2nd Annual Symposium 2021

Selection and Editorial Board

The members of the Selection and Editorial Board will assist the Institute for Education in evaluating the paper proposals in terms of their contribution to educational theory, policy, research, and/or practice, and the quality of explanation of the aims of the presentation, theoretical perspectives, methods of inquiry and analysis, strength of results and conclusions, and connections to one of the themes of the symposium.

They will also support the authors of the selected proposals in developing their proposal into a journal article and contribute a short introduction to one of themes for the journal.

The members of the Selection and Editorial Board are:

Mr Keith Aquilina, Education Officer (Digital Literacy), Directorate for Digital Literacy & Transversal Skills, Ministry for Education

Keith Aquilina’s current professional role is that of Education Officer (Digital Literacy) within the Directorate for Digital Literacy & Transversal Skills, MFED, Malta focusing on the coordination of digital literacy in the primary sector, computational thinking, robotics and good practices in this area. He is the Maltese Edu Coordinator for the EU Code Week and the national coordinator of the EU Code Week. He has conceptualised and managed various national initiatives of which the national eLearning awards and conference, Malta Robotics Olympiad, Malta Robo League, Family Coding and various student competitions. He has been coordinating and mentoring blended courses focusing on teacher training with entities of which the Directorate for Digital Literacy & Transversal Skills and the European Schoolnet Academy. He has read for a Masters in Online and Distance Education from the Open University, Diploma in Computer Studies and Bachelor in Education from the University of Malta. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keithaquilina/

Mr Martin Debattista, Senior Lecturer, ITS

Martin G. Debattista is digital media and digital education academic, researcher and strategist.

He is a doctoral student at the University of Salford (UK), and has a Master of Science degree in Digital Media (Hull-UK), an undergraduate degree in Media (University of Malta) and a post-graduate certificate in education (University of Malta).

Martin has vast experience in teaching and lecturing about digital media and ICT. He is a Senior Lecturer in Digital Media and ICT at the Institute of Tourism Studies (Malta) and a visiting lecturer at the Faculty of Media and Knowledge Sciences at the University of Malta. He is also a visiting lecturer at the Institute for Education.

Writing and strategic consultancy is another strong component of his professional career, engaging with several stakeholders and partners in the media, education and tourism sectors both at local and international level.

Martin’s current research interests include Digital Education, Digital Content Curation, e-Tourism, Heritage Interpretation through Technology, and Mixed Reality technologies.

Dr Sharon Rolé, Senior Lecturer, University of Malta

Sharon Rolé is a BSc graduate (Chemistry /Biology – University of Malta), and holds a M.Ed. in networked learning (University of Sheffield) and a PhD in digital pedagogies (University of Nottingham). She has taught extensively at both secondary and tertiary levels of education and is also involved in adult education and in continuous professional development programmes for teachers. She has conducted face-to-face, online and blended courses for adults at work. She has participated in various projects and conferences and has published articles, papers and a book on e-learning. Sharon Role is currently a University of Malta senior lecturer, teaching chemistry at the Junior College and a lecturer of technology-enhanced learning at the Faculty of Education. Her research interests include professional development, formative assessment, neuro-education, e-learning and innovative modes of learning which result in effective, efficient and enjoyable learning.

Ms Roberta Trapani Maggi, Head of Department for Digital Literacy and Transversal Skills, Secretariat for Catholic Education

Roberta Trapani Maggi holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and a PGCE in Science Education from the University of Malta, and a master’s degree in digital education from the University of Edinburgh. She worked as a Test and Product engineer with ST Microelectronics and then shifted to education. After almost 13 years of teaching physics at a Church school, she took on the new role of Digital Literacy Support Teacher and was recently promoted to Head of Department for Digital Literacy and Transversal Skills within the Secretariat for Catholic Education. She is a leading teacher of EU Code Week and a Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert 2019-2021.