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2018: ASCILITE 2018 Conference Proceedings

 

 

 

 

The proceedings of the 2018 ASCILITE Conference. Open Oceans: Learning Without Borders

M. Campbell, J. Willems, C. Adachi, D. Blake, I. Doherty, S. Krishnan, S. Macfarlane, L. Ngo, M. O’Donnell, S. Palmer, L. Riddell, I. Story, H. Suri & J. Tai (Eds.), Open Oceans: Learning Without Borders. Proceedings ASCILITE 2018. Geelong.

Deakin University, Geelong, Australia

November 25-28 2018

ASCILITE2018 Conference Website https://2018conference.ascilite.org/

 

Published: 20 November 2018

ASCILITE Conference - Concise Papers

  • Mining digital reality: Exploring the virtual activities of undergraduate students

    Senorita John, Russell Butson, Rachel Spronken-Smith

    This study explored the computer usage behaviour of undergraduate students, by using Reality Mining techniques to capture naturally-occurring digital traces. We harvested over 14,000 hours of computer usage data from 21 undergraduate students at a New Zealand university over the period of one semester. Our preliminary analysis has given us some insights into: 1] what applications students use most frequently, 2] how much students use their computes during the semester, 3] the multi-tasking/task- switching behaviours of students, and 4] the times most common for students to use their computer devices. These results, which are from a larger ongoing study, point to interesting areas for future research around the complexities of student digital behaviours, and illustrates the potential of new research methods to capture data about student practices.

    Read article: Mining digital reality: Exploring the virtual activities of undergraduate students

  • Designing online orientations for higher education music students: A proposed framework

    Carol Johnson, Georgina Binns

    Online orientations can provide university students with helpful introductions to relevant knowledge and skills they will need over the course of their studies. While traditional models of university orientation focus on face-to-face lecture delivery and often depend on individual, time-specified events, the online environment can be used for more interactive and discipline-specific orientation. The adoption of an online orientation approach can further provide students with information accessible in manageable time frames and supportive practical applications. Aligned to research literature, this paper proposes a framework for developing an online orientation program for higher education undergraduate and graduate music students. The framework brings together the design benefits of the online environment in conjunction with literature on effective practices of orientation programs. As such, the framework identifies four components of influence when designing an online orientation: Purpose; Audience; Design construction; and Content topic considerations. Areas for future research are also highlighted.

    Read article: Designing online orientations for higher education music students: A proposed framework

  • Dipping our toes into the Open Seas: Introducing a renewable assignment to improve authenticity and student learning

    Hazel Jones, Carolyn Brown

    Adopting Open Education Practice is one example of innovation in online and blended learning. This paper describes how combining a desire to improve student experience and learning, with educational technology use and Open Education Practice led to development of a renewable assignment for a fully online course. The collaborative process is explained, outlining the impetus for the change, the context of the course and the steps taken to design and develop a new assignment utilising Open Education Resources. The assignment, a video presentation, is one component of a major course redevelopment that has been occurring iteratively over a number of sessions. The impetus for the course redesign was a need to improve student retention, results and experience and the process was supported by a DOER Fellowship. Both the Educational Designer and academic involved in the development gained new skills and knowledge of Open Education Practice and early anecdotal evidence is that students appreciated the new assessment and believe this had deepened their learning in the course. Lessons learned include the importance of collaboration across a diverse team and that there are likely to be some minor issues that need to be rectified following initial offerings.

    Read article: Dipping our toes into the Open Seas: Introducing a renewable assignment to improve authenticity and student learning

  • Towards the use of cognitive load theory as a diagnostic tool in online learning

    Benjamin A. Kehrwald, Brendan Bentley

    This paper examines cognitive load theory in online learning. The central idea of the paper is that by identifying instances of cognitive load in online courses, educators can make practical adjustments in the design and teaching of courses in order to minimise the cognitive load experienced by learners and thereby increase the likelihood of successful cognitive processing. The presentation brings together current thinking in cognitive load theory and descriptions of key aspects of contemporary online learning to identify and describe of potential instances of cognitive load experienced by online learners.

    Read article: Towards the use of cognitive load theory as a diagnostic tool in online learning

  • ‘From [virtual] classroom to boardroom’: Coaching students to use a research approach to address contemporary issues in their workplace

    Anthony Kerr, Aaron Wijeratne, Diane Kalendra, Danilo Wegner, Julien Marchand

    The Australian Institute of Business (AIB) exclusively serves the needs of working adults and seeks to deliver life-changing experiences for students through a contemporary and practical curriculum delivered online. A key feature of its MBA is a final capstone subject whereby students apply the knowledge acquired during the degree to a business issue in a professional context. Adult learning has been found to be most effective when knowledge is constructed based on workplace problems. However, as industry practitioners, many students find this challenging and have historically struggled with the research-based nature of the capstone subject. This paper reflects on how the MBA Project was re-conceptualised to help students navigate the challenging waters of a final research project. Guided by a coaching mind-set, we experimented with a range of online tools within an andragogical framework to create effective learning activities and engage students to address contemporary issues in their workplace. Not only did this revised capstone achieve the highest completion rate of all the MBA subjects offered, it had a positive influence on student engagement, learning and their overall educational experience as more than 90 percent of students ‘safely reached port’ and completed their MBA.

    Read article: ‘From [virtual] classroom to boardroom’: Coaching students to use a research approach to address contemporary issues in their workplace

  • Can an adaptive lesson really make fundamental chemistry interactive & flexible?

    Kelly Linden, Louise Pemberton, Lucy Webster

    First year undergraduate allied health students commence physiology with an extremely variable understanding of fundamental chemistry principles. Chemistry is also often perceived as difficult, dull and unrelated to daily life, when, in reality nothing is further from the truth. Adaptive learning has been shown to be an effective tool for chemistry homework, but we wanted to assess its value in teaching fundamental chemistry concepts to undergraduate allied health students. An adaptive online chemistry lesson was developed in the Smart Sparrow platform. The lesson was piloted and evaluated using a survey and access to Smart Sparrow learning analytics (n=33). Students reported that the lesson met their needs for flexibility (4.9/6), and that the lesson enhanced motivation to learn chemistry (4.9/6). Importantly all students that completed the survey indicated that they had a better understanding of chemistry after they completed the lesson (4.7 ±2.3 vs 7.63 ± 1.54, p<0.00001). Findings from this pilot study indicate that online adaptive learning resources are an effective, flexible and fun tool for teaching fundamental chemistry.

    Read article: Can an adaptive lesson really make fundamental chemistry interactive & flexible?

  • Can we calm first-year student’s “neuroscience anxiety” with adaptive learning resources? : A pilot study

    Kelly Linden, Lucy Webster, Louise Pemberton, Wendy Rose Davison

    An understanding of neurophysiology is vital for undergraduate allied health students; however, it is often perceived as an intimidating and difficult subject. Adaptive learning presents a novel teaching pedagogy to enhance student learning and engagement in the teaching of neurophysiology to first year students. An adaptive online neurophysiology lesson was developed in the Smart Sparrow platform. The lesson was piloted and evaluated using a survey and focus group. Of the 26 students that completed the survey, 21 students indicated that they had a better understanding of the nervous system topic after they completed the lesson. Students found the lesson was helpful in assisting with their understanding of the nervous system, whilst also being interesting and engaging. Findings from this pilot project revealed adaptive learning technologies show significant promise in enhancing student learning in a difficult first year subject.

    Read article: Can we calm first-year student’s “neuroscience anxiety” with adaptive learning resources? : A pilot study

  • Reclaiming the field of educational technology: Seeds for discussion

    Larry McNutt

    The purpose of this concise paper is to offer some observations and commentary on the current state of the field of educational technology – with the overarching premise that the field is currently stuck in a “techno-centric habitus” that is limiting the field’s evolution. This position is based on research work conducted in Ireland exploring the personal values and beliefs that motivate the staff working in the educational technology space within higher education institutions. In an era where Higher Education is facing many unrelenting issues – educational technologists continue to remain a silent voice in the ongoing debate – “privately vociferous but publicly mute”. This paper offers a critique of the field that appears as dynamic and innovative largely reflecting the investments in technology – but at its core is harnessed as an instrument that prioritises performance measures over transformative opportunities. This scenario is often compounded by the lived reality of educational technologists who often reside within the fractures of organisational structures – straddling various strategic priority pillars such as Digital Campus, Teaching and Learning and the Student Experience. This work adopted the “thinking tools” of French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu to examine this dilemma. The paper concludes by proposing four key questions for discussion that will contribute to informing and shaping the future direction of the field of educational technology.

    Read article: Reclaiming the field of educational technology: Seeds for discussion

  • Expectations and engagement: Key touchpoints in online students’ experiences of transition

    Timothy Moss, Sharon Pittaway

    The first year of study in higher education is a significant time for students, and indeed for institutions. Students are at their most vulnerable in terms of an increased risk of failure, and are at most risk of encountering challenges they have few resources on which to draw in order to overcome. These vulnerabilities, challenges and risks are particularly significant for students who study in the online mode, where a sense of isolation lingers for many students despite the levels of interactivity now available to them. Recent research suggests that institutions have room for improvement in assisting students to navigate their path through this transition. In this paper, we identify five key ‘touchpoints’ within an online student’s transition that play a significant role in positioning them for success. We frame our discussion around two key concepts, expectations and engagement, and explore how institutions might use each touchpoint to position online students for success. Our aim is not to provide solutions, but rather to provoke alternative and out-of-the-box thinking through discussion about how we might better align practices across an institution, and reassess our roles in supporting student transition.

    Read article: Expectations and engagement: Key touchpoints in online students’ experiences of transition

  • Embedding digital literacy: Towards transforming business education

    Leanne Ngo, Simone Tyrell, Michael Volkov, Kerrie Bridson

    Equipping business graduates with digital literacy skills can help to enhance their employability and careers. Contextualising digital literacy to the relevant discipline and, aligned with industry expectations can help them navigate through the multiple demands of living, learning and working in a digital 21st century society. This paper draws on a pilot exemplar of the challenges in course design to explicitly embed, develop and assess students on attainment of digital literacy skills in business education. As part of the pilot, and through a cross-functional team, an innovative, media-rich and interactive Digital Literacy Module (DLM) with strong learning design based on authentic activities and scenario-based learning was developed and implemented. Insights presented here will be of value to course leads, curriculum designers, educational technologists and other practitioners to help with embedding digital literacy in higher education.

    Read article: Embedding digital literacy: Towards transforming business education

  • Swimming in unchartered waters: A case for developing lecturers of English in Vietnam higher education

    Hang Nguyen, Kristine Elliott, Heather Davis

    The changing landscape of global higher education, due to the increasing use of educational technology, has become ‘unchartered waters’ for many university lecturers. Continuing professional development (CPD) that aims to support lecturers to ‘swim in the unchartered waters’ has become a priority in many countries. However, CPD tends to be competency-based with little attention given to lecturers’ motivations. This paper presents a conceptual framework that helps to explore CPD for lecturers teaching English as a Foreign Language (EFL) with technology in the Asian context of Vietnam higher education. It unpacks the important elements of CPD for the 21st century EFL lecturer through the lens of Self-Determination Theory (Deci & Ryan, 1985) and the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge Framework (TPACK) (Mishra & Koehler, 2006). Accordingly, three psychological needs for competence, autonomy, and relatedness are identified as being essential elements for CPD, with TPACK specifying lecturers’ competence. This new CPD approach can guide EFL teaching practice and CPD policy in Vietnam and other similar contexts.

    Read article: Swimming in unchartered waters: A case for developing lecturers of English in Vietnam higher education

  • Changing technologies and assessment redesign: Factors impacting implementation and participation

    Mark O'Rourke

    This project reviewed current assessment practice across a School at a large University in Melbourne through analysis of student Course Experience Surveys (CES), desktop analysis of course guides, teacher interviews and student focus groups. Based on the findings, targeted resources were designed and professional development activities delivered to teachers to improve assessment and feedback processes in an environment of changing educational technology contexts. Analysis of qualitative CES data identified the most significant issues with assessment design and implementation, and this was used as a reference point and in communication with teachers to promote an understanding that assessment design impacts student learning and achievement. The development of resources and delivery of professional development activities to improve assessment design were undertaken during a period of significant technological change at the University. A new Learning Management System (LMS) was implemented and all courses were required to have an online presence and comply with a set of guidelines. The impact of this significant change on academics and students was examined to determine whether institutional technology implementation facilitates or hinders efforts to improve assessment and feedback processes in the context of learning and teaching practice.

    Read article: Changing technologies and assessment redesign: Factors impacting implementation and participation

  • Group work in IT: Investigating the student learning experience

    Joanne Parker, Chris Campbell

    It is well known that students dislike working in groups. However, preparing students for the workplace is important and part of the graduate attributes for each university. As such, group work can be seen as an integral part of university assignments for many students. This paper reports on the group work experiences of IT students who complete a team work assessment as part of one of their subjects. Most students in the cohort study online which can add some complexity to the team work process. Most students felt that all members of the team were given an equal opportunity to contribute, with students reporting they generally worked at least adequately well together. One of the obstacles to working together was reported as working together online due to not being able to meet face to face. Overall, with scaffolding, working as a team does not have to be a negative experience for students and can provide deep learning.

    Read article: Group work in IT: Investigating the student learning experience

Showing 53–65 of 83 articles