On December 16th the 2nd Social Media for Learning in Higher Education Conference will take place, bringing together educators from many disciplines to share how they are using social media in learning and teaching.

With social media, we have an array of simple and powerful tools that help us think creatively and critically about learner empowerment. It is time for us to better understand the potential of social media to change the learning experience of students and academics in higher education. Questions we need to address include

• Are we empowering students by adopting and adapting social, open, mobile and networked learning and media?
• How critically are we shaping the opportunity that is emerging?
• How sure are we that the social, open and networked space, with all of the autonomy it suggests, is good for our students?

The HE sector needs to be able to address these questions, and others, before the place for social media in higher education learning is clear. The social media for learning landscape is vibrant and remains full of possibilities. Only together will we begin to reliably develop its potential.

The theme for the conference is ‘The Empowered Learner’ and there is a fascinating collection of short papers, workshops, thunderstorm presentations and posters in response to the call for submissions. Indicative sub themes included:

• Autonomous development and ownership of learning experience
• Making connections and becoming networked, communities of practice
• Applying personal experience in a professional sphere
• Becoming digitally capable in a social world
• Being informed and in control of your digital identity
• The student-teacher relationship
• Authentic learning experiences
• The evolution of curriculum design
• Change agents, scaling up and moving beyond the cottage industry

Why should you attend?

1. The event will provide a great opportunity to learn about how social media has empowered the learners of colleagues presenting.
2. It provides you with a chance to network and share your experiences.
3. It may even provide an opportunity for future collaborations.
4. A guaranteed outcome will be that you can extend your professional network through meeting people and making new connections.
5. During the pre-conference dinner and the conference day itself you will be able to discuss issues and share ideas about how these have been or could be addressed.
6. You will be part of a growing community that is working together to better understand the potential of social media to change the learning experience of students and academics in higher education.

Key information

• How to book
• Abstracts for the short papers/workshops/thunderstorms/posters 
• Questions: If you have any questions, please email the conference team at socmedhe@shu.ac.uk

Key dates for your diary:

• Early bird rate ends 21st November 2016
• Pre-conference social event 15th December 2016 – 6pm onwards