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2015: ASCILITE 2015 Conference Proceedings: Globally connected, digitally enabled

 

 

 

 

The proceedings of the 2015 ASCILITE Conference: Globally connected, digitally enabled

T. Reiners, B.R. von Konsky, D. Gibson, V. Chang, L. Irving, & K. Clarke (Eds.)

Globally connected, digitally enabled. Proceedings ASCILITE 2015 Perth

Curtin University, Perth, Australia

November 29 - December 2, 2015

ASCILITE2015 Conference Website https://2015conference.ascilite.org/

Published: 27 November 2015

ASCILITE Conference - Full Papers

  • Predictors of students’ perceived course outcomes in e-learning using a Learning Management System

    David Kwok

    This study examined the factors that influence students’ perceived course outcomes in elearning using the Learning Management System (LMS), and the extent to which the factors significantly predict course outcomes. A total of 255 polytechnic students completed an online questionnaire measuring their responses to 5 constructs (lecturer support, interaction with peers, perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness and course outcomes). Data analysis was conducted using structural equation modeling. Results showed that perceived usefulness and interaction with peers were significant predictors of course outcomes, whereas perceived ease of use and lecturer support did not. However, perceived ease of use had an indirect relationship with course outcomes through perceived usefulness. Lecturer support also had an indirect relationship with course outcome through interactions with peers. Overall, the four antecedent variables contributed to 77.0% of the total variance in course outcomes. Based on the study findings, implications for educators and researchers are discussed.

    Read article: Predictors of students’ perceived course outcomes in e-learning using a Learning Management System

  • Digital leap of teachers: Two Finnish examples of rethinking teacher professional development for the digital age

    Irja Leppisaari, Leena Vainio

    Digitisation and modernisation of education are central objectives in educational policy. This challenges to rethink teaching methods and update teacher pedagogic expertise. This article examines how two Finnish vocational education institutions are supporting transition of teacher professional development to the digital age. The comparison identified similar elements of success and areas for development. Strategic planning and leading of development for a digital leap is the starting point for success. Wireless connections must be universally available to enable use of one's own devices (BYOD). However, the key change factor is teacher transformation. Digital technology has led to professional development models being in a state of transition. Traditional face-to-face methods are not enough to modernise teacher competences. Peer learning, teacher initiated collaborative development, online training, and use of learning badges will be key methods in teachers taking a digital leap. A promising practice is student-teacher partnerships to change practices for the digital age.

    Read article: Digital leap of teachers: Two Finnish examples of rethinking teacher professional development for the digital age

  • An enhanced learning analytics plugin for Moodle: Student engagement and personalised intervention

    Danny Yen-Ting Liu, Jean-Christophe Froissard, Deborah Richards, Amara Atif

    Moodle, an open source Learning Management System (LMS), collects a large amount of data on student interactions within it, including content, assessments, and communication. Some of these data can be used as proxy indicators of student engagement, as well as predictors for performance. However, these data are difficult to interrogate and even more difficult to action from within Moodle. We therefore describe a design-based research narrative to develop an enhanced version of an open source Moodle Engagement Analytics Plugin (MEAP). Working with the needs of unit convenors and student support staff, we sought to improve the available information, the way it is represented, and create affordances for action based on this. The enhanced MEAP (MEAP+) allows analyses of gradebook data, assessment submissions, login metrics, and forum interactions, as well as direct action through personalised emails to students based on these analyses.

    Read article: An enhanced learning analytics plugin for Moodle: Student engagement and personalised intervention

  • Prior knowledge, confidence and understanding in interactive tutorials and simulations

    Jason Lodge, Gregor Kennedy

    The balance between confidence and understanding can be difficult for students to manage, particularly in digital learning environments where they start with different levels of prior knowledge. The level of prior knowledge and perception of how well understood this prior knowledge is will drive the level of engagement and integration of new knowledge as students are exposed to it. Exploring the relationship between these factors is therefore important for the design of digital learning environments. In this paper we describe two studies examining the levels of confidence and understanding reported by students completing interactive and non-interactive exercises in a digital learning environment. The reported levels of confidence and understanding are then contrasted against pre- and post-test performance and self-reports of the experience completed at the conclusion of the session. The results suggest that students’ prior knowledge influences their confidence and perceived difficulty of the material but does not necessarily influence performance.

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  • Higher education students' use of technologies for assessment within Personal Learning Environments (PLEs)

    Lynnette Lounsbury, Paula Mildenhall, David Bolton, Maria Northcote, Alan Anderson

    Higher education students' use of technologies has been documented over the years but their specific use of technologies for assessment-related tasks has yet to be fully investigated. Researchers at two higher education institutions recently conducted a study which sought to discover the technologies most commonly used by students within their Personal Learning Environments (PLEs). A specific aim of the study was to determine which of these technologies the students used when they complete and submit assessment tasks such as assignments and examinations. Results from questionnaires, focus groups and mapping exercises are reported and the implications of the findings for developing institutional infrastructure to engage students and support their learning are highlighted.

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  • Strong and increasing student demand for lecture capture in the changing Australian university classroom: Results of a national and institutional survey

    Carol Miles

    As the use of classroom lecture capture gains wide acceptance and application around the world, this technology is quickly moving into the mainstream for university teaching. The paper reports preliminary findings of a student survey conducted by Echo360 across seven Australian universities to gain student feedback and perspective on the use of lecture capture technology, focusing on the use of the technology and student results at the University of Newcastle, Australia. Specific focus is applied to the use of lecture capture to enhance the flipped and blended styles of teaching and learning that are currently being implemented.

    Read article: Strong and increasing student demand for lecture capture in the changing Australian university classroom: Results of a national and institutional survey

  • Analysis of MOOC Forum Participation

    Oleksandra Poquet, Shane Dawson

    The integration of social learning practices into massive open online courses (MOOCs) raises numerous learning and teaching challenges. While research into formal online education has provided some insight into the strategies for facilitating online learner-to-learner and learner-to-teacher interactions, the differences between MOOCs and more mainstream online courses impede any direct adoption and application. This paper reports a study linking the analysis of MOOC learner and teacher interactions to those in formal online education. The study compares MOOC forum activity of the individuals occasionally posting on the forum, and the ones contributing to the forum regularly. Through the social network analysis of forum posting and voting, we highlight the similarities and differences in how the networks of regular and occasional participants develop and interact. The findings provide some insight into how social learning practices can be promoted regardless of the course population size.

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  • Designing for relatedness: Learning design at the virtual cultural interface

    Alison Reedy, Michael Sankey

    This paper draws on the initial analysis of data from an education design research study that investigated the experience of Indigenous higher education students in online learning. The interrelated themes of racial identity and relatedness were found to be significant to the experiences of these students. The paper examines a number of widely used learning design models and online facilitation approaches to determine the extent to which identity and relatedness are considered in the design of online environments and in the facilitation of learning. It concludes with a series of recommendations as to how an institution may mediate a level of relatedness for its students in online learning environments.

    Read article: Designing for relatedness: Learning design at the virtual cultural interface

  • Open and Interactive Publishing as a Catalyst for Educational Innovations

    Xiang Ren

    This paper reviews the educational value and innovative uses of open and interactive publishing (OIP) in learning design. OIP is defined in its broadest sense including all the emerging practices brought about by using open approaches and networked technologies to publish and engage with content. It explores two aspects of educational values and uses: (1) Open publications and scholarship provide new forms of open educational resources that stimulate innovations in learning designs and pedagogies beyond textbooks. (2) OIP is by nature a digital learning space whereby creative learners are able to learn from peers and communities through self- and social publishing activities. It also discusses the impact and challenges of OIP inspired innovations, from which practical recommendations are derived.

    Read article: Open and Interactive Publishing as a Catalyst for Educational Innovations

  • Learning Design for digital environments: Agile, team based and student driven

    Spiros Soulis, Angela Nicolettou

    Digital learning environments are a catalyst for change and development in Higher Education. One way to respond to this is by going to the foundation of the environment – the learning design process. Using an Australian university’s major project in learning design as an example, this paper will look at how students need to be active members of Curriculum Design Teams to ensure that responsive, relevant and engaging digital learning ecosystems are created. Strategies based in design thinking, socio technical systems, learners as designers, and agile methodologies for project management, will be shown to be central to the effectiveness of the project. Challenges emerging from the projects’ implementation are identified as key directions to be addressed in the evolution of the process.

    Read article: Learning Design for digital environments: Agile, team based and student driven

  • Interdisciplinary opportunities and challenges in creating m-learning apps: Two case studies

    Erica Southgate, Shamus Smith, Liz Stephens, Dan Hickmott, Ross Billie

    Mobile digital devices such as smart phones and tablets support mobile learning (mlearning) and this is reinventing pedagogical and curriculum approaches in education. The unprecedented growth in digital technologies, and the educational apps they support, provides a unique opportunity to increase engagement in learning anywhere and at any time. However, the development of m-learning apps requires collaboration between learning and content experts and technology specialists. Such interdisciplinary collaboration presents both opportunities and challenges. This paper describes two case studies related to m-learning app development with the aim of highlighting the range of educational and technical issues that arose in the collaborative process, and the solutions devised by the interdisciplinary team.

    Read article: Interdisciplinary opportunities and challenges in creating m-learning apps: Two case studies

  • Paving the way for institution wide integration of Tablet PC Technologies: Supporting early adopters in Science and Engineering

    Diana Taylor, Jacqui Kelly, Judy Schrape

    The implementation of a new technology into an institution can be challenging when faced with limited support and restricted procurement procedures. Academics in the Faculty of Science and Engineering at Curtin University have been using tablet PC technology for several years to transform passive presentations into media rich, collaborative and engaging learning experiences. Recent advancements in tablet PC technology have stimulated new interest in tablet technology but also raises the question of how a university responds to the support and procurement of such new technology. In addition, what professional development is required to ensure that staff are comfortable and competent when teaching effectively with these devices. This paper presents the experiences and findings from a Community of Practice at Curtin University that embarked on evaluating and implementing three models of tablet PC at the university. The Community also engaged in a number of different professional workshops that demonstrated various strategies and fostered communication around current practice. The outcomes presented in this paper indicate the need to support academics using tablet PC’s in a responsive way rather, rather than being prescriptive on tools available through service agreements. The collaborative approach to investigating an educational technology situation used in this project could be seen as a model applicable to other contexts that involve many stakeholders across an institution.

    Read article: Paving the way for institution wide integration of Tablet PC Technologies: Supporting early adopters in Science and Engineering

  • MyCourseMap: An interactive visual map to increase curriculum transparency for university students and staff

    Lisa Tee, Laetitia Hattingh, Kate Rodgers, Sonia Ferns, Vanessa Chang, Sue Fyfe

    MyCourseMap is an interactive curriculum map created to increase curriculum transparency for both students and staff. It provides access to the entire curriculum at a glance, displays alignment of unit learning outcomes, assessments, course learning outcomes, and graduate attributes and links video from employers, graduates and students to help students reflect on the curriculum and its relevance. A prototype developed for the Bachelor of Pharmacy course at Curtin University as a proof-of-concept was tested and evaluated in 2014 and 2015. This evaluation utilised a mixed methods approach using a blend of quantitative and qualitative data through online survey and structured focus group discussions. From the evaluation, the perceived benefits of the MyCourseMap include students’ increased understanding of their degree structure and its relevance to their chosen profession. From a staff perspective, the MyCourseMap helps with review and development of curriculum and professional accreditation. Barriers and challenges have led to prototype refinements.

    Read article: MyCourseMap: An interactive visual map to increase curriculum transparency for university students and staff

Showing 14–26 of 124 articles