Recent waves of economic crisis and uncertainty have re-aligned a range of European and global issues. This sense of crisis and challenge, however, may also serve to energize system transformations, identify alternatives, suggest new directions, and act as a driving motivating force when old modes are broken.

For a positive interpretation of "crisis" and the way out, let's turn again to the ancient Greek κρßσις (a separating, power of distinguishing, decision, choice, election, judgment, dispute), κρßνω ("pick out, choose, decide, judge").

In times of change, innovation and creativity are vital for the creation of dynamic alternatives. That is equally true for schools and teaching practice. For the world of learning, a major task is to observe changes and shifts and ascertain what teachers and other stakeholders (employers, policymakers, parents) need.

Enhanced use of information technologies in communication and community building is vital in education and training. To turn theoretical knowledge and research into meaningful action and outcomes, both practitioners and academics need to collaborate for sustainable impact. In a context of systemic socio-economic crisis and transformation, co-operation, and communication between teachers, pupils and parents are key.

The aim of EDEN Open Classroom 2011 is to familiarize teachers, policy makers, and learning-community stakeholders with leading-edge educational technologies, innovation methods, opinion sharing, collegial discussions, and training experiences that will provide an alternative to crisis: new educational tools, inclusive strategies, and creative best-practice methodologies.

The call for contributions to the Conference is now open, and submissions are invited until 15 September 2011 in the following categories

• research papers
• interactive workshop sessions
• project presentations, case studies, linked to the themes of the Conference
• good practice cases from schools
• demonstration
• posters

Submissions will be peer reviewed. Decision about the acceptance and presentation will be made on the basis of evaluation results. Submissions accepted for presentation will be published on the Conference CD.