Monday, September 24, 2012

LAK13: Third International Conference on Learning Analytics & Knowledge

Second call for contributions:

LAK13: Third International Conference on Learning Analytics & Knowledge

8-12 April, Leuven, Belgium
http://lakconference.org

Papers and Workshop/Tutorial Proposals due *** November 8, 2012 ***

Doctoral Consortium, Poster and Workshop Participation Submissions due January 31, 2013

The International Learning Analytics & Knowledge Conference, now in its third year, is a venue for reporting and advancing research at the nexus of two emerging societal phenomena. First we are witnessing the rapid expansion of the use of technologies in supporting learning, not only in established institutional contexts and platforms, but also in the emerging landscape of free, open, social learning online. Second, the unprecedented availability of data that learners generate in the process of accessing learning materials, interacting with educators and peers, and creating new content in these technological settings, coupled with advances in analytics and data mining, knowledge modeling and representation and open data offer great potential for research into how learning takes place in socio-technical settings and the development of new forms of analytics that can inform learners and educators. Learning Analytics research brings these technical, pedagogical, and social domains into dialogue with each other to ensure that interventions and organizational systems serve the needs of all stakeholders.

THEME: Dialectics in Learning Analytics
The first two conferences have established the range of issues and approaches of concern in leveraging the availability of data about learning with powerful computational, representational and visualization techniques. This third conference will be designed to consolidate the field by bringing these many voices into dialogue in a "middle space" under the overarching theme of "Dialectics in Learning Analytics", which has these facets:

The Middle Space: The conference will explore the middle space within which Learning and Analytics intersect, and seeks proposals for papers and events that explicitly connect analytic tools to theoretical and practical aspects of understanding and managing learning.

Productive Multivocality: Learning analytics is multidisciplinary, drawing on theories and methods from diverse research traditions. Our community includes educators, learning scientists, computer scientists, administrators, and policy makers, among others. The middle space serves as a topical "boundary object", enabling productive discourse between these many voices.

The Old and the New: We are facing a centuries old problem: to improve learning, but we are trying to solve it using a new set of tools, not available before. We address these problems in the city of Leuven: centuries old, lively new.

TOPICS The following keywords will be used to classify submissions, and convey the breadth of topics covered. Authors are strongly encouraged to read the advice at http://lakconference2013.wordpress.com/for-authors/ concerning how papers should focus on some aspect of the intersection of learning and analytics.

* Analytic Approaches, Methods, and Tools for sensemaking in learning analytics, including: algorithms, architectures, behavior modeling, case studies, clustering, computational linguistics, concept mapping, crowdsourcing, data integration, data mining, data sharing, design-based research, research about design, discourse analysis, educational research methods, ethnography, ethnomethodology, evaluation methods, frameworks, grounded theory, information visualization, interfaces for learning analytics, knowledge representation, machine learning, natural language processing, predictive analytics, recommendation engines, semantic web, sequential analysis, social network analysis, social network visualisation, statistical analysis, surveys, text mining, visual learning analytics

* Theories and Theoretical Concepts for understanding learning, including: activity theory, actor-network theory, affordances, communities of practice, conceptual models of learning enabled by analytics, connectivism, constructivism, distributed cognition, networked individualism, reflective learning, situated learning, social capital, social learning, sociocultural theory, structuration theory, symbolic interactionism

* Measures of Learning, Change and Success, including: accreditation, affect, emotions, and flow, analytic patterns, attendance and retention (as predictors of learning), attention, attitudes, collaboration and cooperation, community structure, comprehension/understanding, conceptual change, degree of competence, educational performance, expectations, learner behavior modeling, learning dispositions, metacognition, misconceptions, motivation, off-task behavior, organizational dynamics, participation, satisfaction, social dynamics

* Learning Activities, Applications, and Interventions: adaptation, analytic tools for learners, argumentation, assessment, awareness, big data applications and opportunities, classroom orchestration, collaborative learning, course management systems, decision-support systems for learning, informing policy, instructor support, intelligent tutoring systems, interventions based on analytics, knowledge work, language learning, learning communities, learning environments enhanced with analytics, learning how to learn, lifelong learning, management of learning interventions or settings, mentoring, open data and data access for learners, pedagogical adjustment/intervention, personalization, predicting failure, professional development, quantified self, reflection, scaffolding and scripting, self-management of learning, student monitoring, teacher analytics, teaching learning analytics

* Issues addressed may include: adoption strategies and barriers, cultural issues, ethical considerations (e.g., privacy and ownership), human factors, identity, legal aspects, privacy, social change

* Media studied may include: blogging, chats, haptic media & tangible computing, microblogging (twitter), mobile platforms, online discussion forums, shared workspaces, social networking media, video, whiteboards, wikis, and face-to-face interaction supported by technology

* Settings of Learning include: blended online/face-to-face, distance education, distributed work, face-to-face settings, corporate/workplace, government, graduate education, harmonizing individual and organizational learning, higher education, informal learning, military, mobile and ubiquitous, online communities, open university, primary school, secondary school, socio-technical networks, university/postsecondary, virtual organizations

SUBMISSION TYPES

Primary Participation

Full and Short Papers, Design Briefings, and the abstracts for Panels, Workshops and Tutorials will be published in the main proceedings. Submissions in these categories are due November 8, 2012. (This has been extended from November 1 to avoid conflict with another conference submission date, but there will be no further extensions.)

-- Full Papers
Use a full paper to share substantial conceptual, technical and empirical contributions, following the advice to authors given above. Submit up to 10 pages in the conference paper format.

-- Short Papers, Design Briefings, and Formal Demonstrations Use a short paper to share preliminary conceptual, technical and empirical contributions, or substantial contributions that can be reported briefly. Short papers can also share a design concept or tool that addresses a challenge of interest to interface designers, system architects and programmers. A formal demonstration of interactive software or tools may also be proposed: such submissions should include at least one link to a current demo movie. Submit up to 5 pages in the conference paper format.

-- Panels
Panels provide the chance for delegates to hear a range of speakers address a topical issue, e.g. diverse approaches to a problem, or a debate a hot topic. Submit up to 4 pages in the conference paper format suitable for publication in the proceedings, including an introduction to the nature and importance of the issue to be addressed and panelists' position statements. Submit 2 additional pages (not to be published in the proceedings) with the names and qualifications of confirmed panelists and discussants and a summary of how your panel format will ensure that there is interaction between panelists rather than consisting of a collection of disconnected talks.

-- Workshops
Workshops (8-9 April, 2013) provide the opportunity to explore learning theory, analytics, methods and tools in depth. Workshops should be designed to take advantage of the interactivity afforded by this format, and should not consist merely of a day of talks. They may include for example, experience sharing and brainstorming, interactive demonstrations, data analysis by multiple analysts, problem solving sessions, and a few short and/or enlightening presentations. The length of the workshop sessions can range from a half to a full day (consisting of two to four 1.5 hour blocks between breaks). See http://lakconference2013.wordpress.com/for-authors/workshop-and-tutorials/ for further information.

-- Tutorials
Tutorials (also 8-9 April, 2013) are being solicited for specific topics of interest. The time could range from a 1.5 hour session to a full day (consisting of two to four 1.5 hour blocks between breaks). See http://lakconference2013.wordpress.com/for-authors/workshop-and-tutorials/ for further information on topics solicited and submission.

Secondary Participation


Submissions for the following forms of participation are due January 31, 2013.

-- Doctoral Consortium
A one-day consortium will be organized for doctoral students who are about to defend or have recently defended their proposals. Participating students will have the opportunity to present their proposed research to reputable faculty in learning analytics and obtain valuable advice. Other professional development and social networking activities will be included. Details for submission requirements will be forthcoming in a future call.

-- Informal Demonstrations
A space (table top surface) and designated times for informal demonstrations of relevant software will be provided at the conference. Submit one page that includes a 1-line title, name of presenter, and an abstract limited to 100 words suitable for printing in the conference guide. Demonstrators should be prepared to interact with several conference participants at a time in an interactive and not excessively scripted manner.

-- Posters
Posters are suitable for describing late-breaking results or for engaging conference participants in discussion of preliminary ideas or findings. Submit a 1-line title, the name(s) of the presenter(s), and an abstract limited to 100 words suitable for printing in the conference guide. This should be followed with up to two pages describing the concept or results to be presented, the expected interactions with conference participants, and the poster format that will support these interactions. (If available, a high-resolution image of the poster provided as the second page can fulfill this requirement, and is preferred. Easily visible graphics and large brief texts are encouraged rather than small text.)

-- Workshop Participation
LAK workshops will provide conference participants with opportunities to interact intensively on a topic of shared interest. Workshop calls for participation will be distributed shortly after the December 14th workshop acceptance notification date. January 31st will be the uniform date for priority submissions for participation in workshops, although we encourage workshops to accept later submissions on a space-available basis. Workshop organizers will specify submission requirements.

SUBMISSION FORMAT AND PUBLICATION
LAK 2011 and LAK 2012 were published in the ACM Digital Library International Conference Proceedings Series. LAK 2013 is organized in cooperation with SIGCHI and SIGWEB, and an application for similar publication arrangements is pending with ACM. Author guidelines are available at http://www.acm.org/sigs/publications/proceedings-templates (option 1).

RELEVANT DATES
November 8: Paper, Workshop, and Tutorial Proposals Due December 14: Notification for Papers, Workshops, and Tutorials January 31: Workshop Participation, Poster, and Informal Demonstration Submissions Due February 15: Workshop, Poster, and Demonstration Notification February 15: Final Papers Due March 1: Early Registration Deadline April 8-12: Conference

CONFERENCE ORGANIZERS


Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KULeuven) - http://www.kuleuven.be Society for Learning Analytics Research (SoLAR) - http://www.solaresearch.org

General Chairs

-- Erik Duval, University of Leuven, Belgium -- Xavier Ochoa, Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral, Ecuador

Program Chairs

-- Dan Suthers, University of Hawai'i, USA -- Katrien Verbert, University of Leuven, Belgium

Workshops and Tutorials Chairs

-- Ulrich Hoppe, University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany
-- Nikos Manouselis, Agro-Know, Greece
-- Alyssa Wise, Simon Fraser University, Canada


Doctoral Consortium Chairs

-- Ralf Klamma, RWTH Aachen University, Germany
-- Katherine Maillet, Institut National des Telecommunications, France
-- Ravi Vatrapu, Copenhagen Business School, Denmark


Awareness, Interaction and Memory Chairs

-- Tony Hirst, Institut National des Télécommunications, France
-- Doug Clow, Copenhagen Business School, Denmark


Local Chair

-- Joris Klerkx, University of Leuven, Belgium


PROGRAM COMMITTEE

Tel Amiel, Universidade Estadual do Campinas, Brasil Ebrahim Bagheri, Ryerson University, Canada Ryan Baker, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, USA Paulo Blikstein, Stanford University, USA Peter Brusilovsky, University of Pittsburgh, USA Simon Buckingham, Open University, UK Cristian Cechinel, Universidade Federal do Pampa, Brasil Ming Ming Chiu, SUNY-Buffalo, USA Kon Shing Kenneth Chung, University of Sydney, Australia Grainne Conole, Open University, UK Shane Dawson, The University of British Columbia, Canada Maarten de Laat, Open Universiteit Nederland, Netherlands Anna De Liddo, Open University, UK Michael Derntl, RWTH Aachen, Germany Stefan Dietze, Knowledge Media Institute, Open University, UK Pierre Dillenbourg, Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, Switzerland Yannis Dimitriadis, University of Valladolid, Spain Vania Dimitrova, School of Computing, University of Leeds, UK Hendrik Drachsler, Open Universiteit Nederland, Netherlands Gregory Dyke, University of Lyon, France Rebecca Ferguson, The Open University, UK Dragan Gasevic, Athabasca University, Canada Janice Gobert, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, USA Sabine Graf, Athabasca University, Canada Marek Hatala, Simon Fraser University, Canada Caroline Haythornthwaite, University of British Columbia, Canada Eelco Herder, L3S Research Center, Germany Zoran Jeremic, University of Belgrade, Serbia Jelena Jovanovic, University of Belgrade, Serbia Judy Kay, University of Sydney, Australia Kinshuk, Athabasca University, Canada Paul Kirschner, Open Universiteit Nederland, Netherlands Nancy Law, Hong Kong University, China Stefanie Lindstaedt, Know-Center, Austria Allison Littlejohn, Glasgow Caledonian University, Scotland Lori Lockyer, University of Wollongong, Australia Phillip Long, University of Queensland, Australia Kristine Lund, University of Lyon, France Leah Macfadyen, University of British Columbia, Canada Taylor Martin, University of Texas at Austin, USA Alejandra Martinez-Mones, University of Valladolid, Spain Riccardo Mazza, University of Lugano, Switzerland Patrick McAndrew, The Open University, UK Gordon McCalla, University of Saskatchewan, Canada Bruce McLaren, Carnegie Mellon University, USA Agathe Merceron, Beuth University of Applied Sciences, Germany Tanja Mitrovic, University of Canterbury, New Zealand Louis-Philippe Morency, University of South Carolina, USA Jad Najjar, Wirtschaftsuniversitat Wien, Austria Jun Oshima, Shizuoka University, Japan Abelardo Pardo, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Spain Kai Pata, Tallinn University, Estonia Peter Reimann, University of Sydney, Australia Cristobal Romero, Universidad de Cordoba, Spain Carolyn Rose, Carnegie Mellon University, USA Demetrios Sampson, University of Piraeus, Greece Stefan Scherer, University of South Carolina, USA Andreas Schmidt, Hochschule Karlsruhe, Germany Hans-Christian Schmitz, Fraunhofer FIT, Germany Bruce Sherin, Northwestern University, USA Miguel-Angel Sicilia, University of Alcala, Spain George Siemens, Athabasca University, Canada Marcus Specht, Open Universiteit Nederland, Netherlands John Stamper, Carnegie Mellon University, USA Stefan Trausan-Matu, University Politehnica Bucharest, Romania Martin Wolpers, Fraunhofer FIT, Germany Marcelo Worsley, Stanford University, USA Kalina Yacef, University of Sydney, Australia Michael Yudelson, Carnegie Mellon University, USA Amal Zouaq, Royal Military College of Canada

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

CALL FOR PAPERS: Complex Networks 2012

CALL FOR PAPERS: Complex Networks 2012

International Workshop on Complex Networks and their Applications November 26-27, 2012 - Sorrento - Naples, Italy

Co-located with 8th SITIS 2012, Conference

Submission deadline: September 21, 2012

Web site : http://www.sitis-conf.org/en/workshop-on-complex-networks-and-their-applications-complex-networks-2012.php?Preview=ok

Scope of the Workshop Real-world entities often interconnect with each other through explicit or implicit relationships to form a complex network. Examples of complex networks are found in many fields of science such as biological systems, engineering systems, economic systems as well as social systems. In line with 's tradition of SITIS promoting interdisciplinary research, the international workshop on Complex Networks and their Applications aims at bringing together researchers and practitioners from different science communities working on areas related to complex networks. The workshop targets two types of contributions from prospective authors: Contributions dealing of theoretical tools and methods to solve practical problems as well as applications solved by tools from network sciences. Both contributions should stimulate interaction between theoreticians and practitioners.

Authors are encouraged to submit both theoretical and applied papers on their research in complex networks. Topics for the workshop include, but are not limited to:

  • Models of Complex Networks
  • Structural Network Properties and Analysis
  • Complex Networks and Epidemics
  • Rumor Spreading
  • Community Structure in Networks
  • Formation of Complex Networks
  • Generation of Complex Networks
  • Community Detection in Complex Networks
  • Motif Discovery in Complex Networks
  • Visualization of Complex Networks
  • Complex network mining
  • Dynamics and evolution patterns of complex networks
  • Community discovery in complex social networks
  • Visual representation of complex networks
  • Methodological problems in complex network studies
  • Applications of complex network analysis


Important dates

Submission deadline: September 21, 2012 (midnight, Pacific Standard Time)
Authors notification: October 8, 2012
Camera-ready: October 26, 2012
Workshop date: November 27, 2012
General Chair: Hocine Cherifi , University of Burgundy , France

Submission guidelines

All submissions should be in IEEE conference style and PDF format. Papers may not exceed 8 pages. Two extra pages can be purchased. Paper submission will only be online via: Easy Chair.

The online system will be used to handle and process all papers and to prepare for the final proceedings. All submitted papers will be carefully evaluated based on originality, significance, technical soundness, and clarity of expression by at least two reviewers. The organizers will examine the reviews and make final paper selections. More details about the submission process can be found on the conference website.

Publication

Accepted papers will be included in the conference proceedings and published by IEEE Computer Society and referenced in IEEE explore and major indexes. The proceedings will be available at the conference. Extended version of selected accepted papers will be considered for publication in major journals.

Registration

At least one author of each accepted paper must register for the workshop. Registration must be done on the SITIS website at the time when the author sends the camera-ready copy of the accepted paper to the workshop chair. Workshop registration fee is determined by SITIS. A single registration for the workshop or the conference allows attending both events.

Workshop Web Site: Complex Networks 2012

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Save the Date! 9th UK Social Networks Conference

The UK Social Networks Association is pleased to announce the dates for the 9th UK Social Networks Conference to be held at the University of Greenwich, London, June 27-29th, 2013.

Calls for Papers and Workshops will follow.