York, home to a number of successful technology-enhanced learning programs, including the Centre for the Support of Teaching and Atkinson’s Centre for Distance Education, is going to host a major conference on distance learning and instructional technology. The conference will showcase the latest in innovative education and new ways to deliver it.
From Sunday to Wednesday, May 30 to June 2, Atkinson Faculty of Liberal & Professional Studies, in collaboration with Glendon College, will host the 2004 Canadian Association for Distance Education (CADE) and This is IT 2004 Conference, called “Pioneers in a New Age”. The conference will be held in the TEL Building on the Keele campus.
“The conference program covers a very wide range and offers a tantalizing mix of topics: from innovative software to learning communities, and from course design to institutional partnerships,” said Atkinson Dean Rhonda Lenton (right), conference co-chair. “I have no doubt that this will be an exciting and groundbreaking conference.
“We are pleased to be co-hosting this event with Glendon College, on behalf of CADE and the Educational Technology Committee [ETC] of the Association of Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology of Ontario’s This is IT [Instructional Technology].”
Glendon Principal Ken McRoberts said, “For many years, Glendon College has championed the use of multimedia learning aids to enhance learning. Glendon was one of the pioneers in the field of technology-based distance education. It is thus very natural that Glendon should be associated with the annual CADE-IT conference. This year’s conference promises to be the best yet, addressing an impressive breadth of topics.”
Dawn Mercer, ETC executive Chair, added, “It is a particular pleasure to be using a shared University-College facility for this event; one that has been planned to facilitate technology enhanced learning. We hope that conference delegates will be enriched by every aspect of the conference: the planned sessions as well as the informal networking; the challenging new ideas and the fun. We want participants to celebrate the unique opportunities provided in this joint conference and to get full benefit from all of the activities that have been planned.”
This conference coincides with CADE’s 21st anniversary. “We are on campus and will get a chance to see how York University lives,” said Bill Fricker, president of CADE. “Of course the ‘living’ will be accentuated by the exciting conference program, festive atmosphere, York’s hospitality, the opportunities for networking and the camaraderie.”
The conference will showcase accessible, effective and innovative educational strategies, as well as ways to leverage technology to provide new methods of learning online, at a distance, in the classroom and in the workplace. This event will be of special interest to those involved in education, training and professional development, including: K-12, college and university sectors; educational administrators, policy-makers/decision-makers and governmental agencies; trainers in private, public and not-for-profit sector organizations; and technology experts.
Program highlights:
- Eight pre-conference workshops;
- Internationally renowned keynote speakers from Canada, the US and Britain;
- Over 150 presentations offered during 80 conference sessions delivered by leaders in the field of distance, online and technology-enhanced education and training;
- An awards banquet recognizing excellence in open and distance learning, and in the educational use of learning technologies;
- Many opportunities to network with other professionals.
Visit Pioneers in a New Age for registration and conference details.