Special Session: Technology-Enhanced Learning for Inclusive and Lifelong Education
Session Overview
Technology-enhanced learning plays an increasingly important role in expanding access to education and supporting learning across different stages of life. By leveraging digital technologies alongside innovative pedagogies and learner-centred approaches, educators can create more inclusive, flexible, and meaningful learning experiences for learners in schools, higher education institutions, workplaces, and communities.
This Special Session focuses on the design, implementation, and evaluation of technology-enhanced learning initiatives that support inclusive and lifelong education. It welcomes interdisciplinary research, innovative practices, and evidence-based case studies that demonstrate how technology can empower diverse groups of learners, support continuous educator and workforce growth, and enrich experiential learning across varied contexts.
The session aims to bring together researchers, educators, policymakers, and industry practitioners to share insights, discuss challenges, and explore strategies for developing sustainable and human-centred learning ecosystems that foster inclusion, participation, and continuous learning throughout life.
Topics of Interest
The Special Session welcomes submissions on, but is not limited to, the following topics:
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Technology-Enhanced Workforce Development and Upskilling
Workplace learning, adult education, reskilling, micro-credentials, and future workplace skills.
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Educator Professional Growth and Digital Pedagogies
Teacher education, digital capacity building, innovative classroom practices, and pedagogical integration.
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STEM, Maker, and Experiential Learning Innovations
Educational robotics, hands-on digital learning, maker spaces, and interactive STEM environments.
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Inclusive and Human-Centered Learning Design
Universal Design for Learning (UDL), accessibility, learner-centered frameworks, and equity in digital spaces.
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Seamless Learning Across Formal and Informal Contexts
Bridging school, higher education, community outreach, and lifelong learning ecosystems.
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Collaborative, Networked, and Social Learning
Peer-to-peer learning, digital communities of practice, collaborative platforms, and networked knowledge sharing.
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Institutional Leadership, Policy, and Digital Transformation
Educational governance, digital strategy, change management, and policy implementation.
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Evaluation, Impact, and Evidence-Based Educational Practice
Empirical studies, implementation research, learning analytics, and impact assessment in Technology-Enhanced Learning (TEL).
Session Chair
Dr New Siu Yee is an Associate Professor and Programme Director for Pharmaceutical and Health Sciences at the School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham Malaysia. Her work bridges nanoscience research and educational innovation, combining advanced biosensor development with a strong commitment to translating cutting-edge science into engaging, accessible learning experiences.
Her research centres on DNA- and nanomaterial-based optical biosensors for biomarker detection and nucleic acid analysis, resulting in publications in leading international journals and multiple granted patents. She has led numerous nationally and internationally funded research projects spanning nanobiosensing, DNA nanotechnology, and nanoscience education.
Dr New is Principal Investigator of Nanokit, a funded initiative developing classroom-ready, hands-on activities that help school students explore nanoscale science through inquiry-based learning. She also served as a Subject-Matter Expert for the Mid-term Review of the Malaysia Education Blueprint 2015–2025 (Higher Education), and is a founding EXCO member of the STEM Empowerment and Representation Initiative (SERI) at Nottingham.
Her contributions have been recognised through the TWAS Young Affiliateship (2023–2028), the L'Oréal-UNESCO Fellowship for Women in Science, and the University of Nottingham's Teaching Excellence Award and Student Engagement and Student Experience Award.