SBL conference in Denver for theologians

The sun is setting and we are on our way to the next academic conference with SAA

The Society of Biblical Literature (SBL), in partnership with the American Academy of Religion (AAR), will co-host their 2018 annual conference from 17 to 20 November in Denver, Colorado, USA. This huge conference, large exhibition of books and other resources and gathering of theologians on global scale is not to be missed. The call for papers is open until the end of June and the large selection of topics make this a conference that will spark the interest of all theologians and lay enthusiasts.  

The three main segments of this conference are sections, seminars and consultations. The Sections category offers more than one hundred topics to link papers for presentation. Seminars have limited membership and papers are discussed, not read. The seminars are structured around twenty pre-defined topics and projects. Consultations are exploratory program units focused on new areas of interest. The five current focus areas that are, according to the SBL, ‘new’ are: Animal studies and the Bible; Biblical exegesis from Eastern Orthodox perspectives; the book of Samuel: narrative, theology and interpretation; Racism, pedagogy and Biblical studies and the Historical Paul. Just wondering are these really 'new'?

The SBL as a society that is devoted to the critical investigation of the Bible was established in 1880. The AAR is a society and association of teachers and research scholars that has about 9000 members. 

The conference fee is $200 and the venue is not yet announced. Both associations have options on their web pages to keep you updated and informed, if needed. 

Unfortunately I cannot speak from personal experience as this is one of the conferences that is always on my wish-list but the date at the end of November is again during the exam marking time for our universities in South Africa, but a large number of my colleagues do manage to go annually and they say that this conference in definitely not to be missed. 

A South African History conference on miracles and mirages

The Historical Association of South Africa's 2018 conference will be held in Thaba Nchu

The call is open for abstracts to present at the biennial conference of the Historical Association of South Africa (HASA). This conference is not to be missed, even if you are not a full-blooded historian. The conference theme of Miracles and Mirages: 'The fall of the oldest and rise of the newest South Africa... and beyond' should spark interest from all South Africans and even people beyond our borders. And if this is not enough, look at the list of sub themes that the conference participants will address during cold winter days of 20-22 June at the Black Mountain Leisure & Conference hotel in Thaba Nchu. Although it is summer now and South Africa is sizzling, this part of the country can get extremely cold in winter time - just what is asked for to keep all indoors and glued to their seats while listening to these:

Themes  for this years' conference include:
Free falling education on the South African education systems;
The bang-bang club on defence, security and crime;
In all fairness on identity, equality, reconciliation;
Law, order and anarchy on Justice and ethics;
Talking (none)cents on economics and industry;
Drizzles, deserts and diamonds on water, ecology, poaching, pollution and preservation;
In a heartbeat on healthcare;
Food for thought on agriculture and farming;
Count your words on freedom of speech, media and communication;
From a different angle on art music, sport, literature and social history;
Politics and other tricks on just that;
Preserving history on museums, statues, parks and places, heritage tourism and the 'platteland'; Scripture, saints and sinners on religion, theology and belief systems;
Just a though on methodology, philosophy, oral history and mind-shifts.

Documentary films will also be accepted as presentations at the conference. The final date for abstracts (including those on films) is 22 February 2018.  Early bird conference fee is R2800 and the University of the Free State will be hosting this years' event.

International conference on Critical thinking

We love Hilton and we enjoy Double Tree because we are addicted to the cookies! This is the Double Tree in Seattle. 

All academics need to be critical thinkers. We also try to develop critical thinking skills in our students, build it in to our courses and assessment tasks and for me the most difficult part, to incorporate critical and active thinking into my daily life in order to counter emotional or instinctive reactions to life. 

The 38th annual International Conference on Critical thinking will take place between 16 and 20 July 2018 at the Double Tree Hotel in Rohnert Park, California, USA. The conference theme is Critical thinking throughout education and across the professions - in every classroom, every boardroom, every business, every government, in every country around the world. The call for proposals is open until 26 February and early registration discount is available until 16 June 2018.  There are four types of conference sessions available: focus sessions, plenary sessions, concurrent sessions and round-table discussions.  The focal session presenters include well known critical thinkers Linda Elder, Gerald Nosich, Brian Barnes and Paul Bankes. 

The conference venue is northern California, in the Sonoma wine district, home to more than 400 wineries. The hotel situated between two golf courses  and within easy reach of a night out to a musical performance at the Green Music Center. You can also see the Redwoods from a zip line or visit the rugged Bodega Coastline. Or you can go hiking, biking or boating. And for those of us from outside the USA, other local attractions include the Golden Gate Bridge and the Sonoma State University.  So do make sure that your booking includes a few extra days before or after the conference. 

Although accommodation is not included in the registration fee, the block is good and available until 15 June. I always like to stay in the conference hotel where the buzz is and you can network over a cup of coffee or dinner or in the garden.  

Conference in Durban about the first-year experience

Durban will host the 2018 conference about the first-year experience

The South African National Resource Centre for the First-Year Experience and Students in Transition (SANRC) is hosting the 4^th Annual SANRC FYE (first year experience) Conference  on 23 to 25 May 2018. Registration is already open on the website. The early bird is open until 27 February.

The call for papers is also open until 15 March. The following are themes: 

Teaching for first-year success 

Innovative first-year support initiatives 

Measurement and accountability in first-year support services: Are we getting it right?

Orientation programmes as a key element of student support 

Engaging the student voice: Critical Perspectives from students 

International models of first-year support 

Theorising academic support 

The challenge of decolonisation in first-year support.

We know that high school does not really prepare learners to become students in South Africa. Therefore, the first year experience raises lots of questions for which we urgently need answers:

Do we know and understand the multi-faceted needs of first-year students? 

How can we address gaps in our knowledge with an authentic understanding of the first-year as it is experienced by students? 

Do lecturers have the capabilities to meet the needs of these students? 

Can new learning models and technologies create a different learning environment for students? 

To what extent are we evaluating the various academic support programmes offered at South Africa’s universities? 

This conference is designed to thoughtfully consider whether we are giving our students the kinds of meaningful educational experiences which will help them thrive academically and transition successfully through the higher education system.  

This year, the conference will be held at the Garden Court Marine Parade hotel in Durban on the beautiful east coast of South Africa. Durban has numerous awesome beachfront hotels to choose from. And while in Durban, do NOT miss out on a visit to the bird park (see photo above of some of the birds sharing the paths with humans to get around the park). It is really an awesome attraction with much more than just birds, and really not expensive, not even for South Africans.  

Summer school in Estonia as an alternative to conferencing?

The Tallinn University summer or winter school is a great alternative for a traditional conference. 

Yes, we are used to attend conferences, but don't you think we also sometimes need to step out of this routine and do something else like learning a new skill or completing a course which can add points towards another qualification? 

Tallinn, the beautiful old capital city of Estonia is offering both summer schools and winter schools with very interesting programmes, not so expensive registration fees (about 250 Euros) and even affordable student accommodation (188 Euros for 3 weeks) and optional excursions over weekends between classes.  The courses and classes are scheduled from Monday to Friday, over a period of three weeks, starting on 9 July 2018 until 27 July 2018. 

You can choose from the following main streams: Language courses, Creative courses, Educational Sciences, Humanities and Social sciences and interdisciplinary courses. The creative courses had me nailed: Creative Psychotherapy, Creative writing, Design of serious games and a gamification workshop, short film, storytelling, comics and illustrations, Photo story, animation and tv news! How about one of these? 
The Educational Sciences stream include a course on education through place and space: recreational activities as experiential learning. 
The Humanities and social sciences stream includes courses on Estonian food, self knowledge, social enterprises:  Using your creativity and sensitivity as well as an information and knowledge management in the digital environment. 

Tallinn is a fairy tale town with friendly people, within easy travel distance to other Baltic countries, including also visits to St Petersburg in Russia. The first weekend trip includes a visit to the Estonian Mining museum in Kohtla-Nomme, the Narva Castle, the Lasemaa National park. The second weekend trip includes a visit to the second largest city in Estonia called Tartu and the Setomaa settlement as well as the Piusa caves.