Call for Papers: Learning Technology innovation in Higher Education and beyond

The call for papers for a Special Issue of Research in Learning Technology, the Journal of the Association for Learning Technology has been issued at http://go.alt.ac.uk/1r87Xlp.

All accepted papers will be published as a Special Issue of Research in Learning Technology, “Learning Technology innovation in Higher Education and beyond: Sharing global perspectives on research, practice and policy?”.

The Special Issue focuses on the latest innovations in digital technologies for teaching and learning in Higher Education and beyond internationally.

The Special Issue will provide a snapshot/summary of current research – will identify what digital technology innovations are being implemented in higher education and beyond, how they are being researched, and what are the implications for practice and policy.

Research topics may include:

• How do we collaborate at the forefront of research;
• What research is being conducted in terms of digital learning technology innovations in Higher Education globally;
• Use of social media for teaching and learning;
• Integration of online, blended learning models;
• Use and development of learning analytics;
• Personalised and mobile learning;
• Massive Open Online Courses and other models;
• Gamification.

Practice topics may include:

• How can institutions support innovation;
• What role do learners play in practice;
• Teaching – professional development and digital competences;
• Factors encouraging TEL;
• Strategic questions;
• Technology enhanced learning currently in use;
• Support for technology enhanced learning tools;
• Looking to the future.

Policy topics may include:

• What governments/policymakers can do in terms of facilitating quality take up of new modes of teaching and learning;
• What is the policy around digital capacity for teaching and learning in higher education;
• What is the current comparative state-of-play in terms of national TEL policy – enablers, barriers and support to progress the adoption, use and practices of TEL in HE;
• Structural issues – infrastructures for new modes, Quality and Quality Assurance, funding models, accreditation of credits/recognition, questions around IPR, language issues;
• Evidence-based policy and practice – How current are we in terms of sectoral information harvesting?  Can we make use of this for local policy and practice?;
• Are there new national TEL policies that have recently been developed? How do they move things on from previous outputs?

Submissions

We expect the majority of papers to report on empirical work undertaken that examines the effectiveness or impact of the implementation of the digital technology innovation.

Submissions need to explain the theoretical basis of the innovation which can be focused at the unit/subject level, the program/course level or the institutional level.

Submissions can also critically review and consolidate prior work, through literature review, theoretical and historical analysis and critique.

Each author should focus on one of  these themes and address the overall aim of the issue.

The issue has the overarching aim to bring together perspectives from around the globe that reflect the increasingly international, collaborative nature of technology in education.

All submissions should clearly explain the global context of the work discussed and where appropriate show what kind of (international) collaboration has informed or supported it.

Webinar for authors

A free webinar for authors will take place in September to provide informal feedback to authors and to enable authors to meet editors and ask questions about their potential submission. The webinar is free to attend and open to all, but participants are required to register their interest here http://goo.gl/1mZa3C.

How to submit

Before submitting a manuscript authors should carefully review the style guidelines for Research in Learning Technology.

Submit papers online via the Research in Learning Technology website at http://go.alt.ac.uk/1c1LRGX.

The deadline for submissions: 14th October 2014.

Call for reviewers

We are also seeking reviewers to review submissions for this Special Issue. Reviewers will be asked to attend a free webinar briefing in early October at the start of the 6 week review period. Reviewers will be asked to review between one and three submissions within a 4 week period with second reviews required in some instances.

Reviewers are asked to complete this sign-up form at http://goo.gl/1mZa3C and will be able to act as a general reviewer for Research in Learning Technology after the Special Issue is published, provided they have successfully completed the required reviews.