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2010: ASCILITE 2010 Conference Proceedings: Curriculum, technology & transformation for an unknown future

 

The proceedings of the 2010 ASCILITE Conference

C.H. Steel, M.J. Keppell, P. Gerbic & S. Housego (Eds.), Curriculum, technology & transformation for an unknown future. Proceedings Ascilite Sydney 2010

Novotel Sydney Brighton Beach, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

December 5-8, 2010

ASCILITE2010 Conference Website - https://www.ascilite.org/conferences/sydney10/

Published: 1 December 2010

ASCILITE Conference - Posters

  • A model for achieving equivalence and comparability in higher education courses offered transnationally by RMIT’s College of Business

    Sathiyavani Gopal, Tom Palaskas, Joan Richardson, Ross Smith

    This paper describes the work-in-progress of an action research pilot project conducted within the College of Business at RMIT University. The project has clarified the concepts of equivalence and comparability as applied to the College?s transnational course offerings. A framework and associated process for achieving equivalence and comparability is in the final stages of development and will be trialled in one course offered at RMIT Melbourne, RMIT Vietnam and the Singapore Institute of Management. To enhance clarity, the notion of comparability has itself been divided into two additional concepts: contextualisation and customisation. The framework provides an understanding of equivalence and comparability, the factors (elements) to be considered for each, and a broad process for working towards their achievement within individual courses. Consistent with the action research methodology, the guiding principles, framework and implementation process require review and validation by stakeholders within the College of Business, and externally by the wider transnational education community.

    Read article: A model for achieving equivalence and comparability in higher education courses offered transnationally by RMIT’s College of Business

  • Embracing personal learning and ePortfolios @ CSU: A university-wide approach

    Carole Hunter, Sandra Stewart

    This poster introduces the rationale for CSU’s approach to nurturing personal learning / ePortfolios across the university community. It presents examples from the diverse range of courses and subjects now integrating ePortfolios within the curriculum, and discusses some of the expected and unexpected outcomes which have led to a further refinement of this approach.

    Read article: Embracing personal learning and ePortfolios @ CSU: A university-wide approach

  • 100 days with an iPad: Lessons learnt and apps acquired

    Jacqui Kelly, Judy Schrape

    Six staff from in the Centre for eLearning at Curtin University were supplied with an iPad each and encouraged to explore their use in a range of contexts every day for 100 days. This project aims to investigate how quickly these new devices can be integrated into daily life and what, if any, implications this new tablet would have for staff and students using them in Higher Education.

    Read article: 100 days with an iPad: Lessons learnt and apps acquired

  • The search for 18 Rabbit: Virtual archaeology and games based learning

    Thomas Kerr

    This poster presentation documents the development of an exemplar teaching resource that uses a games-based learning approach to engage learners in the study of the archaeology of ancient cultures. “The Search for 18 Rabbit” is a game based in a virtual 3D world that engages learners in a quest to discover the facts surrounding the demise of Uaxaclajuun Ub'aah K'awiil, also known by the title “18 Rabbit”, the last significant ruler of Copán (Mayan title: Xukpi), a major city of the southern Mayan region (now western Honduras). The site was chosen because it combines interesting architectural features, including a game-based cultural space called the Ball Court, with a wealth of historical facts and supporting myths; providing the game creators with a rich mix of primary resources to use in development. The relatively recent development of free, easy to use open-source game engine environments such as Platinum Arts Sandbox and other commercially available applications (e.g. Unity 3D) means that educators who want to actively engage learners in historical studies or related disciplines can now offer them an immersive, dynamic experience as they explore virtual ancient cities such as Mayan cultural centres that thrived in the 7th to 10th centuries.

    Read article: The search for 18 Rabbit: Virtual archaeology and games based learning

  • Off the beaten path with ePortfolio & virtual conferencing: Pioneer projects in Humanities & Social sciences

    Anja Kirberg

    Facing an on-going transformation of classical research strategies and current occupational profiles due to an increasing amount of digital sources and tools, students of more traditional humanities need to be taught media-oriented and must develop new online competencies to be set for a successful future path. The blended learning projects “Great Depression online” and “Sociology of Education Intercultural” give an example of how the flexible usage of ePortfolios and virtual conferencing can broaden each student’s mind. To enhance traditional history teaching means to adopt new methods in doing research, in distributing findings and teaching regarding the increasing amount of digital written, oral and visual sources. “Great depression online” demonstrates how the usage of ePortfolio and virtual conferencing can offer intercultural learning experiences by teaching history-specific questions such as source criticism of digital documents within a blended learning setting. The aim is to teach historical online competence to prepare history students for their academic and vocational future. “Sociology of Education Intercultural” offers students of social sciences a new, intercultural learning experience and supports them in developing online competencies within their subject. They practice using online resources and the qualitative method “interview” by using ePortfolio and virtual conferencing. An international peer-review also is offered by the use of virtual conferencing.

    Read article: Off the beaten path with ePortfolio & virtual conferencing: Pioneer projects in Humanities & Social sciences

  • Design of an adaptive learner directed model for e-learning

    Stella Lee, Vivek Kumar, Trevor Barker

    This paper examines how and to what extent an adaptive system can aid learners to be effectively self-directed and self-regulated for online studies both at domain knowledge level and meta knowledge level in the subject of computer science. We will provide an overview of two learning theories - self-regulated learning theory (SRL) and experiential learning theory (ELT), - and show how these theories act as an interlaced framework underpinning the adaptive model. In addition, this paper outlines the initial design for the model.

    Read article: Design of an adaptive learner directed model for e-learning

  • How do postgraduate students learn and integrate knowledge of the learning sciences?

    Lina Markauskaite, Peter Reimann

    University students often face significant challenges both seeing connections between different conceptual ideas, and linking theoretical ideas with knowledge needed in their applied professional contexts. This paper presents some experiences and insights from a postgraduate course that was designed to support knowledge integration. It initially presents the main design ideas that have been applied in the unit. Then, it examines students' learning journals and explores how students integrated conceptual knowledge and experiences.

    Read article: How do postgraduate students learn and integrate knowledge of the learning sciences?

  • Second Life™ and the novice user: What issues exist prior to commencing teaching in a virtual environment?

    Yvonne Masters

    With more and more universities developing online modes of teaching and learning and embracing a range of technologies including web 2.0 and social networking tools, virtual worlds are becoming more common as learning spaces and many universities have a virtual presence, particularly in Second Life™. Over the last 18 months two pilot studies have been conducted into the efficacy of Second Life™ as a learning environment with teacher education students at the author's institution. These studies were shared research between an expert user of this particular virtual environment and an academic who was 'old' in teaching, but who was a novice in terms of using virtual worlds and who had only just been introduced to Second Life™. This paper discusses the experience of the novice user as she became familiar enough with Second Life™ to teach there and provides a commentary on the journey undertaken. It explores some of the instrumental areas for consideration if higher education institutions wish to explore the possibility of academics transforming their teaching and learning environments and routinely using Second Life™ within their repertoire of e-teaching.

    Read article: Second Life™ and the novice user: What issues exist prior to commencing teaching in a virtual environment?

  • What do we mean by ICT graduate attributes? : Exploring mappings to course objectives

    Dominic McGrath

    Developing information and communication technology (ICT) skills is embedded in Australian curricula from early primary through to tertiary education. This study examines curriculum documents from introductory university courses in two programmes of study at the University of Queensland, to explore the nature of ICT skills development as students transition to University. The curriculum documents indicate a variety of interpretations of curriculum design and the development of ICT skills. The majority of course objectives mapped to developing effective ICT skills do not explicitly relate to technology and little consistency is evident in the implicitly linked aspects and uses of ICT, raising further questions as to what ICT skills institutions refer to in outcomes statements.

    Read article: What do we mean by ICT graduate attributes? : Exploring mappings to course objectives

  • The WOW factor: Professional development learning spaces

    Maxine Mitchell

    In response to the shifting landscape of higher education, a small regional university has implemented a project-based strategic initiative to enhance the student learning experience by building institutional eLearning density to advance flexible and blended design and delivery of courses and programs. A surprising and unexpected side-effect of the initiative has been the impact of the project?s purpose re-fitted learning space on reinvigorating academic's engagement in professional development activities and increasing their enjoyment of their professional practice. This poster scopes the educational literature on authentic, technology-enabled learning spaces to enrich the student learning experience and applies these theoretical concepts to the professional development context.

    Read article: The WOW factor: Professional development learning spaces

  • The Ripple Effect: Building academic staff capacity for using eSimulations in professional education for experience transfer - a professional journey of development

    Deborah Murdoch

    This poster presents the process of developing academic staff capacity in using eSimulations in professional education. Its focus is on the conditions needed to be able to develop the knowledge and skills for developing eSimulations for teaching and the impacts on colleagues. The project final report has indicated the importance of a range of forces that must be in place for knowledge transfer and organisational capacity building to occur (Cybulski, et al., 2010). The inclusion of operational leadership, keen competence and understanding of learning design, supporting infrastructure, technology development knowledge and content knowledge are integral components of the ability to build capacity in others.

    Read article: The Ripple Effect: Building academic staff capacity for using eSimulations in professional education for experience transfer - a professional journey of development

  • Scaffolding interaction in asynchronous online discussion through peer facilitation

    Connie Siew Ling Ng, Wing Sum Cheung, Khe Foon Hew

    This study aims to identify the peer facilitation techniques that could scaffold interaction in asynchronous online discussion forums. The findings of this study suggest that scaffolding interaction in asynchronous online discussion through peer facilitation could be achieved through the use of the following five peer facilitation techniques: “showing appreciation”, “considering others’ viewpoints”, “general invitation to contribute”, “questioning” and “challenging others’ points”.

    Read article: Scaffolding interaction in asynchronous online discussion through peer facilitation

  • Transforming online curricula, transforming staff

    Maria Northcote, Daniel Reynaud, Peter Beamish, Tony Martin

    Developing online teaching skills can occur through involvement in learn-by-doing strategies, which incorporate informal, organic or needs-driven strategies. Such processes are sometimes labelled as “bottom-up” staff development processes. In other contexts, teaching staff are formally directed to develop online teaching skills through a series of compulsory staff development workshops or courses. These approaches typically include “top-down” staff development processes. This poster describes how a group of tertiary teaching staff extended their on-campus and distance teaching repertoire of skills to include online teaching skills. In this case, the process of staff development began with collecting data about the concerns and practices of the teaching staff involved. An analysis of the data informed the development of a “middle-out” staff development strategy which comprised a mixture of informal and formal strategies, and acknowledged the ethos of the institution and the specific needs of the staff involved. This professional development program incorporated a group of nine informal and formal strategies. The poster presents an analysis of the data that were gathered during this project alongside the professional development strategies that were developed as a result of this analysis.

    Read article: Transforming online curricula, transforming staff

Showing 131–143 of 160 articles