2023: ASCILITE 2023 Conference Proceedings: People, Partnerships and Pedagogies

ASCILITE Conference - Full Papers

• How to build a learning designer: Co-designing a training program for/with/as novice learning designers

  Stephen Abblitt, Stephanie Davis, Tanya D'Rozario, Thien Ho, Yovinah Pariah, Reza Rasouli

  The practice and profession of learning design has grown significantly in recent years. However, there remains a scarcity of formal qualifications and training specifically designed for learning designers. This paper describes a work-in-progress initiative to co-design a training program for/with/as a team of novice learning designers. The question driving our practice-led and design-based investigation is not just what but how learning designers should learn. The team conducted research into the requisite knowledge, skills, and capabilities that make a successful learning designer, including an informal learning needs analysis. Based on this research and analysis, this paper explores the question of how learning designers should learn by discussing four guiding theoretical principles and related design components consequently ideated by the team: learner agency; becoming professional; novice/expert mentorship; and community of practice. It then turns to the question of what, describing the core curriculum and program structure through which these principles will be enacted. These questions are critical to the present and future of the profession as we collectively articulate our shared practices and identity, and what it means to be a learning designer.

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• Unveiling the potential of Digital Twin technology for Higher Education

  Kranthi Addanki, Linda Corrin

  The concept of the Digital Twin (DT), a digital replica of a physical object or process, is relatively new to the higher education context. The increase in the application of DT technology across many industries has prompted the call for greater exploration of the possibilities for DTs in education along with a consideration of the challenges to their implementation. There are also questions being raised about the opportunity to develop DTs of learners to extend the use of data to inform learning and teaching, which has been boosted by the recent rise of learning analytics and educational data mining. In this paper we will explore what DT technology is and offer a new definition of DTs that can be used in the educational context. Current uses and the potential future applications will be explored, as well as consideration of what is necessary to build DTs of learners (and educators). The use of DT technology also poses many challenges due to the complexity of DT design and application, and these will be outlined. The paper concludes with a discussion of future directions and areas where more research is needed to fully explore the potential of DT for higher education.

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• Future prospects of artificial intelligence in education: Developing strategic scenarios to engage educators

  John Y. H. Bai, Wolfgang Müskens, Olaf Zawacki-Richter, Frank Senyo Loglo

  The application of artificial intelligence in education (AIEd) is a growing field of research. While the potential benefits of AIEd drive interest and investment, developing ethical AIEd applications that mitigate the risk of entrenching inequalities requires input from key stakeholders like teachers and students. The present project aims to give voice to the perspectives of educators in higher education on the possible futures of AIEd. Towards this end, we developed a set of strategic scenarios, each describing a hypothetical AIEd application, and invited educators to evaluate the scenarios in a series of international focus-group discussions. The present paper describes the methodology for developing the scenarios and how they can be used to engage stakeholders in future-oriented discussions. This paper aims to assist interested readers in using or modifying the scenarios for their own research.

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• Unlocking student success: Harnessing the power of simulation-based learning in business education

  Sandy Barker, Audrea Warner

  This paper draws upon the authors' extensive experience in designing and delivering simulation-based courses in both Australia and New Zealand. Through their first-hand experience, they have found that simulation-based courses offer distinct advantages compared to traditional pedagogical approaches. Participants in these courses exhibit enhanced learning and retention due to their active engagement and sense of ownership in the learning process. By adopting a "hands-on" approach, the majority of course time is dedicated to experiential learning and discovery rather than passive listening (Garris, Ahlers & Driskell, 2002). The purpose of this article is to present and elaborate on how simulations can be used in business education along with insights the authors have gained over the years. In most business simulations, learners are immersed in the role of managing a firm within a competitive environment(s), engage in competition with other firms operating in the same industry, and strive to effectively produce, market goods, and optimize resource management for sustainable growth. Throughout the process of completing the simulation students have noted that they not only expand their business knowledge but also improve their employability skills, particularly teamwork, problem solving, communication and critical analysis. This paper also reflects on the relationships built throughout the simulation course.

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• Empathic communication training in healthcare using Virtual Patients

  Monika Byrne

  This project aims to build effective empathic communication training for healthcare students using conversational AI and Virtual Patients. An umbrella review of empathy training in healthcare will be used to create a framework for designing effective empathy training. We will investigate two different implementations of Virtual Patients through a pilot study with speech-language therapy students from the University of Auckland. We will engage students, educators and patients in theexperimental studies, following co-design and design-based research methodology.

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• Towards meaning-making with interactive visualisations

  Miguel Canizares, Andrew Gibson, David Lovell, Jill Willis

  Learning analytics systems often use interactive visualisations to display information. Interactivity is typically used by visualisation designers to reduce cognitive load for users. However, our research suggests that interactivity holds significant value beyond the reduction of cognitive load. Informed by theories about meaning, perception and experience, we propose that interactive visualisations promote emergent meaning-making processes which should be accounted for in the design of interactive learning analytics visualisations. We present findings from a qualitative study of four teachers engaging with interactive visualisations in an Australian university. The study used a think-a-loud protocol and a semi-structured interview which were coded according to theory-informed constructs of dimensions of meaning and interaction opportunities. Our findings suggest that interactive visualisations that had been designed with regard to meaning-making stimulated users to engage more deeply with the data and explore it at different resolutions, from overview to detail. The interactive visualisations afforded more opportunities for users to gain understanding and insights they found meaningful. While this is a small study, we argue that it opens up promising avenues for further investigation; provides a practical approach to gather further useful data about interactivity and meaning-making; and suggests new principles that may be helpful for designers of interactive learning analytics visualisations.

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• Enhancing higher education with Learning Analytics in the digital age

  Jo-Anne Clark, David Tuffley

  Learning Analytics (LA) in higher education is emerging as a powerful tool for optimising learning and teaching outcomes at a time when technology is revolutionising the delivery of education generally. In this paper we explore LA implementations in five diverse Australian universities. Our study draws on DeLone and McLean's (2003) model of information systems success to qualitatively evaluate the various implementations. We highlight both the successes and challenges encountered by each university. In taking this approach we aim to contribute to laying a foundation for optimal use of LA systems. This research reveals a degree of pervasive uncertainty as to how Learning Analytics is defined. While substantial research exists on LA systems and their usages, there are still limited empirical studies that examine the success of LA implementations, as many Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are still in very early stages of their LA system implementations. The outcomes of the study include recommendations for universities to consider when implementing LA systems or improving existing implementations which is an addition to both the research areas of LA research and information systems success research.

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• Lincoln Connected: A case study

  David Dannenberg, Nicola Furlong, Terry Meechang

  Online education is no longer a growing trend and is now an accepted delivery model with more and more institutions offering academic programs of study online. Presented as a single-case study, this paper outlines one Aotearoa New Zealand institution’s decision to begin offering an online learning program, the Lincoln Connected Initiative. The initiative aimed to increase the institution’s enrolment by developing online learning content, implementing new administrative programs, enhancing technological systems and developing support resources for both staff and students. From this work, there were four main lessons learned: implementation of a strong administrative model, early project and change management, adequate staff resourcing and development, and continuous content development. Since its implementation, this initiative has successfully launched numerous academic programs, updated its systems and development tools, implemented support resources for students and staff and aims to reach its goal of achieving 15% of its full-time equivalent students being enrolled in an online program by 2024.

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• Peopling Technologies educational model: Philosophy, pedagogy, and evaluative framework

  Naomi Nirupa David, Kat Cain

  This conceptual paper articulates a digital education approach that privileges diverse learners and harnesses the potential of technologies. The approach positions digital ways of thinking in terms of a philosophy (Peopling Technologies), a pedagogy (Immediate, Collaborative, Interactive pedagogy) and an evaluative framework (Sliding Glass Doors Learning). The three elements in concert focus closely on, and are responsive to, student contexts and skills. This balance forms an overall Peopling Technologies educational model designed to support students through transition to university and ongoing engagement in their studies. This educational model has practical implementation in the context of curriculum design and assessment design. The approach was developed in 2019, with ongoing iteration taking place in an education course assessment redesign project. Digital learning environments, shaped by this model, encourages belonging and inclusion to cultivate digital literacies, academic skills, discipline knowledges, and professional practice. The Peopling Technologies education model is adaptive to different discipline areas and elements of the approach are iterative to further contexts. By virtue of this model’s philosophical and pedagogical elements, this approach can be flexibly applied to changing contexts and responsive to technological advances (for example, generative artificial intelligence).

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• Documenting and analyzing the relevance of Universal Design for Learning in developing inclusive provisions for culturally diverse learners in online pedagogy

  Frederic Fovet

  Recent profound societal transformations have led to a broad reframing of the collective understanding and use of the term ‘diversity’. In the tertiary sector, in particular, this widening and deepening of the reflection on learner diversity has meant a move away from a simple focus on impairment; this term now also encompasses all intersectional dimensions of culture, race, Indigeneity, socioeconomics, gender and sexual orientation, and age. The tertiary sector is urgently seeking tools to embed this emerging lens into teaching and learning practices. The online facets of post-secondary teaching have lagged behind in this reflection, and the COVID pandemic pivot has highlighted how challenging management of change could be in online pedagogy. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) has offered powerful promises in supplying instructors with hands-on resources to navigate this rapid transformation of online pedagogy and guarantee that online learning spaces are fully inclusive. This paper explores and analyzes auto-ethnographic data collected by the author along the last four years, while he provided support and professional development around UDL as a consultant through the sector. The paper presents key findings from this analysis in relation to the usefulness of UDL in the diverse online class, and invites a reflection related to their strategic implications for higher education.

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• Collaborative Synchronous Coaching to support triadic collaboration and bridge the theory-practice divide in initial teacher education

  Tim Gander

  Advancements in technology have enabled a range of approaches to support preservice teacher development. This research suggests using collaborative synchronous coaching (CSC), through Bug-in-Ear (BIE) technology, as a tool to reduce the theory-practice divide by enhancing collaboration between the visiting lecturer, the mentor teacher and the preservice teacher. Three stages of research were conducted to test CSC's effectiveness in providing feedback. The study examined the concept of CSC, protocol and best practices for using CSC, and the tool's potential to establish a collaborative third space in ITE. The findings from field notes, semi-structured interviews and video observations suggest that CSC is a new coaching technique that can provide an alternative way to support collaborative pedagogical development for preservice teachers while strengthening relationships and opportunities for reciprocal learning. Educators using CSC can navigate their identities within the space more transparently, collaboratively, and constructively. The power of synchronous feedback from more than one person reframes the triadic conversation into a new paradigm.

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• Surveying LinkedIn profiles of learning designers: Qualifications, interpersonal skills, and career pathways to inform career development

  Dawn Gilmore, Chinh Nguyen

  This paper explores the diversity of qualifications, interpersonal skills, and career pathways of learning designers. Through a convenience sampling approach utilizing LinkedIn data, the study reveals that while education is a common qualification, it is not the sole determinant of success in the field. Notably, training, development, and leadership are identified as the most endorsed interpersonal skills. The research also identifies three distinct career pathways: hierarchical, industry-based, and traditional learning design pathways. Building upon these findings, we introduce a tool that defines core competencies and evidence for entry-level, mid-career, and senior learning designers. This tool can serve as a valuable resource for the recruitment and development of learning design staff, contributing to a better understanding and recognition of the pivotal role of learning designers in the teaching and learning process.

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• Promoting teacherpreneurship in creative education through Instagram

  Himasha Gunasekara, Cheryl Brown , Billy O'Steen

  Teacherpreneurs use their high risk-taking entrepreneurial leadership skills to create an innovative classroom using modern technologies. Given the changing learning patterns of modern-day students, and the influence of social media in highlighting their creative achievements, Being a popular social media platform, Instagram has the potential to play a valuable role in teaching and learning, particularly in the field of creative education. The objective of this paper is to explore the role of Instagram in promoting teacherpreneurship in tertiary level creative education. Using a digital ethnography approach, Sri Lankan teacherpreneurs’ practices were explored. Higher education plays a critical role in Sri Lankan economic development and has demonstrated it’s potential to develop creative industries. A purposive sample of twelve participants were observed and interviewed over a period of two months. Qualitative content analysis was used to understand this rich visual and textual data. It was revealed that Instagram promotes teacherpreneurship by facilitating edutainment (education + entertainment) via a flipped classroom pedagogy, breaking away from hierarchical structures and snail pace policy changes, fostering innovation, diversifying professional pathways and careers and seamless connections in and out of cyberspace.

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