2007 Theme

ITPNZ and FLLinNZ are pleased to host eFest 2007 – Making the Change Real.

The way we interact with each other in society and in the global economy has changed dramatically over the past 5 years with the influence of information and communication technologies. Most learners today take these ICT influences for granted and yet this adoption is still not reflected to the same degree in everyday formal education settings. How do learning experiences supported by ICT become the norm for educators and learners rather than the exception?

Expectations of learners and the modern demands of work and life now require educators to look at more flexible methods of delivery. This is the added challenge. Stimulating, engaging and effective learning experiences need to occur no matter where and when learning takes place. Learning supported flexibly by ICT interventions can help educators and learners rise to this challenge.

We need to recognise the need to provide learning services in different ways. Delivering these experiences effectively requires us to work together differently, acquire new skills, learn to use new tools and adopt new roles in educational situations. A lot of experience and knowledge has been developed in the education sector over the past 5 years, boosted in New Zealand by Government funding, such as the Tertiary Education Commission's e-learning collaborative development (eCDF) funded projects.

So how do we finally make the change real? How do we embed this experience into everyday educational practice?   The focus of eFest for 2007 is to provide you with practical strategies to help you make these changes.  This will be at many levels; professional development, changing roles, changing organisations and technologies.

Subthemes

1. Adopting relevant and responsive learning environments: One of the issues today is that there are just so many technology-supported learning environments and systems to choose from, including those which support both formal and informal learning. New learning approaches are also impacting on a re-think of physical learning spaces. This theme focuses on how practitioners have made decisions about learning environments and why these choices will support our learners into the future

2. Supporting our practitioners in their changing roles: It has long been recognised that facilitating learning in new technology-supported environments, using learning strategies which may differ from traditional notions of ‘teaching and learning’ is a challenge for many practitioners. This theme looks at the professional development approaches practitioners and institutions are using to assist changes in roles and practice.

3. Supporting the delivery of flexible learning through implementing organisational change: Moving to different delivery modes requires a re-think of organisational structures, resources, processes and policies to ensure continued quality of delivery for learners. This theme looks at the necessary strategic and business changes which need to be considered for sustainability and longer term success.

4. Harnessing innovative technology to meet the needs of our learners: There is no doubt that technologies are changing the very nature of teaching and learning, placing far more emphasis on learner-control; learners having access to technologies which support formal and informal learning in many non-traditional contexts. What can practitioners and learners do to make the best of these new opportunities and move from theory into practice? This theme looks at the practical application of innovative learning technologies to the learning experience.

Who is eFest for?

eFest is for people exploring the use of technology in teaching and learning, including teaching staff, course designers and developers, technologists, policymakers, decision-makers and those engaged in learning and training. Although eFest 2007 is hosted by the Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics, it is expected to be a significant event for those across the tertiary education sector. efest is increasingly attracting attendees from the universities, wānanga, PTEs, and secondary schools.