期刊名称：International Journal of Education and Development using Information and Communication Technology
电子版ISSN：1814-0556
出版年度：2016
卷号：12
期号：2
页码：80-104
出版社：University of the West Indies
摘要：This article considers how online conferences can support professional development acrossAfrica and reviews elements of the literatures of social learning, online professional developmentand online conferences. The e/merge online conference is then described in terms of designfeatures and participation metrics. This sets context for discussion of the results of a qualitativeanalysis of statements by engaged online conference participants concerning the affordances ofthe online conference and their experiences of learning during the conference. Onlineconferences have become an increasingly well-accepted mode of delivery and interaction forprofessional development processes. This is partly driven by changing online conference designs,improved bandwidth and increasing take-up of internet services globally. The growth of onlineconferences is also in part a response to the travel costs, security fears, and ecological impactsrelated to traditional face-to-face conferences. The e/merge online conference series on the useof educational technology in Africa is an example of how online conferences can enhanceprofessional networking and development of practitioners and researchers. Such conferencescan bring together professionals with shared practices, facilitate learning at the boundaries ofoverlapping communities of practice and bring African and global experiences into a sharedconversation about new opportunities and local contexts
