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2011: ASCILITE 2011 Conference Proceedings: Changing Demands, Changing Directions.

 

The proceedings of the 2011 ASCILITE Conference

G. Williams, P. Statham, N. Brown & B. Cleland (Eds.), Changing Demands, Changing Directions. Proceedings ASCILITE Hobart 2011

Wrest Point, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia

December 4-7, 2011

ASCILITE2011 Conference Website - https://ascilite.org/conferences/hobart11/index.htm

Published: 8 December 2011

ASCILITE Conference - Concise Papers

  • A portrait of evaluation studies of learning technology innovations 2005-2010: Addressing the elephant in the room

    Caroline Steel, Cathy Gunn

    Much effort has gone into the development of evaluation methods for learning technology. Yet the mantra remains the same; that studies fail to produce reliable evidence to answer important questions about the impact of technology on student learning and behaviour. The authors conducted a meta- analysis of 100 evaluation studies published in two leading learning technology journals from 2005 - 2010. A set of thirteen criteria to critique the articles was derived from the principles of educational design research. This paper discusses findings concerned with the extent to which studies are a) theoretically grounded, b) show evidence of impact on student learning and behaviour and c) potentially transferable to other higher education contexts. The findings resonate with comments in a recent report on Learning with Technology (ALT 2010) that 'research typically doesn't address the problem of building an ecology of learning, or treat integration of the innovation as a research issue' (p.5). The authors are keen to discuss ways to improve the quality of evaluation studies in learning technology for the future. Some recommendations are proposed to stimulate discussion and feedback.

    Read article: A portrait of evaluation studies of learning technology innovations 2005-2010: Addressing the elephant in the room

  • Working together : The benefits of student-staff partnerships in supporting moves towards personal learning

    Sandra Stewart, Carole Hunter

    Personal learning is a complex terrain for students to navigate, and one that transcends discipline and cohort boundaries. This paper reflects on the introduction of a forum to promote, encourage and support student engagement with PebblePad, an ePortfolio / personal learning system. The forum provides students with an informal network beyond their course/subject cohorts in which they can ask questions and discuss issues as they traverse the technical and conceptual complexities in what is for many a transformational learning approach. It has developed as a partnership between students and staff, emerging from a student suggestion, establishing itself under the leadership of staff with student support, but gradually undergoing a role reversal so that students now take the lead. Now nearing the end of its second year, the forum demonstrates how staff-student partnerships can benefit a range of stakeholders in the university community - from students to academics, and particularly to the mentors themselves.

    Read article: Working together : The benefits of student-staff partnerships in supporting moves towards personal learning

  • One-to-one Computing: Considerations and issues for the Higher Education Sector

    Miriam Tanti, Leanne Cameron

    As a direct result of the Australian Government's Digital Education Revolution Program (DER), many of the school leavers soon to enter the Higher Education sector will be accustomed to a one-to-one student laptop learning environment. Therefore, it is not unreasonable to assume that these students will expect a similar environment when they enter university. Training pre-service teachers to use the one-to-one ratio effectively in the classroom is also critical to their capability in implementing requirements expected of them in the classroom in the 21st century. It is within this context that this research is set. The authors report on a pilot project that aims to capitalize on the one-to-one student experience by transforming the current, traditional lecture and tutorial model adopted in most tertiary institutions, with one-to-one integrated lectures and workshops. This paper describes the first phase of the research: an investigation into how prepared Australian universities are to cater for these students.

    Read article: One-to-one Computing: Considerations and issues for the Higher Education Sector

  • Technological pedagogical differences in the teaching of English and Mathematics in a primary school

    Lee Yong Tay, Siew Khiaw Lim, Cher Ping Lim

    This case study research attempts to examine the difference in technological pedagogical approaches adopted by teachers in the teaching of English and Mathematics in a school in Singapore. The study adopts the learning from and learning with technology framework in reporting and analysing the findings. From the lesson observations, review of teachers' written reports and curriculum plans, interviews with teachers and group interviews with students. Mathematics teachers adopted predominantly the learning from technology pedagogy with occasional learning with technology approach. In contrary, English teachers facilitated students to learn from and also with technology. This case study illustrated how technological pedagogical approaches were influenced by the subject (i.e., English and Mathematics). This study also highlights the limited use of the co-constructivist approach by the teachers in the teaching of both of the subjects.

    Read article: Technological pedagogical differences in the teaching of English and Mathematics in a primary school

  • Is anybody there? : Bootstrapping attendance with engagement

    Donna Teague, Malcolm Corney

    The report card for the introductory programming unit at our university has historically been unremarkable in terms of attendance rates, student success rates and student retention in both the unit and the degree course. After a course restructure recently involving a fresh approach to introducing programming, we reported a high retention in the unit, with consistently high attendance and a very low failure rate. Following those encouraging results, we collected student attendance data for several semesters and compared attendance rates to student results. We have found that interesting workshop material which directly relates to course-relevant assessment items and therefore drives the learning, in an engaging collaborative learning environment has improved attendance to an extraordinary extent, with student failure rates plummeting to the lowest in recorded history at our university.

    Read article: Is anybody there? : Bootstrapping attendance with engagement

  • Online Community Engagement through Simplicity, Relevance and Connection

    Susan Tull

    This paper reports on the first stage of a phased approach to the development of an intervention which aims to support adult literacy educators in developing e-learning for their learners. The intervention is being implemented within an online environment created using Moodle, and studied using a design based research methodology. This initial iteration of the intervention was designed to encourage the members of the extant community of adult literacy educators to develop an online community, and to engage with the online environment. Engagement was encouraged though the facilitation of communications within this physically spread community, and the provision of online access to their community resources. Simplicity, relevance and connection were the elements found to be central to participant engagement within this first phase of the intervention.

    Read article: Online Community Engagement through Simplicity, Relevance and Connection

  • My teacher is an Android: Engaging learners through an Android application

    Lyndon Walker

    This concise paper describes work-in-progress research that examines the development of an Android "app" for a topic in a first year Statistics paper. The Android platform was chosen as Android devices are the top-selling mobile devices, outselling Apple iPods/iPhones/iPads. In addition, the operating system is open-source and development can be done through the Android AppInventor programme, accelerating the development process by providing a point and click interface to bypass much of the programming. The paper briefly examines the literature relating to student engagement and the use of mobile devices in teaching, before describing the process of developing the app. It is concluded by describing future research that will be presented at the conference.

    Read article: My teacher is an Android: Engaging learners through an Android application

  • The move to Moodle: Perspective of academics in a College of Business

    Robyn Walker, Mark Brown, Chris Moore, Helen Hughes

    This paper describes the results of a survey among academics in the College of Business at an Australiasian university in the aftermath of a move to Moodle. The survey aimed to gather evidence of the relationships between university lecturers and the online environment, from which future practice could be informed. The findings were largely positive. A strong majority of respondents reported some degree of integration of Moodle with their teaching, along with a long-term commitment to Moodle utilization and improvement over time. However, only a limited number of respondents agreed that Moodle had helped them improve their teaching, indicative that academics were still in a period of transition from shallow systems compliance to deep pedagogical change. Overall, the experience showed that the move to Moodle needs careful planning and communication and must be part of a wider strategy to integrate e-learning solutions throughout course design and institutional culture.

    Read article: The move to Moodle: Perspective of academics in a College of Business

  • An integrated Faculty model for engaging staff with online and blended learning

    Debbi Weaver, Sue Kokonis

    This paper reports on a faculty-wide implementation of an integrated model of professional development to enhance online teaching practice. A key aim was to draw on the thinking of key scholars, and to build on pockets of excellence already within some discipline groups, to develop a consistent level of good practice across the Faculty. The model incorporates four stages: informing staff of key research in the field, engaging staff in online practice, providing learning design teams to assist staff in implementing learning activities and the provision of ongoing support from colleagues through communities of practice. The paper describes the model and reports on progress to date.

    Read article: An integrated Faculty model for engaging staff with online and blended learning

  • Using insider research to study teacher engagement with video conferencing in first-year classes

    Nicola Westberry

    This paper describes the use of insider research in an ongoing project that aims to explore the complex relationships between teachers, pedagogy, and technology within large first-year courses. It outlines the design rationale for the project and describes the methods used to study the engagement of 17 academic staff with video conferencing technology over a five-month period in 2011. Three researchers have occupied the dual roles of research participants (being members of the teaching staff involved with the video conferencing) and researchers; thus, they have been 'insiders' or full participant-observers. After describing the context and methodology, the paper reflects on the use of insider research as an approach to study teacher engagement with e-learning initiatives.

    Read article: Using insider research to study teacher engagement with video conferencing in first-year classes

  • Building blended delivery capability in vocational educators: Creating sustainability through scaffolding

    Linda Weterman, Oriel Kelly

    Engaging vocational educators to take the lead in developing blended learning practices that are 'fit for purpose' within an educational and workplace context is challenging. This paper explores literature in the areas of scaffolding; zone of proximal development, mentoring and coaching. It describes the initial experience of a blended learning project team in implementing scaffolding learning principles to engage vocational educators in order to create sustained change that links clearly to teaching, learning and assessment within an outcomes environment. The paper also provides some insights into the implementation of the Blended Learning Project (BLP) through the initiation and execution stages of the student (peer) projects. Through this type of practice the novice is always becoming the expert and the expert is always somewhat a novice. The greatest gain for this project is the development of process capability which is the cornerstone to sustained development in practice and expertise.

    Read article: Building blended delivery capability in vocational educators: Creating sustainability through scaffolding

  • Interactive white(board) elephants: A case of change mismanagement

    Eugene Willems, Julie Willems

    The introduction of interactive whiteboards (IWBs) in secondary schools around Australia is currently being heavily promoted for the purposes of transforming the delivery of education through innovation and technology (Gillard, 2010). In such a climate, the evaluation of case studies exploring the effectiveness of the implementation of new technologies for the purposes of teaching and learning can help guide others contemplating or embarking on this process. While much of the literature reports positive outcomes in the adoption of IWBs in the secondary classroom, this paper provides a balance by exploring a case of change mismanagement which has led to the existence of electronic white elephants. The paper also explores the potential of modified force field analysis (FFA) as a decision- making and evaluation instrument for the process of technological change within educational contexts.

    Read article: Interactive white(board) elephants: A case of change mismanagement

  • i-Survive Project: Investigating the use of Internet-enabled mobile phones and social networking in disasters and emergencies

    Julie Willems

    The aim of the forthcoming i-Survive project is to evaluate the use of messages, images and videos sent by participating representatives of key community stakeholders during recent Australian and New Zealand disaster and emergency situations from Internet-enabled mobile phones to Web 2.0 social networking websites to seek help or educate others. It is anticipated that the research findings will help guide and instruct the development of m-learning strategies, including applications and protocols, in order to help better plan and prepare for the use of these technologies in future disaster situations.

    Read article: i-Survive Project: Investigating the use of Internet-enabled mobile phones and social networking in disasters and emergencies

Showing 131–143 of 147 articles