http://sites.google.com/site/advtel2011/

RATIONALE
Visualization techniques have been researched as a way to help people deal with the abundance of information. It makes use of the principles in Gestalt Theory that explains the human visual capacity, such as proximity, similarity, continuity, symmetry, closure and relative size. They rely on the design of effective and efficient interactive visual representations that users can manipulate to solve specific tasks themselves. This approach is especially useful when a person does not know what questions to ask about the data or when (s)he wants to ask better, more meaningful questions. At the same time displays have become a pervasive part of our environment in various manifestations. While they were traditionally used to (mainly visually) present information they also become more and more important as interfaces to access and interact with digital information. Following these developments, researchers have recently started to exploit the potential of ambient displays for learning purposes, research cognitive effects, and promote the interaction of learners with their environment.
In this workshop, we are looking for contributions in the intersection of Technology Enhanced Learning and 

# Information visualization; that concentrates on the use of interactive visual representations of abstract data to amplify cognition.    
# Visual analytics; that aims to support analytical reasoning by interactive visual interfaces.   
# Knowledge visualization; that uses visual representations to improve the transfer and creation of knowledge between people.    
# Ambient Display Design; that supports individual and collaborative learning processes, problem solving and sense making.

TOPICS OF INTEREST
We believe that the intersection of both fields - i.e. visualization and Technology Enhanced Learning - can provoke exploration, insight and understanding. Therefore, suggested topics for contributions to our workshop include the use of existing and novel visualization techniques to the following, not limited list of application domains in TEL: 
# Personalization, user modeling and adaptation,   
# Science 2.0,    
# Learning analytics,   
# Self-reflected learning,   
# Recommendation techniques,    
# Mobile technologies,   
# Tabletop technologies,   
# Learning Object Repositories and its federations,    
# Evaluation methods for visualization techniques,   
# Social awareness,  
# Practices of diverse Technology Enhanced Learning disciplines, and how visualization techniques can influence them,    
# Exploration and exploratory search   
# Design dimensions and patterns   
# Theoretical approaches for embedding ambient learning displays in educational environments    
# Evaluation methodologies   
# Prototypical Implementations   
# Experimental validations of ambient learning displays    
# Sense making scenarios  
# Problem Solving scenarios  
# Information Awareness    
# Personalization and Contextualization   
# Feedback and changes in behavior   
# Distributed Interaction    
# Embodiment (into the physical environment)   
# Ambient Intelligence   
# Design guidelines    
# Ambient Information Channel

WORKSHOP FORMAT
Prior to the workshop, a dedicated group on TEL Europe (http://teleurope.eu/) will be opened to:
   facilitate discussions among participants before and after the conference;    
   post submitted papers for an open peer review;     
   post access to prototypes and applications;    
   publish information and news about the workshop;     
   collect reactions through social media on the workshop;    
   create a special interest group that can be used after the workshop to collect ideas, evaluation subjects, etc. 

Each presenter will be linked to related papers from other presenters and will be asked to compare how the works of others relate to their own work. We encourage the presentation of the work by giving a live demo to provoke true interactions within the workshop in an attempt to get away from the mini-conference format.
The results and discussions from the workshop will be summarized and analyzed in a short paper. Podcasts of the presentations will be disseminated through STELLAR. 

SUBMISSIONS
Authors are invited to submit original unpublished work. The following types of contributions will be possible:
   # Short papers (3-5 pages) that state the position of the authors within the scope of the workshop and describe solution concepts, prototypes and work in progress, even when in very early and not yet mature state. 
   # Full papers: (8-12 pages) that describe problems, needs, novel approaches and frameworks within the scope of the workshop. In this category, empirical evaluation papers and industrial experience reports are welcome for submission.
The presentation of unfinished ideas, tools under development and especially failures is explicitly encouraged. This includes the presentation and discussion of tools and their real-world usability. 
The recommended format for the contributions is Springer LNCS. Contributions should be submitted through EASY-CHAIR: http://www.easychair.org/conferences/?conf=advtel2011 We aim to publish workshop proceedings through CEUR-WS.org

IMPORTANT DATES
* Paper Submission: August 10th, 2011    (extended)
* Results Notification: August 17th, 2011   
* Camera Ready Submission: September 1st, 2011   
* Workshop Date: September 20th or 21st, 2011

PROGRAMME COMMITTEE (to be confirmed)
# Katrien Verbert, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium   
# Andrew Vande Moere, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium     
# Boris Müller, FH Potsdam, Germany   
# Moritz Stefaner, Germany   
# Wolfgang Reinhardt, Universität Paderborn, Germany    
# Nikos Manouselis, AgroKnow, Greece    
# Xavier Ochoa, ESPOL, Ecuador    
# Martin Wolpers, FIT, Germany     
# Dan Suthers, University of Hawaii, USA    
# Mark Van t‚Äô Hooft, Kent State University, USA (tbc)    
# Chee-Kit Looi, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore   
# Albrecht Schmidt, University Duisburg-Essen, Germany (tbc)   
# Hiroaki Ogata, Tokushima University, Japan (tbc)   
# Tom Gross, University of Bamberg, Germany (tbc)    
# Ulrich Hoppe, University Duisburg-Essen, Germany

ORGANISERS
# Joris Klerkx, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven    
# Erik Duval, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven    
# Eelco Herder, L3S   
# Ralf Klamma, RWTH Aachen     
# Fridolin Wild, KMi, The Open University    
# Till Nagel, FH Potsdam    
# Marcus Specht, Open Universiteit Nederland     
# Marco Kalz, Open Universiteit Nederland    
# Dirk Börner, Open Universiteit Nederland

ABOUT EC-TEL 11
EC-TEL is a unique setting for researchers, practitioners, and policy makers in Technology Enhanced Learning from Europe and other continents to meet together and exchange on the current challenges and advances in the field. At EC-TEL, experts and young researchers in Computer Science, Education, Psychology, Cognitive Science, and Social Science, as well as entrepreneurs have the opportunity to establish collaborations, strengthen their links and cross-fertilize their core disciplines.
EC-TEL 2011 will push further the Ubiquitous Learning paradigm by not only tackling the challenges of exploiting new trendy devices in various contexts, but also by investigating ways to meet and support formally and informally the learners in their learning playgrounds and social environments thanks to innovative scenarios. See http://www.ec-tel.eu/ for details.

MORE INFORMATION
http://sites.google.com/site/advtel2011/
Contact: joris.klerkx@cs.kuleuven.be