First GamiLearn workshop-conference on Gamification in Spain

Gamification is enhanced education. 

Although the call for papers is closed, it is still a good idea to investigate the possibility to attend the first International workshop on gamification and games for learning conference that will take place on the beautiful volcanic island of Tenerife in Spain. Early-bird registration is open until 11 May and cost 75 Euro but the special rates for the hotel bookings will end on 4 May.  

The conference dates are 5-6 June 2017 and the awesome pac-man logo just emphasizes the need to link gaming with learning in all educational sectors. Research already confirmed that the inclusion of game-like experiences do engage students. The main objective of this workshop-conference is to bring stakeholders together to exchange their ideas and share their experiences. 

Two key note speakers are Prof Lennert Nacke from Canada and Prof Baltsasar Fernandes-Majon from Spain. Topics relevant to this conference are, among others:  
User studies
Design frameworks
Techniques and strategies
Methodologies
Tools and applications
Technological ecosystems
Analysis processes
Assessment
Personalized approaches
Systems integration
Data management
Human and computer interaction 

Technology enhanced education (that is the triangle of teaching, learning and assessment) is already part of the higher education system and would probably expand a lot in the coming years. Now it is time to give gamifaction - education through games - its rightful place in the higher education world. 

New directions in Humanities conference - London

London in July - why not? 

The 15th international conference on new directions in the humanities will be held at the Imperial College, London, between 5 and 7 July 2017 with an optional tour of London on the 4th of July. Late proposal deadline is the 5 of June and the registration fee is 600 USD. 

The special focus of this years' conference will be on new directions of the Humanities in a knowledge society. Five themes are listed: 1) Critical cultural studies 2)Communications and Linguistics 3) literary Humanities 4) Civic, political and community studies 5) Humanities education. Under each of these, there are detailed descriptions and pointers available on the web page. 

Today, the term society is synonymous with the term network: it is all about people and their relationships - with other people, with technology, with knowledge and with the realities of life which urge us to become agents of positive change. How does knowing in the academic world translate to doing in the needy world? What role can academics in the humanities play to promote and encourage positive change? 

Science and technology is dependent on humans.  So is commerce and economics. And the moral aspect of humanity should be firmly embedded in these and all other academic spheres. It is the task of the humanities to interrogate the nature and actions of humans and to provide a normative foundation for actions. What will this entail for the future? Where should the humanities go and how should it get there? These are crucial questions and academics in the humanities are urged to attend to providing useful and positive answers.  

International Education Association of South Africa conference in Durban

IEASA will take place in Durban this year

The 20th annual International Education Association of South Africa (IEASA) conference that focuses on advancing Internationalisation of Higher Education will take place from 23 to 25 August in Durban. The conference venue is the Tsogo Sun Elangeni and Maharani hotel. 

The theme for this years' conference is: Overcoming hostility and building communities. Sub-themes, all related to the higher education sector, are
1) The impact of migration and immigration
2) Funding and financing international higher education
3) Local and global community engagement to address xenophobic populism
4) The impact of staff and student mobility on international higher education
5) Ethical leadership and social justice.
In the light of the current social revolution towards a global village, and a technology based, network society, these are all very important issues that must be addressed in order for higher education to stay relevant on the one hand and to adopt to the changing demands of society in the next 30 years.  

The closing date for abstracts to present papers  and/or workshops is 15 May 2017.

IEASA is a non-profit organisation that opens up international contact that could benefit students and institutions as participants in the global higher education world. Both institutions and individuals can be members of IEASA. The annual individual membership fee is R365. 

Durban is a very popular city on the east coast of South Africa and international participants would find it an exceptional destination with the upgraded international airport, awesome coastline and excellent hotels. Not to mention the favorable exchange rate. We are looking forward to welcome international participants to this years' conference that could support and strengthen the cause and also provide international perspectives on the important issues that will be tabled. 

Oxford Symposium on Religious Studies: August and December

Explore London on your way to Oxford

Some of my colleagues at residential universities like to attend international conferences in December and January when there are no classes or students to attend to. I am forever planning to do this, but as yet, could not succeed. I would like to attend the IJAS conference in several disciplines in Freiburg with its two full day tours to the Christmas market and the Black forest (28 Nov - 2 Dec) or visit the United Arab Emirates to see the new year fireworks or to Australia to watch their fireworks in Sydney (but these two countries does not seem to have general conferences booked early for 2018). There is also the annual Hawaii International conference on Education that will take place from 4 to 7 January 2018.

For those of you who are planning to go to Europe at the end of the year, and especially for my colleagues in Theology and Religious studies, Christmas can start early with a conference in Oxford at the start of December (4-6). Abstract submission and registration is open for both the 2-4 August (before 10 July) and December Symposiums. Both are inter-disciplinary and has a broad-based theme.  Topics include Religion, Politics, and Public Discourse, Religions in conflict, Gender and religion, Church and State, State funding of Church schools, Religion and racial segregation, Religious traditions of Africa and the African Diaspora, Secularism, Philosophy of religion and Religious ethics (amongst others).

The conferences will take place in the old library of the University Church of St Mary the Virgin, constructed in 1320, which is inside the walled city. It was the first university building in town. 

Registration is a stiff 380 Pound (especially to South Africans) for early birds but there are also reduced options for students, family members and observers.  Accommodation starts at 50 Pounds in the university and college facilities that promise to provide a genuine Oxford student and campus experience.

Two international conferences in Durban: June and August

Durban, South Africa

Durban is, next to Cape Town, a popular conference venue for South Africans. The Durban University of Technology (DUT) will be hosting the second Interdisciplinary Research, Innovation and Postgraduate Conference from 13 to 15 June on the theme: Enhancing multi-discipline  research in innovation and entrepreneurship for emerging researchers. The call for abstracts is open until 30 April 2017 and the following disciplines are invited to participate: Accounting and management Science, Arts and design, Basic and applied Science, Engineering and information Technology and Health Studies. The cost is R2000 and both academics and post graduate students are invited to participate in the conference and the workshops. 

On 24 and 25 August 2017, North West University and the Social Science Research Society of Turkey will host the 8th International Conference on Social Sciences (ICSS), also in Durban at the Southern Sun Maharani and Elangeni hotel. All subjects in social science will participate and there will be interesting presentations on economic issues, gamification, law, and international relations. Keynote speakers include Pat Obi from the USA and Bernedette Muthien from South Africa.  Early bird registration is 500 USD.

These are both international conferences but as they are hosted in South Africa, the costs for South African academics is limited and depending on the institutions your are linked to, there are often alternative funding options available. This means that academics can attend and participate in more international conferences while also saving on costs and time off from work.