In the age of the Social Web (Web 2.0/3.0), virtual learning environments empower teachers and learners to open their classrooms and be part of emerging folksonomies - the social construction of learning. Teachers and learners alike are now using ICT very differently from one another and ever more creatively.

The Porto Open Classroom Conference will explore

• how schools cope with the potential of collaborative knowledge building;
• the essence of learner control (empowerment of the learner) for different age groups, disciplines, and learning environments;
• how new learning solutions (open content, open source software, social networking) are introducing innovative experiences and facilitating learning as a creative process;
• the key competences that are needed to be an active lifelong learner in the 21st century multicultural society;
• the emerging role of the school teacher in the European School 2.0.

Openness and flexibility will characterize both the content and format of the Porto Open Classroom Conference: inspiring keynote presentations will be followed by moderated discussions and the exhibition and presentation of innovative tools and methods will be intertwined with hands-on exploration of their potentials by participants.

Submissions should target one of these activities and include

• presentation of the ICT policy in and practice of the educational institution (in 2000 words for the School Networking and Innovation Workshops);
• introduction to innovative ICT-based teaching and learning practices in an educational institution (in 5000 words to qualify for the European Award for Innovation in the School System);
• description of an innovative ICT solution to be presented in the form of Exhibitions or Demonstration Sessions (in 2000 words).

Schedule and Deadlines

Deadline for submissions: 28 August 2009

Notification of authors: 7 September 2009

The conference is organized in collaboration with the Universidade Aberta in Lisbon and the University of Porto, with the support of the European Commission DG Education and Culture.