Advancing Learning: Insights and Innovations

General Session Speakers

Carole Barone

Larry Johnson

Alan Kay

Andy Lark

Marc Prensky

Advances in technology have allowed higher education to make learning increasingly available to anyone, at any time. As these advances continue, the discussion has shifted to include not only how technology can expand access to education, but how higher education can use technology to enable more successful learning.

Join us at the 2006 EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative (ELI, formerly NLII) Annual Meeting, Advancing Learning: Insights and Innovations, to explore our fundamental assumptions about what, where, and how we educate. We'll focus on the ways institutions can enhance student learning, going beyond specific examples of innovation to the processes and practices that enable systemic progress toward more effective learning.

Many meeting sessions will deal with the ways in which information technology can mitigate the limitations of our current learning models. Some of the questions we'll discuss are:

• What factors limit successful learning–access? time? pedagogy? space? institutional support?
• What should we understand about learners, learning principles, and learning technologies that would allow us to enhance learner success?
• What assumptions should we challenge: what it means to be "educated?" who our students are? the models we use for teaching and learning? how we use technology?
• What must we do to move beyond the limitations of our current learning practices?

In the ELI tradition, the annual meeting is a setting for interactive and hands-on learning, with a variety of presentations, discussions, and workshops. Sessions will fall into one of three interest areas: learners, learning principles and practices, and learning technologies. In addition, ELI will once again offer Experience It Sessions, which provide participants the opportunity to gain direct experience with emerging learning practices and technologies.

(Please Note: To make the Experience It sessions' hands-on activities possible, space is limited and in-person registration for these sessions is required. If you would like to participate in an Experience It session, please plan to register for one at the ELI Registration Desk onsite.)

Read message about ELI Annual Meeting and union activity.

Featured Speakers

Distinguished featured speakers will anchor the four concurrent track presentation time slots on Monday and Tuesday with addresses on key issues facing higher education professionals.

• Living Our Future: The Implications of Teen Use of Technology—Harrison Rainie, Director, Pew Internet & American Life Projects
• Making the Case for Interaction—Robert J. Beichner, Alumni Distinguished Professor of Physics, North Carolina State University
• Expanding Cyber Communities—Cathy N. Davidson, Vice Provost and Ruth F. Devarney Professor of English, Duke University
• The Digital Natives are Restless: Digital Game-Based Learning and the Future of Education—Richard Van Eck, Associate Professor, Instructional Design & Technology, University of North Dakota
• Beyond Technical Competence: Literacy in Information and Communication Technology—Irvin R. Katz, Senior Research Scientist, Education Testing Service

Audience

• CIOs
• Academic technology directors
• Instructional designers
• Librarians
• Faculty
• Administrators

Premeeting Preparations

Speakers may recommend white papers, Web sites, articles, and other resources for specific topics or sessions that may be helpful to review before the meeting. These materials will be posted on the Premeeting Preparations page as they are provided to us.

Attend as a Team

The ELI Annual Meeting is usually most valuable to those institutions that send a team. Institutional teams have rich opportunities for collaboration and are better prepared to implement what they learn. We encourage you to attend as a team.