Media & Learning 2027

How can digital media and evolving technologies enhance learning while keeping learners and educators at the centre of the pedagogical process? This theme invites contributions on learning design and the choice of media and formats that support it, with attention to learner needs, accessibility, inclusion, wellbeing, cognitive load and meaningful engagement. Contributions might explore how these factors shape choices between video, audio, interactive media and text; how learner feedback informs design and examples where a technically impressive solution was not the most effective learning solution. We also welcome evidence of what works, what does not, and what makes innovation sustainable and scalable.

How do you actually build and run the infrastructure behind modern educational media and learning spaces? This theme connects the craft of media production with the systems, services and skills that make it possible. This theme is dedicated to practical, technical how-to sessions: setting up advanced and hybrid learning spaces, next-generation studio and virtual production workflows, AI-assisted production pipelines (story boarding, editing, captioning, etc…), scalable media storage practices and services, equipment and tooling choices, and workflow automation at scale. We also welcome contributions on skills development, training pathways and mentoring for junior AV professionals, media producers and learning designers as they navigate rapidly changing tools and workflows.

As audio content earns its rightful place in the educational media toolkit, how can spoken word, field recordings and immersive sound design enrich learning experiences? We welcome practical and evidence-based contributions connected to any of our conference themes, that explore the creation, implementation and impact of audio-first approaches to media and learning.

How can students become active participants in shaping and creating their own digital learning experiences? Contributions might explore student co-creation, personalised learning, accessibility, student-generated media, open educational resources built with rather than simply for, students. Possible angles include student-produced videos, podcasts and explainers, peer-created resources and OER, editorial control and quality assurance, what students learn through creating content and how AI can support co-creation without replacing students’ active role.

Centres for teaching and learning (CTLs) are increasingly at the heart of how universities respond to new technologies, changing pedagogies and evolving expectations for teaching and learning. This theme invites practical and critical reflections on how CTLs are organised, how they balance innovation with pragmatic adoption, what happens when responsibilities overlap between IT, AV and educational development and how didactical and technical expertise can work together effectively. We welcome contributions on establishing or restructuring CTLs, networked and centralised models, staff and student development, and the challenge of ensuring that CTLs are visible, recognised and connected across campus.

How can universities keep up with rapid technological change while allowing enough time to experiment, reflect and make informed choices? We invite contributions on the thoughtful adoption of AI, XR and other technologies, including ethical considerations such as data use, consent, bias and equity of access, as well as when not to adopt a technology. Contributions might explore how institutions assess new technologies, what happens after a successful pilot, how tools are evaluated in real teaching environments, and how experimentation can be balanced with privacy, accessibility and sustainability. We also welcome lessons from technologies that were deliberately not adopted or failed to become part of everyday practice.

How have our approaches to hybrid and remote education evolved, and what have we learned along the way? Why are some institutions embracing hybrid and others rejecting it? We invite contributions exploring what has stayed, what has changed since the pandemic and what new approaches – from HyFlex and telepresence robots to virtual studios – are they genuinely improving connection, participation and the learning experience.

XR, AI and other technologies offer new possibilities for supporting students with different needs, preferences and ways of learning. This theme invites contributions exploring how technology can create more personalised, accessible and flexible learning experiences, while considering the tension between individualised learning and maintaining community, collaboration and a sense of belonging. It also considers questions of inclusion, safety, privacy, agency and educational value.

AI offers opportunities to transform teaching, learning and educational media production in higher education, while also raising questions about assessment, authorship, academic integrity, critical thinking and trust. This theme invites contributions on how AI is reshaping pedagogy, assessment, feedback, creative practice and media production, while exploring what new possibilities it creates, how professional roles and workflows are changing, and what AI competence means for teaching and educational media professionals. We welcome approaches that move beyond automation towards more meaningful and transformative learning and production, including critical reflection on when AI is – and is not – the right tool.

As universities become increasingly dependent on commercial platforms, cloud services, AI systems and digital infrastructure, questions of control, autonomy and ownership are becoming increasingly important. This theme explores practical choices around technology, data and infrastructure, including open source, procurement, interoperability, sustainability, vendor lock-in and AI. We welcome contributions examining tensions such as convenience versus autonomy, local versus cloud-based AI, and what digital sovereignty means in practice for universities and AV/media services.

As the Media & Learning Association celebrates its 15th anniversary, we invite participants to reflect on how educational technology and media in higher education have evolved, what we have learned, and what still holds true. Which pedagogical principles and approaches to educational media have stood the test of time, and which need to be reconsidered in light of new technologies and changing educational contexts? We welcome contributions that revisit established practices in areas such as video, audio and multimedia learning – for example, examining how Mayer’s multimedia principles apply in today’s media-rich and AI-enabled learning environments. What still works, what has changed, and what can we learn from looking back as we move forward?