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Item A Model for Online Unit Development: Necessity, the Catalyst for Invention(2001-06-01) Fetherston, Tony; Northcote, Maria T.Theoretical frameworks and practical processes driving online course development in tertiary institutions are currently under pressure, scrutiny and review and online courses are increasingly seen as an answer to these problems. Useable procedures, guidelines and tools are required to achieve the development of suitable courses. The new model for online unit development presented in this paper was developed by considering processes implemented in the fields of multimedia production, project management and distance education. Based on four main phases, the model recognises the centrality of issues such as course planning, media development and evaluation. As well as being suitable for a range of educational contexts, the model appears to be well suited to different cultural settings, particularly those involving Indigenous staff. Based on a semi-cyclic process, the model recognises the significance of tight timeframes, useable tools and supportive resources, and identifies the responsibilities of the major players in the development process.
Item A New Approach to Unit Content: Using Interview Transcriptions in an Interactive Online Unit.(2001-02-01) Northcote, Maria T.; Czekalowski, Donna; Oakes, Carol; Stratton, GregAt Kurongkurl Katitjin, the School of Indigenous Australian Studies at Edith Cowan University, we have developed an online unit for pre-tertiary students which focuses on the processes of writing fictional text. The unit, ABB 1112: Journeys in Writing, is part of the Indigenous University Orientation Course and is delivered by using a combination of online, print and multimedia materials.
Rather than basing this unit on a more traditional modularised content structure that has been used successfully in much distance education material, this unit has used interview transcriptions as the foundation of its content. Two Aboriginal authors, Dallas Winmar (dramatist) and Graeme Dixon (poet), were selected to form the focus of this innovative unit. By examining the way in which these two authors go about the process of writing fictional text, students come to discover and understand first-hand the processes involved in writing.
Both authors were interviewed on audio and video tape. Transcriptions of these tapes were then recorded and categorised into various sections. This text then not only formed the content of the unit but also drove the entire manner in which the unit was presented to students. The learning and assessment activities of the unit were based around the transcripts and the whole structure of the unit reflected this content. Additionally, by collecting content anew, from authentic sources, the authors had a direct input into how their work was presented in this educational online context, one which is culturally appropriate as it allows Indigenous authors to connect with Indigenous students.
Rather than basing this unit on a set of predetermined concepts, we have attempted to use a more flexible, authentic method providing students with relevant, culturally sensitive material. This paper examines the methods used to collect "fresh" content and how this content was used to create an interactive, online unit which reflects appropriate Indigenous ways of learning, as well as the principles of social constructivism and situational cognition. The unit uses current online technology in an attempt to cater for the diversity of the Indigenous student population.
Item A Semiotic Analysis of Representational Imagery Used in a Collective Design Task(2014-05-01) Williams, Anthony; Gu, Ning; Phare, DarinCollective Design seeks to explore how new forms of Collective Intelligence, arising from the web, allows mass participation in design. Regarding design we have a well established grounding for understanding how design works through the use of representations. Likewise, collective intelligence via certain crowdsourcing examples has demonstrated that a diverse crowd can trump ability groups, when the conditions are right. In the literature, crowdsourcing is the leading lens bridging design with collective intelligence. However in crowdsourcing design there is less focus on the role of shared representations, subsequently any collective diversity is mitigated by the models that govern the extraction of this intelligence. We propose that more effective design in collective intelligence lies in the crowd’s ability to generate meaningful contributions via the content of shared representations. In order to investigate this, the current paper examines data collected from a pilot study in which a representationally rich online collaborative presentation tool is used to provide a shared design space. The analysis presented applies our previously established semiotic framework to identify potential patterns in the meaningful communication of image based design information.
Item Acknowledging the Affirmative: Evidence of Supervision Learning Thresholds in Thesis Acknowledgements(2021-07-08) Northcote, Maria T.Mantai and Dowling (2015) refer to the Acknowledgements pages of higher degree research (HDR) theses as “an under-utilised yet rich data source” (p. 106) and Hyland (2004) recognises the way in which thesis Acknowledgements have the potential to “reveal academic preferences” and “point to the processes of its [the thesis’] creation” (p. 305). Using a matrix analysis technique (Miles & Huberman, 2013; Patton, 2015), this study mines the Acknowledgements section of a sample of 120 Masters and Doctoral theses to investigate HDR graduates’ views of their postgraduate supervisors to augment our current understanding of the learning thresholds of HDR supervisors.
Based on the conference sub-theme of “Troublesome not tricky: not all that challenges is a threshold”, this paper considers the more constructive nuances of threshold concept theory in relation to the learning thresholds of postgraduate supervisors. Instead of furthering the discussion that threshold concepts have become synonymous with learner difficulty, the question posed is: What do the affirmative and joyous experiences of postgraduate supervision have to offer threshold concept theory associated with the pedagogy of supervision? This study layers the viewpoints of HDR graduates’ positive experiences about supervision alongside some of the more negative experiences of supervisors that typically incorporate “darker themes”, “threats”, “ordeals” and “disorientation” (Carter, 2016, pp. 1139, 1145) as well as “barriers”, “power conflicts” and “tensions” (Ismail, Majid, & Ismail, 2013, pp. 165, 168).
This study’s findings do not discount the challenging aspects of HDR supervision, as represented in earlier research. Instead, an intertwined representation is offered of the challenging “living through” experiences of the HDR supervisor with the rosier “looking back” views from HDR candidates at the completion stage of their studies. A collection of light and dark learning thresholds, acquired by HDR supervisors while developing a pedagogy of supervision, is offered for consideration.
References
Carter, S. (2016). Supervision learning as conceptual threshold crossing: When supervision gets ‘medieval’. Higher Education Research & Development, 35(6), 1139-1152. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2016.1160875
Carter, S., & Sterm, S. (2014). The hardest step is over the threshold: Supervision learning as threshold crossing. Paper presented at the 11th Biennial Quality in Postgraduate Research Conference, The National Wine Centre, Adelaide. http://www.qpr.edu.au/Proceedings/QPR_Proceedings_2014.pdf
Hyland, K. (2004). Graduates’ gratitude: the generic structure of dissertation acknowledgements. English for Specific Purposes, 23(3), 303-324. doi:doi.org/10.1016/S0889-4906(03)00051-6
Ismail, H. M., Majid, F. A., & Ismail, I. S. (2013). “It's complicated” relationship: Research students’ perspective on doctoral supervision. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 90, 165-170. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2013.07.078
Mantai, L., & Dowling, R. (2015). Supporting the PhD journey: Insights from acknowledgements. International Journal for Researcher Development, 6(2), 106-121.
Miles, M. B., & Huberman, A. M. (2013). Qualitative data analysis (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Patton, M. Q. (2015). Qualitative research and evaluation methods (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, California: SAGE Publications, Inc.
Item Analogy As a Means of Communicating(2014-12-01) Rickett, Carolyn; Williams, AnthonyThe issue which impacts most significantly on the process of reaching shared understanding, through the design discussion in the team, is the ability of team members to communicate their design ideas and technical concepts with other members of the team. The ability to effectively participate in the forum of a design team unquestionably requires an ability to communicate design ideas and discipline specific information. The study, reported in this paper, considers one of the communication strategies available to the designer, which contributes to effective communication within the design team context, the paper will focus on analogy or the metaphor. In research,to date, on problem solving in scientific research teams [Dunbar,1995] two levels of analogy have been identified. In this study of Multi-disciplinary Design Teams it was established that the team members used a third level of analogy, this relating to the use of “metaphors” drawn from outside the specific design domain the team is working within. The industry based research identified both the importance and complexity of the role of analogy has as a communication practice, but what do our students know about its use and do they know how to use it effectively? This paper looks at the use of analogy and considers ways of introducing our graduates to an understanding of analogy as an effective part of their range of communication strategies.
Item Anthropometric Measurements in Zambian Children(2006-01-01) Ormsby, Gail; Rivera, Maribet; Metgalchi, Shiva; Duran, Rebecca; Cordero-MacIntyre, ZaidaThe International Society for the Advancement of Kinanthropometry held its 9th International Conference in Thessaloniki, Greece in August 2004. The meeting was held in conjunction with the 2004 Pre-Olympic Congress, immediately prior to the XXVIII Olympic Games in Athens. These papers represent the current state of research and knowledge in kinanthropometry, and will be of particular interest to students and researchers in sport and exercise science, kinanthropometry, physical education and human sciences
Item Application of the ACSM Guidelines for Fluid and Carbohydrate Replacement to a 90 Minute Indoor Group 'Aerobics' Session(2008-01-01) Morton, DarrenThe ACSM recommends that for exercise exceeding one hour, individuals can benefit from consuming a 4-8% carbohydrate solution at a rate of 600-1200 ml/hr. The purpose of this study was to evaluate these guidelines in the context of an indoor group 'aerobics' session. Methods: Nineteen individuals (6 male!1l female) participated in three 90 minute group'aerobic'sessions (-80% HRmax) during which they consumed no !luid, flavoured water (0 carbohydrate) or an 8% CHO solution (Powerade®), at a rate of900 ml/hr (total= 1350 ml). Results: The subjects incurred greater fluid losses (p=O.OO) when they consumed water (1.00±0.28l) or Powerade® (1.09±0.l2l) as compared to no !luid (0.75±O.J1l), mostly as a consequence of greater (p=O.OO) urine production. Sweat production was lower in the no fluid trial (0.62±0.21l) than the Powerade® trial (0.77±0.241, p=0.02)' but no different from the water trial (0.69±0.25l, p=0.25). There was a trend forthe Powerade® to cause a smaller rise in heart rate throughoutthe session (p=0.08) but the increase in the rating of perceived exertion was similar for all trials (p=0.49). No trial recorded significant or dangerous rises in core temperature. The trials in which fluid was consumed were no more provocative of gastrointestinal symptoms including burping, reflux, nausea and bloating. There was a trend (p=0.07) towards fewer symptoms oi'stitch'when no fluid was consumed. Conclusions: Consuming water or a carbohydrate solution according to the ACSM gUidelines did not appear to provide clear benefits or disadvantages during a 90 minute group 'aerobics' session performed in a temperate indoor environment
Item Assessment Online: New Horizons and Blue Skies(2003-01-01) Northcote, Maria T.; McLoughlin, CatherineThe use of the WWW in tertiary learning environments offers greater adaptability and flexibility than traditional assessment procedures as it enables the planning and design of tasks that monitor both learning processes and learning outcomes. This paper proposes that the move towards alternative assessment paradigms has been accelerated by technology with its capacity to offer learners a broad array of activities, tasks and forums for engaging in constructivist learning. It is anticipated that the benefits of online assessment will far outweigh its drawbacks and become accepted practice for both online and offline learners.
Item Benchmark Yourself: Self-Reflecting about Online Teaching(2011-12-01) Brown, Philip; Seddon, Jack; Northcote, MariaTeachers need effective online teaching and course development skills to engage higher education students in meaningful, socially contextual, challenging and engaging learning experiences. To develop these skills, academic teaching staff typically attend professional learning activities, such as workshops to investigate online learning and strategies, engage in one-to-one consultations with online learning experts, and analyse practical exemplars. Online teacher/designers are often perplexed by the transitional conundrums between the modes of on-campus and online teaching, and grapple with how to endow online learning contexts with the same qualities of good on-campus learning contexts. Many online teachers and designers of online courses are self-taught whereas others rely on institutionally-provided courses, workshops and seminars to extend their online teaching skills. This paper reports on a utilisation-focused evaluation methodology (Patton, 1997) that was adopted to develop a self-reflection rubric tool to guide academic teaching staff in the evaluation of their own online teaching and course development skills.
Item Breaking the Silence: Connecting and Strengthening the Voices of Christian Early Childhood Professionals in Australia through developing Communities of Practice aligned with the aims of the Australian Early Childhood Christian Educators Association(2018-04-01) Judge, Sharon KayeThere are many Christian, Early Childhood services in Australia, but minimal professional development support networks. There is a shortage of appropriately trained Christian Early Childhood educators and academics to sustain current employment levels. There is also a gap in research in relation to Christian Early Childhood leadership and practice. A strong compliance and standards based approach to leadership is presenting a critical challenge to the Early Childhood profession within Australia and globally. Prominent Australian Early Childhood leaders have raised the alarm and given the call for Early Childhood educators to pushback against the destructive forces of neoliberalism.
I propose that through a Communities of Practice (CoP) model ACECEA can present a united, dynamic approach towards providing authentic solutions to micro and macro, political and social, early childhood concerns. This paper describes the recent initiatives and research directions of Christian Early Childhood leaders who presented a united voice at the inaugural conference of the Australian Christian Early Childhood Educators Association in September 2017. Through ‘Modelling Christ’s Love’, Christian Early Childhood educators and leaders, across Australia and New Zealand are invited to unite their voices through research informed dynamic Communities of Practice in the best interests of young children.
Item Can the Use of Web 2.0 Tools Help Deliver 21st Century Learning?(2014-10-01) McLeod, Bobby; Beamish, PeterIt has long been recognized that people need to be literate to function optimally within society. The 21st century has seen technology increase the complexity of environments, so that a literate person must now possess a wide range of abilities, competencies, and literacies. These have often been referred to as “21st-century skills” and while many of them are not new, the extent to which individual success depends on having such skills is new. The current study seeks to explore ways in which technology can be used to increase literacy and enhance 21st century skills in students.
1193 students attending Sahmyook University in Seoul, South Korea were placed in small groups and asked to make a movie in English. This constructivist, real-world, group-based project required students to collaboratively negotiated their way through a variety of language, technical and social challenges using a wiki. We can conclude from this study that collaborative projects, supported by web 2.0 tools, can deliver worthwhile learning.
Students reported that the project; was interesting and rewarding, improved their relationships with classmates, encouraged teamwork, improved English skills, facilitated positive attitudes and the development of ICT skills. Students experienced improved technical, collaborative, leadership, critical thinking and problem solving skills that enhanced knowledge and contributed to their personal 21st century skill set.
Item Challenges of Introducing PBL in Engineering: Lecturers’ and Students’ Perspectives(2015-01-01) Sher, Willy; Williams, Anthony; Wan Muhd Zin, Wan H.Problem-based learning (PBL) has become widely used across the professional education sector and is now emerging in engineering education as a viable teaching and learning strategy. PBL originated some 45 years ago in medical education at universities in McMaster (Canada), Maastricht (Netherlands) and Newcastle (Australia), and since then has gain popularity worldwide in many fields.
The PBL approach as presented in literature supports a shift from teacher-directed learning to facilitation of students’ learning. Facilitation involves a different style of teaching compared to traditionally accepted styles, and from the experience of both students and lecturers, brings several challenges. A skilled PBL facilitator who is secure in his/her role can contribute significantly to the effectiveness of PBL groups’ work and thus to students’ learning.
This paper reports on a qualitative study of the experiences of academic staff and students at one institution, the German Malaysian Institute (GMI), in Malaysia. During interviews and focus groups, lecturers and students identified the challenges that lecturers face in effectively facilitating PBL. Analyses revealed two major themes that inhibit success: lecturers’ and students’ adaptation to PBL. These findings provide interesting insights into what is required to adapt to this mode of delivery.
Item Chemistry and the Pendulum – What Have They to do With Each Other?(2006-08-01) de Berg, Kevin C.Physicists have known for some time that pendulum motion is a useful analogy for other physical processes. Chemists have played with the idea from time to time but the strength of the analogy between pendulum motion and chemical processes has only received prominent published recognition since about 1980, although there are details of the analogy that still remain to be explored. This paper suggests that thinking of the pendulum as a type of energy converter can help students understand the energy conversions involved in molecular collisions associated with a chemical reaction. In particular, the relationship between kinetic and potential energy becomes vital in understanding the process of bond breaking, bond making, and enthalpy change in a chemical reaction. As a result, the principles behind transition state theory become somewhat easier to grasp. However, the use of the pendulum as an analogy for a reaction approaching chemical equilibrium can lead to misconceptions. The paper also discusses the nature of catalytic feedback, periodicity and non-periodicity in oscillating chemical reactions and the extent to which the action of a pendulum might elucidate these phenomena. Identifying the limitations as well as the strengths of an analogy is an important consideration when an analogy is applied to a teaching and learning situation. While one is tempted to think that pendulum action is probably more pertinent to the study of physics, there are important applications in the field of chemistry. © Springer 2006.
Item Communication Skills for Online Students: An Evaluation of a Website(2001-02-01) Kendle, Amanda; Northcote, Maria T.During the year 2000 two instructional designers combined their efforts and skills to create a website which gives students and educators a way to find out about and practise online communication skills, specifically email, bulletin boards, online forms and online chat. With the growth of online courses, information databases and Internet based administration, online communication is more important than ever before. A person's ability to communicate online often influences their ability to succeed in business, academia and employment.
The principles of online instructional design upon which the "Communication Skills for Online Students" website was based aim to support and promote a constructivist learning environment. Specific attention was given to situated cognition in that the examples upon which the site is built are truly authentic, taken from real life situations. Furthermore, the activities integrated throughout the site guide students through and immerse them in authentic online contexts such as public bulletin boards, synchronous chat rooms and active online forms.
The website's design purposely incorporated a variety of evaluative tools. Online forms were provided for users to submit both quantitative and qualitative evaluation data. Incidental and contextual links were provided to direct users to these evaluation tools throughout the site. Furthermore, one of the learning activities within the site requires users to contact the authors with comments and questions about how they were able to use this online resource.
This website has been in operation since September 2000 and a range of data has been collected from three main groups of users: the general public, university students and university lecturers. The data has been analysed and the website has been evaluated by using several well known models of multimedia and web evaluation.
This paper examines the overall outcomes of the use of this website in terms of its initial objectives. It presents the methods used to collect and analyse the evaluation data gained from users of the site and identifies specific areas in which the site has been and can be improved in the future as a direct result of user feedback.
Item Crafting Challenging PBL Problems in Engineering Curricula(2015-07-01) Williams, Anthony; Sher, William; Wan Muhd Zin, Wan H.Problem Based Learning (PBL) is becoming widely used in engineering education. PBL, as a teaching approach, is claimed to stimulate students in higher order thinking, encourage discussion and exploration, enhance problem solving skills and encourage the interest of learners. Crafting challenging and engaging problems is critical in PBL. Educators need to acknowledge the strategies which support the development of effective PBL problems. Studies have found that crafting problems for PBL courses in engineering is considered a challenging task, especially in environments where the only method of imparting technical education has been through a combination of traditional lectures, tutorials and practical exercises.
This paper documents the results of an on-going study of the experiences of academic staff implementing PBL at one institution in Malaysia, the German Malaysian Institute (GMI). Interviews were conducted with twenty PBL facilitators to explore lecturers’ challenges and support needs in PBL. Their responses revealed that crafting engineering problems and gauging their effectiveness is a major challenge. This paper provides an overview of the features of effective problems, the principles associated with crafting such problems, and a checklist to guide those involved in the crafting process.
Item Cross-Continental Research Collaborations about Online Teaching(2013-01-01) Northcote, Maria T.; Gosselin, Kevin P.Increasingly, faculty academics are required to teach and design online courses. However, in many cases, faculty members report having low levels of confidence, self-efficacy and competence to teach in online environments. Although their professional learning is often enhanced by institutional support strategies such as workshops, online instruction and mentoring systems, many faculty academics learn through “just-in-time” rather than “just-in-case” strategies.
This paper reports on the findings from a cross-continental research project between researchers in two higher education institutions in the United States and Australia. The project was initiated to: 1) determine the learning needs of faculty members who teach online and design online courses; and 2) to develop tailored professional learning programs and resources to enable faculty members to become effective online teachers and skilled online course designers.
As well as providing an account of the research findings to date, the paper provides recommendations for other researchers who may be considering cross-institutional or cross-continental research about online teaching, online course design and professional learning programs.
Item Design Influences in the Creation of an Online Mathematics Unit for Indigenous Adults(2001-12-01) Lenoy, Max; Northcote, Maria T.; Marshall, LindaThis paper documents the specific influences on the design decisions associated with the creation of an online unit for Indigenous adult learners. As part of a bridging course, the unit of study, Thinking Mathematically, primarily aims to increase the students’ mathematical skills and confidence levels in a supportive, constructive context. The manner in which the unit was designed was informed by a number of important factors relating to the specific student audience, the mathematical content of the unit, online learning principles and past feedback from our students. The presentation of the unit content, the provision of learning tools and the selection of communication technologies are aspects of the unit that are examined in this paper.
Item Designing an Innovative System to Evaluate a Postgraduate Supervision Support and Development Framework(2016-04-01) Carton, Janet; Williams, Anthony; Northcote, Maria T.; Mitchell, Brett G.; de Waal, Kayle; Anderson, Malcolm; Petrie, KevinThe supervision of a doctoral student engages the supervisor/s and the candidate in a professional learning and teaching relationship, described by some as the pedagogy of supervision (Grant, 2005; Nulty, Kiley, & Meyer, 2009). In the past few decades, many universities have developed ‘supervisor training’ programs and other innovations to support supervisors. These programs are designed to cultivate the necessary knowledge and skills to support academic and research staff to supervise postgraduate student(s) (Carton & Kelly, 2014; Carton, O’Farrell, & Kelly, 2013; Luca et al., 2013). As part of a project that was funded by an Office for Learning and Teaching (OLT) Extension Grant, such a Framework was recently designed and implemented at Avondale College of Higher Education, a small higher education institution in the early phases of postgraduate program development (Petrie et al., 2015). The effectiveness of such initiatives is often difficult to measure in small institutions such as Avondale; the relatively small number of students and supervisors does not always provide the breadth of feedback necessary to evaluate success using traditionally employed evaluation methods. This paper reports on the innovative evaluation system developed as part of this project, using the pedagogy of supervision as a frame of reference to evaluate the Framework. This evaluation process is being undertaken using a design-based research methodology (Anderson & Shattuck, 2012) which has guided the construction of evaluation criteria and metrics to evaluate the effectiveness of Avondale's Research Training Support Framework. The developed evaluation method and its initial findings will be reported in this paper.
Item Develop and Implement an Institutional Framework to Support and Improve Supervision of Honours and Higher Degree Research Students(2016-04-01) Lemke, Gina; Mitchell, Brett G.; Anderson, Malcolm; de Waal, Kayle; Petrie, Kevin; Williams, Anthony; Northcote, Maria T.The purpose of this project is to develop and implement an institutional supervision support framework to improve and enhance the capacity of Avondale's academic staff to supervise honours and higher degree students.
Item Develop and Implement an Institutional Framework to Support and Improve Supervision of Honours and Higher Degree Research Students(2016-01-01) Lemke, Gina; Mitchell, Brett G.; Anderson, Malcolm; de Waal, Kayle; Petrie, Kevin; Williams, Anthony; Northcote, Maria T.Develop and Implement an Institutional Framework to Support and Improve Supervision of Honours and Higher Degree Research Students" (2016). Education Conference Papers. Paper 33. http://research.avondale.edu.au/edu_conferences/33