L4D Learning for Democracy

Sunday, June 24^th 2018

Monday, June 25^th 2018

Official Opening:
Heidrun Strohmeyer (Representing the Minister of Education, Science and Research)

Introduction to the conference:
Cathy Lewin & Eric Sanchez (IPC co-chairs(

This session will give you an overview about ideas, projects and strategies how digital education is implemented in the Austrian education system. Among all the projects currently running in our country we have selected projects which might be of interest to an international audience. We hope this we be a starting point for a fruitful discussion through the whole conference.

Austrian projects has two parts. First we start with a plenary session where seven projects will be presented. Afterward we will give the chance for personal talks with the presenters within the framework of the Austrian Projects Forum.

Speakers:

Martin Bauer: "eEducation Austria -digital competences for all"
Head of department IT/4, IT-Didactics and Digital Media at the Austrian Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research

Johann Stockinger:"ECDL – Computing and Rocotics Module"
Senior Researcher
Austrian Computer Society

Astrid Leeb: "Education Group - Professional Support for Teachers"
Head of EduResearch

Wolfgang Rauter: "The Seamless Learning Project" -
Researcher at the Department of Interactive Media and Educational Technologies an Danube University Krems

Markus Hohenwarter: "GeoGebra - A free math apps that created a global community.“
School of Education at Johannes Kepler University Linz

Marlene Miglbauer: "Virtuelle PH"
Deputy Head of Virtuelle PH at University College of Education Burgenland

Gerhard Nussbaum: "AsTeRICS and 4D-Joystick"
ViceCEO and CTO at Competence Network Information Technology to Support the Integration of People with Disabilities

Informal discussions with the presenters of the Austrian Projects.

Tuesday, June 26^th 2018

There is a general agreement around the world for the necessity to teach students the skills that will empower them as learner, citizen and practitioner in the digital age. Though digital technology has been introduced in schools and universities more than one decade ago, it remains in many cases underused or used in a different way than planned. In addition, whereas stakeholders are usually enthusiastic for new technology, educational practitioners remain skeptical or even reluctant. Using the technology acceptance model as a general frame of reference, this talk will address 3 questions : How to empower teachers for an effective use of technology in education? How should technology be used to empower students? How should educational technology evolve to more easily integrated in education? The talk will be illustrated by recent research findings from the TECFA lab.

Co-Chairs:
Jaana Holvikivi - IFIP
Wilfried Nagl - AT

Members:
Ronald Bieber - OCG
Dr. Sabine Huber - INTEL

Abstract:
Today, young people face a challenging situation. Whilst they have the opportunity to benefit from powerful digital technologies which open up new learning opportunities they also need to deal with handling and making sense of such devices in their professional life.

Digital technologies also enable young people to re-invent their world and society through being active creators and producers rather than passive consumers of knowledge and information. At the same time, the job market is shifting and young people now require a range of digital skills to meet employers’ needs. There is currently a lack of clarity regarding what those skills should be when digital technology will be part of nearly all of our work.

We will discuss ICT in vocational education seen not only as challenge for schools with technical or commercial background, not only the demand coming from industry but as a a personal chance for our students and a societal challenge because education can be seen as the mechanism to trigger the impact of technology in our society.

Austrian Panels is a seria of sessions within OCCE.2018 dealing with the topics which the Austrian government will be introduce into the Austrian EU Presidency in the second six month of 2018. From the results of this panels in combination with expertise within IFIP TC3 position papers will be produced and provided to the decision makers.

Wednesday, June 27^th 2018

Panel:

Co-chairs:
Raymond Morel
Anton J. Knierzinger

Members:
Bent Andresen
Kleopatra Nikolopoulo
Davide Stori
Stefan Länge

Abstract:
The strategies for implementing ICT, digital media, computational think and all the other aspects needed to prepare education for  the digital age are manifold and of different success. In the session we will discuss the situation from a global perspective based on examples of good practice presented by the panelists. Content, didactic approach, means of integration into school and influence of education on the impact of technology in our society are aspects to be discussed. We will speak about the role and the importance of teachers in the process and we will try to find the bottlenecks  and present success stories.

The target of the session is to identify the most important factors of success and to find the suitable ways which can lead to what is stated in the title of the conference „Empowering Learners for Life in the Digital Age“.

Thursday, June 28^th 2018

This keynote will present an example of an initiative seeded at Tata Trusts (philanthropy in India) called the Integrated approach to Technology in Education (ITE). The initiative aims for authentic learning within the curriculum, to foster 21st century skills and bridge the digital and learning opportunities for the most marginalized adolescents. Here both digital literacy and the use of OER becomes part of the teaching and learning process wherein the focus is on students’ creating their own learning artifacts using ICT. The role of the teachers here is to design the lessons and activities, and choose resources to scaffold the creations of their students. Within the context of rural, remote, urban ghettos, tribal and Muslim minority students and communities, examples of ITE practice demonstrate equity, agency, and knowledge construction; thus, bridging the learning, digital, and opportunity gaps. This project based approach using ICT within the curriculum illustrates knowledge deepening and creation by students as well as their acquisition of 21st century skills; the community projects by students also foster value building.

Panel:
Co-chairs:
Amina Charania
Klaus Miesenberger

P.T. Nleya - Botswana
Don Passey - IFIP

Abstract:
ICT is the key technology of the future. Equal accessibility is the key and accepted foundation for better inclusion and equity in the information society for the broadest range of users including those with disabilities using the improving potential of adaptive technologies. Accessibility to digital technology is accepted as a fundamental human right, best expressed in the UN-Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities signed and approved by more than 160 countries) and following this implemented in national law.

Inclusion and equal accessibility have also big potential for improved business and socio economic impact in an ageing society. And science and technology provide viable and proven technologies, methods, techniques and standards for implementing accessibility.

But the resons of inequity towards digital technology are various and the implementation of accessibility is lacking behind due to missing awareness, education and incentives. Also the availability, adaptivity and personalisation of Assistive Technologies, which is to be driven by the service sector for people with disabilities, is lagging behind. Iclusion and equity issues have to be discussed when we see digital technology as a means to create a more just world. This panel intends to address this gap between potential and uptake of technologies supporting inclusion and wants to come up with a set of recommendations.

Closing Session