CSEDU has become a an annual meeting plece for presenting and discussing learning paradigms, best practices, and case studies that concern innovative computer-supported learning strategies, web-based distace learning, e-learning technology-enhanced learning, and instituional policies on computer-based learning. CSEDU 2018 provided an overview of the state of the art in all these areas, oulined upcoming trends, and promoted discussions about the educational potential of new learning technologies in the academic and corportaded worlds. 

The conference was comlemented with  two Special Sessions entitled: Analytics in Educational Environments -A2E chaired by Ana Azevedo (Portugal), Blended Learning and quality Enhancement BLQE 2018, chaired by Ebba Ossiannilsson, Sweden.

BLQE 2018, Special Session on Blended Learning and Quality Enhancement, Chair Ebba Ossiannilsson

Ebba Ossiannilsson 
The Swedish Association for Distance Education (SADE), Sweden

The presentation was based on the ICDE Insight Paper which I authored on behalf ICDE

The full report can be downloaded here

The Blogpost The Blended learning ecosystem: Taking control and orchaestrating learning pathways at ICDE Blog can be found here

Blended learning embraces personal quality learning. This widely recognized and personalizable method engages, facilitates, and supports learning. UNESCO and the Commonwealth of Learning emphasize this approach, as it makes learning more flexible and convenient. This will help students be part of a global digital society The blended learning model requires changes in the roles of teachers and learners. These changes are accompanied by shifts in ownership and empowerment, where learners become prosumers and orchestrate their own learning regarding time, place, setting, path, and pace. Blended learning involves people as learners, teachers, administrators, technicians, leaders, and managers with a variety of aspirations and ambitions. Clearly, there is a renewed focus on quality, and the blended learning approach is worthy of consideration.

For the quality enhancement discussion the presentation was mainly based on the ICDE research report by Ossiannilsson, Williams, Camilleri, and Brown , (2015).

At the Special Session BLQE two other presentations were presented as well (six submissions were recieved, and three were accepted after blind paper reviews.  The two others were the EU funded projects the Technical Innovation in Blended Learning-Concepts for the Creation of High Quality Continuous Vocational Education Courses using Multipe Devices (TIBL), by Mazohl, Ossiannilsson, and Maki (2017), and  the Virtual Teachers Toolbox-An Innovatie Tool to Assist the Creation of High Quality Open Distance Learning Courses, (VTT_BOX), by Mazohl, Ossiannilsson, Maki, Ampartzaki, and Kalogiannkis (2017).

The Creation of High Quality Continuous Vocational Education Courses using Multipe Devices (TIBL), by Mazohl, Ossiannilsson, and Maki (2017)

 the Virtual Teachers Toolbox-An Innovatie Tool to Assist the Creation of High Quality Open Distance Learning Courses, (VTT_BOX), by Mazohl, Ossiannilsson, Maki, Ampartzaki, and Kalogiannkis (2017).

 The following conference themes wer covered during th  conference

1. Information technologies supporting learning
2. Artificial intelligence in education
3. Learning /teaching methodologies and assessment
4. Social context and learning environents
5. Domain applicstions and case studies
6. Ubiquiotous learning

The CSEDU2018 recieved193 paper submissions from 44 countries, of which 23% were accepted,as full papers. To evaluate each
submission, a  double blind paper reviiew was performed  by the Program Committee, whose members are all highly qualified independent resaercherss in the CSEDU topic areas. I am myself happy and proud to be in the Program Committee. 

The confernce were sponsored by INSTICC, and technically co-sponsored by IEEE Portugal Setion in cooperation with ACM SIGMIS_ACM, ACM SIGITE-ACM, SADE, ASEE, and ATIEF.

CSEDU2019 will be hosted in Greece, Creete 2-4 May 2019