Using threshold concepts about online teaching to support novice online teachers: Designing professional development guidelines to individually assist academic staff (“me”) and collectively guide the institution (“us”)
Full paper
Maria Northcote
Avondale College of Higher Education
Kevin Gosselin
HonorHealth Research Institute, Arizona, USA
Peter Kilgour
Avondale College of Higher Education, NSW, Australia
Catherine McLoughlin
Australian Catholic University, ACT, Australia
Chris Boddey
Avondale College of Higher Education, NSW, Australia
Catch this session
Monday 4 December, 10.30am - 11am
Stream 2
Room R113
Abstract
As online learning expands across the higher education sector, individual university lecturers are required to take on roles that incorporate responsibilities for designing and teaching online courses. Their growing capacities to fulfil these roles are sometimes supported by professional development (PD) programs within their institutions while some staff engage in staff development activities outside their home institutions. These programs and activities may take place within Communities of Practice (CoPs) while others are conducted on an individual basis. While much research has been undertaken into the field of online teaching and learning, including investigations into the most useful technological tools to incorporate into the design of online courses, the design of PD curricula to support the needs of novice teachers of online courses has not been as extensively explored. This paper reports on the outcomes of an Office for Learning and Teaching (OLT) funded project which purposely set out to identify the threshold concepts about online teaching that university lecturers develop as they engage in both the individual and communal aspects of designing and teaching online courses. The paper explains how the identification of threshold concepts about online teaching informed the development of a set of curriculum guidelines for the PD of novice online teachers. Recommendations for the design of PD for individual teachers (at the “me” level) are provided along with recommendations for the institution (at the “us” level).
About the authors
Maria Northcote
Associate Professor Maria Northcote is the Director of the Centre for Advancement of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (CASTL) at Avondale College of Higher Education. She is an experienced higher education teacher, leader and researcher and is involved in undergraduate and postgraduate education, and professional development. Some of her research interests include threshold concepts, educational technology, online teaching and professional learning.
Kevin Gosselin
Kevin Gosselin holds a Ph.D. degree in educational psychology from Texas Tech University in Lubbock, TX in 2009. He has held academic appointments as adjunct faculty at Texas Tech University from 2008-2010, a lecturer at The University of Texas at Austin in 2010, and as Assistant Professor of Biostatistics at The University of Texas at Tyler from 2010-2013. In 2013, he was appointed as Assistant Dean for Research and Evidence Based-Practice and Associate Professor in the College of Nursing at Texas A&M Health Science Center. He is currently the Director of Academics and Biostatistics at HonorHealth Research Institute in Scottsdale, Arizona. His research involves distance education, faculty development, research methodology and applied performance psychology.
Peter Kilgour
Dr Peter Kilgour is the Director of the Christian Education Research Centre and a Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Education, Business and Science at Avondale College of Higher Education. His research areas include teacher education, innovative learning and teaching, assessment in work integrated learning, cultural awareness and mathematics education. He is an educator of 35 years’ experience in four different countries. As a former secondary mathematics teacher, school principal, and school system CEO, he has a passion for innovative learning and has worked to implement this in the higher education setting, in online and on-campus modes. His current teaching responsibilities include multicultural education and professional development for pre-service teachers.
Catherine McLoughlin
Catherine McLoughlin is an Associate Professor with the Faculty of Education at the Australian Catholic University, Canberra. With over 30 years of experience in higher education in Europe, South East Asia, the Middle East, and Australia, she has experience and expertise in a variety of educational settings, with diverse students and across a wide range of cultural contexts. Catherine’s research focuses on e-learning, technology enabled pedagogy in higher education, curriculum design, and global trends in education and teacher professional development. Her current research interests include the use of social networking tools to support learning, networked learning in higher education and knowledge creation processes.
Chris Boddey
Chris Boddey provides eLearning support to teaching staff across the Avondale College of Higher Education campuses and lectures at the Avondale Business School. Chris has a professional background across primary, secondary and tertiary education in both Queensland and New South Wales. Chris has been involved in supporting educational technology innovation for over thirty years and has utilised his experience in education to capitalise on business opportunities in education throughout his career. He has operated a small business in the education sector for over fifteen years and has twenty years’ experience in school governance. Chris is keenly aware of the challenges associated with the changing face of twenty-first century education in a variety of educational settings. His research interests include: professional development curriculum design and delivery, facilitating authentic blended learning environments and addressing barriers to effective ICT integration in education.
Variations in coherence and engagement in students’ experience of blended learning
Full paper
Feifei Han
The University of Sydney
Robert Ellis
The University of Sydney
Catch this session
Monday 4 December, 11.30am - 12pm
Stream 4
Room L209
Abstract
We report a study which examines variations in coherence and engagement of 344 first year engineering students’ blended learning experience. Using self-report and observational data sources, we demonstrate that student perceptions of the blended learning environment, academic learning outcomes, and actual engagement with the online learning activities are logically related at the variable level as shown by correlation analysis; and at the level of student groupings of similar learning experience and behaviors, as revealed by cluster, ANOVA, and 2 x 2 contingency analyses. Using self-report data, we found that when students perceived the learning activities in the f2f and online environments were coherent and integrated, they tended to be more engaged with the online learning and to perform relatively higher on the assessment tasks than students with negative perceptions. Using the observational data, students who were more engaged with the online learning tended to perceive that the online learning was well integrated with the f2f learning, that the online contributions were valuable for the whole learning experience, and achieved relatively higher than less engaged students. A 2 x 2 contingency table further revealed a logical relationship between the groupings of students based on the self-report and observational data: moderate and positive association was found between students with coherent perceptions and more engagement; and between students with fragmented perceptions and less engagement with the learning experience. The use of multiple data sources and methods enabled triangulation, strengthened analysis power, and offered a more comprehensive picture of students’ blended learning experience.
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.
Women and rural people’s participation in tertiary education through internet resources in India: A narrative inquiry
Full paper
Sandeep Kaur Sandhu
Monash University, Australia
Catch this session
Wednesday 6 December, 11.30am - 12pm
Stream 5
Room C204
Abstract
India has a large formal higher education system, however, the enrolment of women and rural people in universities is not substantial. Women enrolment in tertiary education was reported only 41.5% of the total enrolment in the academic year 2010-2011 and only 7% population in rural areas have a higher education. Many socio-cultural barriers prevent people from accessing higher education in India. The integration of the Internet into the higher education sector has the potential to improve access to tertiary education in India regardless gender and area. Using personal narrative and interview data, this article explores how Internet resources can be used to enhance women and rural people’s participation in tertiary education in India.
About the authors
Sandeep Kaur Sandhu
Dr Sandeep Kuar Sandhu is a Sessional Lecturer at Monash University, Australia and a casual research assistant at RMIT University, Australia. Sandeep was awarded her PhD on the use of educational technology in higher education settings from Monash University in 2016. Dr Sandeep Sandhu has special expertise in use of ICT in higher education, mixed-method approaches in educational researches, teacher education, narrative inquiries and the Social Construction of Technology theory. Sandeep has almost eight years of multicultural experience of teaching and research in tertiary education in Australia, UK and India.
Improving transnational and industry-supported student engagement through immersive videoconferencing in a 3D virtual environment
Innovation Award (2016)
Sasha Nikolic
University of Wollongong
Mark Lee
Charles Sturt University
Christian Ritz
University of Wollongong
Farzad Safaei
University of Wollongong
Tom Goldfinch
University of Wollongong
Wanqing Li
University of Wollongong
Catch this session
Tuesday 5 December, 12pm - 12.30pm
Stream 5
Room C204
Abstract
The aim of this project has been to use a novel immersive video collaboration technology to enhance the learning experience of transnational students, and to facilitate student interaction and engagement with their peers and with industry representatives. The goals are twofold: firstly, to afford offshore-enrolled students (those studying at overseas satellite campuses and partner institutions) equivalent learning experiences to locally enrolled students by emulating the essence of a single university campus environment, irrespective of their physical location; and secondly, to provide relevant and authentic learning opportunities for all students through real-time involvement of professionals and other subject-matter experts.
About the authors
Sasha Nikolic
Sasha Nikolic received the B.E. (telecommunications) in 2001 and PhD in Engineering Education in 2017 from the University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia. He spent several years in industry and then in 2006 commenced as Laboratory Manager, involved in improving and developing the teaching laboratories and sessional teaching staff with the University of Wollongong. In 2014, he became an Associate Lecturer in engineering education and in 2016 a Lecturer. Dr Nikolic became Chair of the NSW Chapter of the IEEE Education Society in 2014. He won a university Outstanding Contribution to Teaching and Learning Award in 2011. In 2012, he was awarded a Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning as part of the Australian Awards for University Teaching. In 2016, he also received awards for his contribution to engineering education through the IEEE, AAEE and ASCILITE.
Mark Lee
Christian Ritz
Farzad Safaei
Tom Goldfinch
Wanqing Li
The Student Relationship Engagement System: Empowering teachers to collect, analyse, and act on meaningful data to engage students at scale
Innovation Award (2016)
Danny Liu
The University of Sydney
@dannydotliu
Kevin Samnick
The University of Sydney
@kevin_samnick
Ruth Weeks
The University of Sydney
@ruthwsydney
Adam Bridgeman
The University of Sydney
@adambridgeman
Catch this session
Tuesday 5 December, 12pm - 12.30pm
Stream 1
Room H102
Abstract
The Student Relationship Engagement System (SRES) was developed at the University of Sydney to help academics personalise engagement with large student cohorts. Academics consistently report that positive feedback from students "shows how helpful the SRES is in allowing us to give the kind of personalised attention to students that time wouldn't otherwise allow". From marking attendance, analysing grades, collecting live feedback, and providing easy ways to personalise bulk feedback to students via emails and web portals, the SRES gives academics access to data that are meaningful in their contexts and helps them to create personalised learning environments with targeted feedback and support. This unique and inherently practical application of learning analytics is currently used across 20 departments in over 120 units and reaches over 20,000 students at the University of Sydney. It has been credited with increasing student engagement, improving retention rates, and enhancing students’ learning outcomes. The SRES is also being piloted at a number of other Australian universities, and we are keen for more collaborators. In this presentation, you will use the SRES live, hear about its implementation, wider adoption, and impact, and explore how it could impact students in your contexts.
About the authors
Danny Liu
Danny is a molecular biologist by training, programmer by night, researcher and academic developer by day, and educator at heart. A national teaching award winner, he focuses on wrangling technology to improve learning and teaching by working at the confluence of educational technology, student engagement, learning analytics, and professional development and leadership.
Kevin Samnick
Kevin is an Educational Designer with a background in secondary STEM teaching, pharmaceutical research, and biology. He is an advocate for education, learning, technology, and ensuring students and teachers are our first priority in higher education.
Ruth Weeks
Ruth is an Educational Design Manager with a background in teaching English as a foreign language and academic writing. She is passionate about teaching with technology and the future of digital education.
Adam Bridgeman
Adam is Director of Educational Innovation at the University of Sydney and has received institutional and national awards for teaching and is an Australian National Teaching Fellow. He aims to invigorate and change learning and teaching culture through a focus on blended, collaborative, and interactive learning designs.
Learning analytics: What's in it for me (the teacher) and us (myself and my students)?
Lightning round
Cathy Gunn
University of Auckland
@dr_cathy_gunn
Claire Donald
University of Auckland
Jenny McDonald
University of Auckland
Catch this session
Monday 4 December, 2.30pm - 3pm
Stream 2
Room R113
Abstract
Like many emergent trends in learning technology the potential for learning analytics to benefit teaching and learning is being explored with promising results. However adoption is a slow process and the level of impact on practice is so far disappointing (O’Brien, 2016). Our research found that institutions, researchers and teachers have different perceptions and use different language to talk about learning analytics. We will briefly discuss why this lack of common discourse is a barrier to progress, and runs the risk of ending in more failed expectations such as those described in the annual Gartner Hype Cycle Reports .
In three short presentations, we will describe examples of learning analytics tools and strategies developed to promote their adoption in practice by teachers and learning designers. A guiding principle is to produce easy to use tools that teachers can use or adapt to their own practice (Datnow & Hubbard, 2016; Ferguson et al., 2016). The tools must also serve a useful purpose, e.g. by supporting common tasks or addressing common challenges, and aligning with familiar teaching and assessment cycles.
Links will be provided to the open source tools and creative commons licensed resources produced by a nationally funded learning analytics research project in New Zealand.
About the authors
Cathy Gunn
Cathy Gunn is an Associate Professor at the Centre for Learning and Research in Higher Education (CLeaR) at the University of Auckland. She has been the Head of eLearning, Deputy Director, Acting Director and Principal Researcher, and produced more than 130 scholarly publications. She is an experienced learning technology researcher and an active contributor to international networks. She is a former President and life member of Ascilite.
Claire Donald
Claire Donald is a lecturer and learning designer at the Centre for Learning and Research in Higher Education (CLeaR) at the University of Auckland. She has 25 years’ experience as a learning designer and researcher in higher education, specifically in the fields of science and engineering education, MOOCs, teacher beliefs, learning analytics and learning design.
Jenny McDonald
Jenny McDonald is an independent researcher and a Research Associate at the Centre for Learning and Research (CLeaR), University of Auckland. Jenny has particular research interests in natural language processing techniques for formative feedback and learning analytics but she is broadly interested in the applications
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.
Debating the use of social media in higher education
Lightning talks 2
Julie Willems
RMIT University
@Julie_Willems
Chie Adachi
Deakin University
@ChieAdachi
Francesca Bussey
Deakin University
@fbussey1
Iain Doherty
Deakin University
Henk Huijser
Queensland University of Technology
@hhuijser
Catch this session
Tuesday 5 December, 12pm - 12.30pm
Stream 3
Room L206
Abstract
To an international audience on 28 November 2016, and as part of the presentations at ASCILITE 2016, a ‘great debate’ on the use of social media in higher education was conducted by a team of researchers. As part of the debate, there was an opportunity to tap into the collective wisdom of our attending experienced colleagues. Approximately 150 conference delegates attended the hour-long session in order to engage with both sides of the argument. The research team carefully crafted the arguments to ensure that the debate covered key areas of interest and concern found in the literature of teaching and learning, as well as concerns within the higher education sector as a whole. The aim was to prompt the audience to participate and contribute to a discussion reflective of multiple perspectives, albeit within a specialist group cohort. Using a roving microphone to draw contributions from the floor, as captured via the live video streaming tool Periscope, and in addition to comments captured in the live debate Twitter feed from both the audience participants and beyond, rich data was captured. As both sources of data are available in the public domain, research ethics exemption was granted. While the findings of this research will be compiled for a journal publication for further exploration, this presentation summarises the findings and expands on some key ideas that emerged from the debate and broader collegial input. These findings will form the basis for further exploration.
About the authors
Julie Willems
Dr Julie Willems holds qualifications in education, the humanities, and nursing. Her research interests include media and technology in formal and informal learning, along with educational and digital equity as social justice issue. She is a Senior Lecturer in RMIT’s central unit, the Learning & Teaching Academy. Julie was a of the auDA Foundation's national 2011 research grant for the i-Survive Project investigating the use of ‘back channel’ communications via mobile technologies and social media during Australian emergencies and disasters. Julie has a community focus and has served on a number of committees and boards relating to educational technology and social justice in education over the course of her career. She served on the national Executive of ODLAA from 2011 to 2014, and is currently in her second term on the ASCILITE national Executive. Julie is an active member of the ASCILITE 2018 conference to be hosted by Deakin University.
Chie Adachi
Dr Chie Adachi is a Lecturer within the central learning and teaching unit at Deakin University, Melbourne. She holds a PhD in Sociolinguistics and Masters and Bachelor degrees in Education (TESOL). Combined with her teaching and research experiences in the Higher Education sector for over 10 years across Japan, UK and Australia, she enjoys daily thinking about and researching within the area of digital learning, peer learning and intercultural communication.
Francesca Bussey
Dr Francesca Bussey is an academic at Deakin University working with Learning Futures, and the Faculty of Arts and Education, to lead and support innovation and capacity building in all areas of teaching and learning in higher education. Working with a small dedicated team, she specialises in curriculum development, online learning, MOOC delivery, quality assessment strategies, and the use of targeted digital technology to support learning and teaching. Francesca also teaches out of the School of Education, chairing a unit in the History and Philosophy of Education. With over 20 years’ experience working in higher education, Francesca has developed knowledge and skills in policy and planning, project implementation, outreach and student equity, academic skills delivery, building digital identities, teaching and learning, and online delivery. Francesca’s principal research interests are in the History and Philosophy of Technology and Education. Her research is informed by her academic background as an historian and her professional experience as a social equity practitioner. Special interests include social justice, feminist theory and philosophy for children.
Iain Doherty
Dr Iain Doherty heads up a team of academic, resource development and production specialists (the Pod) who work with the Faculty of Arts and Education to ensure effective course enhancement using Deakin’s Curriculum Framework. As a teaching and learning professional, Iain has a career history that has seen him develop knowledge and skills in inclusive leadership practices; strategic and operational planning; project management; and change management. Iain's collaborative approach to facilitating change in teaching and learning is grounded in a sound knowledge of: teaching and learning theories; curriculum and course design principles; purposeful use of technologies to enhance teaching and learning; and creating effective professional development opportunities for teachers. Iain has been research active throughout his career with a publication list that reflects his areas of career expertise along with his appreciation of collaborative research.
Henk Huijser
Dr Henk Huijser has been a Curriculum Designer in the Learning and Teaching Unit at Queensland University of Technology since September this year. Henk has a background and a PhD in screen and media studies, but has worked as an educational developer in Australia, the Arabian Gulf, and China since 2005. He has published widely in both the areas of learning and teaching in higher education, and media and cultural studies. For more information please visit: http://henkhuijser.webs.com/
Internet of Things (IoT), PBL and 3D holographic modelling for smart agriculture education at The University of Queensland
Full paper
Kim Bryceson
The University of Queensland
@kimpob742
Amando Navas Borrero
The University of Queensland
Fabian Vasuian
The University of Queensland
Catch this session
Wednesday 6 December 12pm - 12.30pm
Stream 1
Room H102 Allison Dickson Lecture Theatre
Abstract
The project described in this paper builds an innovative educational ‘front end’ to exciting technological developments in real time biophysical data gathering that are currently happening at The University of Queensland (UQ)’s regional campus (UQ Gatton ~85km SW of Brisbane in SE Queensland), via an Internet of Things (IoT) UQ Smart Campus Project. This paper describes the technologies involved, the development of a multifaceted web-based interface (dashboard) to the data collected, problem based learning modules, and 3D modelling using the real time streaming data acquired through the Internet of Things (IoT) technology of the UQ Gatton Smart Campus Initiative. The idea is to produce innovative teaching and assessment modules for multiple different courses in the UQ Science Faculty. The challenges and workarounds and two examples of using the data collected for problem-based learning modules will be described. Some discussion is included on what these technologies could provide in relation to delivering virtual reality, augmented reality and mixed reality environments for further teaching & learning developments in the “E” space being trialed currently with partners UQ ITS, Telstra/Readify, and Labster.
About the authors
Kim Bryceson
Kim is Professor of Agribusiness and Associate Dean Academic of the Science Faculty at the University of Queensland. Early research involved developing and implementing computer and satellite technology for integrated pest management, drought monitoring, site specific management and agribusiness decision support system development with the Commonwealth and Qld State governments. Over the last 15 years in academe she has been involved in agrifood supply and value chain analysis domestically and internationally with particular focus on using various modelling tools to construct supply chain risk assessment and performance management scenarios. She is the Director of the Agricultural Remote Sensing Laboratory at UQ’s Gatton campus where the collection of real time streaming Big Data through an Internet of Things infrastructure, plus the design, building and use of small drone technology and robotics for agricultural and environmental monitoring and sub-tropical agricultural research and teaching, is flourishing.
Amando Navas Borrero
An electrical engineer by first degree and professional experience, Armando has a family background in the cattle industry and is currently undertaking a PhD at the Agricultural Remote Sensing Lab at UQGatton specialising in the development and operationalisation of an Internet of Things data collection infrastructure as a tool for creating better management solutions for farmers
Fabian Vasuian
Fabian has completed a dual BEng / BSc in 2016 at UQ and after completing the required Internship for the BEng at the Agricultural Remote Sensing Lab in 2015/2016 at UQGatton, he is now working as a Systems Engineer with the UQ Gatton Smart Campus Internet of Things project, primarily delivering on the Data Dashboard product