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

As online and blended learning becomes the norm in higher education practice, academic developers and learning designers are increasingly required to work as part of curriculum development teams to facilitate the design of engaging and

As online and blended learning becomes the norm in higher education practice, academic developers and learning designers are increasingly required to work as part of curriculum development teams to facilitate the design of engaging and interactive online courses and activities. A range of highly-effective models of workshops and programs focused on curriculum design have been developed and widely reported, each with the primary aim of developing a ‘learning design’. But what form does this learning design take? How is it prepared, shared and edited amongst the curriculum team members? And how is it then translated into a functioning online site or activity for students to access? This paper focuses on the output of curriculum design workshops, and presents a highly simplified and accessible solution for time-poor curriculum teams.

This paper presents findings from a study of Australian and New Zealand academics (n = 276) that teach tertiary education students. The study aimed to explore participants’ early experiences of learning analytics in a higher education

This paper presents findings from a study of Australian and New Zealand academics (n = 276) that teach tertiary education students. The study aimed to explore participants’ early experiences of learning analytics in a higher education milieu in which data analytics is gaining increasing prominence. Broadly speaking participants were asked about: (1) Their teaching context, (2) Their current student retention activities, (3) Their involvement in, and aspirations for, learning analytics use, (4) Their relationship with their institution around learning analytics. The sampled teaching staff broadly indicated a high level of interest but limited level of substantive involvement in learning analytics projects and capacity building activities. Overall, the intention is to present a critical set of voices that assist in identifying and understanding key issues and draw connections to the broader work being done in the field.

This paper focuses on learning tools developed for the integration in virtual learning worlds that enable instructors to create in-world scenarios more easily. The tools were implemented in consideration of several learning concepts on

This paper focuses on learning tools developed for the integration in virtual learning worlds that enable instructors to create in-world scenarios more easily. The tools were implemented in consideration of several learning concepts on exploratory, collaborative and challenge-based approaches. It elaborates on the design and development of a virtual world project on two platforms, namely Unity and Open Wonderland which is based on an Egyptian learning world. Users explore the world to find, explore and discard information. Through the process of identification and elimination a story is formed. Users can share information and collaborate with other users in- world and the tasks are supported by tools embedded in the virtual world, such as Textchat, Itemboard and Chatbot. The virtual world in Unity has addressed some of the issues raised in Open Wonderland such as the graphics enhancements, level of interactivities and lessons learned from the first prototype.

Bandura’s self-efficacy theory provided the conceptual framework for this mixed methods investigation of pre-service teachers’ (PSTs) self-efficacy to teach Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects. The Science

Bandura’s self-efficacy theory provided the conceptual framework for this mixed methods investigation of pre-service teachers’ (PSTs) self-efficacy to teach Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects. The Science Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument-B (STEBI-B) was modified to create the Technology Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument (T-TEBI). Pre-test and post-test T-TEBI scores were measured to investigate changes in PSTs’ self-efficacy to teach technology. Interviews and reflections were used to explore the reasons for changes in pre-service teachers’ self-efficacy. This paper reports results from a pilot study using an innovative Remote Access Laboratory system with PSTs.

The transition process that students undergo from high school to university, especially during the first year has a significant impact on their academic success. Higher education institutions try to cater for the needs of these students

The transition process that students undergo from high school to university, especially during the first year has a significant impact on their academic success. Higher education institutions try to cater for the needs of these students with a variety of initiatives. Although there are numerous resources made available in university websites, in most cases, they are underutilized. With the high adoption rate of smart phones among university students, mobile apps can be used to provide personalised support during the transition from high school to university. But, questions such as what is the truly relevant information that should be given to students, how should the information be delivered, and how should such a mobile application be designed remain unanswered. To explore these issues, we have developed a prototype mobile application called “myUniMate”. We conducted a pilot study in which 13 first year engineering students used the app for 6 weeks during a normal semester. Both qualitative and quantitative data was gathered to analyse the usability and feasibility of the app and to identify the features that were more useful. The obtained results have provided clear guidelines for the evolution of the application.

This paper addresses the importance of creating high quality and contextualized resources for capacity building of academics for online learning and teaching. Drawing on a design-based research framework, the paper presents

This paper addresses the importance of creating high quality and contextualized resources for capacity building of academics for online learning and teaching. Drawing on a design-based research framework, the paper presents work-in-progress learning maps. Learning maps are an increasingly popular concept and resource among learning designers which capture and organize various theories and resources for the target learners. In a climate where the tertiary sector struggles to provide quality resources and support for teaching and learning practice, we argue that the creation and implementation of learning maps poses clear advantages and a successful model for teacher capacity building, and subsequently improves student learning.

New learning technologies require designers and faculty to take a fresh approach to the design of the learner experience. Adaptive learning, and responsive and predicative learning systems, are emerging with advances in learning analytics

New learning technologies require designers and faculty to take a fresh approach to the design of the learner experience. Adaptive learning, and responsive and predicative learning systems, are emerging with advances in learning analytics. This process of collecting, measuring, analysing and reporting data has the intention of optimising the student learning experience itself and/or the environment in which the experience of learning occurs. However, it is suggested here that no matter how sophisticated the learning analytics platforms, algorithms and user interfaces may become, it is the fundamentals of the learning design, exercised by individual learning designers and faculty, that will ensure that technology solutions will deliver significant and sustainable benefits. This paper argues that effective learning analytics is contingent on well structured and effectively mapped learning designs.

Implicit in the discourse of evidence-based practice are two fundamental concerns. One is the generalisability of research evidence where issues of external validity are integral to translation, relevance, and application in complex and

Implicit in the discourse of evidence-based practice are two fundamental concerns. One is the generalisability of research evidence where issues of external validity are integral to translation, relevance, and application in complex and multifaceted higher educational contexts. The other relates to practice-based evidence, where issues of internal validity impact on the design, interpretation, and dissemination of research. While practice-based research has an advantage in terms of high external validity, threats to internal validity can cause significant issues in terms of the subsequent inference, translation, and generalisability of findings. In educational technology, evaluation and research of e-learning in higher education is conducted by both practitioners and academics, each contributing different pieces of the puzzle towards a better understanding of the learning processes in complex real world settings. In this paper, I propose small, practical steps towards improving the generalisability of practice-based research.

This paper describes an online English language proficiency testing platform that uses Moodle- hosted selected and open response questions along with other useful features. These features include enhanced test security settings aided by

This paper describes an online English language proficiency testing platform that uses Moodle- hosted selected and open response questions along with other useful features. These features include enhanced test security settings aided by the Safe Exam Browser; an embedded MP3 player for listening skills; and a split screen mode for reading tests. The paper highlights significant elements of this particular approach to testing as they apply to formal high-stakes e-exams (testing of learning) and for continuous assessment (testing for learning). Snapshots of sample online test materials illustrate these features. Issues of concern in the field of web-based, computer-assisted assessment will be discussed in light of experience gained from a recent pilot study in which this interface was used in a series of mock exams in 2015.

Confusion is an emotion that is likely to occur when learning complex concepts. While this emotion is often seen as undesirable because of its potential to induce frustration and boredom, recent research has highlighted the vital role

Confusion is an emotion that is likely to occur when learning complex concepts. While this emotion is often seen as undesirable because of its potential to induce frustration and boredom, recent research has highlighted the vital role confusion can play in student learning. The learning of topics in geography such as tropical cyclone causes and processes can be particularly difficult because it requires the reconstruction of intuitive mental models that are often robust and resistant to change. This paper presents the design framework for an online module designed to enhance university students’ depth of knowledge of tropical cyclones. In particular, the intervention aims to manage the level of confusion during learning. We hypothesise that in this way learners can engage with the cognitively demanding ideas in this topic and they are less likely to experience emotions such as frustration and boredom, which would be detrimental to the development of deep understanding.

The purpose of this paper is to contrast learners’ expectations of the knowledge and skills developed by an online business simulation at the start of the semester with their perceptions of how well the simulation performed in meeting

The purpose of this paper is to contrast learners’ expectations of the knowledge and skills developed by an online business simulation at the start of the semester with their perceptions of how well the simulation performed in meeting these expectations at the end of the semester. The study draws on expectation confirmation theory to measure the expectations and perceived performance of two business simulations. Data were collected from 225 students studying at two Australian universities. The findings indicate that both online business simulations performed strongly in terms of helping learners understand strategy, real world problems and the importance of interaction and cooperation between different business departments. Both simulations also performed well in developing skills across all five levels of Bloom’s taxonomy. There were some notable differences between expectations and performance between the two cohorts and the implications of these differences for business simulation choice and design is discussed.

Spatial visualization and interpretation are important skills for designers. However, these skills generally require significant experiential development over the course of years. Visualizations allow the human brain to convey complex

Spatial visualization and interpretation are important skills for designers. However, these skills generally require significant experiential development over the course of years. Visualizations allow the human brain to convey complex spatial concepts in intuitive, navigable and manipulable forms improving learner outcomes and perceptions. But often these visualizations are studied as single modality solutions. Dual modality and multimedia presentation studies show positive improvements in learner outcomes but dual modality is often difficult to compare. This paper presents ongoing research in the use of comparative multimodal visualizations produced with emerging technology solutions in 3D Design classrooms. Presented are previous findings from multimedia design and a methodology to widen the scope of study. The context for this study is a university first year undergraduate course in architectural design. The presupposed outcome is that students become adept at interpretation and mental conversion at a rate greater than they would through more traditional curricular means.

More and more Australian universities are mandating blended learning approaches, whether for efficiency reasons to reduce face-to-face classes or the need for scarce teaching spaces, to create more engaging learning environments by

More and more Australian universities are mandating blended learning approaches, whether for efficiency reasons to reduce face-to-face classes or the need for scarce teaching spaces, to create more engaging learning environments by accessing the benefits online learning provides, or simply to keep up with competitors who have implemented such approaches. The challenges surrounding the adoption of online teaching approaches are not new. In the face of pressure to offer greater flexibility in their course offerings, Australian universities have, for a number of years, grappled with how to successfully embrace technology-supported learning in a way which engages both academic staff and their students. In this paper, we use an action research approach to describe how blended learning was introduced at a STEM faculty. We focus on how this has resulted in certain types of staff support provided. We also highlight the faster than expected diffusion of innovation that we have observed.