Us and IT: Capacity-building for blended learning - an intersection between educator, pedagogy, and technology
Concise paper
Kaye Cleary
Victoria University
Gayani Samarawickrema
Victoria University
Sally Gauci
Victoria University
Catch this session
Tuesday 5 December, 11am - 11.20am
Stream 5
Room C204
Abstract
When Victoria University (VU) Australia, adopted a new learning management system (LMS) as part of its Blended Learning Strategy and Operational Plan in 2014, it introduced a range of support structures including a staff support and training program. Complementing this, the Graduate Certificate in Higher Education (the course providing professional development for early career academic staff) offered an elective AET4010 Blended Learning Design and Development fusing the pedagogical and theoretical aspects of blended learning to foster teaching as a design science. In this study we investigate the effectiveness of AET4010 in developing participants’ capacity to design and, develop blended learning.
In this paper we report on the data from the first stage of this investigation. Data is derived from assessment rubrics. Complementary qualitative data will be collected in the second stage via interviews conducted after the participants complete the unit. We analyse our findings against the JISC Building Digital Capability Framework mapped to the UK Professional Standards Framework. This Framework identifies early career academics’ capabilities (Associate Fellows). The emerging findings indicated the value of capacity building through a structured unit of study enabling participants to experience learning from their own learner’s standpoint while reflecting on pedagogical perspectives and ‘teaching as design’.
About the authors
Kaye Cleary
Kaye Cleary coordinates Victoria University’s Graduate Certificate in Tertiary Education, one facet of her wider brief of Professional Development Coordination. She has taught online for eleven years and in a blended mode of on-campus and on-line learning for four years. Professional development initiatives for academics moving into teaching in an online environment has been a focus of her research.
Gayani Samarawickrema
Gayani Samarawickrema is an Educational Developer at Victoria University with research interests in learning and teaching with technology.
Sally Gauci
Sally Gauci is an Educational Developer at Victoria University. She is the unit coordinator of AET4010 Blended Learning Design and Development, an elective unit in the Graduate Certificate in Tertiary Education. Her recent work involves supporting university learning and teaching initiatives in the discipline area of Health and Biomedicine.
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 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.
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.
Exploratory panel: Privacy, trust, student data, and the university
Join us for a thought-provoking, and sometimes challenging, discussion on privacy, trust, student data and the university. This important discussion will be open and free for all to attend online.
Applications such as Facebook, Gmail, Twitter, and iTunes offer users convenience, connection, and content for no perceived upfront cost, but the currency of digital citizenship is privacy. Data collection, use, and resale by global companies reinforces the perception of private information as a commodity, with ethical, legal, and technological consequences largely unexplored.
As higher education institutions increasingly collect and use data, questions arise over student privacy and the impact on a relationship of trust. This is exacerbated by the use of third-party (and often commercial) products in the curriculum; from publisher texts and online resources that require unique student log-in, to test banks that track individual student performance, to the integration of services like Google+ and Facebook into learning and teaching activities. Furthermore, questions arise when companies dealing with student data are purchased by commercial interests and the data is seen as ‘goods and chattels’ in the company sale.
This panel seeks to explore emerging ethical, legal, educational, and technological issues surrounding the collection and use of student data by universities, and the impact these strategies have on student trust and privacy.
The session will be live-streamed and accessible either in-person at the conference, or online.
Please join us for what will be a thought-provoking, and sometimes challenging, session at ASCILITE 2017.
For those not able to attend the seminar, you can follow along via Twitter using the conference hashtag #ascilite17
About the panellists
Catch this session
Tuesday 5 December, 1.30pm – 3pm
Room H102 Allison Dickson Lecture Theatre
Live streamed via Zoom
Barney Dalgarno (facilitator)
Professor Barney Dalgarno is Director of Learning Online at Charles Sturt University, leading strategic innovation for Australia’s largest online learning provider. Professor Dalgarno’s research contributions have been in three broad areas: the relationship between learning technology and learning theory; learning in polysynchronous learning environments, including 3D virtual environments; and university teacher and student use of learning technologies. He has had international influence over many years through journal editorship, conference program committee leadership, and assessing of teaching awards and research grants for international bodies. He has obtained numerous grants and consultancies for higher education research and innovation and has authored over 75 refereed publications. Professor Dalgarno has received recognition for his innovative teaching and research including ALTC Citations in 2007 and 2011 and a 2013 ASCILITE Fellow Award.
Jasmine Thomas
Jasmine holds a Bachelor of Laws (hons) (USQ) and Graduate Certificate of Art and Design (UNSW). She has lectured in e-commerce law, privacy law and postgraduate legal research methodology. Her research interests lie in the areas of technology law, privacy law and legal ethics. She investigated technology use and the priority of place in lawyers’ ethics for her PhD (USQ) thesis, awarded in 2017.
Kirsty Kitto
Kirsty Kitto (@kirstykitto) is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS). She models the ways in which humans interact with complex information environments, paying special attention to the interdependencies between language, attitudes, memory and learning. She works in the Connected Intelligence Centre (CIC) where she is seeking new ways of using data to help people navigate an increasingly connected world. She is currently leading a project funded by the Australian government which is developing xAPI based solutions for instructors who want to teach “in the wild” beyond the LMS, and a grant funded by Graduate Careers Australia which is seeking to use xAPI to use learning analytics to help university students work towards developing evidence about their skills and capabilities in a chosen career. In past roles, Kirsty has worked on many projects in partial secondments to QUTs Learning and Teaching Unit, including the Learning Futures project, the creation of a new generation of teaching performance metrics, and the REAL employability project.
Kate Young
Kate Young is currently studying a Bachelor of Health( Biomedical Science Major) as a pathway to medicine (however at the same time is totally prepared to fall in love with an area and end up in research!). Kate balances mixed-mode study with work and family, and is currently the Meet-Up Leader for Chemistry 1 and Chemistry 2, and is the president of the USQ Club of Science.
Allan Christie
Allan is currently the Vice-President, eLearning for Blackboard APAC and this reflects his 30+ years of experience as both an academic and industry leader in the area of eLearning. During his academic career, Allan published extensively and presented at many national and international conferences and was recognised for Excellence in Teaching and Learning at the University of South Australia. Through his long industry association with ASCILITE he was awarded a Life Member of the Society in 2003 and currently has the role of Treasurer. Allan has taken on a “thought-leadership” role in the region which includes conference presentations, panel membership, industry association involvement and social media (blog, twitter) engagement.
