Collaboration and technology for engaging online learning
Lightning talks 1
Sarah Cahill
University of Southern Queensland
Stephanie Forbes
University of Southern Queensland
Catch this session
Monday 4 December, 2.30pm - 3pm
Stream 4
Room L209
Abstract
In response to the changing landscapes of higher education in rural and remote areas, the University of New England Library developed the eSkills 2.0 project. The aim of the project was to create a durable and responsive online learning presence that was socially inclusive while providing an equitable and meaningful educational experience. Academics, Academic Skills Support and Librarians collaborated in the identification of information and research skills gaps for the development and review of interactive learning materials.
To create timely, stable and engaging online learning, a variety of technology tools were investigated for use in the project. The primary tools selected for use included Articulate Storyline for its comprehensive solutions to interactive content creation in conjunction with Camtasia Studio for professional video and screencast editing facilities. TouchCast was ideal for creating just-in-time support and response with social media providing the perfect platform for rapid promotion and dissemination.
The eSkills 2.0 project incorporated a two-tiered approach. The first approach was the creation of timely, topic-focused library QuickTips. The second was the development of a comprehensive, enduring suite of library and research skills based modular learning materials that could be adapted, embedded and re-used as necessary.
This presentation will offer an overview of the project with a brief discussion of success, failures and future recommendations. The outcomes of this project will prove beneficial for anyone with an interest in implementing asynchronous online learning strategies to effectively support students in a 24/7 educational environment.
About the authors
Sarah Cahill
Sarah Cahill has worked in academic libraries in Australia for eight years providing specialised support in a range of areas including Health and Law. Sarah has a Bachelors Degree in Psychology and a Masters of Information Technology. Sarah has undertaken training in eLearning Course development with B Online Learning, including Master eLearning and advanced user training in Articulate Storyline software.
Stephanie Forbes
Stephanie Forbes has worked in academic and public libraries for over fifteen years both in Australia and in the UK. Stephanie has a strong interest in online learning in the educational environment. She has a Bachelors Degree in Arts, Postgraduate Diploma in Education, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Library and Information Studies. Stephanie has also undertaken training in eLearning Course development with B Online Learning, including Master eLearning and advanced user training in Articulate Storyline software.
Using an e-authoring tool (H5P) to support blended learning: Librarians’ experience
Concise paper
Sarika Singh
Victoria University
Kirstin Scholz
Victoria University
Catch this session
Monday 4 December, 1.50pm - 2.10pm
Stream 2
Room R113
Abstract
With an increasing emphasis on blended learning at Victoria University (VU), all the units are to be redesigned and delivered in a blended approach by the end of 2020. This presentation will outline VU librarians’ experience in the use of an open source e-authoring tool (H5P) to support the University’s blended learning strategy. We will discuss using the H5P tool to enhance library instructional videos and create interactive learning objects to support a specific unit. By using these enhanced resources, students are actively engaged with the content and can easily revisit and review at any time and are able to complete self-assessment activities at their own pace and receive immediate feedback on their performance.
Furthermore, this presentation will showcase various H5P learning objects created by Librarians that are reusable and shared with all VU staff, who can access from the learning objects library in VU’s learning management system (VU Collaborate). Instead of duplicating learning resources, teaching staff and other librarians are able to save time through reusing the learning objects/activities. In addition, we will outline the data that were accessible through VU Collaborate and feedback received from the teaching staff. The benefits of the tool outweigh the limitations and future plans are suggested to continue utilising this tool for the University’s First Year Model.
About the authors
Sarika Singh
Sarika Singh is a Scholarly Information Services librarian at Victoria University, Melbourne. She has completed her librarianship through Charles Sturt University and currently doing her Graduate Certificate in Tertiary Education to further enhance her teaching and connect to the contemporary learning and teaching principles. She has been working in an academic library for the past 15 years in various roles and her current role is a liaison role providing high-level purposeful educational information support to the College of Sport & Exercise Science staff and students in a blended learning environment. She is leading the way at her library when it comes to designing, creating online, educational library learning resources/objects for students. Currently, she is involved with creating various learning objects in particular, videos and making those videos interactive using the H5P tool to support the University’s blended learning strategy.
Kirstin Scholz
Kirstin Scholz has been working as a librarian for a little over 4 years with experience in both the TAFE and University sectors. She currently works at Victoria University, Melbourne as the Scholarly Information Services librarian supporting the students and staff in the College of Health and Biomedicine. As a key part of her role, Kirstin plans, designs and delivers essential library research skills classes for the blended learning environment. Kirstin has just completed her Masters in Information Management and has an undergraduate degree in marketing and communications as well as a Graduate Diploma of Education (Primary). She previously worked in Business Development and Marketing roles in the corporate sector.
Technology-enhanced learning collaboratives: A faculty development initiative for the science, medicine, and health disciplines
Lightning talks 2
David Bruce Porter
University of Wollongong
@dbp1975
Helen Jamieson
University of Wollongong
Adrian Moody
University of Wollongong
Catch this session
Tuesday 5 December, 12pm - 12.30pm
Stream 3
Room L206
Abstract
The University of Wollongong Faculty of Science, Medicine, and Health is interested in the strategic integration of technology. Using Wenger and Lave’s Communities of Practice as the foundation, SMAH has launched the Technology-Enhanced Learning Collaboratives (TELCs). Each of the four TELCs takes an academic-centred, blended learning approach to addressing topics in technology-enhanced learning and teaching. Evaluation of the TELCs will employ measures of academic engagement, academic surveys, and individual community outcomes. This presentation provides an overview of the TELCs and a status report of their progress.
About the authors
David Bruce Porter
Dr David Bruce Porter is Manager: Educational Technology in the University of Wollongong Faculty of Science, Medicine, & Health. David leads of team of technology-enhanced learning specialists to support and empower academics to use technology to innovate and transform student learning. David’s interests include educational technology leadership, academic support and development, and educational design.
Helen Jamieson
Mrs. Helen Jameson is the Educational Developer in the University of Wollongong Faculty of Science, Medicine & Health Educational Technology Team. Helen has a diverse background, including applied experience in the primary and tertiary education sectors. Prior to joining the team, Helen taught Web Design and Computer Support for TAFE Illawarra. Helen’s interests include Web, graphics, and multimedia design and Moodle and game development.
Adrian Moody
Mr Adrian Moody is the in the University of Wollongong Faculty of Science, Medicine & Health Educational Technology Team. In addition to 10 years as an instructor of Business Administration and Information Technology, Adrian’s diverse experience includes extensive time in both the complementary health and the entertainment sectors. Prior to joining UOW, Adrian worked in Digital Learning Services for TAFE Online where he wrote, created, and uploaded content.
Visualising mixed reality simulation for multiple users
Concise paper
Michael Cowling
CQUniversity Australia
@macowling
James Birt
Bond University
Catch this session
Monday 4 December, 1.50pm - 2.10pm
Stream 1
Room H102
Abstract
Blended reality seeks to encourage co-presence in the classroom, blending student experience across virtual and physical worlds. In a similar way, Mixed Reality, a continuum between virtual and real environments, is now allowing learners to work in both the physical and the digital world simultaneously, especially when combined with an immersive headset experience. This experience provides innovative new experiences for learning, but faces the challenge that most of these experiences are single user, leaving others outside the new environment. The question therefore becomes, how can a mixed reality simulation be experienced by multiple users, and how can we present that simulation effectively to users to create a true blended reality environment? This paper proposes a study that uses existing screen production research into the user and spectator to produce a mixed reality simulation suitable for multiple users. A research method using Design Based Research is also presented to assess the usability of the approach.
About the authors
Michael Cowling
Dr Michael Cowling is an information technologist with a keen interest in educational technology and technology ubiquity in the digital age, and a Senior Lecturer in the School of Engineering & Technology at CQUniversity Australia. He is currently a partner in an OLT Innovation and Development grant and is the recipient of 3 CQUniversity Learning and Teaching grants for teaching technology. He is a recipient of an Australian Government Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning, and a three-time recipient of a CQUniversity Learning & Teaching Award.
Dr Cowling has a passion for the practical application of technology in the classroom, focusing on how technology can be weaved into the pedagogy of a classroom setting, rather than bolted on to the side. Living by the mantra “pedagogy before technology”, Michael helps teachers and academics to innovate with technology, leveraging it as a tool to improve the overall education process.
James Birt
James is an Assistant Professor of Interactive Media and Design in the Faculty of Society and Design at Bond University, where he runs the Mixed Reality Research Lab (www.mixedrealityresearch.com). His research spans computer science and visual arts, with an emphasis on applied design and development of interactive mixed reality (virtual reality, augmented reality, 3d printing, mobile) experiences assisting learning, skills acquisition and knowledge discovery. The distinctive contribution James brings to education scholarship is in digital media teaching and learning, where he received a 2014 Australian Office of Learning and Teaching citation for outstanding contributions to student learning. James utilises novel pedagogical approaches, curriculum and resources to balance the science and art predilections of his students, whilst supporting them with learning how to learn. His service to the university and wider community has formed around his experience in emerging technology, teaching and learning, where he takes an active role in supporting learners and peers through mentorship, presentations and expert judging.
2017 Year of Open: Is it worth celebrating in Australia?
Open fishbowl
Tamara Heck
University of Southern Queensland
@tamaraheck
Neil Martin
University of Southern Queensland
Adrian Stagg
University of Southern Queensland
@OpenKuroko
Catherine Wattiaux
University of Southern Queensland
Amelia Dowe
University of Southern Queensland
Catch this session
Tuesday 5 December, 3.45pm - 4.45pm
Stream 3
Room L206
In this session, the facilitators will be using sli.do. The event code is: OEP17
Abstract
Whilst 2017 is internationally celebrated as the Year of Open, the fishbowl discussion aims at critically discuss the current state of the art of openness in higher education. We concede that open educational practice, including for example the use, creation and sharing of open educational resources, is neither widely understood, nor widely engaged within Australia. Reasons are that research is mostly focusing on open educational resources, not on overall practices. The latter includes investigations in practical issues applying open practices. As holistic solutions have yet to mature - regarding for example staff development, organisational policy and commitment, as well as business models - the community is still reluctant in engaging in open practices.
Our core questions we want to discuss with the audience are:
- What does an Australian higher education sector that embraces OEP look like? and
- What are the key factors that act as barriers to widespread adoption of open educational practices in Australia?
We refer to five major barriers that we think hinder and partly lock off the success of openness in higher education, which are lack of recognition in policies, value proposition, institutional prestige, competitiveness as well as guidelines. The open fishbowl concept aims at discussing those barriers together with the audience, but as well allows participants to come up with their own opinions and perceptions about current openness processes and developments.
About the authors
Tamara Heck
Tamara Heck is a research fellow working in the Digital Life Lab at the University of Southern Queensland. She is currently researching openness in science and education. One of her recent studies conducted with an inter-disciplinary team involved a survey on open science in higher education and asked over 200 participants on their open teaching and learning practices as well as on their usage of open collaborative tools. Further research investigates in questions on how researchers and academics perceive open practices in their work, how openness impacts research outputs and how it influences research impacts.
Neil Martin
Neil Martin is the Senior Digital Innovator in the Digital Life Lab at the University of Southern Queensland. His doctoral thesis based in psychology, examined the optimal design of open online courses using motivational principles articulated in self-determination theory. He has nearly 20 years of experience working in higher education in Australia and the UK and has held roles as a web developer, web services manager, and learning technologist. His current research interests examine how digital technology can support wellbeing and flourishing from a positive psychology perspective.
Adrian Stagg
Adrian Stagg is currently the Manager (Open Educational Practice) for the University of Southern Queensland. His career has included over 14 years in both public and academic libraries, as well as positions as a Learning Technologist and eLearning Designer. Adrian holds a Master of Applied Science (Library and Information Management). His interest in Open Educational Practice has prompted the commencement of a PhD at the University of Tasmania focusing on the practitioner experience in the reuse of Open Educational Resources. His research areas include the ecology of open educational practice and higher education policy as it relates to and supports, open educational initiatives.
Catherine Wattiaux
Catherine Wattiaux is the Manager of the Library copyright services at the University of Southern Queensland. She has 17 years in academic and scholarly libraries and R&D services. Since her initial thesis on Selective Dissemination of Information, she has developed an interest in knowledge management, data management, and open access datasets. Her work in copyright has led her to increase her knowledge in Open Educational Resources and current scholarly publishing practices. Her research area is in the identification and use of Open Educational Resources for higher education as well as the data management of above mentioned resources.
Amelia Dowe
Amelia Dowe is the Learning Advisor for Engineering, Built Environment and IT disciplines at USQ. She is currently involved in an Open Educational Practice grant to develop an online program to support students on the Autism Spectrum as they transition to University. With an academic background in Applied Linguistics and Disability, her research interests focus on equity and diversity in Higher Education.
Evaluating the sustainability of tablet devices in blended learning
Full paper
Cynthia Nicholas Palikat
The University of Melbourne
Paul Gruba
The University of Melbourne
Catch this session
Monday 4 December, 10.30am - 11am
Stream 4
Room L209
Abstract
Blended approaches to teaching and learning and higher education often demand the provision of substantial investments in professional development, curriculum change and technological resources. Given the intense effort required for successful courses, focus has turned increasingly on the sustainability of blended learning in higher education. In this study, we adopt an argument based approach to the sustainable use of tablet computers in a university pathway course. After mapping out the argument with key stakeholders, we conduct a participatory action research project that takes into account observations, interviews and personal reflections. Results of the evaluation point to a ‘weak argument’ for the continued use of tablet computers that demonstrates their use is not sustainable. We conclude with suggestions to turn to issues of curricular alignment and further adoption of argument based evaluation for educational technology.
About the authors
Cynthia Nicholas Palikat
Cynthia Nicholas Palikat is a Ph.D. candidate in the School of Languages and Linguistics, The University of Melbourne. Her current research focuses on issues surrounding the sustainability of blended learning in the context of higher education. Her other research interests include educational technology, and language program evaluation.
Paul Gruba
Originally trained as a journalist, Paul Gruba has devoted much of his academic career on digital media literacies, blended learning and language assessment. His current work focuses on multimodal second language listening and language program evaluation.
Online professional learning: Lessons, challenges, opportunities
Open fishbowl
Jonathan Powles
University of New England
@jonpowles
Shelley Kinash
University of Southern Queensland
@KinashinAUs
Aliya Steed
University of New England
@afsteed
Jennifer Lawrence
University of Canberra
@jennyalawrence
Catch this session
Tuesday 5 December, 12pm - 12.30pm
Stream 2
Room R113
Abstract
Often, our default pedagogies for professional, authentic, and/or work-integrated learning start with face-to-face assumptions. The “placement” is the starting-point for many academics’ thinking about how to provide students with authentic experience of professional work, and the placement is predicated on the assumption of physical presence in the workplace. Often, academics’ experience of other pedagogical strategies for authentic learning – for instance, problem-based learning, role play, action research – start with an assumption of physical presence.
On the other hand, we now have many rich experiences of professional, work-integrated and authentic learning that have been situated online. This fishbowl session allows participants to share, analyse and learn from these experiences. What are the challenges and opportunities in moving role play or simulation online? What have MOOCs taught us about how people seek to develop their professional education? What technologies and tools exist to capture authentic learning in the workplace and curate these as online records of professional practice? How do employers respond or react to professional learning conducted online? What sorts of pedagogical and business models have universities adopted around online professional qualifications, and how do these differ from more traditional models? Given that the great majority of students who study online are simultaneously working, how have we or can we leverage this body of existing professional experience as part of students’ learning journeys?
About the authors
Jonathan Powles
Jonathan Powles’ role at UNE is to lead the strategic pedagogical direction of the university. With 18,000 online students, UNE is Australia’s oldest provider of distance and online education, with a rich history of delivering online, professionally-focused education in fields as diverse as agriculture, education, healthcare, business, law and the performing arts. Prior to taking up his position at UNE Jonathan held education leadership positions at a variety of universities in Australia and the UK, where he led and contributed to a number of online and professional-education curriculum innovations.
Shelley Kinash
Shelley Kinash returned to USQ as Director, Advancement of Teaching and Learning in 2017. Previously she was Director of Teaching and Learning at Bond University, where her major achievements were championing employability throughout the everyday curriculum; migrating the student evaluation of teaching to an online system; and supporting a whole-of-university approach to blended / technology-enhanced learning. She has over 200 publications including 3 books. The central tenets of Shelley’s research portfolio are student voice, learning experience and employability and academic development. Shelley has a long history of research and practice in employability. She has co-led two national strategic priority research projects (Supporting graduate employability from generalist disciplines through employer and private institution collaboration; and Engaging postgraduate students and supporting higher education to enhance the 21st century student experience).
Aliya Steed
Aliya Steed has led and contributed to the development of online professional learning programs at ANU for nearly twenty years. For much of that time she managed the educational design programs at the ANU College of Law, where she led the development of pedagogical strategies and technological environments for a national program in Migration Law and Practice; a fully-online and Australia-wide simulation-based Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice; and most recently an online, PBL-based Juris Doctor program. As Manager, educational design at ANU Online, she and her team support online innovation ANU-wide, including programs ranging through business, science, languages and health, and the development of ANU’s suite of MOOCs. In October 2017 she joined the University of New England as Manager, Strategic Learning Initiatives.
Jennifer Lawrence
As Teaching and Learning Fellow (transition pedagogy) at UC, Jennifer Lawrence has led the development and delivery of “Foundations of Professional Planning”, a first-year unit taken by nearly all undergraduate students. This unit supports students to identify their potential professional destinations, and develop a five-year plan to acquire the specific and generic skills required to reach that destination through a combination of curricular and co-curricular learning. The unit is delivered both face-to-face and online. Jennifer also led the development and delivery of UC’s related MOOC, “Navigating Your Professional Future”. Prior to joining UC, Jennifer taught in the secondary sector, where her foci included authentic learning and learning technology innovation.
What's in a name? The ambiguity and complexity of technology enhanced learning roles
Concise paper
Kate Mitchell
La Trobe University
@katevideo
Colin Simpson
Australian National University
@gamerlearner
Chie Adachi
Deakin University
@chieadachi
Catch this session
Tuesday 5 December, 11.40am - 12pm
Stream 6
Room T125
Abstract
With the growing ubiquity of educational technology, there has been an increased need for specialised practitioners to advise on and support technology enhanced learning (TEL) within higher education. Academic developers, instructional designers and educational technologists are all examples of these skilled individuals typically working in ‘third space’ that crosses complex boundaries - between the pedagogical and technological, and the academic and professional. However, role titles and descriptions of duties are often unclear at best, with a lack of consistent terminology used across institutions and in the literature. This can lead to confusion and tensions when working with multiple institutional stakeholders and exacerbates ‘the academic/professional divide’ in Higher Education.
This paper presents a synthesis of key literature related to contemporary TEL advisor and support roles in Higher Education alongside a preliminary analysis of the 37 recent position descriptions of these roles. The application of social practice theory as our conceptual framework enables us to further explore the significance of practices in these TEL roles. This paper offers a step forward to the ways in which clarity and consistency of these roles might be sought. Future implications of this study are included for further consideration.
About the authors
Kate Mitchell
Kate Mitchell currently works as a Senior Educational Designer at La Trobe University where she supports teaching academics to incorporate blended and online learning into their practice. She has longstanding experience as a learning designer and as a teacher across secondary, vocational and higher education sectors. She is a member of the ePortfolios Australia organising committee and is a founding member and co-convenor of the ASCILITE TEL edvisors special interest group.
Kate recently completed her Master of Education research thesis exploring vocational educators’ perceptions of the factors shaping their use of e-Learning, including the relationships between individuals’ beliefs and motivations alongside institutional and external factors. Her research interests cover e-Learning integration, educational design and academic professional development and she is currently involved in research projects exploring ePortfolio use within nursing and education disciplines.
Colin Simpson
Colin Simpson has worked as a Learning Technologist, Education Designer and Academic Developer since 2003 and currently works in the College of Business and Economics at ANU. He is a founder and co-convenor of the ASCILITE TEL edvisors special interest group.
Colin has extensive experience in the design and development of media and interactive resources and a particular interest in game-based learning and gamification, including the use of badges. He has presented at a wide array of national and international conferences on these subjects. He is a Certified Member of the Association of Learning Technologists (CMALT), a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA) and an Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia (HERDSA). Colin is currently undertaking PhD research at the University of Sydney into the ways that TEL edvisors can better support TELT practices in Higher Education.
Colin blogs at http://screenface.net.
Chie Adachi
Dr Chie Adachi has a PhD in Linguistics (The University of Edinburgh) and has taught/worked at universities in Japan, UK and Australia over the past 12 years. Her current research interests lie within the areas of digital learning and teaching in higher education, sociolinguistics and intercultural education. She currently works as a Lecturer within the central Learning and Teaching unit, Deakin Learning Futures at Deakin University, Melbourne. Since 2017 she has been involved with the ASCILITE Special Interest Group, TELedvisors, as one of the co-founders serving to create a collaborative space and empower advisors working within the area of Technology Enhanced Learning.
Technology enhanced academic development: Exploring approaches for professional learning in higher education
Open fishbowl
Katharina Freund
Australian National University
@katiedigc
Sarah Thorneycroft
University of New England
@sthcrft
Emily Rutherford
University of Canberra
@tinselturtle
David Bruce Porter
University of Wollongong
Carole Hunter
Charles Sturt University
Catch this session
Monday 4 December, 3.30pm - 4.30pm
Stream 2
Room R113
Abstract
As universities move towards new methods of delivery for their teaching, academic development in higher education still relies heavily on face-to-face contact (Thorneycroft & Landrigan, 2014; Cochrane & Narayan, 2016). This fishbowl session will explore how technologies can facilitate new methods and paradigms for designing and delivering professional development. The combined pressures of increasing academic workloads and changing teaching methods make timely professional development essential and challenging (Gregory & Lodge, 2015). We will discuss the complexities and challenges of delivering effective staff professional development in this environment, and consider new solutions and opportunities using technologies. This session examines the issue of faculty professional development and how tools and technological innovations can inform and support effective practice.
The fishbowl participants represent a range of contexts in Australian higher education and will debate issues in professional development including:
Working with the limitations of staff time
Affordances and challenges for different modes of delivery, including face-to-face, self-paced, and synchronous online delivery
Working in partnership with faculty, central teams, and support teams
Options for encouraging, recognising, and incentivizing participation
Methods for recognition or credentialing professional development
Innovative and creative approaches to professional development
This session will present a realistic and research-informed view on the complexities of providing academic development in universities and will be of interest to educational designers, academic developers, academics, academic librarians, managers, and strategic leaders.
About the authors
Katharina Freund
Dr. Katharina Freund is a Senior Learning Designer at the Australian National University. She coordinates training and academic development on education technology, and leads educational design projects for ANU Online. Katharina completed her PhD in 2012 from the University of Wollongong on digital remix videos, fan practices, and online communities, and is a researcher on education technology and digital communication.
Sarah Thorneycroft
Sarah Thorneycroft is a Learning Designer at the University of New England. Her educational background is wide-ranging, including academic development, teacher professional development and primary and secondary teaching. She works extensively in the development of online teaching and learning, and researches in the fields of digital scholarship, practice-led innovation in teaching & learning, games-based learning and professional development.
Emily Rutherford
Emily Rutherford is an Educational Designer at the University of Canberra. She works in partnership with the academic staff from the Faculty of Business, Governance and Law on staff development projects, teaching strategies and innovation, as well as University-wide learning and teaching projects.
David Bruce Porter
Dr David Bruce Porter is Manager: Educational Technology in the University of Wollongong Faculty of Science, Medicine, & Health. David leads of team of technology-enhanced learning specialists to support and empower academics to use technology to innovate and transform student learning. David’s interests include educational technology leadership, academic support and development, and educational design.
Carole Hunter
Carole Hunter is a Lecturer in Online and Blended Learning in the Faculty of Business, Justice and Behavioural Sciences at Charles Sturt University. She currently leads a team of Educational Designers in a large scale initiative to foster innovation and enhanced online learning across the Faculty. She has over 20 years experience as a teacher, writer and learning designer in four countries. Her current research interests focus on humanising approaches to the leadership and management of large scale online design initiatives and academic development.
Constructive alignment of materials in tertiary programs
Full paper
Sook Jhee Yoon
The University of Melbourne
@sookjhee
Paul Gruba
The University of Melbourne
Catch this session
Wednesday 6 December, 12pm - 12.30pm
Stream 5
Room C204
Abstract
In blended tertiary programs, technology is mixed in face to face settings, and learning activities happen both on- and offline. With the move towards blended learning, tertiary programs and their curricula have become more varied and complicated. Such complexity and variation is evident, for example, in the program learning outcomes, learning activities and assessment tasks. Yet little is known how such complex factors interact, and thus influence, decisions regarding the curriculum in higher education settings from the perspective of administrators, lecturers and students. This study examines constructive alignment of materials in blended tertiary programs. Two case studies of blended programs in a large research intensive Australian university were studied. Using a pedagogical claims analysis as a means to structure the study, the researchers gathered and analysed qualitative data through a series of cycles, seeking to refine themes such that they are defensible, trustworthy and rigorous. Findings of the study point to factors that influence constructive alignment with implications for materials design and use.
About the authors
Sook Jhee Yoon
Sook Jhee Yoon is a Ph.D candidate in The University of Melbourne. Her areas of interest are materials development and the use of technology in language teaching.
Paul Gruba
Paul Gruba, originally trained as a journalist, works in areas of educational technology research to do with non-native speakers, blended language learning and language program evaluation. Paul is currently an associate editor for AJET.