This page is now sitting on the new Conference Website at http://conference.adeta.org.

6th Annual Canadian E-Learning Conference

Theme: Enhancing Learning with Technology: Is IT Working?
Location: University of Calgary Campus
Dates: June 17-20, 2008
Keynote Speakers:  Stefan Sikora, Clayon R. Wright and Karen Gage

This is the future site for all information about the upcoming Canadian E-Learning Conference in Calgary Alberta, June 17-20, 2008.

ADETA will be organizing and hosting this conference and working with the CanHeit 2008 conference and the International Blended Learning conference in the UK organizers to plan joint activities and events.

If you are interested in helping to organize this event or if you have any questions, contact Rod Corbett at RodCorbett@adeta.org

Book mark this site and check back for more details.

UofC GDER is offering a credit quarter course in conjunction with this course called eLearning in Canada Click here for details.

Call for Proposals Details - Due March 3rd 2008 click here to access

Keynote Speakers

Stefan Sikora, PhD

From Chalk to ‘Blackboard’: Technically a Good Move?

This presentation explores the true meaning of the word technology, its relationship to life in general, and in particular, technology’s continuing impact on the field of education and schooling. This investigation is designed to challenge the overall value of technology and to pose some relevant questions designed to meaningfully assess whether technology actually enhances or detracts from the goals of teaching and learning, especially those that are directly related to schooling.

Dr. M. Stefan Sikora, an educational theorist and philosopher and a sometimes outspoken critic of public schooling, has a broad-based background which includes a B.A. in History, a B.Ed. (with distinction) in Social Studies, an M.A. in Native Education, and a Ph.D. in Aboriginal Philosophy. After having done much of his early graduate work studying both Experimental Psychology and Educational Psychology at various universities, he was invited to do post-doctoral studies in Educational Philosophy at the University of Cambridge in the UK. Currently he instructs in a wide variety of educational subjects here at Mount Royal College. Dr. Sikora’s relatively unique and multifaceted teaching career began as a professional tennis instructor. His experience now includes considerable time spent working in the public system, in a private school, heading up a free university, and teaching at various colleges and universities.

Dr. Sikora also spent a considerable number of years in the isolated B.C. ‘bush country’ as the principal, teacher, and education advisor for the Kluskus Indian Band, an experience which has continued to shape much of his thinking in the field of general education. Throughout his career Dr. Sikora has spent time studying education and related subjects within a variety of other cultural contexts, including those of Canada and the U.S., as well as Great Britain, Poland, Greece, Spain, and Japan. He has been the author and editor of and contributor to academic texts and papers and has also found the time to write a few novels, some books of poetry, and two plays, one of which was nominated for a Governor General’s Award. Over the past twenty years he has presented at numerous conferences and workshops on a number of topics related to schooling and general education.

Clayton R. Wright, PhD

Dimensions of Quality: Reflections on Current Practices

This session will provide an international perspective on the development of context-sensitive quality assurance systems in e-learning and distance education. How do you know that you are delivering quality programs and services? Can there be a universal standard for quality? How can you develop a culture of quality? The presentation will be based on his extensive experience in leading distance education workshops and conducting educational evaluations in countries such as Bangladesh, Botswana, Brazil, India, Japan, Kenya, Malaysia, Nigeria, Russia, Sri Lanka, St. Lucia, and Switzerland

Clayton R. Wright has expertise in educational technology, distance education, curriculum development, instructional design, and professional development in Canadian and international settings. He has secondary and postsecondary teaching and administrative experience in Quebec, Ontario, and Alberta. For 21 years, he led the award-winning Instructional Media and Development team at Grant MacEwan College. As a consultant, workshop facilitator, and writer, Dr. Wright has been actively involved with provincial, national, and international collaborative efforts in advancing educational systems through the use of learning technologies. He has undertaken a variety of international consulting engagements with the Association of Canadian Community Colleges, the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, the Commonwealth of Learning, the Commonwealth Secretariat, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

Dr. Wright is committed to the improvement of educational systems in emerging nations and has lectured, led workshops, and conducted educational evaluations in many countries. Recently, he assisted faculty with the development of courses and quality assurance systems at Bangladesh Open University, Wawasan Open University in Malaysia, the National Institute for Open Schooling in India, the Sri Lankan Open School of the National Institute of Education, the GIATMARA junior vocational institutes in Malaysia, the National Open University of Nigeria, and the Botswana Ministry of Education Open Distance Learning Teacher Training Program.

His publications have appeared in refereed journals including: Alberta Association of Continuing Education Journal, Canadian Journal of Educational Communications, College Quarterly, Distance Education, Educational Technology, Performance and Instruction Journal, and TechTrends. He has a BSc (McGill University), and a M.A. (Concordia University) and a PhD (University of Alberta) specializing in educational technology.

Karen Gage

Vice President, Blackboard Beyond Initiative

Karen Gage, joins the Blackboard executive team as vice president of the Blackboard Beyond Initiative, a key initiative by the company to focus on the next phase of e-Learning. As director of this effort, Ms. Gage oversees a dedicated team in launching a series of Web properties that connect the institutions, faculty, and students who use Blackboard worldwide across education segments and disciplines.

Ms. Gage comes to Blackboard with over ten years of experience working in the high technology sector. Most recently she served as senior vice president of marketing at WebCT, where she was in charge of product marketing, public relations, marketing communications, events, user community relations, and the company's Web presence. Ms. Gage has joined Blackboard as part of the company’s integration with WebCT following the February 2006 merge of the two companies.

Prior to her role at WebCT, Ms. Gage served as director of product marketing at the Inso Corporation, a global provider of content management software solutions. Before that she was a high-tech equity analyst at Alex. Brown & Sons.

Ms. Gage received her bachelor's degree in Economics from Duke University and her MBA from Columbia Business School.