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Proposals for presentations for the 2009 NMC Symposium on New Media and Learning, a special 2-day live online event to be held March 24-26, 2009, are being solicited through March 9, 2009.

About the Symposium
The 2009 NMC Symposium on New Media and Learning, the thirteenth in the NMC’s Series of Virtual Symposia, will explore the impact of new media on teaching, learning, research, and creative expression – especially in higher education. New media, for this event, is interpreted broadly as anything from creative uses of digital media and new forms of communication to alternative publishing methods and media-rich tools. The Symposium seeks to explore new media in the context of a current social phenomenon and not simply as a means of content delivery.

This Symposium is the first in what is to be a yearly discussion on the topic of new media and learning. Growing out of the NMC’s New Media and Learning Initiative and earlier conferences such as the 2006 Symposium on the Impact of Digital Media, the Symposium on New Media and Learning will provide a forum for exploring key issues that NMC members are thinking about on a daily basis. Each year, Symposium attendees will be encouraged to investigate emerging forms and uses of new media, present the results of pilot projects and research, reflect on ongoing practice, and engage in dialog about new media as a trend affecting the way we teach, learn and communicate.

The event will be held in the virtual world of Second Life, with alternatives for those who do not wish to participate via Second Life.

Registration is open now.

Symposium Format and Topics
The annual Symposium on New Media and Learning is itself designed to allow exploration of new platforms and new technologies, and each time it is offered, the symposium venue will be adapted to use current and emerging online communication tools. As in previous years, these tools will include technologies such as the 3D virtual world of Second Life, the Second-Life-to-website communication tool Chat Bridge, and other technologies both established and experimental.

Proposals are encouraged on any of the following themes, but this list is not exhaustive and selections will not be limited to these categories:

digital gaming in education

new forms of multimedia production and delivery

social media, social networking and global connections

new media and mobile devices

data visualization

media-rich communication tools

new literacies

any technology or practice that shows promise for engaging students and supporting teaching and learning using new media

Sessions should describe new approaches, illustrate case studies, or address the implications for learning and teaching of themes like those above.

Proposals may be submitted online.

Presenters will be notified by Monday, March 16. Mandatory presenter orientations will be held the week of March 16-20 for accepted sessions.

This event is the thirteenth in the ongoing series of specially focused online gatherings that explore new ideas and issues related to technology and learning. The NMC Series of Virtual Symposia is itself an exploration of emerging forms of collaboration and tools.

Additional information about the Symposium can be found on the Symposium website.