This was my first time attending an ALT conference, after being an Associate CMALT<\/span>*<\/span> member <\/span>for the past three years<\/span>. <\/span>As an early-career professional, this<\/span> was a fantastic opportunity to network<\/span>!<\/span> There were international delegates <\/span>working across higher education, further education, Ed Tech, and government bodies<\/span>; a<\/span>nd of course, there were colleagues from UoM<\/span>, <\/span>representing<\/span> all faculties, <\/span>so it was grea<\/span>t<\/span> to put faces to names, especially during morning <\/span>icebreakers<\/span> and<\/span> interactive workshops. Overall, it\u00a0<\/span>was a <\/span>thought-provoking<\/span> conference with a<\/span> friendly atmosphere<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n sketch note by R. Oldfield, 2024<\/p><\/div>\n This year\u2019s conference themes:\u00a0<\/b>\u00a0<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Keynote Highlights:\u00a0<\/b>\u00a0<\/p>\n A particularly impassioned opening keynote came from Chris Friend from the University of Kean, US. In his talk, he reflected on how \u201cinterfaces between people and their devices receive persistent attention and study\u201d, and asked, \u201chow often do learning technologists attend to the human-human interface? What if we applied the same attention and study to the ways in which our tools and devices facilitate genuine human connection?\u201d. Friend introduced his concept of \u201chumane technology\u201d, which he describes as, \u201ctech designed to empower people to develop their own agency. Such tools foreground and enrich people\u2019s ability to connect, collaborate, and build community.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Following on nicely, it was fantastic to see a full panel of students for the keynote \u2018Imagining the Future of Education and Technology\u2019. All students who attended are engaged to some degree with the critical evaluation of learning and learning technologies and their insights echoed the calls humane action.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Overall, something of a ‘humane curve’ appeared at this conference, which in many ways counters the mass adoption of AI and challenges us to consider the human experience of technology and question innovation for innovation\u2019s sake.\u00a0<\/p>\n sketch note by R. Oldfield, 2024<\/p><\/div>\n Useful Links<\/b>\u00a0<\/p>\n![\"Sketch](\"https:\/\/sites.manchester.ac.uk\/humteachlearn\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/205\/2024\/11\/f23bfa67-f1de-45f7-81d6-aaec7f7d6742-e1731511632740-300x205.jpeg\")
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