The sun never sets on non-stop learning technologies conference

Follow the Sun is now an established part of the University of Leicester calendar, an online, non-stop conference which circles the globe for 48 hours, sequentially hosted in the UK, Canada and Australia.

Organised by our Beyond Distance Research Alliance in association with Athabasca University in Edmonton, Canada and the Australian Digital Futures Institute at the University of Southern Queensland in Toowoomba, the conference is divided into six eight-hour shifts. Delegates can log on and join in at a time that is appropriate and convenient; no-one is expected to last through the whole thing without sleeping! And the whole thing is free.

The theme this year is ‘Futures for knowledge’ and the speakers and discussions will look at the teaching and learning priorities in 12 disciplines over the next 10-15 years. Topics considered will include:

• What will individual disciplines look like in 2025?
• What are the priorities that need to be taught to students in the years to come?
• What can we learn from current use of technology in teaching, and what lies over the horizon?

There are 12 keynote speakers – four for each continent – with a wide range of knowledge, experience and opinions to share. Among the European speakers are John Fothergill from our Department of Engineering and Mike Petterson from our Department of Geology. The Australian line-up includes Susan A Kelly who has the enviable job of Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Learning, Teaching and Student Services at the University of the South Pacific in Fiji!

The conference will consider the educational use of technologies such as mobile apps, paperless courses, Second Life, audio feedback and assessment, open educational resources and digitisation of old artefacts. There is even a virtual e-poster gallery.

Registration for the event is still available and is completely free. The event is sponsored by - and will use - virtual conference platform Blackboard Collaborate.