Conference is organized by Vytautas Magnus University and Lithuanian Association of Distance and E-learning (LieDM).

Conference aims to discuss challenges of open professional collaboration in higher, adult, school/general education, and vocational education and training.

The conference seeks to develop synergy among national, regional, and European initiatives and programmes (Lifelong learning programme, Erasmus+ and Electronic Platform for Adult Learning in Europe – EPALE), professional associations, and education and business partnership.

Conference scope:

• Open Education: trends, resources, practices and challenges
• Technology enhanced collaboration and networked learning
• Open collaboration for innovation
• Open learning for personal, professional and societal development
• Teacher continuous professional development perspectives
• Open and flexible online learning
• Challenges for online learner

Partners:

• Europos Sąjungos mokymosi visą gyvenimą programa Erasmus+
• EPALE – Electronic Platform for Adult Learning in Europe
• OpenPROF, “Open Proffessional Collaboration for Innovation” project
• OUVM, “Opening Universities for Virtual Mobility” project

Scientific committee

Conference chair – Prof. habil.dr. Juozas Augutis, Vytautas Magnus University

Chair of scientific committee – Doc. dr. Airina Volungevičienė, Lithuanian Association of Distance and e-Learning (LieDM association) and Vytautas Magnus University

Members:

• Prof. Antonio Teixeira, Open University (Portugal) and European Distance and eLearning Network (EDEN)
• Dr. András Szûcs, European Distance and eLearning Network (EDEN)
• Prof. habil. dr. Margarita Teresevičienė, Vytautas Magnus University and  Lithuanian Association of Distance and e-Learning (LieDM association)
• Prof. habil. Genutė Gedvilienė, Vytautas Magnus University
• Dr. Aquilino Juan Fuente, Oviedo university (Spain)
• Dr. Estela Daukšienė, Vytautas Magnus University and Lithuanian Association of Distance and e-Learning (LieDM association)
• Dr. Elena Trepulė, Vytautas Magnus University and ePlatform for Adult Learning in Europe EPALE
• Elena Caldirola, Pavia university (Italy)
• Lisa Marie Blaschke, The Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg (Germany) and  European Distance and E-Learning Network (EDEN)
• Sandra Kučina Softić, Zagreb university (Croatia) and European Distance and eLearning Network (EDEN)
• Denes Zarka, European Distance and eLearning Network (EDEN)

Scientific committee of Adult learning sector

Chair – Dr. Elena Trepulė, Vytautas Magnus University and ePlatform for Adult Learning in Europe EPALE

Members:

• Dr. Edita Trečiokienė, The Education Exchanges Support Foundation
• Daiva Malinauskienė, Soros International House
• Nina Reiter, Auxilium (Austria)
• Ona Sturonienė, Tauragės adult learning center

Scientific committee of Vocational education and training sector

Chair – Prof. habil. Genutė Gedvilienė, Vytautas Magnus University

Members:

• Dr. Laimutė Anužienė, Karalius Mindaugas vocational training center
• Dr. Tadas Tamošiūnas, Qualifications and Vocational Education and Training Development Centre
• Dr. Vidmantas Tūtlys, Vytautas Magnus University
• Virginija Bortkevičienė, Vytautas Magnus University
• Dangiras Kačinskas, Kėdainiai vocational training center
• Laimutė Ratkevičienė, Visaginas technology and business vocational training center
• Egidijus Stancikas, Vytautas Magnus University

Scientific committee of Higher education sector

Chair – Prof. habil.dr. Margarita Teresevičienė, Vytautas Magnus University and Lithuanian Association of Distance and e-Learning (LieDM association)

Members:

• Prof. Dr. Sigitas Daukilas, Aleksandro Stulginskio university and Lithuanian Association of Distance and e-Learning (LieDM association)
• Doc. Dr. Dalia Baziukė, Klaipėda university and Lithuanian Association of Distance and e-Learning (LieDM association)
• Doc. Dr. Vilhelmina Vaičiūnienė, Mykolas Romeris university
• Dr. Lina Kankevičienė, Alytus University of Applied Sciences and Lithuanian Association of Distance and e-Learning (LieDM association)
• Paulius Baltrušaitis, Kaunas University of Applied Sciences and Lithuanian Association of Distance and e-Learning (LieDM association)
• Ričardas Servetka, Mykolas Romeris university and Lithuanian Association of Distance and e-Learning (LieDM association)

Scientific committee of School sector

Chair – Dr. Estela Daukšienė, Lithuanian Association of Distance and e-Learning (LieDM association) and Vytautas Magnus University

Members:

• Vytautas Kantauskas, Šiauliai Simonas Daukantas gymnasium
• Edita Svidinskienė, Kaunas Vytautas Magnus university Rasa gymnasium
• Danutė Stankevičienė, Prienai education center
• Aušra Šlapelienė, Vilnius Ozas Secondary School

Organizing committee

Chair – Danutė Pranckutė, Vytautas Magnus University

Members:

• Doc. Dr. Dalia Baziukė, Klaipėda university and Lithuanian Association of Distance and e-Learning (LieDM association)
• Dr. Estela Daukšienė, Lithuanian Association of Distance and e-Learning (LieDM association) and Vytautas Magnus University
• Giedrė Chrapač, Šiauliai Vocational Education and Training Centre
• Egidijus Jaras, Vytautas Magnus University
• Ričardas Servetka, Mykolas Romeris university
• Saulius Kuzminskis, Vytautas Magnus University
• Indrė Klanauskaitė, Vytautas Magnus University
• Marius Šadauskas, Vytautas Magnus University
• Vida Žvinienė, Vytautas Magnus University

The speed dating session format for conference A and B sessions will be used.

The duration of these ’speed-dating’ sessions will be 90 minutes, containing the maximum of 7 presentations in each session.

The concept is to trigger and enable feedback and enhance discussions about the papers/ presentations in a lively, interactive environment.

Presenters, if they wish to use PowerPoint slides for their short (6 min.) presentation (max. 4 slides including title), are asked to submit them via the online presentation form by October 26, 2015 as latest in order to be uploaded to the computers in the rooms in advance. Authors may test the smooth running of their presentation during the break before the session.

Structure of the session

• The Session Chair introduces the ’speed dating’ concept and keeps the time of short presentations during the first block of the session.
• Presenters have 5-6 minutes (strictly moderated!) to cover key concepts and ideas in their papers/ presentations and pose questions for the following discussion in the session.
• After the brief presentations, the participants, including speakers and their audience, break into smaller thematic working groups where the presenters guide the discussions to reach strategic answers to their topics to be reported as the session outcome during the closing plenary session.
• The presenters report back to the whole group about the key messages coming from their group for 1-2 minutes per group
• The participants convene for a 10 minutes rapporting block (from each sub-group) before the closing of the session.

After the conference, all conference delegates will be given access to the online publication of the full version of accepted presentations. Therefore, all presenters are invited to submit also the full version of their presentations to the conference organizers via e-mail info@liedm.net whenever it is convenient for the author but no later than by November 13, 2015.

Following the concept of the conference of open professional collaboration, the full presentations submitted for online publishing should meet the following requirements:

• Presentation should be developed under a Creative Commons licence (clearly indicated on the presentation file)
• Presentation should be uploaded for open access using any of the online repository (SlideShare or alike)
• The link to the online presentation should be sent to info@liedm.net

Conference participants should address conference organizers if they need any help of guidance on slide submition.

The technical equipment available in all the sessions rooms include laptop (MS Office, Power Point), projector and WiFi. There will be technical assistants around to provide support if needed.