Background
Research on mobile learning is currently making a shift from practice-orientated research to theory building, often focusing on theorising communicative and discursive practices. In this context, an emerging tendency in theory building is to consider experiences related to the learners’ life worlds, agencies and cultural practices, in out-of-school, informal contexts.

To understand personalised, learner-centred learning from a cultural perspective, practitioners need to explore these life world contexts in terms of the learner’s personal lifestyle, socio-economic status, experiences and interests. The challenge for practitioners is to learn from the learners’ agencies, to critically reflect upon the changing cultural practices that emerge from the use of new technologies, and to integrate the assets that young people acquire in leisure contexts into successful learning experiences in formal contexts such as school, higher education and work.

One of the pedagogic aims of such a cultural ecology of mobile learning is to build new links, or to strengthen existing ones, between the different contexts in a learner’s life with the aim to provide continuity for learning, to minimise the risk of failure, and to nurture lifelong learning.

As learning with mobile media is increasingly less bound by specific locations, occasions, contents and individuals, and as research on mobile learning can increasingly accommodate a growing diversity of experiences and findings, this symposium aims to address different audiences, with a focus on education professionals and practitioners from school, work and leisure. All are invited to participate in an exchange of experiences and ideas.

The symposium will focus on mobile learning theory and practice in education, work and leisure and will address the following themes:
• Learning across contexts
• Cultural approaches to mobile learning
• Status quo, visions and conjectures
Interdisciplinary approaches and thematic crossovers, both in theory and practice, are particularly welcome. Work in progress and international contributions are encouraged.

Keynote presentations
The symposium will feature a small number of invited keynote presentations by leading experts in the field. Confirmed speakers and titles will be announced in due course.

Symposium Organisers
Dr Norbert Pachler, WLE Centre, IOE London, UK.
Judith Seipold M.A., University of Kassel, Germany / Associate at the WLE Centre, IOE London, UK
Dr Giasemi Vavoula, Department of Museum Studies, University of Leicester, UK
Professor Agnes Kukulska-Hulme, Institute of Educational Technology, The Open University, UK

Important Dates
1 October 2008: Announcement of the first call for expressions of interest and extended abstracts.
3 November 2008: Announcement of the second call for expressions of interest and extended abstracts.
16 January 2009: Deadline for the submission of 1000 word extended abstracts.
30 January 2009: Notification of acceptance.
30 January 2009: Registration opens - symposium programme announcement.
20 February 2009: Deadline for the submission of camera-ready extended abstracts.
27 February 2009: Registration closes.
27 March 2009: Symposium at WLE, Institute of Education, London.
30 April 2009: Deadline for the submission of full papers for post-symposium publication.

Registration
Registration for the symposium is free but numbers are limited. Priority will be given to authors of accepted abstracts.

Presentations
Authors of selected abstracts will be invited to give a 20 minute presentation.

Proceedings
All accepted abstracts will be available in print on the day. Presenters will be invited to submit full papers for publication in a dedicated volume. Full details will be announced in due course.

Venue
The symposium will take place at the Centre for Work-based Learning and Education (WLE), at the Institute of Education, London, UK. The WLE Centre is located on Level 4 of the main building of the Institute of Education, University of London, 20 Bedford Way, London WC1 0AL. The nearest Underground Station is Russell Square (Piccadilly Line).

Website
http://symposium.londonmobilelearning.net
www.wlecentre.ac.uk
www.londonmobilelearning.net

Contact details
Expression of interest:
[email protected]
Submission of abstracts:
[email protected]
Registration:
[email protected]