Keynote Address

MONDAY AUGUST 22

Dr. Curt Bonk is Professor of Instructional Systems Technology at Indiana University and President of CourseShare. Drawing on his background as a corporate controller, CPA, educational psychologist, and instructional technologist, Bonk offers unique insights into the intersection of business, education, psychology, and technology. He received the CyberStar Award from the Indiana Information Technology Association, the Most Outstanding Achievement Award from the U.S. Distance Learning Association, and the Most Innovative Teaching in a Distance Education Program Award from the State of Indiana. A well-known authority on emerging technologies for learning, Bonk reflects on his speaking experiences around the world in his popular blog, TravelinEdMan. He has coauthored several widely used technology books, including The World is Open: How Web Technology is Revolutionizing Education (2009), Empowering Online Learning: 100+ Activities for Reading, Reflecting, Displaying, and Doing (2008), The Handbook of Blended Learning (2006), and Electronic Collaborators (1998). 

SPOTLIGHT SPEAKERS

TUESDAY AUGUST 23 

Dean Shareski is a Digital Learning Consultant for Prairie South School Division in Saskatchewan, Canada. Dean works with teachers and students in understanding the power of the Read/Write Web. Dean is strong advocate of design and storytelling and the power of sharing.  He has presented and led many workshops locally, nationally and internationally.  He's been modeling much of this on his own blog (ideasandthoughts.org) for over 6 years, which on the internet is like 88 years.  His blog is consisently ranked among the top 100 educational blogs. This is one space, among many, where he connects to the world and teaches and learns in ways not possible only a few years ago. Understanding what this means for education, keeps him up at night. He also is an adjunct professor at the University of Regina where he's developed innovative instructional practices for pre-service teachers. Dean lives in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan with his wife, kids and dogs.  

WEDNESDAY AUGUST 24 

Dr. Norm Vaughan:  An educator and researcher with interests in blended learning, faculty development and K to 12 schooling, Dr. Norm Vaughan is an Associate Professor in the Department of Education, Faculty of Teaching and Learning at Mount Royal University in Calgary, Alberta.  He recently co-authored the book Blended Learning in Higher Education (Jossey-Bass, 2008) and has published a series of articles on blended learning and faculty development.  Norm is the Co-founder of the Blended Online Design Network (BOLD), a member of the Community of Inquiry Research Group, the Associate Editor of the International Journal of Mobile and Blended Learning and he is on the Editorial Boards of the International Journal of Excellence in e-Learning, Canadian Journal of Learning and Technology, the Journal on Centres for Teaching & Learning, the Learning Communities Journal, and the Journal of Information Fluency