Plenary Lecture

Media Education in Contemporary Learning Environments: Thinking Sustainable Development

Professor Andreja Istenic Starcic
University of Ljubljana
Faculty of Civil and Geodetic Engineering
Jamova 2
Ljubljana 1000
SLOVENIA

University of Primorska
Faculty of Education
Cankarjeva 5
Koper 6000
SLOVENIA
E-mail: andreja.starcic@siol.net

Abstract: The questions of media education and design of new learning environments which integrate virtual learning environments will be explored from different angles. Media education integration in curricula from early education to university and lifelong learning assisting implementation of new educational technologies is focal point of educational systems in EU. However there is little comparative analysis in the field, so the theoretical framework will be outlining comparative multidisciplinary approaches connecting didactic theories with communication theories and practices focusing on knowledge building impacts of visual and spatial thinking in contextual media culture and education.
The basic assumption for comparative analysis of media education and virtual environments influencing teaching, learning process and outcomes quality, efficiency, and decision-making models is that meanings are shared/distributed and interpreted through many representational and communicative means. Further will be investigated how they affect teaching and learning and which are basic tensions among variety of factors shaping arena for research. The paper focuses on learning in formal institutions and the curricular knowledge, and how the formal educational environments integrate virtual learning environments in the teaching and learning practices.

Brief Biography of the Speaker:
Andreja Istenic Starcic holds a B. Sc. in Sociology of Culture (1998) and Ph.D. in Education (2002) University of Ljubljana, Slovenia. She received habilitation for assistant professor in didactics and educational technology and habilitation for research in management. Her research interests include social impacts of information and communication technology, information communication systems for professional development, knowledge management, educational technology, media education, computer supported collaborative learning, web-based communities, simulation and game-based learning, sustainable development.
She has been acting as a member of research groups:
• Research in education (2000-2002), University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Arts and Humanities;
• Management and informatisation of education and employability (2004-2004), University of Primorska, Faculty of Management;
• E-construction engineering (2006-), University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Civil and Geodetic engineering, Institute of Construction, Earthquake Engineering and Computing.
She has been developing ICT assisted learning environments for all levels of education and adult education since 1993. She is devoted to teacher education and professional development and had developed the first e-learning courses for university teachers and adult educators in Slovenia. Present research projects are: Intensive e-learning introduction for rising educational level and suppress regional discordance in Slovenia, I3CON – Industrialised Integrated Intelligent Construction, Virtual International Business Management Learning Environment for Hospitality and Destination Management, Education for Sustainable Development in the Built Environment in Slovenia.
Dr. Istenic Starcic has published several referred journal and conference papers, workbooks and monographs. Her publication also includes invited state-of-the-art chapters in international scientific monographs. She is in editorial board of international journal IJET http://online-journals.org/i-jet/about.
Dr. Starcic is a convenor in The European Educational Research Association EERA Didactic section http://www.eera-ecer.eu/networks/didactics/
She was giving courses at Belfast Queens University Northern Ireland, Lulea University of technology Sweden, and University of Turku Finland.