UPOU calls for sharing of research, experiences amid pandemic and preparations for the Future

Everyone has experienced challenges in this time of pandemic, especially on issues related to education. How did each one of us fare? What sort of challenges did we encounter and what strategies did we employ to cope with them? How did these strategies impact us and our academic communities?

This global public health crisis required the need for educational institutions to be resilient and agile, and maximize the  use of tools, techniques and technology that had not been considered in the past. Consequently, the pandemic also heightened the need for academic institutions to prepare for and sustain operations in cases of other possible disruptions in the future.

It is in this context that the University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU) will be holding the International Conference on Open and Distance eLearning 2021 (ICODeL 2021) virtually this 13-15 October 2021.

This conference aims to provide a virtual space for local and international open and distance elearning (ODeL) practitioners to discuss spaces and possibilities that ODeL has opened up as the educational sector envisions and prepares for the challenges of the University of the Future.

Carrying the theme “The University of the Future: Sustainability and Agility Amidst Disruption,” UPOU solicits the participation of teachers, researchers, administrators, ODeL practitioners, students, and policy makers all over the world to share experiences and research studies related to the theme or the following sub-themes:

• Surviving the Disruption
• Education in Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous Contexts
• Future Foresight and Strategic Governance
• Remote/Flexible Teaching and Learning Environments
• Technological Innovations in Open and Distance Learning
• Ensuring Quality in Online and Distance Learning
• Flexible Learning Pathways for Lifelong Learning
• Accessible Education for Sustainable Development
• Education for Agile Work Environments
• Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Education
• Gender Considerations in Online Learning
• Empowerment in Online Education
• E-learning Models in Health
• Wellness and Mental Health in Virtual Learning Environments

Abstract submissions for proposed paper presentations are accepted on or before 7 July 2021. Abstracts should be research-based and should not exceed 350 words. Authors of accepted abstracts shall receive a notice of acceptance from the conference organizers by 14 August 2021. Only accepted abstracts can be submitted for full paper review. Accepted full papers will be included in the conference proceedings and selected papers will be recommended for publication in the International Journal on Open and Distance e-Learning (IJODeL), Asian Association of Open Universities (AAOU) Journal, and ASEAN Journal of Open and Distance Learning (AJODL).

For more information about ICODeL2021, visit https://icodel.org/.