Background

During the last decade or more science, engineering and technology (SET) educations have been undergoing major changes and there is no sign that the rate of change is lessening. Therefore, as educators we have to realize that we are operating in an arena where constant transition is the norm and change is a permanent condition in today’s educational environment.

The changes are caused by both external and internal factors. Of the external factors globalization, i.e. the increased mobility of students, staff and graduates, is the most obvious and the most dominant. This mobility has led to a situation where both students and teaching staff are faced with cross cultural teaching and learning situations, requiring intercultural communications skills in both parties while graduates are faced with the challenge of operating effectively in a cross cultural working environment.

Another external factor challenging the ways we teach and learn is the technological development of information and communication technologies (ICT) which has made possible a wide range of so called e-learning, i.e. distance learning mediated via electronic technology, first and foremost computers connected to the Internet but increasingly also smaller and more mobile electronic devices, such as mobile telephones, iPODs, handheld computers etc. Using ICT in education may fundamentally change the way we as teachers have been used to plan, implement and evaluate our teaching, and equally fundamentally change the ways our students learn.

An internal factor challenging SET educations are changes within the areas of learning theories and didactical approaches to learning and teaching, such as; student-centered learning; outcomes based learning; problem based learning etc. These new approaches challenge traditional ways of teaching and learning and necessitate changes in the roles and tasks of both teachers and students.

Program and activities

The conference will provide an open forum for discussion and exchange of experiences concerning these topics. Conference activities will include both invited guest lecturers with expertise in the areas mentioned as well as possibilities of presenting and discussing participants’ experiences in the areas in the form of workshop sessions.

Time and Place

The conference will take place on Wednesday and Thursday, May 7^th and 8^th, 2008 in First Slotshotel, Aalborg. The estimated cost of participation is Dkk. 2.600.

Expression of interest

We encourage colleagues interested in attending the conference to send an e-mail expressing their interest in participating. Furthermore, we encourage you to let us know if you are interested in conducting a workshop session in one of the following areas:

1.      Interculturalism and SET

2.      ICT and SET

3.      Alternative pedagogical approaches in SET

Please send your e-mail to:

Paola Valero (paola@learning.aau.dk) or Mona Dahms (mona@plan.aau.dk)

Conference planning

The conference is organized by Dansk Center for Ingeniøruddannelse, DACIN (Danish Centre for Engineering Education Research and Development; www.dacin.dk) in collaboration with Science and Mathematics Education Research Group, Department for Education, Learning and Philosophy, Aalborg University (http://www.learning.aau.dk/).