WLS

Living and learning in a networked world

Exciting Keynotes and Final Call

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Exciting Keynotes at World Learning Summit
Final Call: Submit your papers and register now!

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This is your last chance to submit your scientific paper to LINQ and WLS: The call is still open until 15th of April 2017. “Don’t miss the opportunity to benefit from the extended deadline: Submit your paper and save your participation today!”, says Christian M. Stracke from the Open University of the Netherlands, LINQ chair and co-organizers of the summit. “We also emphasize the opportunity for PhD students to meet and engage with world thought leaders at the main summit and the PhD paper workshops”, says Oddgeir Tveiten from the University of Agder and WLS chair.

The Open Calls are available online at: www.worldlearningsummit.com/calls
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World Learning Summit 2017

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Program and speaker details on World Learning Summit is now coming into place. Please reserve the dates June 6th – June 10th. Pre-summit event on the evening of June 6th. Main event June 7th through June 9th. Post summit workshops on June 10th, for those interested.

As announced on the close of WLS 2016, Cathy Casserly will be joining us again for June 2017.

Pleased to announce Martyn Farrows for WLS

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MartynFarrows_pWe´re honored to have Dr. Martyn Farrows from Learnovate, Dublin, join our program for June 14th-16th. Check out Learnovate here.

Martyn brings over 15 years’ experience in learning technologies to the role of Centre Director at Learnovate. He has successfully delivered a wide variety of research and product development projects and has been engaged as an expert consultant to government agencies and departments on the use and deployment of technology-enhanced learning. Martyn has worked with a variety of web tech start-ups and businesses, from strategic and business planning through to fund-raising and operation.

He also has a strong background in EU research and innovation policy, having previously worked in Brussels for the European Commission. More recently, Martyn co-founded a network of web-based authoring tools and implemented a new digital content strategy for one of Ireland’s leading education publishers.

Dag Morten Dalen to World Learning Summit

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dagmortendalen4Vice rector for education affairs at BI Norwegian Business School is confirmed for our panel discussions, June 14th and June 15th: Dag Morten Dalen has been at BI since 1998. He has a background from working at the Frisch Center, and also the Parliament – Stortinget. He will add and important dimension – so we´re excited about that. An economist with a PhD from the University of Oslo, Dag Morten will help us shed light on the economic and institutional aspects of education´s digital future. We tend to pay a lot of attention to uses of digital media, classroom studies and didactical issues. But what about the economic? Clearly, the ascent of effective and interactive technologies will also have a huge and building impact on education economies. BI in Oslo is perhaps the one institution in Norway that has had the most systematic focus on organisational change when it comes to integration of new learning technologies — through their efforts at BI Learning Lab. We will hear more during the summit.

Maria Amelie to the World Learning Summit

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Maria 1Some of you will remember the story of Maria Amelie, from when she made a media splash in 2011. To some she is a new name. Most do not know that since 2011, Maria has made a space for herself as a blogger, a bookwriter, a journalist and a speaker. And we are very, very fortunate to have her join us at the upcoming summit in Kristiansand, June 14th.

Less well known by her real name, Madina Salamova, Maria came to Norway via Finland with her family, in 2002. The family´s application for visa and residence was rejected, as was their appeal. After that last verdict, the family went into hiding. In 2010 Maria published a book about her family´s existence as illegal residents. The book, Illegally Norwegian, became a controversial media issue. Maria was named “Norwegian of the year” in 2010. Her blogposts started to get attention. In 2011 she was arrested after a speaking engagement, and subsequently deported to Russia. A period of intense media mobilisation, protests and support events started.

A long story, and also a media spectacle, ended when she was given residency rights in 2011, after which she took up working with the magazine Teknisk Ukeblad, in Oslo. Maria is now working freelance, among other things on a book centering on technology and entrepreneurship in Norway.

But why here — at the World Learning Summit? The answer is simple: Maria Amelie has a unique insight into the realities of being mobile, young and on the margins of society — her visions and ideas about the future of learning are truly original, for exactly that reason. We hope many more will come to listen to her.

Maria is the bestselling author of three books on immigration and freedom of speech. For the last five years she has been writing about technology and entrepreneurship, following the tech scene in Oslo where she lives, closely. As she says: Her main goal is “to put Norway on the start-up map”. And more: “The challenge of being a refugee and how you tackle it can be a great advantage for life as an entrepreneur, later”.

And you know — the great sociologist Robert Ezra Park said the same about Norwegian immigrants to the United States in the 1930´s.

It´s about time we also take refugees and immigrants seriously as a resource and not only a problem in Norway, so welcome to you — Maria. Maria 2