Digital technologies for innovative research networking including research to inform educational innovations in twenty-first century learning

摘要

The New Zealand Collaborative Action and Research Network (NZCA&RN) has attracted anunusually strong gathering of researchers working on innovations with digital technologies ineducation. The inaugural symposium proceedings (Davis, Fletcher, Morrow, McGrath and Somekh,2009) included experts in technology and teacher education, e-learning and distance education (Davis;Lai &Pratt; Mackey; Morrow); Multiuser Virtual Environments (Atkins), ePortfolios (Lamont;Davis).In our view it is essential that New Zealand researchers have the opportunity to respond to these rapidadvances using these technologies as an engine to enhance the networking of research. Our inauguralsymposium used REANZ video conferencing to engage with researchers internationally and a Blog topromote networking. The inaugural NZCA&RN symposium co-chairs, Niki Davis and BridgetSomekh, brought with them lively links with international networks including the Society ofInformation Technology and Teacher Education and the International Federation of InformationProcessing educational research working group. These international networks and our parent CARNadvocate for increased digital equity in the rapidly changing educational ecologies of the twenty-firstcentury (Davis, 2009).This paper will identify our research and action by continuing with its mapping and identification ofwhy these NZCA&RN approaches matters in our diverse ecologies, with an emphasis on what shouldhappen next. It will also stimulate increased application of digital technologies for collaborativeaction and research networking in CARN, especially in NZCA&RN.