1 Location

The next OpenACS and .LRN Conference for 2008 is organized by the Galileo University, at Guatemala city and at the beautiful Antigua Guatemala city, from February 12th to February 16th 2008.

The conference is the 6th of a series which focuses on the development of community based web sites (primarily built with the OpenACS framework) and on community based e-learning environments (primarily built with the dotLRN framework).

The conference offered multiple activities for users and developers of the framework as well as for people interested in the mentioned topics in general. The program will contain tutorials and birds of feathers (BOFs), three days of presentations and workshops and the traditional bug bashing day. While part of the presentations will be use-cases and research developments, the workshops will focus on short-presentation of approaches, discussions and some outcomes in form of a consolidated opinion, state-of the art report or a proposal, which will be presented in a common session.

  On the following poster you will find more details of the Conference.

2 Topics

• Web based communities
  
• eLearning
  
• Collaborative environments
  
• Web 2.0 for eLearning Environments
  
• Social Software
• Methodologies for online teaching
• Educational standards support & Learning Design (IMS, LAMS, SCORM)
• Learning Object Repositories
• ePortfolios
• Modelling of Competences
  
• Ontologies for eLearning (Semantic web)
• Educational data mining & Adaptation features
• Specialized Learning Components
  
• Usability for online learning
• Accessible services for learners (WAI and National legistaltion guidelines)
  
• Experiences and Best Practices
• Educational Games
• Mobile Learning
  
• Educational Virtual Worlds
  
• Remoting Frameworks for OpenACS
  
• Web services support
  
• Extending Object Orientation in OpenACS for better reuse and configuration
• Architectural Developments
  
• Testing-Environment and Testing Approaches
  
• Agile Content Development
  
• E-learning and LMS integration with third-party web applications
  

 

3 Participation and Important Dates

3.1 Participation

The whole conference addresses practitioners, developers and researchers in the topics mentioned above.

Besides to assist to the conference you are encouraged to send a participation in one or more of the following possibilities:

1. Presentations: 

Participants intending to present their work should send a 2 page abstract (minimum 250 words). Every presentation at the conference will  take about 20 minutes, followed by 10 minutes discussions. The  presentations are reviewed by the program committee. The Conference Proceedings will be published in a Conference CD with ISBN, additionally final presentations and papers (Springer LNCS style, maximum 6 pages) will be published electronically on the conference web site.

2. Thematic Workshops: 

In addition to the presentation style conference program, we plan Thematic Workshops to foster discussions on the workshop topics. These workshops do not overlap with other workshops or presentations. Ideally, every workshop will contain 3 or 4 short position presentations (max 5 slides)  that should fuel the discussion in the workshop. The outcome of each workshop should be a document summarizing the results, which might range from a consolidated set of opinions to a road map paper inspiring the development of the framework.

3. Poster Session:

Will be scheduled at the end of the first conference day in a welcome reception. This will allow participants to present on-going work on data and promote informal discussions on the work in progress. Send 50-100 words including poster title and brief description.

4. Mini-demo session:

For short (10 minutes demo) presentation, with a live system, about a progress, enhancement, new application. A simple way to show any particular piece of software that has been done and that might be of interest of the participants. Send 50-100 words for a description of the application you plan to demo.

5. Working groups:

As in any community, there are particular interests regarding specific technologies, approaches and so on. The aim of this session is to informally contact, discuss, create and propel synergies, plan future enhancements with peers and parties that has common interests. Send a topic proposal you will be interested to participate, later and based on responses you'll be able co-organize the topic-specific working group session. If the amount topics or time required by them is large enough, we'll do a Birds of a Feather Sessions at the evening.

6. Tutorials:

Propose to organize a tutorial about an application, technology, method or something like that. If you need to use computer / server with the people who will attend let us know to organize the resources. If you are interested in an specific topic for a tutorial to be given contact us as well.  Possible topics that has been mentioned are: zen standards, basic-advanced xowiki, xotcl & xotcl-core in openacs, others.

All proposal should be sent to to elearning@galileo.edu, taking into account the following deadlines.

3.2 Important Dates

• December 22, 2007:  Submissions of proposals for Workshops & Tutorials (2 pages, min 250 words)
• December 22, 2007:  Submissions of Abstracts both for papers and posters for e-Learning Day and Main Conference (2 pages, min 250 words)
• January 5th, 2008:  Notification of Acceptance or workshops, papers and posters & tentative programme
• January 15th, 2008: Camera-ready versions of papers (6 pages with Springer LNCS style)
  
• February 12th, 2008: pre-Conference Program: Tutorials and BOFs (Guatemala)
• February 13th, 2008: e-Learning Day (Guatemala)
• February 14th-15th, 2008: Main Conference (plenary sessions and workhops on OpenACS and dotLRN) (Antigua)
• February 16th, 2008: Developers Day (Bug-bash) (Antigua)

3.3 Conference Organization

Conference Chair: Rocael Hernández (Galileo University)

Tutorial Chair: Avni Khatri , Yahoo! Inc., U.S.A
Workshop Chair: Olga C. Santos (aDeNu Group, UNED)
E-learning Day Conference Chair: Mónica de la Roca (Galileo University)
E-learning Day Tutorial Chair: Miguel Morales (Galileo University)
Bug bash Chair: Emmanuelle Raffenne (aDeNu Group, UNED)
Organization Chair: Leslie Paz Ricci (Galileo University) 

 
Organization Committee: 

• Miguel Morales (Galileo)
• Leslie Paz (Galileo)
• Alexis Alvarado (Galileo)
• Mónica de la Roca (Galileo) 

Program Committee 

• Carl Blesius, MGH Lab of Computer Science (MIT / Harvard), U.S.A.
• Jesús G. Boticario, aDeNu Research Group, UNED, Spain.
• Carlos Delgado Kloos, UC3M, Spain.
• Alfred Essa, U.S.A.
• Rocael Hernández, Galileo University, Guatemala.
• Raúl Morales, Innova, UNED, Spain.
• Gustaf Neumann, University of Economics and Business Administration, Vienna, Austria.
• Abelardo Pardo, UC3M, Spain.
  
• Rafael Pastor, Innova, UNED, Spain.
  
• Emmanuelle Raffenne, aDeNu Research Group, UNED, Spain.
• Olga C. Santos, aDeNu Research Group, UNED, Spain.
  

3.4 Registration information

Register now!. 

The conference fee is: US$130 (Includes printed CD with the proceedings, thursday & friday lunch)

Payment method: cash at the conference (US dollars or Quetzales). 

4 Conference program

4.1 Tuesday, February 12th: Tutorials & BOFs (Guatemala City, Galileo University)
(click to see map)

Tuesday log and videos available here

4.2 Wednesday, February 13th: E-learning Day (Open to General Public, Guatemala City, Galileo University)

E-learning day web page ( check the conference program)

Wednesday log and videos available here 

Some tutorials has been moved to wednesday afternoon due flight problems with the speakers.

Universidad Galileo
Room 401, Tower 1.

15:00 - 17:00   Tutorial: Xotcl-Core
                        Gustaf Neumann

• xotcl basics and OO programming knowledge is required, recommended to read the xotcl tutorial.
  

17:00 - 17:15   Coffee break

17:15 - 19:15   Tutorial: Xowiki Internals
                         Gustaf Neumann

•  Is suggested to review the xowiki manual

Transportation to Antigua will be at 19:30.

If you need TRANSPORTATION (Shuttle) from Guatemala City to Antigua Guatemala please confirm to help_desk@galileo.edu $8.00 per person.

4.3 Thursday-Friday, February 14th-15th: OpenACS and Community Based Web Frameworks (Antigua Guatemala)

Thursday log and videos available here

Friday log and videos available here

4.4 Saturday, February 16th: Developers Day (Antigua Guatemala)

Bug bash weekend.

Get the images of the Conference T-shirt!

5 Visit Guatemala

5.1 Monday, February 18th: Tikal Tour One Day

More information
In order to make your reservation please send an email to help_desk@galileo.edu

Come to the conference and enjoy some nice days in Guatemala and their many attractive sites to visit, such as:

• Tikal Piramids  Tikal is among the world's travel wonders, many calling Tikal one of the most spiritually powerful spots on earth. The monumental site with its towering pyramids looms out of the thick jungle canopy like stoic sentinels of ancient mysteries.

• Antigua Guatemala Antigua is among the world's best conserved colonial cities, it is a magic and captivating small town that makes you feel time might have stopped some 300 years ago. From its colonial architecture to its beautiful surroundings; strolling through town on the cobblestone streets, you will experience the splendors of ancient times!

• Lake Atitlan & Panajachel Panajachel is in the Guatemalan highlands and provides incredible views to three volcanoes and the Lake Atitlan. The volcanoes, San Pedro, Toliman, and Atitlan set an incredible stage for this town. Panajachel is also the gateway to explore the three indigenous villages around Lake Atitlan. Santiago Atitlan, Santa Cararina Palopo and San Antonio Palopo, all are famous for its women weavers and their typical clothes.

• Guatemala City, historic center Guatemala's capital city is the most modern and cosmopolitan city in Central America. Fast paced and vibrant, Guatemala City (or Guate as it's referred to locally) is a wonderful blend of old and new and possesses a distinct Latin charm. Today, Guatemala City has two million inhabitants.
  

• Pacaya Volcano (lava watch walks):Highly active Pacaya Volcano is the most frequently climbed volcano in Guatemala. It is relatively easily accessible and commonly puts on a good show for volcano enthusiasts.

 

5.1 Hotel Information

Since there will be to locations, 12-13th in Guatemala city (Galileo University), and 14-15th in Antigua Guatemala, there will be hotel alternative to both Guatemala city and Antigua. Each city is about 40 mins distance by car, is recommended to stay nearby the event location.

Suggested hotels in Guatemala city:

• Suites Reforma Apart Hotel (Reservation with Ms.Cendy Melgar email: reservaciones@suitesreforma.com.gt  W/Subject: Universidad Galileo/Open ACS Conference.Fax: 2383-6434)
  US$ 67.10 single room
  US$ 73.20 double room
  (Reservation before January 15th, 2008)

• Hotel San Carlos (Reservation with Mr. Selvyn Mota email: hsancarlos@hsancarlos.com W/Subject: Universidad Galileo/Open ACS Conference)
  US$ 72.00 single or double room
  US$ 98.00 Suite
  (Reservation before December 31st, 2007)
  

 SUGGESTED hotels in Antigua Guatemala:

• Porta Hotel Antigua (no more rooms available)  Head Hotel, in which the conference will be given.
• Standar - $100
• De Luxe - $120
• Primium - $155
  
  
• Posada del Hermano Pedro (5 rooms available)
  
• Single - $60
• Double - $85
• Triple - $95
• Junior Suit - $125
  

We advise you to make your reservations in the hotel of your choice as soon as posible, now that rooms are still available.

Another options in Antigua Guatemala:

• Hotel Casa de las Fuentes (5 rooms available, US$20.00 per person)
• Hotel La Sin Ventura (no more rooms available)
• Hotel Santa Ana (Reservation with 1 month of anticipation, US$40.00 per person )
• Hotel Santa Clara (Reservation with 1 month of anticipation, US$35.00 per person)

If you need assistance in order to make your reservations please contact Leslie Paz or Alexis Alvarado (help_desk@galileo.edu)

Hotel days recommendation:

We suggest you to stay in Guatemala city for the 12th-13th conference days, and depart to Antigua in the evening on the 13th, meaning you will stay in Antigua at least the 13th to 15th nights (shuttle bus will be arranged for those that register online).

Airport - Hotel - Airport transportation is offered for the most of the hotels, when you make your reservation please make sure to request for that, usually at no additional cost.

Guatemala - Antigua transportation is available, can be requested in the hotel, and the cost for one way trip is about $25 per person (they use a small private bus).

In Guatemala city, transportation from your hotel to Galileo University is suggested to use a taxi, will charge about $3-$5 each way. In Antigua, mini-taxis are available and most hotels are within a walking distance to the conference hotel.

5.2 Transportation Information

Following you will find some airlines connected to Guatemala City. 

                                      EUROPE 

AIRLINE	CONNECTIONS
IBERIA	Direct flight up to Guatemala City
Aer Lingus P.L.C.	American Airlines
Air Europe	Iberia Aeromexico
Air France	Continental Airlines American Airlines
Alitalia	American Airlines
American Airlines	American Airlines
BMI British Midland	American Airlines
Brussels Airlines	American Airlines
Continental Airlines	American Airlines Copa Airlines Aeromexico
Delta Air Lines	Delta Air Lines United Airlines
Iberia	TACA International Iberia Delta Air Lines United Airlines Mexicana de Aviacion American Airlines
Lufthansa	Delta Air Lines American Airlines
Mexicana de Aviacion	TACA International Mexicana de Aviacion
US Airways	TACA International
Spainair	American Airlines
KLM	Continental Airlines

 

 UNITED STATES

AIRLINE

Spirit Airlines (usually has the best prices)

American Airlines

Continental Airlines

TACA International

Delta

United Airlines

 

6 Conference Sponsors

Companies and Institutions are invited to sponsor the event. Contact the organizers of the conference for sponsorship details.

   
 

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