Symposium on Learning Sciences and Online Learning: Interaction and Influence for Quality Practice and Research
The world is currently witnessing a revolution within higher education due to the rapid emergence of online courses designed for large enrollment. Meanwhile, learning science research has been contributing to an increased understanding of how people learn and what it means to learn within specific disciplines, particularly for Science, Engineering, Technology and Mathematics (STEM). The potential to improve learning and reduce cost, coupled with the resources and efforts currently focused on emerging forms of online learning, provides the impetus for conducting conversations on how findings from the learning sciences can inform the development of meaningful and effective online learning education and, in turn, how online learning efforts can inform learning research.
Given the rapid growth and evolution of online learning and learning research, it is often challenging for designers and practitioners to take into account findings from the learning sciences. Similarly, it is challenging for educational researchers to be well-informed of the various online learning experiments underway. As a response to these challenges, a symposium will bring together experts in the learning sciences and practitioners of online learning to provide recommendations for the design and implementation of online learning experiences that is grounded in research findings, outline future research directions in the learning sciences afforded by online learning. The symposium will create and catalyze a new publication and community site for the broader dissemination of research, practice, and resources in online learning. The outcomes of this symposium will be instrumental in guiding the development of quality online learning experiences for students worldwide and future research on student learning.
