Defining “data” in conversations with students about the ethical use of learning analytics
Concise paper
Abi Brooker
University of Melbourne
@abi__brooker
Linda Corrin
University of Melbourne
@lindacorrin
Negin Mirriahi
University of South Australia
@neginm
Josie Fisher
University of New England
Catch this session
Monday 4 December, 1.50pm - 2.10pm
Stream 3
Room L206
Abstract
In any conversation about the development of ethical standards for practice, it is vital that all stakeholders have a shared understanding of the main concepts in order to reach agreement. In the context of higher education and learning analytics, while many conversations are underway, it is less clear that such a shared understanding exists around the concept of “data”. In order to understand this situation more fully we conducted a study to investigate students’ perceptions of the ethical and privacy considerations related to the data that universities collect and use about them for the purposes of learning analytics. In this paper, we focus specifically on the understandings students have of the types of data that can be collected about them within the educational environment. The outcomes showed that there was a diversity of understandings, but that five main data types emerged: personal data, online activity, student feedback, academic information, and resource usage. In developing a better understanding of the ways students understand data, it can assist institutions to have more effective conversations with students about the ethical use of learning analytics.
About the authors
Abi Brooker
Dr Abi Brooker is a teaching fellow at the Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, at the University of Melbourne where she teaches developmental psychology to undergraduate students. She is also co-leader of a national network of academic teaching staff interested in issues related to student and staff well-being. Her research interests take a lifespan developmental perspective of young adults’ experiences, especially those studying at university. Current projects include the ethical implications of learning analytics on the student experience, the consequences of students’ experiences of psychological well-being and distress, and undergraduate students’ curricular and non-curricular challenges.
Linda Corrin
Dr Linda Corrin is a Senior Lecturer in Higher Education in the Williams Centre for Learning Advancement, Faculty of Business and Economics, at the University of Melbourne. In her current role, she provides support for curriculum development, delivery and assessment to staff in the faculty. Her research interests include students' engagement with technology, learning analytics, feedback, and learning design. Currently, she is working on several large research projects exploring how learning analytics can be used to provide meaningful and timely feedback to academics and students. Linda is member of the University of Melbourne’s Learning Analytics Research Group and co-founder of the Victorian and Tasmanian Learning Analytics Network. She is also a co-coordinator of the ASCILITE Learning Analytics Special Interest Group.
Negin Mirriahi
Dr Negin Mirriahi is Senior Lecturer in the Teaching Innovation Unit at the University of South Australia. She has extensive international experience managing, implementing, and evaluating innovative educational technology in higher education and in designing fully online, blended, and open courses. Her research is in learning analytics to inform pedagogical practice, video analytics to enhance learning, technology adoption, blended and online learning, and academic staff development.
Josie Fisher
Dr Josie Fisher is an Associate Professor at the University of New England Business School. She teaches professional ethics, business ethics, corporate social responsibility and sustainability to postgraduate students. In addition, she is Chair of Teaching and Learning in the School, a senior management position that provides leadership in the design and continuous improvement of courses and units with a focus on innovative delivery. Her research has two themes: professional and business ethics, corporate social responsibility and sustainability; and learning analytics, particularly the ethical aspects of the use of analytics by universities.
Explaining learning achievement in student experience of blended learning: What can a sociomaterial perspective contribute?
Concise paper
Feifei Han
The University of Sydney
Robert Ellis
The University of Sydney
Catch this session
Monday 4 December, 2.10pm - 2.30pm
Stream 2
Room R113
Abstract
Drawing on theories of student approaches to learning and sociomaterial perspectives on learning, we investigated how a combination of sociocognitive and sociomaterial variables explain variation in 365 students’ learning achievement in a first year human biology blended learning course in an Australian research intensive university. We used student experience questionnaires to measure students’ self-reports about their approaches to learning through inquiry, approaches to using online learning technologies, and their use of on-campus physical learning spaces. We also obtained observed measures of online learning technologies in terms of frequency and duration through analytics provided by a proprietary learning management system. Students’ learning achievement was evaluated using their assessment schedule comprising six assessment tasks. Correlation analyses were conducted to examine the interrelationship between approaches, use of online learning technologies, use of on-campus physical learning spaces, and achievement. Based on the correlation results, we regressed learning achievement on approaches, use of online learning technologies and physical learning spaces. The results showed that by introducing sociomaterial variables into the regression analysis, a significant proportion of learning achievement was explained over and above the explanations offered by student experience variables alone. The results highlight an important role of combining both self-report and observational data in analyses of student experiences of blended course designs.
About the authors
Feifei Han
Feifei Han currently is an educational researcher at the University of Sydney. Her current research interests comprise of three broad themes: (1) language and literacy education; (2) teaching, learning, and educational technology in higher education, and (3) educational psychology.
Robert Ellis
Robert Ellis is an Associate Professor of Education at the University of Sydney. He has been a funded chief investigative researcher for the Australian Research Council since 2005. His current project is funded up until 2019 (with Goodyear and others). Robert’s research interests focus on the student and teaching experience of e-learning, quality and innovation in higher education and learning spaces. He is author of two books and more than eighty internationally refereed publications, mostly in journal articles. He is also a coordinating editor of the Springer Journal ‘Higher Education’, and co-editor of the new book series for Springer ‘Understanding Teaching and Learning practice’. The goal of his research and scholarship is to achieve meaningful social contributions through translational research outcomes.
Improving the undergraduate science experience through an evidence-based framework for design, implementation and evaluation of flipped learning
Concise paper
Yvonne Davila
University of Technology Sydney
@whydee13
Elaine Huber
University of Technology Sydney
@enm181
Jorge Reyna
University of Technology Sydney
Peter Meier
University of Technology Sydney
Catch this session
Monday 4 December, 1.30pm - 1.50pm
Stream 2
Room R113
Abstract
Flipped Learning (FL) is a student-centred pedagogical approach where new content is introduced prior to class which permits more time during class for active learning. Despite the growing body of evidence of the effectiveness of FL, many educators are reluctant to adopt this approach to teaching or are unsure of how to implement FL in their classes. Many students are uncertain of how to adapt their approaches to learning to a FL curriculum. In response to these challenges and calls for a robust framework to guide the design and implementation of FL, we developed the Flipped Teacher and Flipped Learner (FTFL) Framework based on the pedagogical literature. This paper reports on the use of our FTFL framework in the redesign of a large first year science subject from a traditional delivery to a FL delivery. We evaluated the efficacy of the redesign using a mixed methods approach with data on students’ interactions with FL activities, and student and educator experiences. Findings from two iterations of the redesign indicate successful implementation of FL through high student engagement with online and class materials, and positive feedback from students and academics. Using the FTFL framework to guide the design and integration of FL, with an emphasis on clear communication, is key to our successful FL intervention and support of student learning.
About the authors
Yvonne Davila
Dr Yvonne Davila is a Lecturer in Higher Education Learning Design in the Faculty of Science at the University of Technology Sydney. Yvonne collaborates with academics to develop curricula that motivate and enhance student learning of key scientific concepts and skills. Her work focuses on how best to use blended learning innovations to support science students in higher education, particularly in their first year of university. Yvonne has led FYE and T&L projects and is a long-term member of the UTS First Year Experience Strategy team. In 2016 Yvonne was awarded a UTS Teaching and Learning Award for her work on developing and supporting academic and professional communication skills in first year Science through an embedded, student-centred, flipped learning approach.
Elaine Huber
Elaine Huber works at the University of Technology Sydney, Australia. She is a senior lecturer in Higher Education Learning Design and works with academics in the Faculty of Science to help them innovate their teaching curriculum. She has a passion for integrating technologies through blended approaches such as the flipped classroom. Elaine is also investigating the praxis of evaluating small-scale learning and teaching projects in higher education for her PhD in Education.
Jorge Reyna
Jorge Reyna is a Lecturer in Higher Education Learning Design in the Faculty of Science at UTS. Jorge is focused on using digital media as an assessment tool to foster deep learning and digital media literacy. Additionally, his area of interest includes flipped classrooms, development of desktop recording lectures that are interactive and engaging for students and inclusive design applied to online learning.
Peter Meier
Associate Professor Peter Meier is the Associate Dean (Teaching and Learning) in the Faculty of Science, UTS. Peter has over 20 years of academic experience including subject coordination, program directorship and leadership roles at Faculty level. Peter has overseen the Faculty wide curriculum review whereby all Science subjects were redesigned to align with the university’s learning.futures initiative. Most recently, Peter led the UTS chapter of the ‘WIL in Science: Leadership for WIL’ Lighthouse Project, which developed an integrated Faculty strategy to extend work-integrated learning (WIL) activities in science and related degrees through curriculum renewal, scaling and development of individual placement programs.
Knowing when to target students with timely academic learning support: Not a minefield with data mining
Concise paper
Elizabeth McCarthy
University of Southern Queensland
@elzbthmccrthy
Catch this session
Monday 4 December, 1.50pm - 2.10pm
Stream 4
Room L209
Abstract
The strategic scheduling of timely engagement opportunities with academic learning support, targeting specific student cohorts requires intentional, informed and coordinated planning. Currently these timing decisions appear to be made with a limited student focus, which considers individual course units only as opposed to having an awareness of the schedule constraints imposed by the students’ full course workload. Hence, in order to respect the full student academic workload, and maximise the quantity and quality of opportunities for students to engage with learning advisors, a means to capture and work with the composition and distribution of student full workload is needed. A data mining approach is proposed in this concise paper, where public domain information accessed from the back end HTML language of course unit information webpages is collected and consolidated in graphical form. The resulting visualisation of the students’ academic learning activities provides a quick and convenient means for academics to make informed scheduling decisions. The case study presented describes the implementation of the data mining in the context of discipline specific academic learning advisors at the University of Southern Queensland servicing three campuses under the ‘One-University’ model.
About the Author
Elizabeth McCarthy
Elizabeth McCarthy is a learning advisor, specialising in mathematics skills, and an academic in the mathematics and engineering disciplines with experience of 10 years. She is a mechatronics engineering, machine learning and mathematics enthusiast who is currently working towards her PhD project. For fun, she enjoys coding data science apps and tools to improve access to data for decision making purposes.
Me in a minute: A simple strategy for developing and showcasing personal employability
Concise paper
Trina Jorre de St Jorre
Deakin University
@trinajorre
Liz Johnson
Deakin University
Gypsy O'Dea
Deakin University
Catch this session
Monday 4 December, 1.30pm - 1.50pm
Stream 5
Room C204
Abstract
Graduates require evidence of employability beyond marks and grades to differentiate themselves in the highly competitive labour market. Universities cannot guarantee employment, but they can engage students in learning and recognise achievement that is relevant to employment. Here, we share preliminary insights from interviews investigating student perceptions of an extra-curricular video strategy designed to develop and showcase graduate employability. The Me in a Minute video strategy provides students with support to film a one minute video pitch aimed at potential employers. Student perceptions of the strategy suggest that in addition to providing an individualised artefact that can be used to showcase achievement, the strategy engages students in reflection that helps them to better understand and articulate evidence of their achievements relevant to employment. Furthermore, students value the learning associated with pitching, more than the video itself.
About the authors
Trina Jorre de St Jorre
Dr Trina Jorre de St Jorre is a Lecturer in Graduate Employability at Deakin University. She is interested in pedagogies that engage and empower students and her research focus is on assuring graduate capabilities, improving employment outcomes and incorporating the student voice into curriculum development.
Liz Johnson
Liz Johnson is Pro Vice Chancellor, Teaching and Learning at Deakin University where she leads the Deakin Learning Futures, the central divisional team that supports learning and teaching. Liz is a National Teaching Fellow with research interests in work-integrated learning, curriculum renewal and building capability for learning and teaching. Liz is also Director of the Teaching and Learning Centre of the Australian Council of Deans of Science, leading a number of national projects to enhance university teaching in science.
Gypsy O'Dea
Gypsy O’Dea is a Psychology student, Writing Mentor, and Research Assistant at Deakin University. As a Writing Mentor, her focus is on strategies that empower students to become self-directed and independent learners, with a view to improving graduate outcomes. Her current research is with the Australian Temperament Project Generation 3 study, investigating intergenerational predictors of child development.
Computer says no? Life literacies and digital literacies for LSES non-op students in a pre-tertiary program
Lightning talks 1
Susan Hopkins
University of Southern Queensland
Catch this session
Monday 4 December, 2.30pm - 3pm
Stream 4
Room L209
Abstract
This short talk by project leader Dr Susan Hopkins will introduce the HEPPP funded Life Literacies initiative and series of optional support workshops (within the USQ tertiary preparation program for non-OP and non-traditional students) launched at Toowoomba and Ipswich campuses of the University of Southern Queensland in teaching semester 2, 2017. The HEPPP funded 2017 Life Literacies project targets students from low socioeconomic areas who may be suffering from financial hardship. The program aims to make their journey through higher education less stressful, more empowering and more relevant to everyday life through innovative educational approaches and materials centred on essential ‘life literacies.’ These innovative approaches include the use of social media (and the Life Literacies closed group Facebook page) in teaching pre-tertiary students. In particular, this short talk will focus on the Digital Literacies workshop within the Life Literacies suite of enabling education workshops to consider the particular benefits and challenges of teaching digital literacy to low socio-economic, non-traditional, non-op students as part of a tertiary preparation program.
About the authors
Susan Hopkins
Susan Hopkins is a Lecturer in the Open Access College at the University of Southern Queensland, Ipswich campus. Her research interests include sociological approaches to the education of marginalised groups including incarcerated students and LSES students as well as critical cultural studies and media representations of gender and empowerment
Technology in prisons for learning: Making the Connection
Lightning talks 1
Helen Farley
University of Southern Queensland
@Helssi
Catch this session
Monday 4 December, 2.30pm - 3pm
Stream 4
Room L209
Abstract
The Australian Government Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Program-funded project, Making the Connection, is taking digital technologies, that do not require internet access, into correctional centres to enable prisoners, particularly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander prisoners, to enroll in a suite of pre-tertiary and undergraduate programs. A version of the University of Southern Queensland’s learning management system has been installed onto the education server of participating correctional centres. The second stage of the project has seen notebook computers pre-loaded with course materials, allocated to participating prisoners. At the time of writing, the project has been deployed at thirty correctional centres in Queensland, Tasmania, Western Australia, and the Northern Territory with negotiations underway for further rollout to Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia late in 2017. It is expected that the technologies and processes developed for this project will enable the delivery of higher education to other cohorts without access to reliable internet access. This presentation presents an update of the project.
About the authors
Helen Farley
Associate Professor Helen Farley researches within the Digital Life Lab at the University of Southern Queensland. Her research interests include investigating the affordances of emerging digital technologies, including virtual worlds, augmented reality and mobile technologies, in formal and informal learning. She is passionate about digital inclusion and leads the $4.4 million Making the Connection project which introduces digital technologies into prisons to allow prisoners access to digital higher education. The project has attracted some 1500 course enrolments over five states and recently received an Australian Award for University Teaching for Programs that Enhance Learning. Associate Professor Farley has published extensively and is a featured speaker at both educational technology and corrections conferences.
Monash Rocks: The first step in an augmented reality journey through deep time
Concise paper
Barbara Macfarlan
Monash University
@barbmac_eales
Marion Anderson
Monash University
Julie Boyce
Monash University
@volcanojulie
Tom Chandler
Monash University
@sensilab_monash
Thomas Bochynek
Monash University
Mike Yeates
Monash University
Colin Maynard
Independent game developer
Catch this session
Monday 4 December, 1.30pm - 1.50pm
Stream 1
Room H102
Abstract
This paper describes the development of the “Monash Rocks” app - designed to bring our landscape to life through augmented reality. We describe the highs and lows of the development process, the lessons we learned along the way, and our plans for further development of the app to showcase the Monash Earth Sciences Garden and extend the space into further innovative, immersive teaching and learning experiences.
The creation of Monash University’s Earth Sciences Garden (MESG), a "living" geological map of Victoria collating nearly 500 rock specimens, gave us the perfect vehicle for an Augmented Reality (AR) experience. Students and visitors to the MESG can now use the Monash Rocks App on their phones to view a 3D display that overlays the live camera feed on the device enhancing the experience of the environment, taking it to another dimension.
The value in augmenting a learning environment is in its ability to pull virtual objects into real scenes (Green & Chandler, 2014, p.549), in this case expanding the physical environment through time and space on a journey back millions of years. The rock now becomes alive, telling its story and supplying information that is missing in the “real life” walk through the garden.
About the authors
Barbara Macfarlan
Barbara Macfarlan is an Educational Designer in the Faculty of Science, Monash University. In this role, she works closely with the Associate Dean Education to support and guide academics through the changing landscape of teaching and learning in Higher Education. Barbara has 20 years’ experience as a teacher and learning designer using the affordances of ubiquitous technology to engage 21st century learners. It is this interest that fostered her determination to integrate augmented reality artefacts into the innovative teaching spaces to help learners better understand their natural and built environments.
Marion Anderson
Marion Anderson is the coordinator of Monash University's first year Earth, Atmosphere and Environment units. She has over 30 years teaching and research experience at Tertiary level, in the Engineering, Biology, and Earth Sciences discipline areas. She was recently involved in the VCAA redesign of the VCE Units 1-4 Environmental Science, and was a consultant on the Australian Curriculum design for Earth Sciences and Environmental Sciences. Marion has also been involved with the design of the year 10 science curriculum, and Dynamic Earth curriculum at JMSS, and is an advisory board member of the Victorian Space Science Education Centre. Marion has also been awarded three international prizes for interactive game design.
Julie Boyce
Julie Boyce is a Research & Teaching Associate in the School of Earth, Atmosphere & Environment at Monash University, where she is also an Outreach Coordinator for the school. Her research focuses on the stratigraphy and geochemistry of the young volcanoes of the Newer Volcanics Province in western Victoria, with a focus on Mt Rouse and the distribution of eruption centres across the volcanic province.
Tom Chandler
Tom Chandler coordinates and teach the Interactive Media Major and Game Design Minor in the Monash Faculty of IT. As a researcher in the emerging field of virtual heritage, Tom has focused upon the design and development of immersive simulations of the past, particularly the medieval Cambodian capital of Angkor in Cambodia.
Quantext: Analysing student responses to short-answer questions
Concise paper
Jenny McDonald
University of Auckland
@aggiewil
Adon Moskal
Otago Polytechnic
@AdonMoskal
Catch this session
Monday 4 December, 1.30pm - 1.50pm
Stream 4
Room L209
Abstract
We introduce a web-based tool for teachers to support the rapid analysis of student responses to short answer or mini-essay questions. Designed to support teaching in large-class settings, it aims to bring to practicing teachers analytic tools that can reveal insights in their student text data. We background development of the tool to date, briefly describe its architecture and features, and report on a bench-test evaluation. Finally, we introduce a pilot study to evaluate the tool in classrooms at three NZ universities and one polytechnic. We conclude with options for accessing the tool and outline plans for ongoing development.
About the authors
Jenny McDonald
Dr Jenny McDonald is co-developer of Quantext and a Research Associate at the Centre for Learning and Research (CLeaR), University of Auckland. Jenny is an experienced educational technologist and academic developer. She has particular research interests in natural language processing techniques for formative feedback and learning analytics. She was co-PI with A/Prof. Cathy Gunn on the recent NZ Ako-funded project, ‘Building an evidence-base for teaching and learning design using learning analytics data’.
Adon Moskal
Adon Moskal is co-developer of Quantext and a lecturer in Information Technology at Otago Polytechnic. From 2011-2016, Adon was a Professional Practice Fellow at the University of Otago where he developed software and researched educational technology. His research interests include student evaluation, academic development and learning analytics. Recently, Adon was a co-investigator and co-developer of the Student Relationship Engagement System v2 with researchers from the University of Auckland and the University of Sydney.
Social media in enabling education
Concise paper
Susan Hopkins
University of Southern Queensland
Catch this session
Monday 4 December, 1.50pm - 2.10pm
Stream 5
Room C204
Abstract
This paper argues that students from rural and low socio-economic status (LSES) backgrounds, who undertake enabling education, benefit from the social, cultural and network capital which digital, narrative and connective platforms may provide in pre-tertiary teaching and learning. In particular, this paper discusses the trial of the use of the social networking site Facebook as a learning management system within an enabling tertiary preparation program designed to raise the aspirations and widen the participation of economically and geographically disadvantaged young people. It also discusses the role of new media in an approach to Tertiary Preparation which recognises that to succeed in their university study, non-traditional students need to develop not only academic skills and confidence, but the skills and confidence to survive and thrive in the broader networked digital society. The presentation includes updates, images and examples from the author’s most recent use of a closed group Facebook page to facilitate digital literacy, enculturation, engagement, socialisation and social networking among participants in the 2017 Life Literacies program for tertiary preparation students, funded through the Commonwealth Government's Higher Education Participation and Partnership Program (HEPPP) in 2017 (to improve the access, participation and success of students from communities under-represented in higher education).
About the Author
Susan Hopkins
Susan Hopkins is a Lecturer in the Open Access College at the University of Southern Queensland, Ipswich campus. Her research interests include sociological approaches to the education of marginalised and non-traditional students including incarcerated students and LSES students in enabling education.