to consider the opportunities, challenges and the disruptive influence of social media for learning. The conference will be structured around three themes allowing us to explore the pedagogic possibilities of social media, as well as the strategic and operational challenges institutions face in supporting it.
The title of this year’s conference is:
“Finding Our Social Identity”
Conference aim
#SocMedHE15 will debate and examine our use of social media and its impact on the higher education learning landscape. Together, we will develop our understanding of good, sustainable practice by sharing accounts of emerging innovation in the pedagogic use of social media.
Rationale
Teaching and learning in higher education is responding to the opportunities presented by social media, as its promise of increasing access and flexibility becomes clearer (HEA: ‘Conditions of flexibility’ 2014). Social media enables us to learn collectively by creating powerful, responsive Personal Learning Networks and social open learning environments (Dabbagh et al., 2012). It challenges us to understand and value the importance of openness and community in learning as we explore the rapidly developing phenomenon of MOOCs (Jisc, 2013). Social media is beginning to change the identity of higher education.
Although this newly forming landscape can be fascinating and rewarding, the challenge of developing digital capability (JISC) and confidence confronts us as institutions, teachers and students. Our understandings of employability and social and professional responsibility continuously change, making it difficult to put sustainable support and development strategies in place (Digital Skills Select Committee, 2015). The conference themes allow us to investigate the disruptive nature of social media; share our practice in the use of social media for networked, social and active learning, and to consider some of the challenges of being responsive, supportive and open for change. The conference keynote from Eric Stoller, will challenge and inspire us to review social media in our context, explore the opportunities of extending our networks for learning, and understand how we as universities need to respond to the Social Age.
Key dates for your diary:
- Call for participation closes Midday 3rd September 2015
- Early bird registration will open in early September 2015
- Standard registration will open 2nd November 2015
Visit the conference website for more information https://blogs.shu.ac.uk/socmedhe/
Sue Beckingham
Social Media for Learning 