2005 News Releases
June 22, 2005World experts gather in Calgary to discuss e-learning
OECD and Alberta government host conference on technology in higher learning
Calgary... Experts from around the world will gather in Calgary later this month to share ideas about e-learning in post-secondary education. The conference, to be held June 26-28, is being jointly hosted by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the Government of Canada and the Government of Alberta.
"E-learning is a new frontier in higher learning," said Advanced Education and Technology Minister Dave Hancock, who will address delegates on the final day of the conference on June 28. "This conference will be a great opportunity to learn more about what's happening with e-learning around the world. It will also be a good chance to showcase the leading-edge work happening right here in our province in e-learning and distance education, like e-campus Alberta and the Alberta SuperNet."
The conference will include key speakers from around the world, such as Dr. Kuzvinetsa Peter Dzvimbo of The African Virtual University, Dr. Jeong Taik Lee of The Korea Research Institute for Vocational Education and Training, and Alberta's Dr. Terry Anderson of Athabasca University. The conference brings together policy makers, institutional decision makers, practitioners, researchers, and industry leaders in the field of e-learning to discuss major e-learning topics, share best practices and identify opportunities for research and collaboration.
The basis for the conference is a new report from the OECD called E-learning in Tertiary Education: Where do we Stand? Written in partnership with the Observatory on Borderless Higher Education, the report is based on 19 case studies from 13 different countries. The report will be highlighted and discussed at the three-day international conference.
"E-learning is a field which changes shape and direction quickly", said Tom Schuller, Head of the OECD's Centre for Educational Research and Innovation. "This report gives a sense of the strategic issues facing governments and institutions as they grapple with future options."
The conference, to be held at the TELUS Convention Centre in Calgary, is open to media and will include speakers from around the world.
Backgrounder
About this Conference
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the Government of Canada and the Government of Alberta are co-hosting a conference on e-Learning in Post-Secondary Education. The conference, to be held in Calgary, Alberta from June 26-28, 2005, will bring together policy makers to identify and discuss policy opportunities and challenges as they relate to post-secondary e-learning.
The Organizing Committee comprises partners from: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development; Council of Ministers of Education, Canada (CMEC); Alberta Advanced Education and Technology; Alberta Education; Industry Canada; Human Resources and Skills Development Canada; CANARIE; Association of Canadian Community Colleges (ACCC); Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC); E-Campus Alberta; Athabasca University.
Conference Speakers
| Don Tapscott | President, New Paradigm Learning Corporation |
| Mr. Denis Herard | MLA, Calgary-Egmont |
| Dr. W.J. Byrne | Deputy Minister, Advanced Education and Technology |
| Dr. Richard Garrett | Deputy Director, Observatory on Borderless Higher Education, UK |
| Dr. Stéphan Vincent-Lancrin | Analyst, OECD/CERI |
| Sir John Daniel | President and CEO, Commonwealth of Learning, Canada |
| Dr. Margaret Haughey | Associate Dean, Graduate Studies and Research, University of Alberta |
| Dr. Terry Anderson | Professor/Canada Research Chair in Distance Education, Athabasca University |
| Dr. Tony Bates | President, Tony Bates Associates Ltd. |
| Dr. Kuzvinetsa Peter Dzvimbo | Rector, The African Virtual University |
| Dr. Ulf-Daniel Ehlers | Coordinator European Research, University of Duisberg-Essen |
| Dr. Gabriel Ferraté | Rector, Universitat Oberta de Catalunya |
| Mr. Helio Chaves Filho | Educational Consultant, Secretary of Distance Education, Ministry of Education, Brazil |
| Ms. Maruja Gutiérrez-Diaz | Head of Unit, European Commission-Directorate General, Education and Culture |
| Dr. Jeong Taik Lee | Senior Research Fellow, The Korea Research Institute for Vocational Education and Training |
| Dr. Paul Lefrere | Executive Director e-learning, Microsoft EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa)
Professor of e-learning, University of Tempere, Finland |
| Dr. Malcolm Read | Executive Secretary, UK Joint Information Systems Committee |
| Dr. Tom Schuller | Head of OECD/CERI |
| Dr. Candace Thille | Project Director, Carnegie Mellon University’s Open Learning Initiative |
| Dr. Carolyn Jarmon | Senior Associate, National Center for Academic Transformation |
| Mr. Jeff Zabudsky | President of Red River College |
| Ms. Lois Hawkins | Assistant Deputy Minister, Alberta Education, representing CMEC |
| Mr. Andrew Treusch, | Assistant Deputy Minister, Human Resources and Skills Development Canada |
| Hon. David Hancock | Minister, Advanced Education and Technology |
