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2009: ASCILITE 2009 Conference Proceedings

 

The proceedings of the 2009 ASCILITE Conference

R. J. Atkinson, & C. McBeath (Eds.) (2009), Same places, different spaces. Proceedings ASCILITE 2009. Auckland.

University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.

December 6-9 2009

ASCILITE2009 Conference Website  https://www.ascilite.org/conferences/auckland09/

Published: 1 December 2009

ASCILITE Conference - Full Papers

  • A conceptual framework for assessing interaction quality in online discussion forums

    Dip Nandi, Shanton Chang, Sandrine Balbo

    The use of discussion forums in education has long been a hot topic in tertiary education. Discussion forums’ activities help learners to share and gain knowledge from each other. However, setting up discussion forums does not ensure that learners interact with each other actively and grading of discussion forum participation is done to ensure qualitative learner participation. Currently, a major focus has been put onto the better use of discussion forums, but the way in which quality of participation can be evaluated has yet to be adequately investigated. This paper presents a conceptual model, based on an extensive review of current literature in related areas, as a way forward in looking at the assessment of quality in online discussion forums. The main benefits of the proposed framework are towards facilitators, as a way to assess learners’ online contributions, while students may use it to understand what is expected of them as participants in online discussion forums.

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  • Engaging students in a multimedia cooperative- learning environment: A Malaysian experience

    Tse-Kian Neo, Mai Neo, Joyce W. J. Kwok

    This study focuses on developing a cooperative learning environment to promote active learning. Within this learning environment, multimedia technology and the use of Web 2.0 tools, namely, blogs were integrated to provide the students the opportunity to learn on their own as well as to document their process and experience within this cooperative learning environment. The purpose of the study is to determine its impact on student learning, their perceptions and learning experiences. Surveys were administrated to students to ascertain their reactions towards this learning environment. The results were encouraging as students managed to cooperate with each other to accomplish their common goal. The use of blogs served as a tool to enhance team cooperation and to foster a learning community within the class. This multimedia enhanced cooperative environment proved to be a viable alternative to the traditional classroom and was an effective strategy to enhance the students’ learning process.

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  • Local content game: The preferred choice for mobile learning space

    Norshuhada Shiratuddin, Syamsul Bahrin Zaibon

    Two studies to find out Malaysian students’ preferences towards learning using mobile space are conducted. This first study is a survey gathered from 591 secondary school students, age 13 to 17 years old. The main objective of the survey is to acquire relevant data to support a mobile game- based learning (mGBL) development. The outcome of this survey indicates that almost 60% of the students prefer mobile phone as the chosen platform for game-based learning rather than other devices. Further finding suggests that, in order to provide successful learning environment for students; both entertainment and education values should be embraced, suggesting mGBL as the possible solution. Also, 83% stated that they preferred local designed characters with local culture based contents. Next, the second study determines what types of game characters appeal to the students. From this, two points are concluded, which are (i) local, appealing and well-developed characters are important elements to motivate students and (ii) local uniqueness must always be incorporated to increase mGBL acceptance.

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  • Our journey to new places using different spaces: A teaching degree totally online

    Sheena O'Hare, Lina Pelliccione, Sonja Kuzich

    The investment in technology to support delivery through Open University Australia (OUA) is a significant step in opening up the potential to increase efficiencies in service delivery to remote locations and indeed the world - as well as to develop new course offerings that do not add to the strain on ‘physical’ resources. Whilst Curtin University is currently the ‘only player’ in the Bachelor of Education Primary Education OUA arena it is wise to consolidate its leading position by understanding the distinct and real trends of student attraction and retention to enhance its status, position and ultimate economic viability in this sphere. This paper reports on a pilot study conducted to determine the student attrition rates in the very first offering of four OUA units in study period one. The results of the pilot study have informed the design of a much larger research project which aims to profile the students participating in the OUA Bachelor of Education Primary course in order to develop a greater understanding of those factors that impact on attrition rates thus informing future practice.

    Read article: Our journey to new places using different spaces: A teaching degree totally online

  • Building engaging physical and virtual learning spaces: A case study of a collaborative approach

    Beverley Oliver, Peter Nikoletatos

    Research is somewhat divided as to whether today's younger students speak natively the language of social networks, mobile phones, and the Internet. What seems incontrovertible, however, is that current learners (from several generations) have readily embraced technology which allows them to share their experiences and knowledge through online sites such as Facebook, Twitter and ePortfolios. Universities often struggle to keep pace with the engagement offered by these largely commercial social networking sites. Large and devolved universities face the added challenge of integrating support services to build university-wide systems that integrate with curriculum. While universities cannot force engagement, it seems likely that student engagement and achievement will be optimized if curricula and next generation learning spaces work in concert, and are supported by collaborative partnerships. Curtin University has in recent years reevaluated its physical and virtual spaces based on research of its students’ ownership and expectations. Recent initiatives reported in this paper demonstrate how central university support agencies have collaborated in an effort to design spaces and tools that optimise engagement incorporating Web 2.0 technologies and mobile platforms.

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  • ePortfolios and unfamiliar spaces: Exploring the unknown, together

    Hazel Owen

    When decisions are made to implement initiatives using e-portfolios, anxiety is sometimes expressed because of the challenge of exploring ‘new spaces’. This can occur, for example, when academic practitioners are required to re-address learning, teaching and assessment practices, and upskill in ICT. This paper has three main aims. The first is to ground the subject in current literature. Reference will then be made to two research studies conducted at Dubai Men's College where the use of e-portfolios was proposed and in one case implemented. The barriers identified around e-portfolios are described, along with an overview of current attitudes expressed at Unitec NZ during small-scale trials. To date, a comparative research study has not been conducted, but the collation of findings offers a rich picture of potential challenges for academic practitioners around adopting e-portfolios. Finally, the paper draws the threads together to recommend ways of avoiding some of these possible pitfalls.

    Read article: ePortfolios and unfamiliar spaces: Exploring the unknown, together

  • Online learning environments: Same place; different demographic space?

    Stuart Palmer, Dale Holt

    This paper presents a large scale, quantitative investigation of the impact of demographic differences on the student experience of using an online learning environment (OLE). Female respondents generally gave higher ratings than males, and gave significantly higher ratings in both importance and satisfaction to a group of OLE elements related to online interaction and community. Postgraduate respondents generally gave lower satisfaction ratings than undergraduate students, though significant differences were few. Results on the basis of mode of enrolment were mixed. The discovery of significant differences between demographic groups highlights the importance of up-to-date and on-going research-based surveys of student perceptions of the OLE. The finding that elements of the institutional OLE are not universally perceived the same way by all students groups also challenges the value of standard, one-size-fits-all institutional policies and templates relating to the use of the OLE.

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  • A proposal for an adaptable personal learning environment to support learners needs and preferences

    Elaine Pearson, Voula Gkatzidou, Steve Green

    In recent years, Virtual Learning Environments (VLE) (also known as Learning Management Systems) have become pervasive in Higher Education. In addition, the explosion in social software and Web 2.0 technologies raises learners’ expectations of flexibility and personalisation, and highlights the rigidity and limitations of the VLE. Recognition of these limitations has given rise to the evolution of such systems into the concept of a Personal Learning Environment (PLE). This paper examines the concept of personalisation in terms of adaptation of the learning environment according to the needs and preferences of disabled learners. We report on progress towards the development of a model for an Adaptable Personal Learning Environment (APLE) that responds to the challenge of providing truly learner-centred, accessible, personalised and flexible learning.

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  • Building sustainable learning spaces with industry partners through reciprocal mentoring

    Lina Pelliccione, Kathryn Dixon

    This research aims to address current problems regarding availability of pre-service teacher education internship opportunities through the development of an ongoing and sustainable relationship with local primary school teachers and students. The culmination of the research will ultimately result in a reciprocal-mentoring model being developed which will create a mutually beneficial partnership between an Australian University (teacher education students and academic staff) and local primary school teachers and students. A Collective Community learning platform has been built and implemented which has enabled all stakeholders to work together on ICT-rich learning activities. The research has involved four very distinct phases. However, this paper reports on Phase 3: University Readiness of the larger study. This phase involved primary school students working with teacher education students, teachers and academic staff on an ICT activity for the day. The findings reveal that reciprocal mentoring can be mutually beneficial to all involved.

    Read article: Building sustainable learning spaces with industry partners through reciprocal mentoring

  • Flexible role playing game engine for case studies in forensic accounting

    Monica Pheny, Louis Shun

    This paper reports on the design, development and first implementation of a role playing game engine to improve students’ learning for a university course in Forensic Accounting, a specialty that has been growing in popularity in recent years. A role playing game (RPG) engine has been developed to allow students to act in a virtual environment as forensic accountants responsible in investigating potential fraud cases. It was observed that students were more engaged and class interaction was greatly enhanced. The gaming nature of the tasks also helped create a friendly competitive atmosphere and encouraged independent learning. Unlike other game engines, the developed system was designed specifically to allow teachers to create new and maintenance existing cases on their own with little need for technical assistance. The developed system is extremely reusable and is highly adoptable for other disciplines to be used in case studies activities.

    Read article: Flexible role playing game engine for case studies in forensic accounting

  • The TeCTra online groupwork tool: Scaffolding the learning of self and peer assessment

    Ryszard Raban, Andrew Litchfield

    A reliable assessment strategy for allocating different summative marks for individual contributions in groupwork is a perennial problem that using the TeCTra online tool can resolve. By collecting weekly quantitative and qualitative data to support the individualising of contributions and summative marks the tool supports and scaffolds the students’ learning of self and peer assessment understandings, knowledge and skills. This paper discusses the changing design of peer assessment from 1998 to 2008 and the impact of the TeCTRa groupwork tool within a capstone undergraduate subject with large student numbers at UTS. The TeCTra strategy has delivered more diversity of individual summative marks than those reported in the literature and experienced by the authors in the period before the introduction of the tool in 2004. The system for calculating an individual contribution factor has released the academic from the enormous workload otherwise required to process any similar paper-based strategy.

    Read article: The TeCTra online groupwork tool: Scaffolding the learning of self and peer assessment

  • Blended spaces, work based learning and constructive alignment: Impacts on student engagement

    Peter Reaburn, Nona Muldoon, Cheryl Bookallil

    This study examined students’ active engagement in the context of aligned curriculum and instruction. In conjunction with Biggs’ (2003) notion of constructive alignment, the ten principles of engagement suggested by Krause (2005) informed the redesign of an undergraduate course, which was delivered fully online and had a work-based learning component. The results of the present study strongly suggest that the course redesign has lead to significantly increased student engagement and achievement of higher order outcomes. Statistical analyses using Student t-tests revealed highly significant increases (p=0.002) in student engagement as measured by the average total ‘hits per student’ on learning resources, and a highly significant increase (p=0.001) in student engagement within the Discussion Forum on the online learning environment. Findings in the study highlighted a number of implications for educational practice, one of which is the need for a University- or systemic-wide review of the constraints that inhibit responsive course redesign.

    Read article: Blended spaces, work based learning and constructive alignment: Impacts on student engagement

  • The blended discourse of SMS communication in a mobile student administration system

    Joan Richardson, John Lenarcic

    The pilot implementation of a Short Messaging Service (SMS) system for student-academic staff administrative information exchange in a higher education environment is described. Assessment results and related alerts were broadcast to students and access was provided to information relating to their subject schedules and assessment performance. Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected during the pilot study using an online student survey with a basis in Davis’s (1989, 1993) Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). A preliminary analysis of the data from focus groups for staff and student participants is outlined here. The pilot and subsequent review enabled an evaluation of the benefits of SMS in relation to supporting student services, specifically scheduling information and assessment feedback. Some of the sociolinguistic issues related to the usage of the system are discussed, these being findings derived from the focus groups.

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Showing 40–52 of 141 articles