Steve Wheeler

Steve Wheeler

My first ever overseas conference was EDEN 1996, which took place at Futuroscope, in Poitiers, France. I travelled across to Paris and then caught the fast train down to Poitiers. I knew no-one in the field of distance education, and I was very new to the discipline, but somehow I managed to make friends at the conference that have lasted a life time.

When my time came to speak, I shared the stage with Gilly Salmon and Sally Reynolds. I have met up so many times with them since, in various parts of the world. I travelled back to Paris with Uli Bernath, again a great professional acquaintance. The EDEN conference launched my career, and now 25 years later, I can look back on so many wonderful EDEN events all across Europe, in Dublin, Helsinki, Oslo, Napoli, Budapest, Valencia, Oxford, Bruges, Barcelona and Lisbon, and reflect on a time well spent learning from others. My Senior Fellow award, given to me in Jonkoping, Sweden was one of the crowning achievements of my academic career.

I cannot thank the EDEN community enough for all of the wonderful opportunities you have given me. Long may you continue!

EDEN Fellows, for sharing

EDEN Fellows, for sharing

Almost two decades ago, prof. Alan Tait established the title and the recognition scheme of EDEN Fellowship for academics and professionals who dedicated their research and academic activities to identify how technologies enhance learning and teaching, and who share their knowledge and experience in EDEN network.
Alan was the one handing in this recognition to me in 2010. I could hardly imagine what it actually means then, but I cannot describe it in short how much it means for all of us now.
We established the Council of EDEN Fellows in Genova, 2018, but the first Fellow meeting took place in Dublin, 2011. Looking back, I can recognise in return, this is one of the major strength in EDEN – recognition of life time contributions by colleagues, and finding the best ways to share their excellence with the academic community.
This is how EDEN shares its know – how, and that is why EDEN is a “must to join” community for everyone.

EDEN is the place for research

EDEN is the place for research

EDEN has been facilitating the growth in interdisciplinary research in technology enhanced and supported learning and teaching. We were able to establish EDEN PhD Symposium only after being involved for more than two decades EDEN Research Workshops, Young scholar program, and three decades of discussions what we mean by technology supported learning, open, online and distance learning. We matured as researchers in the garden of EDEN and now may help newcomers in the area to continue with their RQ in TEL.

Friends and professionals

Friends and professionals

In 2008 I received in Lisboa the EDEN Fellow award. The picture of Prof. Alan Tait handing the certificate is in my only photo in my office. It was a relevant moment for me at the time to receive from peers the appreciation and the friendship from many in an occasion where I was just coming out of a serious phase of my health. It was really a message I will not forget!

Friends and professionals

First time meeting EDEN

First time I met someone from EDEN was at the first meeting of ODL Liaison Committee in 1996. President Prof. Rocha Trindade, Universidade Aberta, and Dr. Andras Szucs, BME, were the EDEN representatives and I was VP of EUCEN. From the several conversations I noticed that EDEN was an organization that I could work with. The result was the first EDEN research workshop in 2000 in Prague with the cooperation of EUCEN. It is a characteristic of EDEN to be open and cooperative that still shines in its actions.