Is technology beneficial for children?

The tech attack
The debate surrounding the effects of technology on children is enormous, but what is the reality behind the hype? Roísín Burke reports. …

From Silicon Republic

Fullbright lecture: “A Radical Vision for Third-Level Education Today: Reconnecting with Community”

This event, “A Radical Vision for Third-Level Education Today: Reconnecting with Community”, will take place on Wednesday, 5th March in the College. Tea and coffee will be available from 4 pm and the lecture will commence at 4:30 pm.

Professor Chip Bruce is Professor of Library and Information Science at the University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign, USA. He has a background in computer science and a wealth of experience in working with communities in the local Chicago area. Professor Bruce has been working with the College and the local schools in the Docklands community on a number of new projects aimed at widening participation in higher education.

The ensuing panel discussion, focusing on the implications and application of the Chicago experience to Dublin, will consist of:

Mr Ken Duggan, School Principal, Westland Row CBS
Prof Áine Hyland, former Professor of Education and Vice President (Academic), UCC
Mr Gerry Kelly, Director of Social Regeneration, Dublin Docklands Development Authority
Mr Seanie Lambe, Director, Inner City Renewal Group
Ms Michele Ryan, School of Community Studies, National College of Ireland

Please RSVP by Monday, 25th February to Beatrice Cantalejo, on bcantalejo@ncirl.ie, or 01 4498695.

Yours sincerely,

Dr Paul Mooney
President
National College of Ireland

Minister Hanafin announces almost €100million for Higher Education reform process (SIF2)

Universities and Institutes of Technology across the country are set to receive some €97 million in funding from the Strategic Innovation Fund, Minister for Education and Science Mary Hanafin T.D. announced today. A total of 31 projects have been approved of which 30 are collaborative.

The SIF was introduced by Minister Hanafin to support internal change, enhance collaboration between higher education institutions, improve teaching and learning, as well as promote access and lifelong learning and support the development of fourth level education.

More..

ILTA newsletter experiment

ILTA are currently reviewing how best to distribute a regular newsletter to members. Any suggestions can be sent to me at brian.mulligan@gmail.com - In the meantime, I am experimenting with using this blog for that purpose - if you have any snippets of interest to the membership (particularly about your own organisation) please email it to me. In addition, please feel free to comment on postings on the blog. (Select Comment below)

GAA pip IT Sligo for e-learning award

The GAA won the e-learning category of the Digital Media Awards in the Crown Plaza Hotel on the 7th of February. It is believed they pipped IT Sligo School of Engineering. Unfortunately the Digital Media Awards website does not seem to be fully functioning at the moment so further details are not available.

EdTech2008 Call for Papers

IRISH LEARNING TECHNOLOGY ASSOCIATION

EdTech 2008

Ninth Annual Irish

Educational Technology Users' Conference

22nd and 23rd May, 2008, Dundalk, Ireland

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

EdTech 2008 offers a unique and comprehensive focus for exchanging information and expertise in the ever changing world of technology enhanced learning. We are pleased to invite you to make submissions describing applications, experiences and research in the use of technology enhanced learning. In line with the original objectives of the conference series, the main theme of this conference is Breaking Barriers. It includes the sub-themes of Open Source to Open Content, New Frontiers and Transforming Learning from Practice. The conference will host dedicated tracks for presentations of novel use and application of technology in learning (Practitioner Track) as well as a Research Track dedicated to new and emerging learning technologies and practices. An additional session will be dedicated to Postgraduate Student papers. We are looking for submissions:

• Practitioner Track: Extended Abstract describing an application or evaluation of technology enhanced learning (400 - 500 words)
• Research Track: Short Paper describing new or emergent ideas, technology or practice in technology enhanced learning (2,000 - 2,500 words)
• Postgraduate Student Track: Extended Abstract describing postgraduate student work in progress in the any of the research areas listed above (400 - 500 words)

Schedule

• Deadline for submission to all tracks is March 6^th
• Authors will be informed by March 27^th
• Final versions of any accepted papers may be submitted up to April 17^th (All abstracts and papers will be published online)
• All presentation (PDF or PowerPoint) slides must be submitted by May 9^th and will be made available via the ILTA website during the conference.

Submission Instructions

• To access the EdTech 2008 submission system please go to: http://kdeg.cs.tcd.ie/conferences/edtech08/openconf.php
• Follow the "Submit a paper" link
• Fill in the required details on the form (if you are uploading a Word or PowerPoint document, please ensure that you still fill in the "abstract" field)

ThirdForce Profits

From Electricnews.net

ThirdForce records profit in 2007

Irish e-learning firm ThirdForce has said its profit for 2007 has come in ahead of market expectations but expects growth in 2008 to fall short.

Full story at http://www.electricnews.net/news.html?code=10123907