The digital age requires new approaches to teaching and learning that respond to the current and future needs of students and the challenge of meeting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal of quality education for all. Online, open and flexible learning creates opportunities for innovation in teaching, learning and skills development.
Delegates from North America, Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Nations, Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, and the Arab States are gathering in Toronto, Canada, in October 2017 to expand boundaries and explore new frontiers of teaching, learning and skills development.
The World Conference on Online Learning: Teaching in The Digital Age – Re-Thinking Teaching & Learning, the 27th edition of the International Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE) World Conference, is your opportunity to connect, engage, and exchange with international colleagues.
Join us from October 17-19, 2017, as the world comes to Canada to explore new frontiers for teaching and learning in the digital age.
In Toronto, you can expect to meet:
The program for the World Conference on Online Learning integrates concepts such as applications of technology, quality assurance, and presentations of new applications and models as central components of the conference.
Five tracks highlight the key areas in which the Conference seeks to explore:
Throughout the three days of this World Conference, you will participate in focused discussions, breakthrough technology showcases, interactive panel presentations, innovation labs, research sharing, hands-on demonstrations, ideas exchanges, presentations of academic papers, as well as plenaries featuring world-renowned experts.
To discover best practices from around the world, find out about transformative developments and new trends, tackle cutting edge topics, exchange with international colleagues, and dialogue with provocative thinkers in the world of online, open and flexible learning all focused on Re-thinking Teaching & Learning in the context of Teaching in a Digital Age, this is the conference to attend.
This track explores innovations in designs for online, open, and flexible teaching and learning, research on learning processes and outcomes, and how new approaches to learning embrace quality and student engagement.
All over the world, faculty and instructors are experimenting with new instructional models and technological applications, such as flipped classrooms, collaborative online projects, and competency-based learning. As acceptance of these approaches grows, educators are looking for models of successful applications that are easy to adapt and supported by research. An essential component of these developments is faculty support from their institutions.
Track 1 addresses questions such as:
Access to, and success in, higher education are factors needing improvement in most regions of the world, despite the massive growth in the number of schools, colleges, universities, literacy and basic skills and other providers.
The realities of the under-represented student populations vary around the world. Equitable education for women has long been a high priority goal in many regions. Special efforts to improve access and success, including flexible course design, funding and support, are essential for Indigenous populations, migrants, refugees, marginalized groups, those with disabilities, and those living in rural and remote communities with limited access to educational opportunities. Projects, programs and research to expand access, openness, and flexibility offer valuable examples of how online, open and flexible learning can address these challenges.
Track 2 addresses questions such as:
The strategies for colleges, universities and other higher education providers to track and report on student achievement are becoming more sophisticated. Technologies and software can now provide an enormous amount of detail on the performance of individual students, class groups, and institutions. While this may raise privacy concerns, it also offers a wealth of data for better understanding learning and the actual behaviour of students.
Track 3 addresses questions such as:
There are game changing developments in the tools and resources being developed and adapted for learning all over the world. Virtual reality, augmented reality, artificial intelligence, robotics, simulations, serious learning games, open educational resources (OER), and Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are all among the resources that have appeared in the last few years. While some, like OER and MOOCs have received considerable attention, others are only beginning to make their presence felt.
In addition, social media are being integrated into course delivery, especially for collaboration and communication. These networks may be set up by the faculty or the students themselves.
For all of these developments, questions of quality, access, cost, accreditation, integration, and effectiveness are being asked – and answered.
Track 4 addresses questions such as:
Managing the growth of online, open, and flexible learning poses major challenges for institutional planning and management.
Online, open, and flexible learning requires new capacities and priorities in institutions, while rapidly changing technology calls for constant renewal. Learning technologies are requiring traditional institutions to make substantial changes to their organizational structures and processes, including institutional decision-making.
Collaboration, whether local or international, presents enormous opportunities, but also comes with its own set of challenges and requirements for change.
Track 5 addresses questions such as:
The plenaries, demonstrations, and conference program are offered in English. As well, to recognize the diversity of attendees, selected sessions are offered in French and Spanish. Simultaneous interpretation may be available for plenaries.
The World Conference on Online Learning is designed to be first and foremost an opportunity to interact, exchange and share.
Come to Toronto in October 2017 to break new grounds in teaching, learning and skills development with delegates from North America, Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Nations, Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, and the Arab States.
Download the World Conference on Online Learning Theme and Tracks (PDF)