THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON EDUCATION AND THE HUMANITIES

Centring Citizens: Technology, Innovation and Human Development
May 27 & 28, 2014
Faculty of Education and Liberal Studies
University of Technology, Jamaica


Call for Papers and Panels
Increasingly, the development needs of countries such as Jamaica are being linked to their ability to keep pace with or lead technological change in areas such as electronics, mechanics, media and communication, and, more recently, logistics. The discourse on education and training in these areas has largely focused on the competences required to meet specific standards for entering the job market. Citing as examples the 'Asian Tigers', development theorists and practitioners with this perspective, view the alignment between education and training policies and industry specific requirements are vital to key economic and developmental outcomes. In this regard, 'human capital' or 'labour' is a factor of production, with education and training serving as the vehicles through which job performance standards are acquired. Critics of this approach have argued that it is too narrow, and that it privileges the 'capital' over the 'human' in its conception of development. By doing so, it reduces the 'labour' to one of the several factors pressed into service on behalf of ultra-capitalism. Alternative perspectives argue for definitions of education and training that are less instrumental. Such approaches seek to make the human being the focus of any discussion on development, with the attendant attention being paid to areas of education traditionally covered in the humanities. The theme of the conference, Centring Citizens: Technology, Innovation and Human development, while reflecting the role of the Faculty of Education and Liberal Studies at the University of Technology, Jamaica, to develop human capacity for the technical and vocational education and training, and the humanities job markets, at the same time questions the dominant assumptions about the role of the worker as part of 'labour force' in 'a market'. In this regard, the conference seeks to analyse, historicise and interrogate hegemonic discourses on development that locate the human being no within a broader social context of inter- and transpersonal connections and relationships but the global ultra-capitalist paradigm of the market economy.

CONFERENCE GOAL AND OBJECTIVES
The goal of this conference is to provide a forum for discussion of strategies and best practices for the development of human capacity in the face of the challenges now facing the Jamaica and the wider Caribbean. To this end, the following objectives are raised:

- To provide a platform for stakeholders around the Caribbean and beyond to discuss issues, policies and solutions pertaining to national and regional development through the strengthening of human capital.
- To provide a forum for sharing of best practices, skills and experiences in technical and vocational education and training, social sciences, and the humanities.
- To bridge the gap between academicians and industry specialists/practitioners.

SUB-THEMES

All presentations should be related to one of the following sub themes/strands:

Sub-Theme 1: Education
- Systems of schooling (early, primary, tertiary, adult, special, and alternative education)
- Fields in education (curriculum, instruction, leadership, philosophy, 
technology, financing, etc.)
- Industrial Technology and Trends
- Business and Computer Studies
- Family and Consumer Studies
- Workforce Development and Training
- Teacher Education and Certification
- Technical and Vocational Education
- Online and Distance Education
- Teaching and Learning 


Sub-Theme 2: Humanities
- Literatures in English
- Linguistics
- Translation and Interpretations
- Language Education
- English and Foreign Languages
- Media, Communication and Technology
- Discourse and Society
- Ethics and Religion
- Human Communication and Society
- Religious Thoughts and Theology

Sub-Theme 3: Social Sciences
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Social Psychology
- Politics and Government
- Economics
- Gender Studies
- Cultural Studies

GUIDELINES FOR SUBMISSION AND DEADLINES
Persons wishing to present papers and/or posters should submit a 200-250 word abstract of their paper/poster by January 27, 2014. Final papers for the conference should be submitted by March 21, 2014.
Instructions to Author(s)

Abstracts must include the following:
- a running head with the sub-theme, paper/poster title
- author'(s') name(s) and email address
- institutional affiliation
- keywords

Please note that this is not part of the word count. All submissions should be saved as MS Word and sent by email to felsconference@utech.edu.jm. The preferred presentation format should also be identified.

Receipt of submissions will be acknowledged immediately. However, a notice of acceptance of abstracts will be sent to author(s) by February, 28, 2014.

Full papers must, in addition to the above information, include the profile(s) of the authors(s).

PUBLICATION OF PAPERS
Final papers for the conference will be published as conference proceedings and must be submitted by March 21, 2014. Authors are invited to submit full papers to felsconference@utech.edu.jm.

REGISTRATION FEES
Early registration (before February 25, 2014: 2-day fees $70 (US) After February 25, 2014: 2-day fees $85 (US)

1-day fees: $50 (US)


Students with ID: 2-day fees: $50 (US), 1-day fees: $35 (US)

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