DIVERSE 2009

The use of YouTube, podcasts, lecture capture technology and video conferencing in higher education is the focus for an international conference at Aberystwyth University this week (24 and 26 June).

DIVERSE 2009 (Developing Innovative Visual Educational Resources for Students Everywhere)is the latest annual gathering of academics, teachers, technologists and students which engages participants in an ongoing dialogue on the effective uses of visual media in education.

Up to 180 delegates from Europe, north and south America and Australia are expected to attend the Aberystwyth conference. Previous editions have been held in Haarlem (The Netherlands), Lillehammer, Glasgow, Nashville, Amsterdam, Derby and Banff in Canada. DIVERSE 2010 will be held in Portland, Maine, USA.

DIVERSE 2009 is being organised by John Morgan and Janice de Haaff who are based at Aberystwyth University's Language and Learning Centre.

John Morgan said “For over two decades Aberystwyth University has been a pioneer in the use of videoconferencing and communications technology for teaching. It is therefore appropriate that an international organisation such as DIVERSE, which is dedicated to promoting the use of visual media in education, should choose Aberystwyth to hold this prestigious event.”

Chair of DIVERSE, Pieter van Parreeren from INHolland University of Applied Sciences, said “DIVERSE is a living community and is looking forward to welcoming its members and delegates to Wales and Aberystwyth. The aim of the conference is to provide a dynamic forum for discussion, exchange of ideas and experiences that will inspire delegates to push the boundaries in the use of visual technology work for the benefit of everyone involved with education, wherever they may be in the world.”

Two leading practitioners in the field have been confirmed as keynote speakers for DIVERSE 2009.

Obadiah Greenberg is a member of YouTube's strategic partnerships team, where he helps schools make effective use of new media for teaching and learning, PR and community engagement. Instrumental in putting the University of California Berkeley at the forefront of the open content movement by making hundreds of full courses and events freely available, he joined Google in 2006 to help other higher education partners communicate through YouTube.

Carol Skyring is Founder and CEO of LearnTel Pty Ltd and has been involved in the design, application and effective use of learning technologies for education and business applications since 1986. She works with universities, colleges, schools, government departments, large corporations and SMEs throughout Australia, New Zealand, USA and Europe.