As Part of Information and Communication Technologies 2007 ICT2007.ouhk.hk

1. Symposium on Hybrid Learning ' 2007 http://www.cs.cityu.edu.hk/~shl2007 • 9-10 July 2007, Open University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong • Organized by : The Hong Kong Web Symposium Consortium • Sponsored by : City University of Hong Kong City University of Hong Kong Symposium Theme Symposium on Hybrid Learning (SHL) focuses on the sharingtheoretical and empirical papers on eLearning as a supplementary learning tool to classroom learning. The era of eLearning enables student learning anytime and anywhere through the Internet. It can reduce teachers’ administrative work to a minimum by computerizing clerical work. It can also personalize each student’s needs through adaptive learning, but traditional classroom learning is needed for face-to-face lecturing and tutoring. Above all, experimental work must be supervised and monitored for its progress. As a result, it is important to combine the benefits of both eLearning and classroom learning into an enhanced teaching method, namely hybrid learning. Students can then be motivated to learn both in breadth by getting important referenced course materials and practice online, and also in depth by detailed discussion with the lecturers in the face-to-face classroom. The issue is how to create a curriculum that can fit students’ personal needs. Education theory, peer-to-peer learning, and web-based technologies should be applied together in defining techniques and guidelines for the creation of the eLearning contents and blended curricula. Hybrid learning is a unique applied-research-oriented journal in Education. It combines eLearning of using Internet computing with traditional classroom face-to-face personalized learning. The technological side involves Internet computing technology and infrastructure, system development issues, database technology, intelligent systems and new paradigms such as mobile agents and multi-agent systems. On the educational side, there are learning theory and instructional design issues coupled with the design and delivery of learning adjuncts such as animations, simulations, interactive learning modules and assessment instruments, among others. • Basically, eLearning can be categorized into different areas as follows: • eLearning for adaptive learning – In order to speed up the learning curve of learners, we aim to supplement classroom learning with eLearning. The students can do self learning from web-based learning exercises on the Internet, which will assess the students’ academic level and provide them with suitable online exercises to work on. As a result, the students can learn everywhere, any time through Internet. • eLearning for teacher helpers – In order to reduce teachers’ workloads in authoring exercises for their students, in getting student feedback and in communicating with students more effectively, many eLearning systems facilitate these functionalities for teachers as their helpers. For example, eLearning authoring tools can help teachers to prepare exercises, and blog journal files can help teachers get student feedback on a particular learning problem or subject. • eLearning for distance learning – Besides traditional classroom learning, students can also access learning facilities remotely. For example, a virtual cyber laboratory can help students to perform their laboratory exercises at home through the Internet. An online tutorial session can help students access their tutors through their notebook computers. Consequently, students can learn in a very comfortable environment without incurring traveling time, cost and hassle. • eLearning technology infrastructure – In order to make eLearning a success, technology infrastructure is a must. In fact, eLearning is more cost effective whenever it can be accessed by mass learners, because individual costs will be less with increased numbers of learners for eLearning while the eLearning development time and effort is fixed. In other words, once an eLearning package has been produced, it can be reused many times with minimal operating cost. However, such mass learner operations need the support of technology. Thus, research on eLearning technology infrastructure is another important area for researchers to explore. As Part of Information and Communication Technologies 2007 http://www.ICT2007.ouhk.edu.hk On the educational side, hybrid learning provides educators with the opportunity to showcase best practice by reporting the match between learning or outcome objectives and the development and implementation of hybrid learning strategies and material to engage students in achieving those objectives. Ideally underpinned by learning theory, the papers presented should also attempt to demonstrate the value added to learning by using the blended approach. Both components of hybrid learning — the classroom and the eLearning contributions — should be presented in a paper.

2. Topics Topics relevant to the conference theme include, but are not limited to, the following: • Virtual University and Virtual Classroom and Virtual Laboratories • Infrastructure of Web-based Learning Environment • Pedagogical Issues • PracticesBorderless Education • Developing, Integrating and Delivering e-Learning Solutions • Collaborative Learning • Cyber Education Initiatives • Asynchronous Learning • Innovative Curriculum in e-Learning • Building Learning Architectures • Distance Leaning • Teaching, Learning and Assessment Strategy Measurement in Virtual Classroom • Digital Libraries for e-Learning • Evaluation/Performance & Assessment • Authoring Tools and Integrated Platforms for e-Learning • Industry-Institute Partnership • Instructional Design for e-Learning • Management of Learning Resources • Interactive e-Learning Systems • Web-based Training for Customers • Knowledge Management for e-Learning • Intelligent Training Technology • Community Building for e-Learning Paper Submission Authors are invited to submit original papers to this workshop. Papers for submissions should be formatted in single column, 1.5 spacing of no more than 20 pages for review. All papers should be submitted in PDF format. Submission details are on www.cs.cityu.edu.hk/~shl2007 Accepted papers will be published in the conference. Selected papers will be published by City University of Hong Kong Press. Inquires should be directed to: Dr Joseph Fong Department of Computer Science City University of Hong Kong Tat Chee Avenue, Hong Kong email: csjfong@cityu.edu.hk Important Dates 1 June, 2007 Deadline for paper submissions 15 June, 2007 Notification for Acceptance 29 June, 2007 Deadline for Submitting Camera-Ready Version of Full Papers Symposium Program Committee Chairs: Joseph Fong City University of Hong Kong Lai C. Liu University of Texas - Pan America Philip Wang City University of Hong Kong Program Committee Members: Bressan, Stéphane School of Computing, National University of Singapore, Singapore Cheng, Yin Cheong Hong Kong Institute of Education, Hong Kong Corkindale, David SAIT/University of South Australia, Australia Fong, Joseph Hong Kong Web Society Heppell, Stephen CEO of Heppell.Net Huang, Shi-Ming National Chung Cheng University, Taiwan Hughes, John National University of Ireland, Ireland Karlapalem, Kamal International Institute of Information Technology, India Kwan, Reggie Caritas Francis Hsu College, Hong Kong Le, Gruenwald University of Oklahoma, U.S.A. Li, Qing City University of Hong Kong Lim, Cher Ping Edith Cowan University, Australia McLeod, Dennis University of Southern California, U.S.A. Meersman, Robert Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium Orlowska, Maria The University of Queensland, Australia Paul, Ray, Brunel University, U.K. Sharman, Rex Education Consultant Smith, Peter Computing & Information System Department, Sunderland University, U.K Zhao, Wei Department of Computer Science, Texas A & M University, Texas, US Zhu, Zhiting East China Normal University, China