As we begin to imagine - and to shape - the ‘new normal’ in education, we need every opportunity to learn from each other.

Today the Association for Learning Technology (ALT) is proud to support the launch of the Open Covid Pledge for Education, covering all forms of research, data and know-how that can support the COVID-19 response in education around the world. The creation of the Open Covid Pledge has been co-ordinated by Helen Beetham, Researcher and Consultant, and ALT Member.

About

This blog post is a preamble to my session at the ALT 2020 Online Summit on what we can learn from UX principles for making more accessible and inclusive learning experiences. It outlines some of the key concepts and gives background for thinking about them.

‘President’ is a loaded term, but my Tweets are of a higher standard than that American one, so I think it’s ok. My first ALT conference was in 2004. I remember it was at Exeter University and that I didn’t know what I was doing. Since then I’ve learnt a few things and the ALT community and events have been an extremely important to me. The conference was where I connected with the first people outside of my office.

This is a statement by the Information Literacy Group, a special interest group of the CILIP, the library and information association. Our members come from a range of backgrounds, including significant numbers of librarians and knowledge specialists within Higher and Further Education Institutions, schools, and the health and voluntary sectors.

In the light of the coronavirus pandemic, education has been rapidly transformed by the increasing necessity to deliver remote learning and teaching, and consequently, online assessment practices. Assessment, either formative or summative, is an integral part of teaching and learning, and that holistic approach demands alignment of tools and modes of education experience and delivery, and continuity of technological support from the beginning to an end of the course.

Closing date: 15 September 2020

We are delighted to announce that a number of free scholarship places are still available for the Online Summer Summit this year, thanks to our first Scholarship Sponsor, Vevox.

The Communities of Practice project is led by the Association for Learning Technology (ALT) and funded by Ufi - the VocTech Trust. The project goal is to establish a successful ‘community of practice’ (CoP) where vocational teaching staff are able to acquire, develop and share the digital, and digital pedagogical skills they need to thrive in vocational education. 

The Association for Learning Technology (ALT) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the European Association of Computer Assisted Language Learning (EUROCALL) on 4 March 2020.

 

It’s that time of year where we invite our Members to come and get more involved with ALT.  Taking an active part in the work of the Association ensures that all activities are shaped by Members’ priorities and also offer valuable opportunities for professional development and recognition. We are seeking expressions of interest from our Members from:

The CMALT Accreditation Framework provides pathways to peer-assessed accreditation for Learning Technology professionals in the UK and internationally. Recently, the CMALT and Blended Learning Essentials framework mapping has been updated. 

 

The ALT Learning Technologist of the Year Awards celebrate and reward excellent research and practice and outstanding achievement in Learning Technology. Established in 2007, the Awards have established a benchmark for outstanding achievement in Learning Technology on a national scale and attract competitive entries from the UK and internationally. All entries are reviewed by an independent judging panel chaired by the President of ALT. 

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The full programme for the 2020 Online Summer Summit is now available!  Featuring a wide variety of sessions covering all aspects of learning technology, it is sure to provide an inspiring and engaging two days. There is also a social programme that you can connect with before, during and after the Summit.

We are delighted to announce that a small number of scholarship places are available for the Online Summer Summit this year, thanks to our first Scholarship Sponsor, Vevox. 

ALT's journal, Research in Learning Technology, is supportive of the Open Letter to Editors and Editorial Boards published by the FemEdTech Collective.   We welcome the invitation to reflect on how we support authors, reviewers and editors. As a professional body we want to show our support for the values expressed in the letter.  

ALT’s members are invited to attend this year’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) to be held virtually at ALT's registered office at 10am (BST) on 24 June 2020. The AGM will be open to all and all eligible Members will receive joining instructions and information about how to vote the week prior to the AGM.

Please register to attend now. 

Subheading: Registration for ALT’s 2020 Online Summer Summit 26-27 August is now open!

 

Would you like to add your name to a call for information literacy (IL) to be recognised as a key pillar of the school education system? If so, please consider signing the attached statement and help to influence the future shape of the curriculum.

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Online Summer Summit 2020 - Sponsorship packages now available 

The ALT Online Summer Summit 2020 will bring together Learning Technology practitioners, researchers and policy makers to share strategies for the next academic year and the new challenges now facing us..

ALT are seeking input from Members on behalf of Universities UK (UUK), in a call for case studies. 

UUK are looking for case studies or examples of the following, where universities have:

• Worked with overseas partners to manage a move to delivering in-country online learning (for international students who are not now in the UK, and may not be able to return in September)