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

Current institutional approaches to Learning Analytics which focus on student risk and engagement are problematic in terms of their ability to support improved student learning and success outside of retention. Charles Sturt University’s

Current institutional approaches to Learning Analytics which focus on student risk and engagement are problematic in terms of their ability to support improved student learning and success outside of retention. Charles Sturt University’s (CSU’s) deductive work on defining its institutional model of Learning Analytics has led it to reconfigure its Learning Analytics activities into an Adaptive Learning and Teaching program. Adaptive Learning and Teaching is defined as any educational approach that utilises feedback or analytics on student learning to adapt content, teaching, systems and/or design to enhance learning effectiveness. A key feature of the CSU vision is to focus analytic processes on students’ representations of knowledge and integrate with the student “digital footprint” to provide real-time adaptation of online learning experiences and personalise online learning. Concurrently, CSU’s Adaptive Learning and Teaching Services team is working to build capability in using Learning Analytics to inform adaptation in learning and teaching practices.

The aim of this project is to research, develop and evaluate a set of tools that can be used in tertiary subjects to formatively scaffold the skill base of students. The SkillBox instrument uses text, video and quizzes to deliver learning

The aim of this project is to research, develop and evaluate a set of tools that can be used in tertiary subjects to formatively scaffold the skill base of students. The SkillBox instrument uses text, video and quizzes to deliver learning materials and formative assessment to students on a specific topic within a discipline area. A pilot project evaluated the use of a Matrix SkillBox in a Charles Sturt University (CSU) Distance Education (DE) subject and found its use appeared to increase knowledge and confidence in the topic areas covered. These findings will be further investigated in ongoing research involving larger numbers of students.

It can be forgotten that it is not simply students who face the challenges of digital equity in higher education. Staff can also face digital challenges, and employment at an institution is not necessarily a safety net to protect staff

It can be forgotten that it is not simply students who face the challenges of digital equity in higher education. Staff can also face digital challenges, and employment at an institution is not necessarily a safety net to protect staff from the digital divide. This paper attempts to give this voice to this issue. The digital equity challenges that they may face can range from internet accessibility, diversity in skills, or access to the required equipment and software, including necessary upgrades. This process is, however, is compounded when staff are geographically dispersed from the institution, disconnected by time, or where access to technology and Internet connectivity varies greatly between the institution’s sites. Much of these issues can be beyond the control and capacity of staff to alter. However, in terms of a staff-led approach to address such issues and empower others, a robust professional development program on digital technology is but one means to help stem the digital divide between staff ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’.

This research focuses on three areas: 1) The interaction between practising teachers’ metacognitive knowledge and regulation skills in relation to their classroom practices using mobile technologies; 2) perceived barriers and facilitators

This research focuses on three areas: 1) The interaction between practising teachers’ metacognitive knowledge and regulation skills in relation to their classroom practices using mobile technologies; 2) perceived barriers and facilitators to the successful integration and use of mobile technology in the classroom; and 3) the impact of introducing a professional development programme (iPads Professional Development Programme) (iPDP) aimed at developing tertiary teachers’ metacognitive knowledge and regulation skills in order to improve their classroom practices. The main purpose of this study is to determine whether the development of teachers’ metacognitive knowledge and skills improves teachers’ pedagogical practices and integration of mobile technologies, such as iPads, and increases their proficiency using mobile devices for teaching and learning in tertiary blended classroom environments in New Zealand. This aligns with the “educational design research’s” (EDR) characteristics of offering practical solutions to real-world problems from the perspectives of both the participants and the researchers.

Dreamtime stories are the Indigenous way of understanding the world. These stories gave unity and purpose to Indigenous societies in the past and are important today in maintaining their identity and culture. They are seen to be the

Dreamtime stories are the Indigenous way of understanding the world. These stories gave unity and purpose to Indigenous societies in the past and are important today in maintaining their identity and culture. They are seen to be the beginning of knowledge and thus make them good artefacts for capturing learning experiences. Research has shown that the sharing of stories from experience helps student see the purpose of learning hypothetical or conceptual content (Bittel & Bettoi, 2014). As such, the key to learning would lie with the choice and design of stories to make sure their connections with real world problems and prior knowledge are prominent. A digital story strategy captures the entire enquiry process by acting as the channel for self-expression in a digital era, including students’ information fluency towards constructing knowledge based on what they have observed and reflected on, to developing the ability to apply this new knowledge to a problem later (Kervin et. al., 2014). Riesland (2005) wrote that visual literacy education will empower the twenty-first century students with the skill to survive in a dynamic and fast revolving online world as they learn to decipher hypermedia information to develop critical thinking and analytical skills.

Quantitative research methods are essential to the development of professional competence across a broad range of disciplines. They are also an area of weakness for many students. In particular, students are known to struggle with the

Quantitative research methods are essential to the development of professional competence across a broad range of disciplines. They are also an area of weakness for many students. In particular, students are known to struggle with the skill of selecting quantitative analytical strategies appropriate for common research questions, hypotheses and data types, and this skill is not often practiced in class. Decision trees (or graphic organisers) are known to facilitate this decision making process, but extant trees have limitations. Furthermore, research indicates that students are more likely to access mobile-based material than content delivered via the web or face-to-face. It is within this context, and with funding from the Australian Government Office for Learning and Teaching, that we developed StatHand (see https://stathand.net), a cross-platform mobile application to designed to support students’ statistical decision making. In this poster, we will briefly articulate the rationale behind StatHand, highlight ongoing research into its efficacy and provide delegates with hands-on experience with the application.

What can e-learning offer in a crisis that closes the University campus? This paper presents the emerging findings in a case study of one College of Business impacted in 2011 by earthquakes in New Zealand. Analyses from interviews of nine

What can e-learning offer in a crisis that closes the University campus? This paper presents the emerging findings in a case study of one College of Business impacted in 2011 by earthquakes in New Zealand. Analyses from interviews of nine staff and documents they recommended were used to describe processes of increasing resilience with e-learning over the worst seismic events. Increasing deployment of the University’s learning management system by staff and students plus audio recordings and video recordings of lectures enabled the College to continue its teaching. The Technology Acceptance Model (Davis, Bagozzi, & Warshaw, 1989) and the generic model of organisational resilience by Resilient Organisations (Resilient Organisations, 2012) will be used to evaluate the adoption and adaptation of e-learning when a crisis occurs.

This poster reports on an Australian Government Office for Learning and Teaching (OLT) project to assist business educators to embed simulations into the curriculum. The purpose of this project was to gather and disseminate good practice

This poster reports on an Australian Government Office for Learning and Teaching (OLT) project to assist business educators to embed simulations into the curriculum. The purpose of this project was to gather and disseminate good practice in the design of pedagogy and assessment in simulation-based units in business. Data collection included interviews with educators and decision makers, student focus groups and surveys. The project included the development of an online toolkit consisting of case studies, a good practice guide and a simulation learning barometer. A ‘framework for simulation-based pedagogy’ is presented as a key outcome of the project.

Teaching Quantum Mechanics can be a daunting task for instructors. Typical classroom lectures may not be sufficient at times for proper understanding of the fundamental concepts. Hence there is a need to incorporate an effective scheme in

Teaching Quantum Mechanics can be a daunting task for instructors. Typical classroom lectures may not be sufficient at times for proper understanding of the fundamental concepts. Hence there is a need to incorporate an effective scheme in the present teaching curriculum to further the learning experience of the students thereby enhancing their understanding of complex and abstract concepts. As such developing short educational and instructional videos known as Concept Vignettes on selected topics can help to supplement the existing lesson materials in quantum mechanics (Garik et al, 2005; Kohnle et al, 2010). Concept Vignette videos have been created on various topics previously by MIT's Teaching and Learning Laboratory and are specially designed to enable students to learn a key concept in Science or Engineering (McKagan et al, 2008; Muller R et al, 2002) . My study will involve developing similar videos (in collaboration with MIT lecturers) with focus on the fundamentals of Quantum Mechanics.

UTS:Insearch is the premium pathway provider to the University of Technology Sydney (UTS). With education increasingly moving towards technology enhanced delivery, we identified the need to appraise our teaching approaches to better

UTS:Insearch is the premium pathway provider to the University of Technology Sydney (UTS). With education increasingly moving towards technology enhanced delivery, we identified the need to appraise our teaching approaches to better prepare students for future learning. This proposal represents the Blended Learning Framework adopted for the process of designing and implementing blended learning within the academic subjects. We initiated a suite of strategies with the intention to create classroom environment where learning occurs through seamless integration of technology enhanced strategies and face-to-face activities, characterised by the best features of interaction within a subject, that will promote academic enhancement and innovation in learning and teaching. The 'hands on' strategies allowed teaching staff to experience first-hand how students could be engaged with content through the meaningful use of technologies. This has led to 76% of our subjects either well progressed or fully compliant with a blended learning approach within a year.

Many language teachers incorporate the use of digital technology into their classrooms in various forms such as videos, blogs and slideshares. However, both teachers and students need a new level of awareness in assessing such web-authored

Many language teachers incorporate the use of digital technology into their classrooms in various forms such as videos, blogs and slideshares. However, both teachers and students need a new level of awareness in assessing such web-authored products. A possible way for both teachers and students to learn to assess such digital products is for both parties to get involved in the process of assessment, specifically in rubric construction. This poster presentation will investigate the process in which English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers and students in a Japanese university collaboratively negotiate the process of rubric construction and the use of such an assessment tool throughout one academic semester. The collaborative process highlights two challenges that the teachers and students face: 1) how to assess the combination of language use and digital products; and, 2) how to empower teachers and students in the digital age.

This poster provides an overview of the early development of a platform to facilitate online challenge-based learning that has potential for widespread global application. Challenge is a highly scalable platform that can personalise

This poster provides an overview of the early development of a platform to facilitate online challenge-based learning that has potential for widespread global application. Challenge is a highly scalable platform that can personalise education for a massive global audience. Two challenges delivering learning activities and interactive content with gamified incentives to promote learner engagement have been developed and piloted. The primary concepts underpinning the student learning experience are individual and group-based problem solving, globally relevant challenges, personalisation and gamification of outcomes.

This poster presents a summary of an Australian Government Office for Learning and Teaching strategic commissioned project titled Learning Analytics: Assisting Universities with Student Retention. The project was descriptive and

This poster presents a summary of an Australian Government Office for Learning and Teaching strategic commissioned project titled Learning Analytics: Assisting Universities with Student Retention. The project was descriptive and exploratory, with data collection occurring between July, 2014 and March, 2015. A mixed method design was employed. The project occurred at a time when many institutions were actively exploring their options so a primary focus was on highlighting crucial issues in relation to learning analytics implementation. Following the data collection phase, a framework and accompanying set of discussion questions were developed to emphasise the importance of systematic discussion in making sense of and harnessing the opportunities afforded by learning analytics for student retention purposes.