Call for Proposals: Technology, Instruction, Cognition, and Learning Special Issue

Call for Proposals: Technology, Instruction, Cognition, and Learning Special Issue:

Meaningful transformation of instruction with rapidly changing learning technologies: Practice, theory, research, and ethical considerations and opportunities

Technology, Instruction, Cognition and Learning (TICL) is an international, interdisciplinary journal of structural learning – promoting and disseminating interdisciplinary advances in theory and research at the intersection of four focus disciplines: Technology, Instruction, Cognition and Learning. Important developments in both theory and software technologies open a plethora of new opportunities for scientific and technological advance barely foreseen even a few years ago. These opportunities will be realized to the extent that advances can be synthesized to provide more inclusive solutions. To assure that articles build on the state of the art, each will be peer-reviewed by experts in at least two areas. More information about the journal and submission guidelines may be found at: http://www.oldcitypublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/TICL-call-for-papers-2014.pdf

Special issue information:

As technology continues to grow in complexity, it can be challenging to determine how to best employ it in classrooms. There are many considerations for instructors and designers regarding the theoretical and ethical soundness of different approaches to implementation. There are many factors involved in making good choices about the design and use of modern hardware. These include tools ranging from tablets to learning games, content management systems, transmedia experiences, social media, and on to modern computer-based instruction tools.

However, the technology on offer often moves more quickly than we can validly study it and some studies only touch the surface of what we need to know in order to meaningfully transform face-to-face and/or online instruction. Related to this, many of the research methods and theories we use tend to be taken from historical periods when the number of confounding factors were far less. In the past, we could draw conclusions about the efficacy of a learning technology such as a short film included as a supplement to lecture run simple statistical comparisons of a treatment and control class, without worrying about the complexity of social, cognitive, and political contexts of the medium itself.

The purpose of this special issue edited by Scott J. Warren is to solicit articles that examine innovative attempts to address the opportunities and challenges that come with trying to significantly transform today’s classroom practices with learning technologies. These articles may take different world views, be grounded in current theory, research, or attempt to improve pedagogy or research methods. Of special interest are pieces that address ethical, design, theory, practice, or research opportunities and challenges that come from using the newest technology tools or innovative learning and teaching approaches. Possible topics include but are not limited to:

Research methods that capture the complex contexts and experiences of instructors and learners using today’s learning technologies
Studies examining the use of learning technologies in an attempt to transform learning both in the short and long term
Design and development approaches to create innovative learning technologies such as course delivery systems, learning games, simulations, transmedia, and social media
Theoretical and ethical frameworks for choosing or developing appropriate modern learning technologies
Typologies and conceptual frameworks for practical consideration of the appropriate classroom use of learning technologies

Expected schedule:

June 1, 2016: 3-page proposal due

June 10, 2016: Invitation will be sent to selected authors to submit full manuscript

July 15, 2016: Full manuscript submission due to editor

August 12, 2016: Reviewers’ feedback sent to authors

September 9, 2016: Revised manuscripts due from authors

September 30, 2016: Editor’s feedback will be sent to selected authors as needed

October 31, 2016: Final revised manuscripts due from authors

TICL strongly encourages the electronic submission of manuscripts, with copies to each of the editors. Each manuscript should be sent as a single complete attachment with a cover email indicating that the article is being submitted for publication in TICL. The attachment should be in current Microsoft Word format and sent to scott.warren@unt.edu with the heading TICL: Special Issue Proposal on Transformation.