Design spaces and curriculum for 21st century users

The 2013 North South VCET ICT conference, endorsed by DHET, was hosted successfully by the North South Initiative: False Bay College, College of Cape Town and Haugaland Schole (Norway).

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The third International North South TVET ICT conference will take place from 10-12 September 2014 at the Lagoon Beach Hotel in Cape Town.

This year's conference theme is entitled "M-Powering Learning: Designing Learning Spaces and Digital Teaching Methodologies to Enhance Student Performance".

The focus is on design within an educational context. With Cape Town having been nominated World Design Capital for 2014, the theme offers an important link to the city's design objectives.

The central principle supporting the city's successful bid is the role of urban design in social transformation. With its byline, "Live Design. Transform Life", the vision is to offer a catalyst for the development of inspiring programmes linked to World Design Capital-themed events and projects.

The North South TVET ICT conference is oriented to the needs of the 21st century student, who will have to be equipped with the appropriate skills to thrive in a globalised, knowledge-based world. This requires new teaching methodologies and learning spaces that foster advanced skills and independent thinking.

The "design" thread is planned to include Learning Space Design, Lesson Design (with the incorporation of technology, Web 2.0 / 3.0 technologies and the use of Augmented Reality etc), Software Design (showcasing what exists), and the Design of Personal Mobile Technologies for Life Long Learning.

The three-day programme encompasses morning plenary sessions oriented to presentations on design aspects. The afternoon breakaways will incorporate vendor exhibits and interactive sessions.

We are proud to announce that Liz Waller, deputy director for Information and Head of Information Services at the University of York, has been confirmed as a keynote speaker for the conference and will be discussing 'Creating fexible learning spaces for the future student'.

Why should you attend the conference?

The conference provides a platform for capacity building through access to expert knowledge, technology integration and usage and exposure to the latest advances in educational technologies on display at exhibition stands and practical demonstrations.

Registration is open. Please register via www.northsouthconference.co.za. Be one of the first 100 to register and pay and you will receive an electronic device.

Should you be interested in presenting a paper or facilitating a workshop, please submit an abstract of 10 lines/200 words, indicating your topic and explaining your field of interest. Information on submitting an abstract is available on the website. Please note that the date for submissions of abstracts for presentations is 31 July 2014.

For more information:

Contact:

• Deon Halls (College of Cape Town)
  az.ude.tcc@sllahd
  
• Marian Theron (False Bay College)
  az.gro.yabeslaf@noreht.nairam
  
• Tim Golding (Haugaland Skole, Norway)
  on.kfgor@gnidloG.ttocS.yhtomiT