As the world moves steadily to become a knowledge-based economy, education and learning have never been more important. Technology is playing an increasingly crucial role in the delivery of education, which in turn is driving research into finding ever better technological solutions. Each wave of technological advance has opened new opportunities for teachers and students.
First the arrival of personal computers popularized computer aided learning, next the internet introduced eLearning; now the age of intelligent environments is bringing such pedagogical advances as smart classrooms, intelligent campuses, immersive reality, affective learning, mobile learning, intelligent learning clouds and personalised intelligent avatar-like tutors to revolutionize current learning practices, and to challenge the traditional notion of a university or school.
Intelligent Environments have been heralded as a technology to radically transform our society, and the nature of teaching and learning. There is an urgent need for a journal that acts as a focus for researchers and practitioners to pool knowledge together and to advance the science and art of teaching, learning, and pedagogical practice, making it more efficient, cost-effective, and fun.
To achieve the above outcomes, this Journal (TOFIEE) will focus on showcasing new technologies that can help to make a difference to teaching and learning experiences, by enriching the learning process and the teaching infrastructure. Central to our forum will be enriched physical and environments such as smart classrooms, virtual / mixed reality environments, intelligent learning clouds or mobile and augmented reality systems that can interact with students and teachers at a pedagogical level, so as to bring true innovations to education.
We will also include the systems that support the learning of practical skills, such as those typified by science and engineering laboratories that are critical to students following technology courses. The journal will also include consideration of the wider campus infrastructure which can also impact the cost and effectiveness of education. Examples include smart signage that can guide people around a campus or smart applications for timetabling or managing the environment of the teaching facilities.
Education is increasingly global and multicultural in nature and thus, the cultural dimension is a topic we would seek to include. This Journal will serve as a forum for researchers and practitioners to discuss the latest intelligent technologies that can support the development of new educational technologies and environments around the world.
Given the multi-disciplinary nature of the areas involved, the journal aims to promote participation from several different communities covering a variety of topics: pedagogical strategies, technical (infrastructure), social-cultural influences; interaction, inclusion, and socialization in intelligent educational environments and systems, etc.
The journal will aim to attract reports on research and development related to a number of areas, including:
Special Issue editor: Jana Sujanova
Dr. Minjuan Wang is a Professor of Learning Design and Technology at San Diego State University (SDSU) and a visiting professor of Shanghai International Studies University (Oriental Scholar). Her current research specialties focus on the sociocultural aspects of online learning, mobile learning, intelligent systems, and Cloud learning.. Currently, she conducts research on teaching and learning in international multicultural settings and the use of mobile learning in formal and informal learning. Minjuan serves on the editorial boards for three outstanding journals: Open Education Research, International Journal on E-Learning (IJEL), and the Open Education Journal. She has also been a long-time reviewer for the premier journal—Educational Technology Research and Development, and a reviewer for more than 10 other international journals. In addition, she edited the Handbook of Research on Hybrid Learning Models. A winner of several research awards, Minjuan has more than 100 peer-reviewed articles published in premier journals, such as Educational Technology Research and Development, IEEE Transactions on Education, Computers and Education, British Journal of Educational Technology, and Educational Technology and Society. She has also published several book chapters on Best practices in teaching online or hybrid courses, Cross-cultural issues in online learning, Cybergogy for interactive learning online, and assessment of mobile learning in large classrooms. The Cybergogy for Engaged Learning Model she created has been recognized as an instructional design model (http://edutechwiki.unige.ch/en/Cybergogy).
Victor Callaghan is Professor of Computer Science, leader of the Intelligent Environments Group (IEG) and a director of the interdisciplinary Digital Lifestyles Centre (DLC) at Essex University. He established and directed mobile robotics research at Essex before founding the intelligent environments group (IEG). Both areas now host world-class teams and facilities. In particular, the IEG hosts the iSpace which is a full size digital home, the iClassroom is a high tech teaching facility, the iCampus, a Living lab based on an instrumented campus and the iWorld, and online mixed –reality implementation of these spaces. Professor Callaghan holds a B.Eng and PhD in Electronics and Computing, respectively, from Sheffield University. In general terms, his main expertise concerns the application of pervasive computing technology to the creation of intelligent environments that range from smart classrooms to immersive educational technology environments. He works closely with colleagues in the Network Education College in Shanghai (the online education arm of Shanghai Jiao Tong University) and the Department of Educational Technology at San Diego State University. In addition he is one of the founding board members of the Creative Science Foundation, a collaboration with Intel for introducing creative methodology to regular science teaching. He is also working with other commercial companies on the development of cutting edge teaching technology such as the Immersive Displays Ltd range of immersive reality teaching desks and the FortTo Ltd range of student laboratory equipment for teaching embedded-computing. Professor Callaghan has authored over 200 papers in international journals, conferences and books and he holds 4 key patents in his field. He has been principal investigator on numerous international and national projects in the area of pervasive computing attracting over 2 million pounds in research funding. He is a founder and principal organiser of the international annual IEEE sponsored conference, Intelligent Environments, a key member of the organizational team for the Pervasive Computing & Applications, Ubiquitous Intelligence & Computing conferences, founder member of the Creative Science Foundation (and associated workshops) and a member of the editorial teams of the Intelligent Buildings International, Pervasive Computing & Communications, Ambient Intelligence and Smart Environments journals.
