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2021: ASCILITE 2021 Conference Proceedings: Back to the Future

The 2021 ASCILITE annual conference was hosted by the University of New England, 29th November to 1st December.

Editors: S. Gregory, S. Warburton, and M. Schier

Published: 29 November 2021

ASCILITE Conference - Full Papers

  • Implementing learning analytics: The journey to improve teaching and learning at five Australian universities

    Jo-Anne Clark, David Tuffley

    Universities are under heightened pressure to become more efficient using less resources., the quality of teaching and the student experience must not be sacrificed in pursuit of efficiency. One strategy is to use automation, smart technology to augment the work of human teachers. Not to replace the teacher but to make them better at what they do. Give them smart tools to do their jobs more effectively. Learning Analytics is one such tool that has the potential to leverage teaching capability. This paper examines the learning analytics implementations at five diverse Australian universities (regional and metropolitan) with varying degrees of success reported. These implementations are evaluated using of DeLone and McLean’s (2003) information system success model. It will be seen that participants in this interpretivist case study regard learning analytics as having potential benefits but are not sure about how best to realise analytics systems with extensive usability research built-in and offering sophisticated functionality seem likely to emerge and take precedence over the trial and error approach. This study addresses an apparent gap in the research as limited studies exist targeting both learning analytics and information system success.

    Read article: Implementing learning analytics: The journey to improve teaching and learning at five Australian universities

  • Factors associated with edvisor perceptions of their work being understood and valued are not what they seem

    Colin Simpson, Jessica Frawley, Lina Markauskaite, Peter Goodyear

    People sit at the heart of digital transformation in Higher Education. Often, they are ‘Third Space’ support staff, including Learning Designers, Education Technologists and Academic Developers, broadly defined here as ‘edvisors’ – educator-advisors. Edvisors share their expertise of pedagogy and technology to support, guide and lead change in teaching practices but they can be hampered by numerous factors that diminish their ability to contribute meaningfully. While the work that some types of edvisors – largely academic developers and learning designers – do is well represented in research, there has been little consideration of these underlying challenges. This paper reports on a survey of 58 edvisors in 24 Higher Education institutions in Australia relating to their perceptions of how their work is understood and valued by their direct managers, edvisors in other roles in their institution, academics and other managers in the institution. The data were analysed to look for variations by role type, job title, academic/professional classification, gender, and qualifications. Results show that edvisors feel their work is more valued than understood overall but relationships between different edvisor role types can be more fractious than those they have with academics. Improving understanding and valuing of edvisors is vital to their contribution to transformation.

    Read article: Factors associated with edvisor perceptions of their work being understood and valued are not what they seem

  • Managing career transitions into post-secondary learning designer jobs: An Australasian perspective

    Jack Sage, Michael Sankey

    This semi-structured qualitative study maps out the diversity of career paths of Australian and New Zealand (ANZ) learning designers (LDs) and summarises their career advice for those aspiring to be LDs. It identifies that, among the 92 participants, there were many different pathways into the profession both from an academic and from professional backgrounds. It identified that the most common entry points into the postsecondary LD profession come through previously working: as a primary and secondary teacher; in higher education student services, as an English as a Second Language (ESL) professional, a sessional academic seeking job stability; in private industry, such as in film and television and in the area of training and development. Most career transitions into LD were serendipitous, or a natural progression rather than a deliberate and planned process. The study further identified a paucity of LD and associated professions career information in ANZ public domain, which held some back from entering a Learning Design career earlier. This paper concludes with some recommended strategies to address this, to the extent that it is hoped that this paper will aid aspiring LDs in planning their career transitions more effectively.

    Read article: Managing career transitions into post-secondary learning designer jobs: An Australasian perspective

  • Exploring the social aspects of student collaboration in online learning

    Shahed Kamal, Margaret Bearman, Joanna Tai, Brandi Fox

    Social interaction is seen as a key tenet of constructivist approaches to learning. There is a significant body of literature looking into online collaboration for learning, however less is known about how students experience collaboration more broadly. Understanding student experience may help to understand ways of ensuring online collaboration is successful. This student-led study aimed to explore what can be learnt from student perspectives of online collaboration. This study is embedded in a larger research program surrounding a 2019 course renewal project. Ten undergraduate law students were interviewed as part of the overall study but with additional semi-structured questions regarding collaboration. Participants were enrolled in a mix of online and blended units. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed and thematically analysed. Four themes were interpreted: 1) pre-existing social relationships facilitate online collaboration; 2) social media platforms enable interpersonal interaction and, as a result, online collaboration; 3) university-provided platforms lacked social elements of collaboration; and 4) face-to-face collaboration appears frictionless compared to online only collaboration. This study indicates the value of exploring collaboration as a broad social phenomenon rather than one purely focussed on educational designs that promote collaboration. Results suggest a considerable interaction between the interpersonal (friend focus) and study (learning focus). In the online space, collaboration was mediated by pre-existing embodied relationships and social media forums. There was a sense that social media activity would be difficult to mandate. This raises challenges, including how to manage equity issues around access to informal platforms; and how to incorporate into learning environments technologies that are experienced as ‘frictionless’ (i.e., easy and achievable without thought) and which appear to promote collaboration.

    Read article: Exploring the social aspects of student collaboration in online learning

  • Virtual reality in Education. Broken promises or new hope?

    B. L. McGee, Lisa Jacka

    Virtual reality in one form or another has been around for over 50 years, most notably in entertainment and business environments. Technology-focused teachers have been leading the way with attempts at utilising and integrating virtual reality into K-12 and Higher Education. However, as quickly as technology changes so does the enthusiasm for the use in educational contexts. Much of this is due to the high-level cost (time and money) with no evidence-based educational return. In 2020 the global pandemic forced the education sector to innovate to provide authentic learning environments for students. The time is right for virtual reality to take centre stage. Over 171 million people worldwide currently use virtual reality, and the market in education is expected to grow by 42% over the next five years. This paper focuses on a range of virtual reality literature encompassing work across the spectrum of software and hardware, identifying where more educational implementation and research needs to be done and providing a perspective on future possibilities focusing on current affordances.

    Read article: Virtual reality in Education. Broken promises or new hope?

  • Implementing H5P online interactive Activities at scale

    Li Chen, Penelope Manwaring, Ghaith Zakaria, Sonia Wilkie, Daniel Loton

    Online Interactive Activities (OIA) are an increasingly popular educational learning experience. OIA allows for flexible delivery with the activities used synchronously during class, or asynchronously outside of class at a time convenient for the learner, and they prompt active participation and engagement. As a result, many learning environments are implementing design and development projects to incorporate OIA. However, incorporating new tools and approaches in educational systems can be complex. In this paper we discuss the processes that Victoria University employed to develop and implement OIA, in order to facilitate efficient blended delivery on a large scale. We discuss reasons why the tool H5P was chosen for the development of OIA; outline the projects and processes used to oversee and implement OIA roll-out; present the support mechanisms and professional development provided to enable the design, development, and incorporation of OIA; and lastly provide novel case examples to inspire future use.

    Read article: Implementing H5P online interactive Activities at scale

  • The value of a community of practice in the subject design process when embedding interactive oral assessments

    Deborah Scheele, Amita Krautloher, Saeed Shaeri, Marie-Louise Craig, Ruth Crawford

    This paper shares insights gained from members of a Community of Practice (CoP) who jointly designed and developed Interactive Oral Assessments (IOAs) for their online subjects in the first half of 2021 as part of a broader institutional project to improve online assessment practice across a multi-campus regional NSW university. Meetings of the CoP were conducted virtually to allow geographically dispersed staff to participate in and benefit from the sessions. The main aim of the CoP was to design online assessments that promote academic integrity and reflect authentic graduates' practice. The CoP members implemented new assessment regimes, tasks and rubrics for their respective subjects involved in the initiative and developed a suite of resources for future staff interested in trialling this approach. The outcomes highlight the value of a dedicated CoP in supporting academics to successfully embed a new assessment approach, and for encouraging uptake across the university courses.

    Read article: The value of a community of practice in the subject design process when embedding interactive oral assessments

  • Video feedback in tertiary music performance classes

    Carol Johnson, Alana Blackburn

    Video feedback can be an important and key mechanism for supporting online student learning in higher education. In the context of online music teaching, video feedback provides a necessary audio and visual element to support music students’ learning of music performance practice. A predecessor to a larger study in video feedback, this pilot study sought to explore instructor perceptions of the use of video feedback in music performance teaching classes. Using self-study methodology, findings suggest that video feedback can effectively complement individualised online music teaching within an undergraduate performance class and a Master of Music Performance Teaching group music class, provide supportive scaffolding for self-regulated learning, and offer students opportunities to create meaningful student-instructor connections and community. Strategies for effective implementation by way of self-regulation and communication are also addressed.

    Read article: Video feedback in tertiary music performance classes

  • Pedagogy before technology: Understanding the confidence of vocational educators for integrating technology enhanced learning

    Robert Vanderburg, Michael Cowling, Joanne Dargusch

    This project investigated VET educators' perspectives of the usefulness and ease-of-use of technology in their units, including the difficulties they had implementing technology. VET Teachers were offered a one-day ‘bootcamp’ style workshop where they were introduced to innovative technology for the classroom. A significant amount of time in the workshops was spent mapping VET pedagogy and technology using the ‘pedagogy before technology’ approach. The study was designed as an action research project with a combination of quantitative and qualitative questions delivered via survey at the conclusion of the workshop. For the first loop of the project, 23 educators answered 11 quantitative questions based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) targeting their perception of the usefulness of technology and its ease-of-use in delivering their units, with qualitative evidence gathered in the form of field notes by researchers as participant observers. The results revealed VET educators had a high level of confidence in their understanding of technology and their ability to learn about technology. However, they lacked confidence in implementing technology in their pedagogical practices. Specifically, whilst they had average confidence using technology to teach simple concepts, they lacked confidence in using technology to teach complex concepts and adequately assess their students.

    Read article: Pedagogy before technology: Understanding the confidence of vocational educators for integrating technology enhanced learning

  • Enhancing students’ employability skills and experiential learning through integration of Xero software

    Greg Jones, Hazel Jones, Dom Pensiero, Claire Beattie

    Introducing XERO Accounting software into a core accounting unit can have many benefits for students, including improving their professional skills and enhancing their employability. However, it is important that students gain knowledge and skills in all aspects of the software as well as understanding the accounting processes that underlie the software’s operations. This paper presents an overview of implementation of Xero software, in a core accounting course, at a regional university in Australia. Student numbers ranged from 24-63 across the semesters studied. We highlight and discuss the processes adopted to appropriately scaffold students’ learning and assessment. We assess the effectiveness of the intervention by observing student engagement with specially developed videos and measuring student results in associated assessment tasks over three offerings of the course. The provision of a suite of learning opportunities, (training and use of excel and Xero accounting software) translated to improved student outcomes on the technology- related assessment items. Few students who viewed the learning videos contacted the course teaching team for further assistance, suggesting the videos were an effective resource that provided enhanced learning opportunities for students. These findings provide advice and information regarding the issues associated with integrating accounting software for other teaching teams or institutions considering similar applications in their courses or programs.

    Read article: Enhancing students’ employability skills and experiential learning through integration of Xero software

  • The use of WeChat in higher education: Investigation of Chinese students in Australia

    Daeyoung Kim, Shanton Chang

    With the increasing popularity of social technologies, many Chinese students use WeChat for their studies in Australia. However, there have been limited studies about how students effectively use WeChat for their academic activities and the impacts on students' academic achievements. Therefore, this study focuses on the relationship between WeChat usage and academic activities of university students in Australia. Using a modified Delphi technique, we conducted three online focus groups of 16 university students who had an experience of WeChat. A thematic analysis revealed that the usage of WeChat could impact their academic performance, and many international students had challenges to be familiarised with a new digital environment in Australia. The findings contribute to much clear understanding of how students utilise WeChat for academic activities to provide a better usage of social media for university students.

    Read article: The use of WeChat in higher education: Investigation of Chinese students in Australia

  • Gamified lessons support molecular genetics education of first year biology students during COVID-19 lockdown

    Nicholas M. Andronicos, Terry J. Barnett, Raphael Roberts, Siew Chong, Lea Labeur, Sinead M. Henderson, Adrienne Burns

    This study compared the associated impact of gamified molecular genetics lessons on undergraduate student grades for pre-COVID-19 blended delivery and COVID-19 online only delivery of a first-year biology course. When the molecular genetics gamified lessons were used by on- and off-campus students to support their learning, most students had successful learning outcomes in either blended or online only learning environments. In contrast, students who chose not to use these lessons had significantly greater failure rates for both the molecular biology and the genetics short answer questions in the final invigilated exams. Importantly, there was noticeable gamified lesson fatigue observed by both on- and off-campus students and therefore when incorporating gamified lessons into courses, curriculum design needs to be carefully considered. In conclusion, the use of gamified lessons was associated with significantly reduced student failure rates for molecular genetics concepts studied in a university foundational biology course.

    Read article: Gamified lessons support molecular genetics education of first year biology students during COVID-19 lockdown

  • Design and development of a large Business School core interdisciplinary unit to foster blended learning during the Pandemic

    Abdul Razeed, Thea Werkhoven

    The paper provides a process and design overview of a large Master of Commerce unit (from hereon referred to as 'The Unit') at a University in Australia. The skills flowing from a creative and analytical mindset have been noted as crucial in the future. The Unit develops these two mindsets as complimentary by taking a multidisciplinary approach to curriculum design. By outlining the theoretical frameworks applied in the curriculum design and development and the approaches to teaching and learning, especially during the Pandemic, it is hoped that other academics and learning design teams will be able to draw inspiration that they can apply to their contexts. It is possible that the challenges that have arisen during this process may be applicable and have been experienced by other teaching teams in higher education institutions and certainly during the emergence of online learning during the Pandemic. This paper first discusses the approach we took in the curriculum design, informed by the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) Principles and Biggs' 3P's model of teaching and learning. The paper then focuses on design principles utilised to create the online learning management system for students.

    Read article: Design and development of a large Business School core interdisciplinary unit to foster blended learning during the Pandemic

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