The Fully Online Distance Education Symposium, or FODES, brings together academics, learning designers, instructional designers, e-learning specialists, online facilitators, and higher education professionals working in Fully Online Distance Education.
2026 THEME
Disrupting Online Learning Futures:
Human-Centred Innovation in the Age of Intelligent Education
FODES 2026 explores how technology, pedagogy, and human-centred design can work together to transform online education in meaningful, ethical, and sustainable ways.
Why attend?
Who should attend?
Academics
Learning Designers
Instructional Designers
E-learning Specialists
Online Facilitators
Educational Technologists
Where your ideas fit - Symposium subthemes and tracks
Submit your abstract under one of the subthemes or tracks that best reflects your contribution to the future of fully online distance education.
Intelligent Education and AI Integration
AI as co-designer, co-tutor, and assessment partner; Generative AI in curriculum and content creation; Ethical AI, bias, and data governance
Human-Centred and Inclusive Design
Designing for equity in AI-enhanced environments; Accessibility beyond compliance; Culturally responsive online pedagogy
Disrupting Pedagogical Norms
Rethinking assessment in an AI-rich world; Post-digital pedagogies and hybrid identities; From content delivery to knowledge co-creation
Student Experience, Belonging, and Retention
Human connection in automated environments; Designing for persistence and engagement; Emotional and social dimensions of online learning
Future Roles and Identities in Online Education
The evolving role of the academic and learning designer; AI augmentation vs academic agency; Professional identity in digital education
Systems, Strategy, and Sustainability
Institutional readiness for AI integration; Policy, governance, and ethical frameworks; Scalable innovation in resource-constrained contexts
Learning trends
Personalised learning; Flexible learning; Learning driven by AI integration; Microlearning; Mobile learning; Blended learning; Gamification and Social learning; Growth in online learning
Certification trends
Professional certificates and bootcamps; Microcredentialing, Blockchain for certification, microcredentialing, badging, micro social learning
Learning technology trends
Immersive Technology; Mobile devices
A space to connect, reflect and contribute
Connect
Engage with like-minded professionals across institutions, roles, and contexts.
Reflect
Consider current challenges, emerging practices, and future directions in online education.
Contribute
Share research, practice-based insights, pedagogical approaches, and lessons learned.
Join us online
If you are involved in Fully Online Distance Education, FODES 2026 is the right event to expand your knowledge, share your experience, and engage with new directions in online learning, all from the comfort of your desk.
22–23 October 2026 | Virtual Symposium