Call for Papers; Immersive Learning Research Network Conference 2016

[Leonel Morgado]

Apologies for cross-postings.

Call for Papers Immersive Learning Research Network Conference 2016: iLRN Santa Barbara 2016 June 27th - July 1st, 2016 Santa Barbara, California, USA http://immersivelrn.org/ilrn2016

Join immersive learning experts and practitioners from across the disciplines in sunny California for i​LRN 2016!​ The 2nd Annual International Conference of the Immersive Learning Research Network will be an innovative hands­on and scholarly meeting for an emerging global network of developers, educators, and research professionals collaborating to develop the scientific, technical, and applied potential of immersive learning. Following an outstanding inaugural event in Prague in 2015, this conference will be held on the campus of The University of California ­Santa Barbara from June 27th ­- July 1st, 2016. Organized by Appalachian State University in conjunction with Oregon State University, Graz University of Technology and University of Essex, the theme of this 2nd Annual iLRN conference will be “The Versatilist”, which is also the title of iLRN’s official podcast hosted by iLRN General Chair Patrick O’Shea: found at ​http://podcast.immersivelrn.org​.  2nd Annual ILRN Conference Theme: “The Versatilists” Immersive Learning is a complex enterprise. Creating effective learning experiences using immersive technologies requires the coordination of multiple types of expertise and effort. People engaged in the production of high quality immersive learning experiences, thus, must be a specialist in one or more disciplines with the ability to appreciate and work effectively from the lens of other specialties. Immersive Learning professionals need to be “versatilists”. As such, this conference is focused on providing opportunities for individuals from a wide variety of areas to share their information across the fields involved with the development, scholarship and business of immersive learning. Continuing the initiators previous success in workshops and conferences on immersive environments for learning and training purposes, and building on the success of previous iLRN events, this international conference series spans the topic range from innovative research, technologies and tools to successful services and products of immersive environments to foster learning, training and other activities in motivational and engaging ways. The objective is to uncover and discuss emerging trends and technologies, sound research and best practices, successful products and services within an international and interdisciplinary community. This includes but not limits its focus to virtual and augmented worlds, learning and motivational games, educational simulations, mixed/augmented reality, and related learning and teaching tools, techniques, technologies, and standards. Topics of interest in the context of immersive environments for the main conference include: • Immersive Technologies, Systems and Devices • Natural and Built Environments as Immersive Learning Spaces • Cognitive and Pedagogical Analysis • Learning and Training Applications • Non-leisure Games and Gamification • A Glance into the Future: Innovations, Challenges and Applications • Games and Entertainment • Art and Creativity  Important Dates • Papers submission deadline (main conference and special tracks): February 15, 2016 • Author notification of acceptance: March 30, 2016 • Camera-ready deadline: April 23, 2016 • Workshop/poster submissions: March 15, 2016 • Workshop/poster notification of acceptance: May 1, 2016 • Workshop/poster camera-ready deadline: May 29, 2016 • Main conference and special tracks: June 27th ​– July 1st, 2016   Publications All accepted full papers are planned (under submission) to be published in the Springer C​CIS  conference proceedings series, see also http://www.springer.com/series/7899.​ All other accepted contributions are published as online proceedings linked to an ISSN number, see also http://proceedings.immersivelrn.org. ​Authors of selected papers will also be invited to extent the contribution to be published in special issues, such as the TOFIEE journal.  More details to be announced soon.

Keynote Speakers

Conference Organization • General Chair: Patrick O’Shea, Appalachian State University, USA • General Chair: Christian Gütl, Graz University of Technology, Austria • Vice Chair: Michael Gardner, University of Essex, UK • Program Co­-Chair: Colin Allison, University of St Andrews, UK • Program Co­-Chair: Leonel Caseiro Morgado, Universidade Aberta, Portugal • Special Track Co­-Chair: Ken Hudson, stealth mode startup, Ontario, Canada • Special Track Co­-Chair: Johanna Pirker, Graz University of Technology, Austria • Workshops Co­-Chair: Scott Warren, University of North Texas, USA • Workshops Co­-Chair: Rainer Malaka, University Bremen, Germany • Publicity & Public Relations: Anasol Peña­-Rios, University of Essex, UK • Publications Chair: Dennis Beck, University of Arkansas, USA • Sponsor Chair: Jonathon Richter, Salish Kootenai College, USA • Industry Chair: TBA • Local Chair: J​atila Van Der Veen, University of California ­ Santa Barbara, USA

International Chairs • International – North America Co-Chair: Jennifer B. Elliott, University of North Carolina, USA • International – South America Co-Chair: Lynn Alves, UFBA, Brazil • International – South America Co-Chair: Andreas Pester, Carinthia University of Applied Sciences, Austria • International – Asia Pacific Co-Chair: Henry Been-Lirn Duh, University of Tasmania, Australia • International – Europa Co-Chair: Francesco Gabellone, CNR IBAM Lecce, Italy • International – Europa Co-Chair: Fotis Liarokapis, Masaryk University, Czech Republic • International – Middle East Co-Chair: Mohammad Al-Smadi, Amman, Technical University, Jordan • International – Middle East Co-Chair: Samir Elseoud, American University, Egypt • International – Africa Chair: Mathy Vanbuel, Audiovisual Technologies, Informatics & Telecommunications, Belgium

iLRN Advisory Board • Jon Dorbolo, Oregon State University, USA • François Garnier, École Nationale Supériore des Arts Décoratifs, France • Béatrice Hasler, University of Barcelona, Spain • Pasi Mattila, Center for Internet Excellence, Finland • Jonathon Richter, Salish Kootenai College, USA

Program Committee (to be expanded) • Abelardo Pardo, The University of Sydney, Australia • Alan Miller, University of St. Andrews, UK • Allan Fowler, Kennesaw State University, USA • Alok Mishra, Atilim University, Turkey • Anasol Peña-Ríos, University of Essex, UK • Anders Drachen, Game Analytics, Denmark • Andreas Schmeil, University of Lugano (USI), Switzerland • Annika Wiklund-Engblom, MediaCity, Åbo Akademi University, Finland • Béatrice Hasler, University of Barcelona, Spain • Bruno Joho, Lucerne University of Applied Science and Arts, Switzerland • Christian Gütl, Graz University of Technology, Austria • Christothea Herodotou, The Open University, UK • Colin Allison, University of St. Andrews, UK • Daniel Livingstone, Digital Design Studio, Glasgow School of Art, UK • David Lowe, The University of Sydney, Australia • Demetrios Sampson, University of Piraeus, Greece • Dominic Kao, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA • Erik Champion, Curtin University, Australia • Erik Harpstead, Carnegie Mellon University, USA • Ferial Khaddage, Deakin University, Australia • Fotis Liarokapis, Masaryk University, Czech Republic • Fridolin Wild, The Open University, UK • Guenter Wallner, University of Applied Arts Vienna, Austria • Ignazio Passero, Università degli Studi di Salerno, Italy • Indika Perera, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka • Jannicke Baalsrud Hauge, Bremer Institut für Produktion und Logistik /University of Bremen, Germany • Jochen Kuhn, University of Kaiserslautern, Germany • Johanna Pirker, Graz University of Technology, Austria • John Cook, University of West of England, UK • John Venable, Curtin University of Technology, Australia • Jonathon Richter, University of Oregon, USA • Jose Zagal, DePaul University, USA • Justin Ehrlich, Western Illinois University, USA • Kai Erenli, UAS bfi Vienna, Austria • Leonel Morgado, INESC TEC and Universidade Aberta, Portugal • Lisa Gjedde, Aalborg Universitet, Denmark • Lynn Alves, UFBA, Brazil • Marcus Specht, Open University of the Netherlands, The Netherlands • Margit Höfler, University of Graz, Austria • María Blanca Ibáñez, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Spain • Markos Mentzelopoulos, University of Westminster, UK • Mary Webb, King’s College London, UK • Max North, Southern Polytechnic State University, USA • Michael Derntl, RWTH Aachen University, Germany • Michael Gardner, University of Essex, UK • Mikhail Fominykh, Europlan UK Ltd, UK • Milos Kravcik, RWTH Aachen University, Germany • Mohammad Al-Smadi, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Jordania • Monique Janneck, Fachhochschule Lübeck, Germany • Narayanan Kulathuramaiyer, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, Malaysia • Panagiotis Bamidis, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece • Patrick O’Shea, Immersive Learning Research Network, UK • Rainer Malaka, University of Bremen, Germany • Ralf Klamma, RWTH Aachen University, Germany • Scott Warren, University of North Texas, USA • Stefanie Lindstaedt, Graz University of Technology & Know-Center, Austria • Stephanie Linek, ZBW Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, Germany • Stylianos Mystakidis, University of Patras, Greece • Timo Koskela, University of Oulu / CIE, Finland • Tobias Schreck, Graz University of Technology, Austria • Wolfgang Slany, Institute of Software Technology, Graz University of Technology, Austria

Venue The University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) is a public research university located on a 1,022-acre (414 ha) site near Goleta, California, United States, 8 miles (13 km) from Santa Barbara and 100 miles (160 km) northwest of Los Angeles. Directions to USCB: http://www.ucsb.edu/maps-directions Santa Barbara is a city on the central California coast, with the Santa Ynez Mountains as dramatic backdrop. Downtown, Mediterranean-style white stucco buildings with red-tile roofs reflect the city’s Spanish colonial heritage. Lining State Street are upscale boutiques and restaurants offering local wines and seasonal fare. On a nearby hill, Mission Santa Barbara, founded in 1786, houses Franciscan friars and a small museum.

About iLRN's Annual International Conference  ILRN’s annual conference provides an intensive face­to­face opportunity for the emerging professional community of immersive learning to collaborate and create the immersive learning future at world­class destinations. ILRN conferences offer knowledge exchange and open discussions in scientific presentation streams, poster sessions and panels. The Hands­-on demonstration stream combines short paper presentations with hands­-on opportunities for attendees. We seek members of the ILRNetwork, itself, to propose pre­conference Workshops and Special Tracks throughout covering emerging topics and trends relevant to the community. Additionally, “Ignite Sessions” further enable participants to present and share their work or interest in a fun and speedy way. The international conference offers a platform to explore and initiate new research development collaborations, and provide research consortiums, new products, and entrepreneurs room to share their work.​ Come and immerse yourself in scholarship, innovation, and fun!

About iLRN The vision of the immersive Learning Research Network (iLRN) is to develop a comprehensive research and outreach agenda that encompasses the breadth and scope of learning potentialities, affordances and challenges of immersive learning environments. To achieve this, the iLRN mission is to invite and organize scientists, practitioners, organizations, and innovators across the disciplines to explore, describe, and apply the optimal use of immersive worlds and environments for educational purposes. Further the conference, meetings, and virtual symposia aim to build capacity to explain and demonstrate how these immersive learning environments best work using a variety of rigorous, systematic, and meaningful research methods and outreach strategies.

To join the Immersive Learning Research Network or find out more about events and other initiatives, visit http://immersivelrn.org/

Immersive Learning Research Network 2015 ©.