Here in Cyprus (whoohoo!) for the 7^th European Conference on eLearning. I confess that this was not a conference I had heard of before, but it's been running for some time now and attracts a wide audience of eLearning researchers, practitioners and academics from around Europe and the UK, end even further afield – had the pleasure of speaking with a guy from New Zealand last night, and I know there's representation from the US too.

It's very much an academic conference, with paper and projects reporting on theories of use and results of trials and experiments. This is no bad thing; it does serve to promote the use of elearning in HE but there's much work that is repeated time and time again. I've seen the same kind of paper presented 3 or 4 times – and mine will be along those lines too.

The programme is packed, making it a little difficult to choose tracks, but it's a nice problem I guess. Personally I'd prefer less paper with more time – we have a strict 20 minute rule – so there's a bit of an assembly line feel to the event.

My talk is later today – Professional Social Networks for Learning and Research. Neat huh? Actually it's a review of our first year with InTouch and how our experiences have shaped the InTouch you see today and the impact it may have on the fostering of socialised communities of learning and research practice. To be honest, I'll be amazed if there's anyone there! It's at 2:30pm, on the final day and a lot folk are getting flights back home so are leaving early this afternoon. That and the fact it's gorgeous outside and we're by the beach. It's not a hard choice to make I think. I might hug everyone who comes in just to say thanks.

Although it's a comprehensive conference, frankly I'm still narked at the organisers for shifting me to a alternative hotel at the last minute. The conference venue and hotel is very nice. My hotel is pretty bloody shabby to be honest so de-merits all round there.

People are paragliding outside, which is very distracting. Also have other papers to get and presentations for the BILD event at Bristol November 11^th so I'm signing off now.

Piccies of Cyprus and conference to follow.