2006: ASCILITE 2006 Companion Materials

Traditional teaching and learning in law follows a standard formula of a program of lectures supported by small group tutorials which examine scenario-type problems. It might be queried how well such an educational approach equates with

Traditional teaching and learning in law follows a standard formula of a program of lectures supported by small group tutorials which examine scenario-type problems. It might be queried how well such an educational approach equates with legal practice in the real world and meets students’ real needs. The information required to resolve the problem rarely if ever comes conveniently summarised in a half-page tutorial question but instead has to be actively derived from a variety of sources. The Merlin Affair is a multi-media program that is an integral component of Media Law, a final- year elective in the undergraduate bachelor of laws degree at the QUT Law Faculty. The program comprises a series of modules which address different areas of media law focusing on the central theme of an unfolding news story (the fictional uncovering of a corrupt politician), including confidentiality, privacy, defamation, contempt, and vilification. The modules involve a problem based learning approach which requires students to collect information or resources in a realistic context, distinguish the material from the immaterial, organise and analyse the balance, and communicate a resolution of the problem. In this way The Merlin Affair is designed to address students’ real needs by presenting a learning environment that more closely simulates legal practice.

During semester 2, 2005 and semester 1, 2006 three academics in the Faculty of Economics and Business at the University of Sydney were invited to trial the use of Tablet PCs to deliver their presentations in lectures. This paper presents a

During semester 2, 2005 and semester 1, 2006 three academics in the Faculty of Economics and Business at the University of Sydney were invited to trial the use of Tablet PCs to deliver their presentations in lectures. This paper presents a study of teaching with Tablet PCs, combining real-time handwritten annotation with prepared material on digital slides, and evaluates the likelihood of its adoption as a teaching tool among academics. We gathered feedback from students by using a survey and provided a discussion board where students could post comments. We conducted interviews with academics using questions based on Rogers (2003) study into the impact of innovation on teaching. The results of this study will be used to inform the future direction of Tablet PCs in the Faculty and contribute knowledge to the broader learning community on this teaching tool.

The Fetal On line Electronic Teaching & Learning (F.O.E.T.A.L) is a learning module designed to facilitate learning of Electronic Fetal Monitoring (EFM). The target audience incorporates students of midwifery at ACU National (Vic)

The Fetal On line Electronic Teaching & Learning (F.O.E.T.A.L) is a learning module designed to facilitate learning of Electronic Fetal Monitoring (EFM). The target audience incorporates students of midwifery at ACU National (Vic). Traditionally, the theoretical content was delivered face-to-face and the concepts were difficult to master in the time allocated. Therefore the decision was made to use WebCT as the learning platform and by doing so allowed the students to understand the concepts at a self-directed pace, revisit materials and practice interpretations of fetal heart rate patterns in a non-clinical practice environment. Evaluation of F.O.E.T.A.L was conducted at the end of first semester 2006 utilising a variety of data sources: online student evaluation surveys, comments posted to the discussion area and achievements of related content in learning assessments. The focus of the evaluation was twofold: to assess the acquisition of knowledge and to beta test the F.O.E.TA.L program. One hundred and twelve students undertook the module and 46 completed the survey. The e-learning delivery of EFM content to these students was evaluated as being effective in enhancing knowledge and understanding. In addition, students provided valuable feedback for ongoing development of F.O.E.TA.L. Students found that the content was extensive and that they had to spend a considerable amount of time undertaking the F.O.E.T.A.L module but it was considered as a valuable learning activity. They also commented that timely feedback was required and this could be enhanced.

Educational theories are increasingly demonstrating the significance of a participative approach to educational design, development and teaching. This participative approach promotes the design of learning programs that consider learning

Educational theories are increasingly demonstrating the significance of a participative approach to educational design, development and teaching. This participative approach promotes the design of learning programs that consider learning on a larger scale than the individual – extending to transforming organisations, professions, industries. This poster reports on an action research project attached to a new postgraduate coursework program in Animal Breeding Management. This online program is led by the need for animal industries to change practices in light of new knowledge and technologies in animal genetics and breeding. Relevance to industry is not the only contributing factor in the project - university and government imperatives for efficiencies through collaboration mean that the project is being conducted collaboratively by the University of Sydney and the University of New England and is being managed and developed by a team consisting of academic specialists, an educational designer and a manager. The poster shows how the various stakeholders are committed to a two-way learning process during the program development and outlines the collaborative effort between the two universities. Outcomes to date suggest that, to meet stakeholders’ shared goal of change across animal industries, alignment of industry needs, academic validity, management and educational design is necessary.

It is not a new thought that good induction and orientation in Higher Education, prepared in a targeted and supported way, enables improved student socialisation and retention (McNickle, 1999; Bozarth, 2004; Salmon, 2000). The challenges

It is not a new thought that good induction and orientation in Higher Education, prepared in a targeted and supported way, enables improved student socialisation and retention (McNickle, 1999; Bozarth, 2004; Salmon, 2000). The challenges of providing this orientation increase in distance study and are particularly acute for students whose earlier experiences of study are pre-web. The online orientation tutorial for postgraduate students in Veterinary Science aims to: Enable students to develop technological and information skills Provide clarity in the processes required for completing formal study by distance Equip students with core study and time management skills Encourage early adoption of reflective practice Prepare students for the challenges of online group work Provide opportunities for social and professional interaction online Reduce the stress of impending study As well as these orientation-focused goals, online orientation has been designed to encourage students to adopt their actions in the online classroom to be the goal of their learning behaviour (cf Young, 2004), rather than considering the online classroom to be a web-based information resource, as previous experience with the web might imply. This prepares students to take an active and collaborative approach to learning.

The Higher Education Academy (The Academy) is leading a UK-wide higher education e-learning benchmarking exercise and is keen to work with the sector to describe and monitor the achievement of strategic goals in e-learning and support the

The Higher Education Academy (The Academy) is leading a UK-wide higher education e-learning benchmarking exercise and is keen to work with the sector to describe and monitor the achievement of strategic goals in e-learning and support the development of benchmarking processes and tools. 12 institutions were selected to join the Pilot Phase in January 2006 and in October 2006 another 39 institutions joined Phase 1. What is being benchmarked has been informed by the contexts and priorities of the participating institutions. The exercise has not been prescriptive about processes and tools at this stage so during the Pilot Phase the institutions selected five differing approaches to benchmarking. Some Issues in the Pilot Phase: To establish a common understanding, among participating institutions, about what is meant by e-learning, embedding, and benchmarking; Following on from this, if e-learning is embedded is it possible, easy, or desirable to try and isolate the exact contribution the ‘e’ made to the learning? If not, we end up not benchmarking e-learning at all, but something far broader; Deciding on the most meaningful organisational unit for benchmarking: is it at institutional, faculty, school level etc?; The extent to which the Academy should demonstrate leadership with regard to the direction of developing a diverse approach to benchmarking rather than ‘champion’ any single approach; To evaluate whether the ‘constrained diversity’ approach taken proved to be the correct one? The view taken was that a heterogeneous higher education sector requires some degree of heterogeneity of approach; The extent to which institutions have prioritised development over comparison? Further information about the exercise can be found at: http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/benchmarking.htm Or from the benchmarking weblog at: http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/weblogs/benchmarking/

Law of the Internet was the first entirely online postgraduate unit offered by the Faculty of Law at Monash University. It was first offered in 1999 and has been offered at least twice a year since that time. The unit was designed around a

Law of the Internet was the first entirely online postgraduate unit offered by the Faculty of Law at Monash University. It was first offered in 1999 and has been offered at least twice a year since that time. The unit was designed around a website presenting ten modules of content and four discussion forums. Online tasks were submitted via the discussion forum or via email, with student-teacher interaction facilitated via the discussion forums. The constantly changing nature of the unit content, the volume of tasks completed by the students and associated assessment, and the heavy administrative load have created a unit that is very labour intensive for both students and staff. As the Faculty moves to the provision of increasing numbers of online postgraduate units, it was decided to revisit the design of Law of the Internet with a view to reducing the workload commitment of the teacher and support staff. This poster outlines the process of that review, the selection and implementation of alternative technologies, including wikis and an in-house collaborative learning environment, LEX. Preliminary results as to the impact of the redesign on staff and student workloads will be presented.

This poster will report on developmental work on the use of both podcasting and digital storytelling as part of students’ induction to higher education. These techniques are used to both provide information and context for students and as

This poster will report on developmental work on the use of both podcasting and digital storytelling as part of students’ induction to higher education. These techniques are used to both provide information and context for students and as methods to record the student experience. Students in the Department of Natural and Social Sciences are inducted into higher education using field based activities linked to learning development module. During the induction week new students are engaged in two days field work that introduces them to active learning, the dominant pedagogical philosophy of the Department. As part of the students’ reflection and evaluation on these activities, working in small groups, they produce a digital story. Podcasts are then used throughout the learning development module to provide context and additional information leading to students creating their own podcasts. The evaluation has focused on assessing the students’ perceptions of the value of these techniques to their learning experience, using questionnaire and focus groups. Academic staff views on developing these resources and their use have also been sought through questionnaire and interview.

The ‘project in progress’ is situated in pre-service education and investigates prospective teachers authoring and use of their own online learning designs. Secondary and primary pre-service teachers adopted exemplary, well-researched

The ‘project in progress’ is situated in pre-service education and investigates prospective teachers authoring and use of their own online learning designs. Secondary and primary pre-service teachers adopted exemplary, well-researched learning strategies to inform the design of their own specific online learning tasks. (Strategies included analogical reasoning; predict-observe-explain; and ‘learners’ questions’ approach.) The teachers then used their online tasks in the context of their teaching practicum. The web-based Learning Activity Management System (LAMS) acted as a ‘test-bed’ and support for their designs and implementation. This poster will report on preliminary findings from the study, focusing on key issues relating to the student teachers’ professional learning. Research questions addressed in this poster are: How does this authoring and implementation process help student teachers to ‘build bridges’ between theory and practice in their teaching degree? To what extent do they develop their knowledge of (online and face to face) teaching and learning? To what extent is their understanding of specific learning strategies enhanced?

The Veterinary Public Health Management Program at the University of Sydney is an online postgraduate program, a small component of which is taught by staff, while the majority is taught by a range of industry experts who are located

The Veterinary Public Health Management Program at the University of Sydney is an online postgraduate program, a small component of which is taught by staff, while the majority is taught by a range of industry experts who are located around Australia and internationally. Our challenge was how best to train and induct these external facilitators in teaching online in the program – all within a limited budget and time constraints. Our solution is an online tutorial which gives the facilitators basic skills in online facilitation and an orientation to the program. The online teaching tutorial focuses on: Developing core skills in using the learning software Characteristics of effective online learning activities Conducting valid and authentic assessment in an online environment Supporting and assessing collaborative learning approaches Given our facilitators are practicing and busy experts with altruistic motivations for teaching, it was necessary to design the teaching tutorial with the flexibility to work through topics of interest at times that are convenient with information and activities chunked and pitched at different levels for facilitators with previous teaching experience and those without. Feedback and teacher performance has demonstrated the online teaching tutorial to be an effective method of training remote facilitators.

A recent study on e-leaning readiness of at least 30 institutions of higher learning in Malaysia has provided a good overview of the status of online learning adoption in the country. It was noted in summary of the report that the enablers

A recent study on e-leaning readiness of at least 30 institutions of higher learning in Malaysia has provided a good overview of the status of online learning adoption in the country. It was noted in summary of the report that the enablers and receivers recorded the lowest level of readiness amongst the four groups (the other two being policy makers and providers) of personnel surveyed. It is vital to take a closer look at the factors and processes that affect the enablers and receivers in adopting online learning. This will inform policy makers on designing plans to promote a higher level of readiness. This concise paper is a preliminary report of an on-going action research. The focus of this research is the working practices of enablers such as learning technologist and academics. The research documents the actions of the learning technologist while working with academics to implement online learning. It takes a detail look at the factors that promote, inhibit and sustain a successful collaboration. It also studies the roles played by both parties and the possibilities of replicating the same practices campus wide. This paper will present the background, the research questions, the methods used and the initial findings of this study.

The Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Sydney has conducted a mapping project to develop a deeper understanding of assessment factors which potentially impact on students’ perception of workload. Electronic capture of annual

The Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Sydney has conducted a mapping project to develop a deeper understanding of assessment factors which potentially impact on students’ perception of workload. Electronic capture of annual faculty Assessment Program Meeting (APM) data, as well as lecturer’s perceptions on preparation time, generated semi-automated assessment and workload expectation maps. Data were imported into Excel spreadsheets. The initial data tables provided a preliminary picture of assessment and workload expectations. Charts of predicted student workload directly related to assessment tasks were produced. The assessment profile across a unit of study, a semester, a year and a program made visible: exam clusters several due dates for assignments coinciding where preparation time identified by lecturers was short and intense, or on-going and overlapping Embracing informatics approaches to semi-automate assessment mapping can aid individual unit of study coordinators’ efforts to manage the whole of student experience with regard to assessment times and workload. Profile construction aids identification of over redundancy of assessment method, gaps in student development opportunities, and workload periods which may lead students to surface rather than deep learning strategies.

In a substantial assessment policy change, the University of Sydney is moving to grade allocation based on published standards, rather than cohort distribution. Examiners often allocate higher grades to students who exhibit higher level

In a substantial assessment policy change, the University of Sydney is moving to grade allocation based on published standards, rather than cohort distribution. Examiners often allocate higher grades to students who exhibit higher level skills, as based on a taxonomy such as Bloom’s (Krathwohl, 2002) or SOLO (Boulton-Lewis, 1998). However, many students do not understand exactly what skills are required in terms of gaining these higher grades. Questions thus arise as to whether or not students have the same perception of the grading system as those who set the assessment tasks and also if students with more accurately aligned perceptions perform at the higher levels. As students’ learning behaviour is influenced by their perception of what skills are required to obtain higher marks (Trigwell & Prosser, 1991; Prosser, Trigwell, Hazel & Waterhouse, 2000), it is crucial to know what our students think is being tested. This research aimed to find out if students performed better when their perception of the skills being tested in a particular exam question was well aligned with staff judgments. First year Physiotherapy students (160) undertook an optional online trial exam in their first semester biochemistry unit. This exam consisted of thirty multiple choice questions that were prepared and graded for skill requirement by three content and educational experts. Students indicated their perception of the skill level being tested by each question. Multiple attempts were permitted. Detailed feedback on content and skill testing was also provided online. About 80% of students completed the assessment, and many have attempted it again. Preliminary data analysis indicates that students view the skills being tested in a much narrower band than do staff i.e. questions testing lower level skills are seen as being more difficult, and vice versa. It is intended to correlate student perceptions with several factors, including their prior level of topic knowledge and final exam performance.

The purpose of the poster is to present a self and peer assessment tool (Team Contribution Tracking system – TeCTra) that has been used in a software development capstone project in 2004 and 2005. TeCTra allows peer assessment and review –

The purpose of the poster is to present a self and peer assessment tool (Team Contribution Tracking system – TeCTra) that has been used in a software development capstone project in 2004 and 2005. TeCTra allows peer assessment and review – both quantitative and qualitative comment – throughout the duration of the project and thus it can formatively and positively influence individual contributions and behaviours within the team. The tool also calculates summative peer assessment outcomes that guide the student’s final mark and grade. The capacity for peer review facilitates diagnostic attributes and thus influences the project management process and outcomes. The poster will present key elements of the tool and results achieved through using it in self and peer assessment of individual contribution in groupwork.

In 2004, a new 2-year Master’s programme on “Knowledge Management, Learning and e-learning” in the Language Sciences department of the University of Montpellier 3 was devised. The first year of the programme is both on and off-campus, and

In 2004, a new 2-year Master’s programme on “Knowledge Management, Learning and e-learning” in the Language Sciences department of the University of Montpellier 3 was devised. The first year of the programme is both on and off-campus, and the second year is entirely off-campus. Some students enter the second year directly from the first-year course while other students enter from other Universities (either based in France or abroad). Two years down the track, after a full cycle completed by students, we were keen to check how well we know our learners and to what extent their true needs are met. A questionnaire was designed and issued to students, tutors and teachers involved in the programme. At an initial stage of the research, questionnaire results were examined and provided knowledge about the “typical” learner and indicated if and how their needs have been met so far in relation to the Master’s programme as it is currently structured. At a second stage, current models for online teaching/learning (Salmon’s five stage model, Salmon, 2000) are discussed and compared with the Master’s programme. Suggestions are made on how the programme can be improved based on both learner profile/needs and current online teaching/learning trends.

Online learning is gaining in popularity with students and with university faculty worldwide. Most researchers agree that developing and nurturing communities within the online environment are critical elements in creating rich and

Online learning is gaining in popularity with students and with university faculty worldwide. Most researchers agree that developing and nurturing communities within the online environment are critical elements in creating rich and empowering learning experiences. There is, however, little direction for developing a community of learners among a global student body. This poster describes one university’s investigation of its online courses as it explores the participation of the graduate students in four types of interactions: (a) learner-content (the interaction between students and the course materials), (b) learner-teacher (the interaction between the students and the instructors), (c) learner-learner (the interaction between and among students), and (d) learner-interface (the interaction of the students with the online environment). A survey was created based on these four types of interactions and sent to previous and current graduate students. Preliminary results show positive responses in all four types of interactions. The surveys returned, however, were from Anglo-American students that comprise the majority of our graduate population. As our program expands to attract more students from outside of the United States, we will continue to administer the survey to monitor our focus on establishing rich interactions and rapport among and between students and teachers.

Universities are constantly challenged to seek methods to improve student engagement. Leading edge technologies such as podcasting may be one of the most effective ways to accomplish this engagement, particularly for those students aged

Universities are constantly challenged to seek methods to improve student engagement. Leading edge technologies such as podcasting may be one of the most effective ways to accomplish this engagement, particularly for those students aged between 18 and 25. Students within this general age group have been termed by many as Generation Y or the iLife generation. This is due to this group being attracted to new technologies, particularly Apple’s iPod®. This attraction to multimedia based technologies may indicate that podcasting, an online multimedia delivery method, could become a valuable educational technology for Generation Y tertiary students. This poster will present findings from a pilot study which aimed to measure student perceptions toward podcasting as a teaching and learning technique. Students of an introductory information system unit were provided with an educational podcast. This podcast included short discussions each week which would supplement lectures. The students in this unit were then surveyed to determine their perceptions of the technology, including whether they believe it enhanced their educational experience. Over 90% of enrolled students completed the survey, while over 90.2% of those respondents either agreed or strongly agreed that lecture material was easier to understand as a result of the podcast.

The explosion of information and communication technologies has dramatically expanded the number of multimedia teaching and learning resources available. In addition, genetics is a rapidly-evolving subject that can be difficult to

The explosion of information and communication technologies has dramatically expanded the number of multimedia teaching and learning resources available. In addition, genetics is a rapidly-evolving subject that can be difficult to understand and requires up-to-date resources. Genetics educational technologies may be useful for teachers as the technologies may have the capacity to be updated and could overcome some difficulties in teaching and learning genetics. However it is not clear who the technologies should be tailored to – the teacher or the learner – and there is a lack of explicit guidelines relating to their use in the classroom. The first phase of this doctoral research project will determine what technologies are currently being used to teach genetics in Australian secondary schools. The second phase will comprise eight case studies of classroom practice, using the most popular technologies to evaluate: (i) how teachers incorporate technology into classroom learning environments; (ii) the degree to which popular resources accommodate a range of approaches to teaching and learning; and (iii) practical factors that enhance or diminish teachers’ and learners’ educational experiences in the classroom. From these evaluations guidelines will be produced for teachers, learners and the wider community on how to appropriately select and use genetics educational technologies.

Hypermedia environments offer a high amount of learner control including the option to select and combine different representational codes and address different sensory modalities. Additionally, learners can access information in a linear

Hypermedia environments offer a high amount of learner control including the option to select and combine different representational codes and address different sensory modalities. Additionally, learners can access information in a linear as well as a nonlinear fashion. However, according to prior studies, it can be questioned whether learners are able and willing to appropriately use this navigational and representational freedom. Research suggests that the relationship between the design of hypermedia environments and learning strategies as well as outcomes is moderated by individual differences, i.e., learner characteristics. In our study, we investigate the role of epistemological beliefs, attitudes, and metacognition. Two questions are in our research focus: (1) Is their influence domain specific or general? and (2) Is there an optimal degree of learner control for learners differing on these dimensions? The study is being conducted using a learning environment on probability theory. First results show that learner characteristics come into play when a high amount of learner control is provided in that sophisticated beliefs and positive attitudes lead to longer learning times and higher performance. For metacognition, however, we found that low scoring leads to better performance. These partly surprising results will be presented and discussed in December.

Universities are now expected to generate income through business activities as well as through increasing student numbers. One of the many challenges facing us in meeting this demand is how academics can apply their research expertise to

Universities are now expected to generate income through business activities as well as through increasing student numbers. One of the many challenges facing us in meeting this demand is how academics can apply their research expertise to income generation and at the same time feed back into their teaching activities. At the University of Teesside, (in collaboration with the University of Sunderland) one way we are tackling this challenge is through the Digital Knowledge Exchange( DKE), a project funded through the Higher Education Innovation Fund (HEIF). The DKE has been granted over £1M for its initial four years of operation. The aim of the project is to bring together businesses, public bodies, charities and other organisations to support innovation and income generation activities. The rationale is that by providing access to specialist research groups and expertise, we can effect transfer of knowledge that enables business to realise new skills, facilitate joint research activities and support new initiatives. DKE offers services that draw on the research expertise of the School of Computing, in accessibility, usability, web services, serious games and elearning. This poster will illustrate one particular aspect of this project – the interplay of research and enterprise in supporting accessible online practices.

The University of Western Sydney has a high level of use of the e-learning system, WebCT, with more than 1100 staff and 33,000 students accessing more than 2,300 sites. Within the University, there was a perception that the e-learning

The University of Western Sydney has a high level of use of the e-learning system, WebCT, with more than 1100 staff and 33,000 students accessing more than 2,300 sites. Within the University, there was a perception that the e-learning system was largely used by staff to provide learning materials and resources to students. To investigate this further, a pilot study was set up to examine the range of flexible learning approaches used in WebCT across a sample of undergraduate and postgraduate sites. The pilot study reviewed 100 of the 700 taught unit sites in WebCT from Spring Semester, 2005, and checked for types of usage in these sites. A framework was developed to examine the 100 sites and record the diversity of ways in which WebCT was being used. The framework focused on the key areas of Content, Communication, Assessment and Explicit Learner Support. The results show that academics are using WebCT for a range of purposes, with a particularly specific focus on explicit learner support. These results have helped de-bunk the myth that academics are only using WebCT to put up content, such as lecture notes. The study has provided results that need to be examined in more detail and in a larger study.

The poster presentation will be to show and illustrate an ‘edutainment’ computer learning methodology that creates an immersive learner simulation where users encounter various scenarios that occur in daily life requiring them to speak

The poster presentation will be to show and illustrate an ‘edutainment’ computer learning methodology that creates an immersive learner simulation where users encounter various scenarios that occur in daily life requiring them to speak English. The simulation is modelled on the popular Sim City series. Learners will be able to move throughout a virtual learning environment interacting with different situations and program features whilst learning English. Decisions they make along with their current speaking abilities will then affect their progress through the simulation. The simulation can be offered as an online activity with other learners from around the globe or through a DVD for localized communication interactions. The English speaking educational program already operates internationally providing English learning educational content to universities and companies. The computer simulation part of the total program is branching more into educational entertainment in Asian markets. Both The University of Southern Queensland (USQ) and Lanstar the corporate partner have track records in their fields and the simulation activity is one of several interactivities that complete the whole program. Features: A Karaoke Feature Games Simulation An Audio and Video record and playback feature Interactive Dictionary Lessons supported by several thousand exercises Artificial Intelligence Offered through a face to face e-learning and or DVD delivery methodology

This poster reports on an action research project investigating the development and implementation of an online debate activity in a core unit of study within the Graduate Studies in Pain Management Program. The activity required that

This poster reports on an action research project investigating the development and implementation of an online debate activity in a core unit of study within the Graduate Studies in Pain Management Program. The activity required that students work in groups to debate the topic ‘pain is merely a symptom, not a disease’. It aimed to encourage critical engagement with a contemporary pain management issue, promote collaborative learning in an online context, and provide opportunities for reflection on the benefits and challenges of the group process. Learning design considerations included the: timing and focus of the activity in the curriculum; structure and sequencing of tasks; scaffolds and learning supports required; and student readiness. Initial findings highlighted the engaging and enjoyable nature of the task. Students reported the activity encouraged adoption of a more critical stance towards the course content and provided them with a valuable and worthwhile learning experience. They also commented that the cross-disciplinary discussion enriched learning and enabled new insights into the management of pain. From a teacher perspective the activity reinforced the importance of providing enough structure and appropriate learning supports to assist learners collaborate effectively in the online environment and achieve a specific group task.

Our brief as members of central support groups was to re-develop the learning and teaching website for RMIT University. Our challenge was to provide a resource that educators would actually want to read, contribute to and enjoy. The result

Our brief as members of central support groups was to re-develop the learning and teaching website for RMIT University. Our challenge was to provide a resource that educators would actually want to read, contribute to and enjoy. The result is ED, a unique resource that combines the conventions of a website with those of a magazine. ED is characterised by its visual appeal and inclusiveness. It offers a different approach to discussion of learning and teaching than other university websites.

Role playing, scenario-based activities and video dramatisations have been used extensively in management training for the past thirty or so years. In the online environment there has been keen investigation in the use of computer

Role playing, scenario-based activities and video dramatisations have been used extensively in management training for the past thirty or so years. In the online environment there has been keen investigation in the use of computer generated simulations as well as online role playing games intended to engage learners and replicate, as near as possible, the sorts of problems, decisions and judgements that a manager might face in the so called real world. This poster presentation is a case study of the development and implementation of a low cost, low-tech approach to developing effective, engaging and realistic dramatised scenarios that uses a combination of visuals, audio and text. These scenarios tell the story of a work group in a public service ministry. They are designed to engage public sector workplace learners with the complexity and infinite variability of human relationships and the dynamics of social groups, whether in the workplace, on the sports field or at home. The learner is required as part of a group-based activity to investigate the dynamics of a team under pressure within a typical public sector organisation environment. By engaging with and reflecting on this affective content in an online environment the learners are able to gain insight and understanding of group dynamics in way that provides the learner with a multi-sensory experience, not available in text only content.

Various questions arise when considering the interplay between digitally enhanced learning and conventional forms of learning, and the effects of this interaction on educational leadership and management. Is it practicable for conventional

Various questions arise when considering the interplay between digitally enhanced learning and conventional forms of learning, and the effects of this interaction on educational leadership and management. Is it practicable for conventional higher education to embrace digitally enhanced learning fully within its current management practices, or are new forms of educational management required? The writer’s PhD (2000) focussed on the implementation and management of digitally enhanced learning and in particular networked learning in higher education, during which he developed the networked educational management framework. This model addresses the distributed nature and human issues present in a digitally enhanced learning environment. This paper therefore presents a key aspect of the doctorate research of Uys (2000) since 1995 grounded in literature on educational management. It further uses a comparative analysis of three case studies over nine years that reaches beyond the doctorate research. These case studies are the eLearning implementation on the Wellington campus of Massey University, New Zealand from September 1995 to December 2000, a five-month consultancy in 2000 at the Cape Technikon, South Africa to lead the enterprise-wide wide implementation of eLearning, and four years of implementing eLearning at the University of Botswana up to January 2005.

Blended learning has become a prominent trend in university learning and teaching. This raises various questions for traditional distance as well as face-to-face universities internationally and in particular in Australia. A key area where

Blended learning has become a prominent trend in university learning and teaching. This raises various questions for traditional distance as well as face-to-face universities internationally and in particular in Australia. A key area where many issues arise is the development process to create effective digitally-enhanced learning environments within a blended learning milieu. A comparative study of Australian Universities has been conducted in 2006 to identify factors in the development of learning materials and environments that support effective blended learning that is digitally enhanced. The prominent team-approach for the development of learning materials (Bates, 1993; DEC working party, 1989; Garrison, 1989; Holmberg, 1995) has been one of the foci of the study. Innovative approaches have been identified in learning material development that could benefit both Australian and international universities that are pursuing blended learning which is digitally enhanced.

Educational settings in tertiary institutions these days are often constituted by characteristics that address the specific needs of today’s culture. One of these needs is the notion of being free of time and place constraints. Typical

Educational settings in tertiary institutions these days are often constituted by characteristics that address the specific needs of today’s culture. One of these needs is the notion of being free of time and place constraints. Typical scenarios resulting from such needs are distributed group settings whose communication and collaboration is supported by technology. This paper focuses on the use of Information Communication Technology (ICT) in a teacher education class. We will describe the flexible implementation of chat rooms and discussion forums as communication means in computer-supported learning settings. Special emphasis is placed on students’ perceptions of media usage and their development as the learning process unfolds. Initial results show that a low level of ICT experience as well as ICT usage in private settings do not provide a sufficient skill set to cope with ICT usage in learning settings. We underestimated the initial low level of ICT acceptance as well as participants’ difficulties to adapt existing ICT skills from private usage to application in learning settings. The occurring difficulties are not an exceptional phenomenon in teacher education in higher education institutions. Special attention has to be paid to particular needs of students in teacher education.

The use of information and communications technology (ICT) has an increasing influence on teaching activities in higher education. Material such as online pre-laboratory work can be accessed by students off campus at any time to allow

The use of information and communications technology (ICT) has an increasing influence on teaching activities in higher education. Material such as online pre-laboratory work can be accessed by students off campus at any time to allow students some timetabling flexibility whilst offering the university a cost effective means of delivery. This poses the question: does one version of any online activity benefit students with different levels of prior knowledge? This study investigated the effectiveness of online pre-laboratory work modules on students’ learning and their academic performance in a related practical exercise and the final examination. It clearly demonstrated that students, with a relatively poor chemistry background prior to commencing university study, who completed the module performed significantly better in a laboratory titration assessment and final examination than those who did not complete it, indicating the benefits of the module for students with weaker chemistry backgrounds. Furthermore, this study has shown that not all students benefit from the one version of the online modules. Therefore, adjusting the online modules to cater for students with varying levels of prior knowledge may be beneficial in helping all students to achieve improved outcomes.

The World Wide Web as a source of information retrieval has become increasingly important. Web-based environments allow for combining different representational codes and addressing different sensory modalities which might be especially

The World Wide Web as a source of information retrieval has become increasingly important. Web-based environments allow for combining different representational codes and addressing different sensory modalities which might be especially beneficial for users with special needs (e.g., for blind people or for people with reading and writing disabilities). Our study investigates which representational formats are beneficial to foster recognition and understanding of mentally retarded users. As factors, we varied modality (visual, visual + auditory) and codality (text, text + pictures) aspects which led to a 2*2 design, whereas visual information was presented by means of symbols. Dependent variables were recognition, understanding, concentration and motivation. Participants are students from schools for special educational needs. Preliminary results show that they profit mostly from auditorily presented information whereas purely textual information leads to the lowest performance. This is in line with our expectations because research shows that only a few learners with mental retardations are able to process written language in a meaningful way. The studies are still being conducted and we expect final results within the next weeks. These results will be presented and discussed with respect to their implications for ways to make web-based environments more accessible to disabled users.

eLearning advocates in campus-based universities in Britain and in Australia are having difficulty helping senior budget holders and strategic planners articulate a vision for eLearning in a campus-based experience. Too often sensible

eLearning advocates in campus-based universities in Britain and in Australia are having difficulty helping senior budget holders and strategic planners articulate a vision for eLearning in a campus-based experience. Too often sensible plans for embedding eLearning support and infrastructure in the learning and teaching systems of campus-based universities are put to one side because there is insufficient confidence by the executive of being able to justify why such investment is needed. This can be as simple a problem as being unable to talk about eLearning and its contribution to the whole student learning experience convincingly for non-specialists. Further adding to such confusion is the fact that academics at the executive level may still hold old conceptions of eLearning being predominately about distant learning and can not envision why or how eLearning should be part of the reputation of a predominately campus-based institution. This special discussion session at ascilite 2006 will discuss the nature of this phenomenon and strategies for how to begin to talk about and plan for integrated eLearning experiences in which eLearning is part of a more meaningful whole. Ideas and understandings that help non-specialists in the executive will be sought in discussion with the audience and the panelists. The experience of British universities engaging in an international benchmarking program and the experience of Australian universities grappling with these problems will provide a substantial framework in which to discuss the issues. The panellists have significant and diverse experience: The chair, Associate Professor Rob Ellis, is Director of eLearning at the University of Sydney. Professor Shirley Alexander is about to take up a position as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Teaching, Learning and Equity) at the University of Technology. Eddie Gulc is Senior Advisor for eLearning in the Higher Education Academy in England. Professor Sandra Wills is Director of CEDIR at the University of Wollongong.

ascilite, in partnership with education.au and ACODE, have completed a preliminary investigation for this project with The Carrick Institute of Learning and Teaching in Higher Education. This session will provide an overview of ascilite's

ascilite, in partnership with education.au and ACODE, have completed a preliminary investigation for this project with The Carrick Institute of Learning and Teaching in Higher Education. This session will provide an overview of ascilite's contribution and will also explore education.au's models of use to engage higher education. We will call for expressions of interest from ascilite members to contribute to the next stage of the project.

In this session we wish to project an encouraging and supportive view of the editorial role. Editors, and reviewers, are not there as all powerful, ruthless guardians of high academic rigour, putting down all authors except the lucky or

In this session we wish to project an encouraging and supportive view of the editorial role. Editors, and reviewers, are not there as all powerful, ruthless guardians of high academic rigour, putting down all authors except the lucky or highly ranked few. The more important role in relation to authors is as advocates, developers, coaches, even 'guides on the side'. Editors do have other roles that are also important to authors, so we will use a little time, in 'Journal policies', to discuss scholarly publishing as an industry and how societies, editors, libraries and the commercial world have responded to the ICT revolution.

Successful dissemination of elearning designs and digital resources created to support them implies real use by others. Continuing discourse at institutional and national level on strategies for dissemination implies that observed reuse

Successful dissemination of elearning designs and digital resources created to support them implies real use by others. Continuing discourse at institutional and national level on strategies for dissemination implies that observed reuse remains limited. To achieve this on a broad scale benefits must be greater than the efforts of meeting the challenges faced. The goals of this symposium are to: Bring together people who have either experienced a migration/ reuse/ repurpose and lived to tell the tale and reflect on the experience, and/or who have researched such lived experiences; Promote discussion about experiences, issues and recommendations for facilitating use in universities of existing elearning designs and the digital resources created to support them. The realities, rather than the rhetoric, of dissemination, adaptation and use will be the focus of this symposium.

This Symposium presents some of the research of members of the eChina-UK programme. The programme is funded in the UK by the Higher Education Funding Council for England, and its purpose is to bring about cultural awareness and good

This Symposium presents some of the research of members of the eChina-UK programme. The programme is funded in the UK by the Higher Education Funding Council for England, and its purpose is to bring about cultural awareness and good pedagogic practice between teachers and higher education institutions in the UK and China. Collaboration between UK and China teachers and researchers is a key feature of the programme.

Participants will: develop a general understanding of the capabilities of eLearning in enhancing online interactions; view a variety of working examples in which the Web can be used for learning (either offline or online); be involved in

Participants will: develop a general understanding of the capabilities of eLearning in enhancing online interactions; view a variety of working examples in which the Web can be used for learning (either offline or online); be involved in hands-on sessions for each of the 3 types of interaction in which they try out the working examples; (3 types of interaction within this workshop are enhancing interactions with content, with instructors, and with peers). be involved in discussions regarding the potential benefits and drawbacks to learners and facilitators of eLearning by using a specially designed eLearning decision worksheet.

The workshop is based on the outcomes of the e-CDFi 423 Information Literacy e-Learning Modules project, funded by the Tertiary Education Commission in New Zealand. The aim of this 2-year project is to develop a range of on-line modules

The workshop is based on the outcomes of the e-CDFi 423 Information Literacy e-Learning Modules project, funded by the Tertiary Education Commission in New Zealand. The aim of this 2-year project is to develop a range of on-line modules, predicated on the ANZIIL standards of information literacy (Bundy, 2004ii), and amenable to adaptation and use in a range of contexts. The project was conceived to address four main areas in the tertiary sector associated with information literacyiii learning: Barriers to tertiary study which can occur as a result of poor information literacy skills and the diverse needs of marginalised, mature and distance students. A shortage of high quality online information literacy modules which are reusable, portable and have pedagogical flexibility. A need for professional development opportunities for staff in the area of information literacy. A tertiary sector requirement for centrally maintained and managed, standards-conformant, online resources in this important foundation field.

Engaging the online learner remains a major challenge for e-learning designers and facilitators. How do we inspire the learner and energize the learning environment without any visual clues and when learning is not taking place

Engaging the online learner remains a major challenge for e-learning designers and facilitators. How do we inspire the learner and energize the learning environment without any visual clues and when learning is not taking place concurrently? This workshop introduces some of the basic concepts of engaging and collaborative learning design for online environments. Workshop participants will be given an opportunity to experience hands-on what it takes to make this happen. At the end of the workshop, the participants will be able to: discuss and construct principles for engaging learning design for online delivery; explain what makes an effective online learning design to foster collaborative learning; design an inspiring online group activity; recommend facilitation approaches to promote a ‘learner-centred’ learning experience in a virtual learning environment.

The workshop is designed as an interactive and participative session where the presenters will pose key challenges in the creation of emergent, engaging, interactive and motivational online learning environments. Using multi-disciplinary

The workshop is designed as an interactive and participative session where the presenters will pose key challenges in the creation of emergent, engaging, interactive and motivational online learning environments. Using multi-disciplinary perspectives, participants will engage in discussions and activities designed to contextualise these challenges and develop environmentally-specific design and development solutions for their individual online learning programs. On completing the workshop, participants will also have a set of tools to support the construction of their own “online architectures”. The expertise of Dr Kays and Dr Sims in the international higher education sectors, in instructional design, learning design and contemporary online learning environments will ensure that participants will develop their knowledge and skills to maximise the success of their own online teaching and learning practice. At the end of this one-day workshop, participants will have: reviewed and critically reflected on the key components for effective online learning; analysed the major issues that confront and prevent designers from achieving the full potential of online learning; synthesised the key elements required to construct Architectures for Online Learning, including emergent design, proactive evaluation and interaction metrics; participated in a case study of their own workplace environment to implement contextual and functional Online Learning Architecture; access to a full set of resources and tools to develop and implement more complex online learning architectures within their workplace.

The purpose of the workshop is to help presenters to get away from the ‘death-by-PowerPoint’ that so many of us are subjected to at conferences. A traditional approach seems to be to have as many slides as possible and to talk quickly in

The purpose of the workshop is to help presenters to get away from the ‘death-by-PowerPoint’ that so many of us are subjected to at conferences. A traditional approach seems to be to have as many slides as possible and to talk quickly in the short timeframe often allowed at conferences. Adopting a more educational approach based on learning and teaching principles (that presenters no doubt apply elsewhere) helps overcome the traditional transmission model so often used at conferences.

An interactive technological tool that facilitates different forms of online communication, learning, and collaboration among educators, students and colleagues across international borders will be presented, demonstrated, and taught to

An interactive technological tool that facilitates different forms of online communication, learning, and collaboration among educators, students and colleagues across international borders will be presented, demonstrated, and taught to workshop delegates. Participants will create their own blogs while demonstrating an understanding of RSS. At the completion of the workshop, participants will be able to: summarize the basic format, function, and use of blogs; describe the potential use of blogs in education, professional development, and virtual conference participation; implement provided Free/Libre/Open-Source Software (FLOSS) to create a personal and “team-ascilite conference” blog; create a RSS feed by using a source, such as Feedburner; summarize the basic set-up, purpose, and use of podcasts; explain the potential use of podcasts in education, professional development, personal use, and virtual conference participation; implement provided FLOSS software to create a unique podcast; create a smartcast feed by using a provided source; design and organize an enhanced podcast; tell the instructor the technical components of a vodcast.

How can a set of quality guidelines bring real performance improvements for e-learning practitioners? This workshop will introduce e-learning quality guidelines that are: flexible so that they can be applied to the diverse tertiary

How can a set of quality guidelines bring real performance improvements for e-learning practitioners? This workshop will introduce e-learning quality guidelines that are: flexible so that they can be applied to the diverse tertiary context, easy to use, and able to evolve as understanding on best practice develops. This workshop will explore how to apply the guidelines to a participant’s institution and discuss their future development. The workshop will be divided into six parts: Welcome & introduction to guidelines, who needs them and why use them; Group activity: write a scenario that draws on the key issues relevant to e-learning in your group. Start by discussing some of the key issues, shortlist a few of them and then write a short outline of these issues at a typical institution. Present the scenario to other groups. Introduction to the e-learning guidelines and how to use them; Group activity: Take a scenario developed earlier and research guidelines that can help with the scenario. Report back on findings; Discussion of future developments of the e-learning guidelines; Wrap up and summary.

Participants completing the workshop will be provided with: a demonstration of the approach developed at SCU for orienting staff to using Elluminate Live!; the knowledge and ability to use a range of features and tools available in the

Participants completing the workshop will be provided with: a demonstration of the approach developed at SCU for orienting staff to using Elluminate Live!; the knowledge and ability to use a range of features and tools available in the current version; the opportunity to connect and engage with national and international participants; an overview of a variety of instructional models that can be implemented; a forum to explore potential applications in the discipline areas of participants; access to the range of training and support resources available from Elluminate.

This half day workshop is designed to allow participants to learn about the design and implementation of a new program for staff development initiated at Hong Kong Polytechnic University. The design of this programme provides a community

This half day workshop is designed to allow participants to learn about the design and implementation of a new program for staff development initiated at Hong Kong Polytechnic University. The design of this programme provides a community of practice model for staff to work on course re-design. This approach can significantly reduce the amount of time needed for curriculum development at a minimal cost without compromising the creation of an effective learning environment. The implementation of this program, at the institutional level, includes Professional Development, Subject Development, Implementation and Evaluation and Dissemination. In the workshop, in addition to learning about the program design and implementation, participants will learn about and apply the process of ‘applied learning mapping’ that faculty use as the framework for redesigning their course when they participate in this staff development program. The ‘applied learning mapping’ process is designed to shift instructors from a tendency to focus on content coverage and presenting content, to the design of a learning environment that promotes student interaction and engagement with the content. Time for discussion on how the approach can be adapted and presented, using a combination of online modules and face-to face workshops to meet specific institutional needs will be incorporated into the workshop.

Seventy-three percent of students surveyed in 2006 undertaking vocational training and education (VTE) training said that e-learning would in the future improve their employment outcomes (Australian Flexible Learning Framework 2006). This

Seventy-three percent of students surveyed in 2006 undertaking vocational training and education (VTE) training said that e-learning would in the future improve their employment outcomes (Australian Flexible Learning Framework 2006). This study further stated that, by integrating information and communications technologies (ICT) into VTE, it becomes more flexible and more responsive to client needs, improves quality and access and fosters innovation. In this workshop, participants will: be introduced to and engage with Web 2.0 audio-visual tools and their current usage in vocational education and training; explore potential applications of ipods and itrip transmitters as tools for teaching and learning in the workplace; create and publish a mini ilecture using open source software for mobile devices; gain insight into how mobile communication devices can facilitate collaborative–based learning in today’s workplace.

On completion of this workshop, participants should have a clear understanding of: the nature of a conference paper and journal articles; how to write a poster, conference paper, or presentation; the processes involved in peer review of

On completion of this workshop, participants should have a clear understanding of: the nature of a conference paper and journal articles; how to write a poster, conference paper, or presentation; the processes involved in peer review of journal articles; how to use and respond to feedback given by referees to enhance and publish a paper.