High-profile speakers will present papers and workshops on this year's theme of Rethinking the Digital Divide.


Keynote speakers will be David Cavallo, Chief Learning Architect for One Laptop per Child and Head of the Future of Learning Research Group at MIT Media Lab; Dr Itiel Dror, Senior Lecturer in Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Southampton; and Hans Rosling, Professor of International Health, at the Karolinska Institute, Sweden and Director of the Gapminder Foundation.


Chief Executive of ALT, Seb Schmoller, explains, -œThe digital divide tends to be seen as a problem of access whose 'solution' will bring a myriad of benefits. The reality may be quite different: technology, once supplied, may fall into disuse; connectivity may be in short supply, or too costly; lack of uptake by users may be a conscious and rational decision. The digital divide is multidimensional, rather than being mainly or only about access.

The conference is for anyone involved in the application of technology to teaching and learning, including researchers, practitioners, and policy-makers and this year will explore how under-served groups can make more effective use of learning technology. We'll do this in a wide range of ways, including workshops, symposia, demonstrations, and short research-paper-and-poster sessions.-


Invited speakers include luminaries and leaders from the learning technologies world such as:

• George Auckland - Head Of Innovation, BBC Vision
• Lizbeth Goodman - Professor of Creative Technology Innovation, Founder and Director of the SMARTlab Digital Media Institute
• Jane Hart - Head, Centre for Learning and Performance Technologies
• Denise Kirkpatrick - Pro Vice-Chancellor Learning and Teaching, The Open University
• Richard Noss - Professor of Mathematics Education at the Institute of Education, Co-Director London Knowledge lab, TLRP Associate Director for Technology Enhanced Learning
• Gilly Salmon - Professor of e-Learning and Learning Technologies, University of Leicester
• Clive Shepherd - Independent Consultant and Chair, eLearning Network
• George Siemens - Associate Director, Research and Development, Learning Technologies Centre, University of Manitoba

Around 640 delegates from across the world attended last year's event. Delegates from higher and further education, schools, government, and commercial bodies described the event as "very good", "inspirational", and a "fantastic opportunity to network and share and learn".