The HERGA 2016 conference is just around the corner! 

Next week, we are priviledged to have Professor Simon Barrie as our 2016 Keynote speaker. Professor Barrie is the Pro Vice-Chancellor Learning Transformations at Western Sydney University. He is responsible for leadership of strategic educational innovation and collaboration to shape the University’s commitment to ensuring its students fulfill their potential to become influential global citizen-scholars in a new technology-enabled world.

Professor Barrie's talk will begin to explore some of the challenges and opportunities within our current institutional environments, our teaching and learning research, and our practice as teachers, curriculum designers and policy-makers – in turbulent times. 

We have a full program filled with interesting and topical presentations around the theme of "Research and Policy into Practice", including teaching sensitive materials, teaching Indigenous history in public spaces, and pedagogy for small and scalable learning environments. 

We look forward to seeing you there!

You can now view our full program and abstracts on our website via:
http://www.herga.com.au/conference-program.html

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We are so excited to announce that our keynote speaker this year is Professor Simon Barrie.

Professor Barrie is Pro Vice Chancellor of Learning Transformations at the University of Western Sydney. We are very excited to have Professor Barrie at our conference and we anticipate a highly engaging session with him.

Learn about some of Professor Barrie's work via his ResearchGate profile at:

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Simon_Barrie/publications

We would also like to remind everyone that conference paper submissions (abstract only) are due August 8th. Submissions received by July 29 can take advantage of early-bird review which will provide feedback on how to improve the submission.

Learn more about the conference and how to register and submit papers via our conference page below. 

www.herga.com.au/herga-2016.html

A seminar based on the findings of the Office for Learning and Teaching funded project:

An evidenced-based approach to the design and redevelopment of inclusive technology enhanced learning environments.

Presenters:   
Professor Denise Wood Central Queensland University, Dr Leanne Glenny, Ms Tracey Johnson, Dr Sheila Scutter University of South Australia      
            
Based on the findings of this project, which included case studies of a wide range of courses across Australia, including a course located in a remote community in the north-west corner of South Australia (APY Lands), and courses offered online in Singapore and Hong Kong, this seminar will demonstrate the approaches used to evaluate accessibility and usability, the findings of the case studies, and guidelines for ensuring usability and accessibility for students from a diverse range of backgrounds, in different locations and with different learning needs.
 
When?
Wednesday 20 January, 2-5 pm

Where?
University of South Australia, City West Campus, GK2-16

For more information please contact sheila.scutter@unisa.edu.au

The HERGA group are looking forward to the conference next week. There are so many diverse topics and interesting presentations available! We hope that you're looking forward to it as well.

You can tweet your experience or follow the #HERGA hashtag during the conference.

The conference book is now available online! To view the presentations and schedule outline, please visit our conference 2015 page on the website. 

Only 1 month left to secure your tickets to the annual #HERGA conference! 

BOOK TICKETS NOW.

Our keynote speakers are Associate Professor Angela Carbone and Emeritus Professor Geoff Scott who bring a wide range of experience to the conference. We have a whole host of interesting presentations for you, addressing the theme: A Brave New World!


There will also be a Symposium about Masters by Coursework degrees!

Don't miss out!

Have you tried something brave or innovative in learning and teaching? Have you tried a great idea or learned something new? Would you like to share your idea or approach with likeminded educators? Then the annual HERGA conference is the perfect place!

We are seeking submissions on topics relating to:

• Alternate pathways to University
  
• Assessment (-e-portfolios, badges)
  
• Learning Analytics & Gamification
  
• The Role of MOOCs in Brave New World
  
• Educational Leadership in the Brave New World
  
• Peer and self-assisted teaching and learning
  
• Building the independent learner

You have 4 days until the Call for Papers closes! So, grab a coffee, whip up your abstract and join us for the 2015 HERGA conference! 

For more information and to submit your abstracts go to:
http://www.herga.com.au/herga-15.html 

• Do your students spend more time hunting for online course materials, contact information and assignment details, than they do learning? 
  
• Does the layout and content of your online course lend itself to students who have special learning needs, such as screen readers?
  
• Have you ever thought about how the layout and content on your course site might impact on a students' learning experience?
• How can you ensure the design of your online learning environment is accessible and usable by all students?
  

These are but a few questions relevant to this free, online webinar series! This webinar series is based on an OLT-funded project, led by A/Professor Denise Wood.

This project involves a collaboration of four Australian universities and two South African universities as well as the not-for-profit sector and the open-source community working together to investigate strategies for improving the online learning experience of students from diverse backgrounds through inclusive design.

The course involved coordinators, researchers and learning designers working together to conduct usability and accessibility testing of online learning environments. This webinar series is a summaries of some of the key project topics and experiences of people involved in the project. 

In the webinar series, you will be exposed to ideas and ways of thinking that can help you design your online learning environment for students - whether it be fully online, mobile, blended or a supporting site for face-to-face learning - so that you can ensure it is both accessible and usable by all learners. Members involved in the series offer experiences, insight and practical ideas to help you evaluate and design your online learning environment.

To find out what the key topics are and dates, as well as to access the webinar, please visit the link below.

http://responsive-learning.org/events.php

For more information, please contact Dr Sheila Scutter <Sheila.Scutter@unisa.edu.au>

The HERGA Group are excited to announce the 2015 conference keynote speakers! We are so fortunate to have secured two amazing speakers: Associate Professor Angela Carbone and Emeritus Professor Geoff Scott. Both speakers will bring a wide range of experience and expertise to the conference and will surely have you engaged and inspired to face the "Brave New World".

Here's a little bit more about our speakers:

A/Prof. Angela Carbone

Associate Professor Angela Carbone is the Associate Director in the Office of the Pro Vice-Chancellor(Learning and Teaching) at Monash University. Prior to this role Angela was the Director of Education Quality in the Faculty of Information Technology at Monash University.

Emiritus Prof. Geoff Scott

Geoff Scott is Emeritus Professor of Higher Education and Sustainability at the University of Western Sydney (UWS) and leader of the UN endorsed Regional Centre of Expertise in Education for Sustainable Development – Greater Western Sydney.

Register by visiting our conference tab on our website!