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<p><strong>Call for Papers</strong><br>
<br>
20<sup>th</sup> Americas Conference on Information Systems (AMCIS'14)</p>
<p>August 7-10, 2014<br>
</p>
<p>Savannah, Georgia<br>
</p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<p><strong>Track:</strong> Virtual Communities and Virtual Worlds</p>
<p><strong>Minitrack:</strong> Virtual Education and Training<br>
<br>
<strong>Description:</strong><br>
<strong></strong>Virtual environments, such as virtual reality and virtual worlds (e.g., Second Life), can provide new approaches and opportunities for education and training. Activities can become more learner-centered through instant feedback as well as
enhancements in adaptability and customization. Education and training can be more readily accessible and available to learners who are geographical dispersed. Virtual technologies can provide platforms to simulate elements of the physical world to enhance
the learning experience. A virtual environment lends itself to providing interactive experiences such that hands-on learning activities can be conducted and a constructive learning approach taken. Also, the essence of a shared space in virtual communities
opens up new avenues for collaborative and social learning. Educators and organizations are expanding their traditional approaches to training, learning, and knowledge transfer to capitalize on the new opportunities and the unique aspects that are associated
with virtual education and training.</p>
<p> <br>
</p>
<p>Hence, this mini-track seeks to explore the opportunities as well as the issues associated with virtual education and training. We encourage paper submissions that study the development, use, and assessment of virtual education and training, both from the
instructor's and the learner's perspective. We welcome papers that study the application of virtual technologies in this context as well as challenge such applications. This mini-track is open to both theoretical and empirical studies, and is open to all
research methods (e.g., survey, field study, case study, experimentation).</p>
<p><br>
<strong>Potential topics</strong> <strong>may include (but are not limited to):</strong></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Theoretical model</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">s describing the development, use, and assessment of virtual education and training</span><br>
</li><li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Research on novel, innovative uses of virtual technologies for pedagogical and training purposes</span><br>
</li><li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Examinations of implementations, adoptions, and outcomes of virtual education and training along with factors influencing these activities</span><br>
</li><li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Meta-analyses and meta-syntheses of research and the implications for virtual education and training</span><br>
</li><li><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Issues, limitations, and barriers surrounding virtual education and training</span><br>
</li></ul>
<p> <br>
</p>
<p><strong>Submission Process:</strong><br>
Full paper submissions must be made electronically through AMCIS 2014 Manuscript Submission Site http://amcis2014.aisnet.org/index.php/call-for-papers. Papers will be peer reviewed using a double-blind system.<br>
<br>
<strong>Important Dates:</strong></p>
<p>March 1, 2014: Submissions Due</p>
<p>April 4, 2014: Author Notification of Acceptance</p>
<p>April 18, 2014: Author Revisions Due</p>
<p>April 25, 2014: Camera-Ready Copy Due<br>
<br>
More information is available at http://amcis2014.aisnet.org/ or by contacting the minitrack co-chairs.</p>
<p><br>
<strong>Minitrack Co-Chairs:</strong><br>
<br>
Brenda Eschenbrenner</p>
<p>Department of Accounting and Finance</p>
<p>University of Nebraska at Kearney</p>
<p>Kearney, NE 68849, USA</p>
<p><a href="mailto:eschenbrenbl@unk.edu">eschenbrenbl@unk.edu</a></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Xiaofeng Chen</p>
<p>Department of Management</p>
<p>University of Nebraska-Lincoln</p>
<p>Lincoln, NE 68588, USA</p>
<p><a href="mailto:xchen3@unl.edu">xchen3@unl.edu</a></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Keng Siau</p>
<p>Department of Business & Information Technology</p>
<p>Missouri University of Science & Technology</p>
<p>Rolla, MO 65409-0320</p>
<p><a href="mailto:siauk@mst.edu">siauk@mst.edu</a><br>
</p>
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