bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Using activity theory and its principle of contradictions to guide research in educational technology
Authors: Murphy Elizabeth , Rodriguez-Manzanares Maria A.
Published: April 2016

This paper describes how activity theory (AT) and its principle of contradictions may be relied on to guide research in educational technology. The paper begins with a theoretical overview of AT and of its principle of contradictions. It follows with a synthesis of studies that have used AT as a lens to study information and communication technologies (ICTs) in educational contexts. We analyse educational technology studies that have focused on contradictions in terms of their underlying assumptions, research questions, approaches to analysis, findings, and implications. The lens of AT and contradictions provides a versatile tool to inquire into various aspects of educational technology use, taking into account individual and institutional perspectives as well as evolution over time. AT and its principle of contradictions provide insights into how transformation may occur with use of ICTs in educational contexts.
ICT integration processes in Turkish schools: Using activity theory to study issues and contradictions
Authors: Demiraslan Yasemin , Usluel Yasemin Koçak
Published: April 2016

This study used activity theory to examine complex pedagogical, social, and technological issues in ICT integration process at the classroom level. We identified and analysed the contradictions within the activity system and discussed potential effects, which Engeström called 'expansive learning'. We conducted case studies and collected data through semi-structured interviews, video records and observations. Based on the results we concluded that, along with lack of technology and access, the organisational culture, the changing roles of teachers and students with regard to ICT, inflexible timetable curriculum, support of the school administration, the mediator role of ICT coordinator, and collaboration among the teachers were also imperatives that need to be taken into consideration in ICT integration processes.
Beyond policy: Strategic actions to support ICT integration in Japanese schools
Authors: Vallance Michael
Published: April 2016

Since the late 1990s technology has become a central component of national education policies in many Asian countries. In Singapore schools, for instance, technology has become central in teaching, learning and administration. On the other hand, Japanese schooling has been largely impervious to advances in educational technology. This paper aims to stimulate discourse between policy makers, teachers, researchers and the community in Japan and internationally to consider informed, meaningful strategies required for developing suitably skilled pupils for today's Digital Age. The paper begins with a summary of Singapore's technology centric education policy, called theMasterplan for IT in Education. The Japanese context is then summarised and a number of recently proposed educational reforms are discussed. It will be argued that these reforms do not lend themselves to supporting the necessary development of digital competency required of Japanese school pupils in the 21st century. To overcome the shortcomings, strategic actions to support meaningful ICT integration in education, influenced by the Singapore experience, will be proposed.
Building e-based literacy for vocational education and training students
Authors: Verezub Elena , Grossi Vittoria , Howard Kerry , Watkins Patricia
Published: April 2016

The use of the Internet within educational settings means that the term 'literacy' must be broadened to encompass new skills and reflect the merging of old and new literacy. For practitioners the challenge lies in making new media meaningful and empowering for students. Whilst interacting with hypertext has received much attention over the last two decades, little research has focused on comprehending in the hypertext context. This study investigated and compared the effectiveness of metacognitive reading comprehension strategies training on students' comprehension when reading hypertexts with linear structure containing text, picture or audio links. It was predicted that training students to monitor their comprehension would result in enhanced reading comprehension for a hypertext. In order to verify the hypothesis for the study, pretest, three training sessions and post-tests were conducted with the first year Diploma students studying within the Department of Horticulture and Environmental Science. The results indicated that training to apply metacognitive strategies enhanced comprehension in the hypertext context.
Using blogging for higher order learning in large cohort university teaching: A case study
Authors: Farmer Brett , Yue Audrey , Brooks Claire
Published: April 2016

The small but developing literature on weblogging underscores its potential as an effective learning resource for use in higher education. This paper contributes to these discussions through an initial case study of the authors' experience with the on going development of an educational blogging resource for use in a large cohort, undergraduate liberal arts subject. Detailing the theoretical aims, design, implementation and incipient evaluation of the project, the paper supports the argument for the educational use and value of blogging but also highlights potential limitations and problem areas.
Quantifying the reuse of learning objects
Authors: Elliott Kristine , Sweeney Kevin
Published: April 2016

This paper reports the findings of one case study from a larger project, which aims to quantify the claimed efficiencies of reusing learning objects to develop e-learning resources. The case study describes how an online inquiry project Diabetes: A waste of energy was developed by searching for, evaluating, modifying and then integrating as many pre-existing learning objects as possible into a learning design. Development times for the reuse approach were recorded and compared to estimates for the de novo development of an equivalent project. Outcomes suggest that considerable savings can be made using the reuse approach; we estimate a threefold increase in time to develop the Diabetes project using new objects in comparison to reuse. In this case study, gaining permission from owners to reuse objects was not a barrier to reuse. However, in some circumstances, being unable to source pre-existing objects to meet specific requirements, or having to modify objects for reuse, could be problematic.
Harnessing distributed musical expertise through edublogging
Authors: Chong Eddy K. M.
Published: April 2016

The pedagogical potential of edublogging - blogging used as an educational tool and strategy - in music teaching has been explored in two previous studies; a third exploration has now been conducted. Recognising the social and contextual dimensions of knowledge and of the learning process, I reflect on all three experiences from a distributed cognition perspective, as opposed to a traditional cognitivist one. First, the edublogging scenario in each case will be seen through the lens of distributed cognition in respect of the nature of its learning community and culture. Then, these instructional endeavours are evaluated against the distributed cognition ideals. The pedagogy discussed here leverages the potential of edublogging to draw on distributed musical expertise. Apart from being in line with the current trend in learning theories towards emphasising distributed cognition and community based learning, such a pedagogical strategy in part also offers a viable solution to the challenge of addressing an increasingly expanding curriculum, whether in music or other subjects, due to knowledge explosion and the pressures of globalisation.
Student and staff perceptions of the effectiveness of plagiarism detection software
Authors: Atkinson Doug , Yeoh Sue
Published: April 2016

The aim of this research was to determine student and staff perceptions of the effectiveness of plagiarism detection software. A mixed methods approach was undertaken, using a research model adapted from the literature. Eight hours of interviews were conducted with six students and six teaching staff from Curtin Business School at Curtin University of Technology, which had trialled the plagiarism detection software, EVE2. A survey questionnaire was completed by 171 students involved in the trial. The summary indication was that students perceived that plagiarism is an important issue; detection software makes it easier for lecturers; it is fair to use detection software; students support its use; and it will have some effect in preventing plagiarism. However, students' concerns included being caught for unintentional plagiarism, teaching staff placing too much emphasis on detection results above student ability, and the accuracy of the software at detecting plagiarism. Concerns for teaching staff included the time taken for the detection process, limitation of the software to publicly based Internet sources and direct copying, and the extra workload involved with pursuing academic misconduct.
Doing staff development: Practices, dilemmas and technologies
Authors: Hannon John
Published: April 2016

Online learning technologies now pervade higher education institutions, and the convergence of teaching and learning onto technological systems has created new work practices and a demand for staff development. Educational developers are located at a nexus between the institutional and pragmatic imperatives, from which tensions and incongruencies emerge and need to be resolved in daily practice. In this paper, this nexus is explored by analysing accounts of educational development practice from one institution, based on interviews with educational developers. This paper considers staff development practices in higher education in response to the processes of change associated with learning technology, and the strategies used to resolve incongruencies and conflicts that emerged from these practices were analysed. The discourse analytic method of "interpretative repertoires" (Potter & Wetherell, 1987) is used to explore the resolution of dilemmas in practice. In this case study, two contrasting repertoires are used to account for staff development: one that 'enables' academic staff in their use of learning technologies, and another which 'guides' staff in their online teaching towards specified technologies. The intersection of the two repertoires in the institution presented dilemmas for educational developers. The responses to these contexts and the implications for educational development are explored.
Academic and student use of a learning management system: Implications for quality
Authors: Weaver Debbi , Spratt Christine , Nair Chenicheri Sid
Published: April 2016

Many higher education institutions have implemented a learning management system (LMS) to manage online learning and teaching, with varying levels of support provided to staff and students, but often there is little subsequent investigation into the quality of the online sites or the use made of the support structures provided. This paper presents findings from an institutional survey investigating the use of WebCTby academic staff and students in their learning and teaching at a large Australian university. It was expected that student feedback would relate to technical and infrastructure issues, but instead, the survey elicited responses primarily on how WebCT was used in teaching and learning, indicating that quality control is a major issue for the University. Student opinions appear to reflect more the use of the technology made by teaching staff - students who have experienced a well-designed unit rich with resources, timely feedback and good interaction with staff reported a positive experience with the technology. Staff responses are more focused on the technical and administrative aspects of using WebCT rather than teaching issues. The findings in this paper have implications for quality teaching and learning with technology, and the way in which tertiary institutions support academic staff.
Prerequisites for interactive learning in distance education: Perspectives from Swedish students
Authors: Östlund Berit
Published: April 2016

This article investigates distance students' understanding of the prerequisites for interactive learning in asynchronous, computer mediated university distance studies. It encompasses students' attitudes to structure, dialogue and autonomy, and their experience of social presence and what they consider interaction with peer learners signifies for their learning. The data were collected from an undergraduate and a masters course within the teacher training distance program, using questionnaires, interviews, diaries and analysis of students' contributions in FirstClass and WebBoard respectively. The results indicate that there was no difference between the student groups in preferences concerning structure, dialogue and autonomy. Their preferences depended on their ideas about how to benefit from different situations. They preferred a course design permitting them to use time effectively in relation to their other commitments outside the university. The results also indicate that they felt social presence despite using only asynchronous, text based communication. The student groups, however, had different ideas about the significance of inter-learner interactions. The amount of spontaneous contributions sent toWebBoard and FirstClass also differed. The undergraduate students stressed the social and practical aspects, while the masters students to a greater extent emphasised the cognitive aspects. The amount of spontaneous interactions was also higher in the undergraduate group. These students need more support from others in order to manage their studies compared to the masters students.
Effective online interaction: Mapping course design to bridge from research to practice
Authors: Thorpe Mary
Published: April 2016

Quantitative and qualitative research of a case study course confirmed that the course achieved a highly interactive learning experience, associated with more effective student support and high student retention. Computer conferencing achieved high participation from the beginning and evidence of dialogue and argumentation within online tutor groups. This was achieved not by active tutor moderation but by a sequence of structured tasks. Compendium mind mapping software has been used to represent the design of this sequence of tasks and this has refined interpretation of the research findings. The positive outcomes identified relate not purely to computer conferencing but to an integration of individual and group tasks feeding forward into a well-designed assignment. The usability of case study data relates to the ability of practitioners to compare their own context with that of the case. The visual representation of the design of the task sequence is providing a better bridge from the research to the practice context than the use of general description of findings alone. This is particularly important in an area which has generated a range of sometimes conflicting findings, with weak links to the challenges of course design.
 
The digital video database: A virtual learning community for teacher education
Authors: So Winnie Wing-mui , Hung Vincent Hing-keung , Yip Walker Yee-wing
Published: April 2016

This research started with the design and implementation of an online digital video database, followed by a study of how three student teachers used it in building a virtual learning community that enabled the sharing of teaching practices during their first teaching practicum in the teacher education program. The student teachers made use of teaching practice videos that were edited into 'learning objects' ready for peer evaluation. The peer evaluation was conducted by an online discussion forum among community members, which provided the data for analysis. The findings give insight into how comments and feedback flowed within the learning community, and how the videos in the form of learning objects helped to generate various categories of teaching practices. Finally, a follow up focus group discussion provided useful data regarding the possibilities and limitations of creating a learning community centred on sharing constructed learning objects in an online digital video database.
Postgraduate students' knowledge construction during asynchronous computer conferences in a blended learning environment: A Malaysian experience
Authors: Hong Kian-Sam , Lee Julia Ai Cheng
Published: April 2016

Blended learning, using e-learning tools to supplement existing on campus learning, often incorporates asynchronous computer conferencing as a means of augmenting knowledge construction among students. This case study reports findings about levels of knowledge construction amongst adult postgraduate students in six asynchronous computer conferences in a blended learning environment. The aim is to document and understand the kinds of task related postings in asynchronous computer conferencing that foster knowledge construction. The tool for analysis is an adaptation of the model by Veerman and Veldhuis-Diermanse (2001). Data were collected fromQuickplace, the e-learning system at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, with 22 adult postgraduate students enrolled in the Masters of Science in Human Resource Development who were attending a 14-week course on Cognition and Learning. The results showed that the students were active in constructing knowledge but limited to seeking and giving opinions among peers and knowledge telling. The prevalence of low level knowledge construction points to the need for the e-learning facilitator to encourage the students to go beyond regurgitating facts of what they have learned. More guidance should be given to the students to refrain from mere knowledge telling. Results suggest that there are blended learning benefits for these students as they are given improved opportunities to learn outside the classroom.
First year students' experiences with technology: Are they really digital natives?
Authors: Kennedy Gregor E. , Judd Terry S. , Churchward Anna , Gray Kathleen , Krause Kerri-Lee
Published: April 2016

This paper reports on a study conducted in 2006 with more than 2,000 incoming first-year Australian university students. Students were asked about their access to, use of and preferences for an array of established and emerging technologies and technology based tools. The results show that many first year students are highly tech-savvy. However, when one moves beyond entrenched technologies and tools (e.g. computers, mobile phones, email), the patterns of access and use of a range of other technologies show considerable variation. The findings are discussed in light of Prensky's (2001a) notions of the 'Digital Natives' and the implications for using technology to support teaching and learning in higher education.
A constructivist approach to learning an interactive multimedia course: Malaysian students' perspectives
Authors: Neo Mai , Neo Tse-Kian , Tai Xiao-Lian
Published: April 2016

We present an alternative method in the constructive perspective to enhance student learning through a multimedia project, in which computing and multimedia technologies are used to enable students to participate more actively in their own learning. Students in a second year course in the Multimedia University, Malaysia, used the multimedia development process (MDP) to build a project in a collaborative, problem solving learning environment. They worked in groups and sought to solve their design problems as a team, with the teacher acting as a facilitator supporting them in their learning. Results showed that this method enhanced learning and improved understanding of the subject.
Adoption of educational technology ten years after setting strategic goals: A Canadian university case
Authors: Zhou George , Xu Judy
Published: April 2016

Through surveys, focus groups and interviews, this study examines technology adoption at a large Canadian university ten years after setting a strategic plan, explores the interplay between instructors' concepts of teaching and use of technology, and searches for the best solutions to help them use technology more effectively. Results showed that whilst 90% of respondents were using computers in teaching, there is still much to do in helping them to increase the effectiveness of their use of technology. While the university reward system needs to offer better recognition of the scholarship of using computers, rationales for technology adoption and successful cases demonstrating the effectiveness of technology integration are essential to encourage and improve the use of computers. Professional development needs to move beyond technical workshops to include pedagogy oriented mentorship amongst practitioners.
The supervision of information technology classrooms in Turkey: A nationwide survey
Authors: Memisoglu Salih Pasa
Published: April 2016

The purpose of this study was to identify how primary school supervisors carry out their roles concerning information and communications technology (ICT) based classrooms in public primary schools in Turkey. Data were collected via a questionnaire from 583 primary school supervisors working in 17 different provinces. Statistical programs were used to calculate descriptive statistics, frequencies and percentages for questionnaire items. The results of the study indicated that most supervisors were familiar with computers, but only used them at the 'medium' level, mostly for word processing, spreadsheets and drawing up reports on school visits. Almost all of the respondents sought to support the effective development of ICT based classrooms by examining teachers' plans, providing computer application opportunities for pupils, and helping school principals encourage and manage such undertakings. However, almost 50% of the supervisors indicated that they had no knowledge or understanding of e-portfolios, and that they had never received professional development or in service training in exploiting the ICT based classroom. As a result, they were unable to provide sufficient guidance to teachers. The paper concludes with recommendations for future action.
Beyond test accuracy: Benefits of measuring response time in computerised testing
Authors: Gvozdenko Eugene , Chambers Dianne
Published: April 2016

This paper investigates how monitoring the time spent on a question in a test of basic mathematics skills can provide insights into learning processes, the quality of test takers' knowledge, and cognitive demands and performance of test items that otherwise would remain undiscovered if the usual test outcome of accuracy only format ("correct/incorrect") was used. Data from three tests of basic mathematics skills taken by tertiary students in 2004-2006 were analysed. Means and distributions of individual response times on parallel test questions were examined and differences were further investigated.
Analysis of response time data revealed a number of surprising findings in regard to the impact of variables on preferences for written and mental calculation methods and regarding additional cognitive demands of a question. The study examined how simple statistical analysis of response time distribution can be used to investigate abnormalities of the item functioning. These findings may be of value to educators and to test producers by informing them about the potential of utilising response time measurements as a diagnostic facility in computerised tests, for the purposes of improving teaching and learning.
Incorporating online discussion in face to face classroom learning: A new blended learning approach
Authors: Chen Wenli , Looi Chee-Kit
Published: April 2016

This paper discusses an innovative blended learning strategy which incorporates online discussion in both in-class face to face, and off-classroom settings. Online discussion in a face to face class is compared with its two counterparts, off-class online discussion as well as in-class, face to face oral discussion, to examine the advantages and disadvantages of the proposed strategy. By integrating online discussion into the flow of the classroom, learners are given dedicated time to foster a habit of critical thinking, reflection and articulating these online, which can subsequently seed further in-class oral discussions, and off-class online discussions. It is found that in-class, online discussion can provide a wider spectrum of discussion perspectives, equalise participation in discussion, and promote cognitive thinking skills and in depth information processing. However, the lack of face to face interactions and the need for sufficient time to do online postings pose challenges in implementing online discussion for face to face classroom learning.
Electronic voting systems for lectures then and now: A comparison of research and practice
Authors: Simpson Vicki , Oliver Martin
Published: April 2016

Research and practice in the use of electronic voting systems has developed over the last five years. Electronic voting systems, also known as personal response systems, audience response systems or classroom communication systems, use handsets to elicit responses from students as part of structured teaching sessions, typically lectures. The use of this information has implications for pedagogy; they are associated with the introduction of interactive, discursive and more segmented approaches to teaching. The pedagogic and organisational implications of adopting such systems are summarised, along with the perceptions that staff and students hold. Comparisons are drawn between practice up to 2002 and between 2002 and 2006; these reveal how both practice and research on this topic has matured, highlighting (for example) the development of models that seek to abstract and share practice. The paper concludes by outlining the ways in which such tools can be used to improve lecturing, and identifies an agenda for future work in this area.
Implementing wiki software for supplementing online learning
Authors: Choy Sheung On , Ng Kwok Chi
Published: April 2016

This paper reports on a study which investigates the implementation of a wiki system as an additional tool to support student learning in an IT related course offered by the Open University of Hong Kong (OUHK). It focuses on a set of interview data related to the tutors' and students' views on and experience of their use or otherwise of the system in the course. The key results on the tutors' and students' participation in the wiki and factors which facilitated or hindered their use of the system are discussed. The findings indicate that the extent of training provision, the wiki pedagogy and participants' readiness for and awareness of their roles in a collaborative online learning environment are major factors affecting the effective use of the wiki. The add on nature of the wiki in this study also caused workload and motivation problems for the participants. Based on the results, strategies are suggested for implementing wiki based learning in both the OUHK and the wider academic context.
Selecting ICT based solutions for quality learning and sustainable practice
Authors: Gosper Maree , Woo Karen , Muir Helen , Dudley Christine , Nakazawa Kayo
Published: April 2016

This paper reports on a project involving software selection in the context of a curriculum redesign of a university level Japanese language program. The project aimed to improve learning outcomes, increase flexibility in student access, and increase flexibility in approaches to teaching and learning, through the use of a variety of software packages and digital resources. In doing so, an imperative was to ensure the solutions adopted were manageable within the existing organisational arrangements of the Department and the University. The selection process has led to the development of three instruments which form the CICTO Framework for Software Selection.
Interactivity in professional online learning: A review of research based studies
Authors: Maor Dorit , Volet Simone
Published: April 2016

Over the last few years, the higher education and the vocational education and training sectors have increased the number of online learning courses available for professionals. Yet, research on e-learning opportunities for professionals has not developed at the same pace. This paper describes the results of a systematic search for research based, empirical studies on professional online learning that examined interactivity and other forms of social learning. Based on four selection criteria (online learning course, professionals, interactivity and research study), the search yielded 18 articles. These were examined first in relation to the characteristics and context of the professional online courses under scrutiny, and second in relation to four levels of interactivity focus in the research. The highest level represents studies where the interactivity was planned, supported and implemented successfully, and the lowest level studies where minimal opportunities for interactivity were available. Overall, although some studies were of a high academic and educational quality, there was little evidence of pedagogical innovations that would give this field of educational research and practice a clear direction for the future.
Students' experiences and expectations of technologies: An Australian study designed to inform planning and development decisions
Authors: Gosper Maree , Malfroy Janne , McKenzie Jo
Published: April 2016

The pace of technological change accompanied by an evolution in social, work-based and study behaviours and norms poses particular challenges for universities as they strive to develop high quality and sustainable technology-rich learning environments. Maintaining currency with the latest advances is resource intensive, hence the costs incurred in upgrading existing and introducing new technologies need to be carefully weighed up against the potential benefits to students. This calls for a multidimensional approach to planning, with the student voice being an important dimension. Three Australian universities have recently completed a project to gain a better understanding of students' experiences and expectations of technologies in everyday life and for study purposes. The LMS and 25 other technologies ranging from established university offerings (email, learning management systems) to freely available social networking technologies (YouTube, Facebook) were surveyed. More than 10,000 students responded. This paper discusses the development of the survey and presents the broad trends that have emerged in relation to the current use of technologies and desired future use of these for learning purposes. The implications of the survey findings for developing institutional infrastructure to engage students and support their learning are highlighted.
Supporting peer assessment of individual contributions in groupwork
Authors: Raban Richard , Litchfield Andrew
Published: April 2016

The ability to assess the work of others is a core attribute for most professionals. To develop this graduate attribute in our students requires the learning of self and peer evaluation, feedback, and review skills. This paper discusses the changing design of peer assessment and the impact of a new groupwork support tool within a capstone undergraduate subject with large student numbers - Systems Development Project - in the Faculty of Information Technology at UTS. Since 1998 by implementing different support strategies for peer assessment of individual contributions the distribution of the students marks has markedly widened, and now more reflect the reality of differing team member contributions. This substantial change has occurred with the use of an online tool which supports the development of student evaluation, feedback and review skills when peer assessing individual contributions to large group projects. In use since 2004 the groupwork support tool is called Team Contribution Tracking (TeCTra).
Talking books for children's home use in a minority Indigenous Australian language context
Authors: Auld Glenn
Published: April 2016

Members of the Kunibídji community are the traditional owners of the lands and seas around Maningrida, a remote community in Northern Australia. Most of the 200 members of the Kunibídji Community speak Ndjébbana as their first language. This study reports on the complexities of transforming technology to provide Kunibídji children with access to digital texts at home. The printed Ndjébbana texts that were kept at school were transformed to Ndjébbana talking books displayed on touch screen computers in the children's homes. Some results of the children's interaction around these touch screens are presented as well as some quantitative results of the computer viewing in the homes. The processes of rejecting technological determinism, upholding linguistic human rights of speakers of minority languages and viewing technology as practice rather than a set of artefacts are discussed in this paper. The results of this study hightlight the need for speakers of minority Indigenous Australian languages to have access to texts in their threatened languages on technologies at home.
Towards meaningful learning through digital video supported, case based teaching
Authors: Hakkarainen Päivi , Saarelainen Tarja , Ruokamo Heli
Published: April 2016

This paper reports an action research case study in which a traditional lecture based, face to face Network Management course at the University of Lapland's Faculty of Social Sciences was developed into two different course versions resorting to case based teaching: a face to face version and an online version. In the face to face version, the teacher designed and produced three digital video supported case studies with the students to be used as learning material for the online version. The research focuses on finding out the student perspective on the following questions: (1) Can designing and producing digital video supported cases constitute a meaningful learning process for the students? (2) Can solving digital video supported cases in an online course support meaningful learning for the students? and (3) What roles do the digital videos play in the online students' meaningful learning process? The research indicates that both designing and producing, as well as solving the digital video supported cases, promoted especially the active and contextual aspects of the students' meaningful learning as well as the students' positive emotional involvement in the learning process. Several implications for further development of the Network Management course and for the development of university teaching across disciplines can be drawn from the results.
From policy to practice: One university's experience of implementing strategic change through wholly online teaching and learning
Authors: Holt Dale , Challis Di
Published: April 2016

One institution's attempts to implement an ambitious wholly online learning policy is examined in the Australian higher education setting. The conditions that led to a diversity of models of wholly online unit development are considered, along with teachers' design intents in establishing their online teaching and learning environments. The emphasis of the analysis is on those wholly online units created or redeveloped from existing offerings which held out the greatest possibilities for what we have categorised as 'transformatory' learning and teaching as related to the development of highly valued lifelong learning capacities in students. Organisational learning from the offering of the first major suite of wholly online units is outlined and impacts on policy reformulation described. The case study concludes with a consideration of more general lessons learnt from policy driven initiatives directed at transforming teaching and learning in higher education.
Instructor immediacy strategies to facilitate group work in online graduate study
Authors: Melrose Sherri , Bergeron Kim
Published: April 2016

An increasing number of online graduate study programs require students to participate in collaborative work projects. And yet, educational research examining instructional strategies that facilitate learning in small groups online is limited. This article describes findings from a qualitative research project that investigated instructor immediacy at different stages of group development. The research was framed from a constructivist theoretical perspective and a descriptive research design. Participants were health care practitioners from two WebCT online graduate study programs. Data sources included four focus groups and twenty individual audio recorded transcribed interviews. The data was collected in person over a three year period, analysed for themes by two researchers, and confirmed with participants through ongoing member checking. Instructional immediacy strategies that students believed facilitated meaningful learning in small groups are presented in the three overarching stages of first, beginning/ engagement; second, middle/ encouragement; and third, ending/ closure. Findings suggested that, in the beginning/ engagement stage, learners valued knowing their instructors were available "if you need me" and that it was "safe" to contact them. In the middle/ encouragement stage, they appreciated personal help with networking and managing conflict, particularly in relation to participation and marking and they valued private feedback. And, in the ending/ closing stage, they needed opportunities to debrief and reflect.
ICT integration in schools: Where are we now and what comes next?
Authors: Baskin Colin , Williams Michelle
Published: April 2016

The case for more technology in schools is compelling. The leverage for a school based solution is traceable to theCommon and Agreed National Goals for Schooling (AEC, 1989), namely that students will develop skills in 'information processing and computing'. Schools have wrestled with this 'integration challenge' since 1989. This paper is a snapshot of the ICT efforts of 18 regional schools as they come to terms with the challenge of ICT integration. Building on the work of Lim et al (2003), and the JISC (2003) MLE benchmark study, this paper profiles what ICT integration looks like in schools since AEC (1989), identifying 'administrative imperatives' as the key factors underpinning ICT integration decisions in schools.
In terms of capacity management, the paper identifies those who plan, design, develop and build school ICT infrastructure. Each school participating in this study is assigned an integration score, identifying them as low, medium or high integration schools based on ICT integration efforts. Evidence from this study indicates a great deal of ICT integration development and activity taking place in schools at all integration levels. The good news is that national and state education initiatives over the last 17 years have delivered an integration (of sorts) of ICTs into compulsory education. The sad news is that the question of ICT pedagogy remains largely unaddressed in our schools.
Implementation of personal response units in very large lecture classes: Student perceptions
Authors: Barnett John
Published: April 2016

This article reports on a large scale implementation of personal response units in three introductory science courses at the University of Western Ontario in Canada. An online survey of students was conducted to gather their perceptions on the uses of the devices, triangulated by participant observation of the classes and email interviews with the instructors. Although the students' perceptions were generally favourable, problems associated with implementation were widespread. Advantages and disadvantages of the technology are discussed along with suggestions for its use.
Online forum discussion interactions as an indicator of student community
Authors: Dawson Shane
Published: April 2016

Given the current diversity of communication tools at an educator's disposal, what role (if any) does the discussion forum play in the development of a strong sense of community among students? This study sought to investigate the relationship between discussion forum interaction and perceived student sense of community. The results of the study demonstrate that while mere quantity of discussion forum postings is not an indicator of community development, a significant relationship is observed when contributions are codified into the various discussion interaction types (learner - learner; learner - content; system). An implication emerging from these findings is the ability for the institution to implement evaluative measures to gauge levels of student sense of community in a just in time environment. As discussion interactions are automatically captured and reported, the data provides an indication of the degree of community developing among the student population at a specific snapshot in time. As multiple snapshots provide an ongoing indicator of community development, practitioners have the capacity to develop intervention activities designed to promote further peer to peer discussion and therefore, facilitate the development of a strong sense of community.
 
Promoting conceptual change through active learning using open source software for physics simulations
Authors: Baser Mustafa
Published: April 2016

This paper reports upon an active learning approach that promotes conceptual change when studying direct current electricity circuits, using free open source software, Qucs. The study involved a total of 102 prospective mathematics teacher students. Prior to instruction, students' understanding of direct current electricity was determined by a subset of a previously developed multiple choice conceptual test. All students received an active learning instruction using Qucssimulations. After instruction, the same test was administered to the students to determine the effectiveness of the instruction they received. Paired t-test analyses showed that students' progress on understanding of direct current electricity was significant. A six week delayed post-test revealed that this observed improvement promised to be durable, at least in the short term. Students' evaluation of using Qucs is also reported.
ICT mediated study and teachers: Do they have access to the infrastructure?
Authors: Burnip Lindsay
Published: April 2016

Course delivery mediated by information and communication technology (ICT) is increasingly seen as a desirable and cost effective means of providing study opportunities to large numbers of teachers. However, it is unclear to what extent teachers have access to the ICT infrastructure that is required for participation in such study. This paper reports on a survey of teachers' access to ICT infrastructure and offers some insights into the nature and adequacy of that access. A sample of 203 trained teachers was surveyed regarding their access to hardware, software, and the Internet both at work and outside work. Data regarding access to technical support were collected also. Access to adequate levels of ICT infrastructure was not universal among teachers in this sample and access levels varied with teacher characteristics such as age and school type. Teachers in Government schools had slightly poorer levels of access, both at home and at school, when compared with teachers in independent schools. The most problematic area of access overall was in technical support which, when coupled with the reportedly low and variable levels of ICT skills among teachers, would represent a major impediment to successful and satisfactory participation in ICT mediated study for many teachers. These findings have important implications for developers of ICT mediated courses for teachers and for those who seek to encourage teachers' participation in such study.
Spotlight on authentic learning: Student developed digital video projects
Authors: Kearney Matthew , Schuck Sandy
Published: April 2016

The recent convergence of video and computer technologies presents new opportunities and challenges in education. Video production resources such as cameras and video editing software are now widely available in many schools and homes. The ease of use of these resources has encouraged teachers to use them across the curriculum with students of all ages. Furthermore, students often find this work exhilarating and perceive these tasks as deeply relevant and highly contextual. This paper probes the authentic nature of student developed video projects and builds on the literature relating to authentic learning with new educational technologies.
The grammar of visual design
Authors: Roberts Susan , Philip Robyn
Published: April 2016

The ability to interpret information from any source, and increasingly visual sources, is a vital skill for all graduates in contemporary culture. The development of the skills to read visual texts and communicate that understanding requires a certain level of critical thinking and reflection, skills which can only be developed over time, through practice and dialogue. This paper reflects on the evaluation of two websites. These resources support students in two units of study which aim, amongst other things, to develop visual literacy and critical thinking skills using the functional systemic concepts developed by Kress and van Leeuwen (1990, 1996). The challenge for the authors was to create two online resources for distance students that exemplified the theory itself and scaffolded learning as students developed their own level of skills in this area.
The design, development and evaluation of a virtual reality based learning environment
Authors: Chen Chwen Jen
Published: April 2016

Many researchers and instructional designers increasingly recognise the benefits of utilising three dimensional virtual reality (VR) technology in instruction. In general, there are two types of VR system, the immersive system and the non-immersive system. This article focuses on the latter system that merely uses the conventional personal computer setting. Although VR is recognised as an impressive learning tool, there are still many issues that need further investigations. These include (i) identifying the appropriate theories and/or models to guide its design and development, (ii) investigating how its attributes are able to support learning, finding out whether its use can improve the intended performance and understanding, and investigating ways to reach more effective learning when using this technology, and (iii) investigating its impact on learners with different aptitudes. This project chose a learning problem that was related to novice car driver instruction, to study some aspects of these issues. Indeed, the study provided valuable insights to a feasible instructional design theoretical framework, as well as an instructional development framework for VR based learning environments. In addition, it also developed understanding of the educational effectiveness of such a learning environment and its effect on learners with different aptitude.
Social support as a neglected e-learning motivator affecting trainee’s decisions of continuous intentions of usage
Authors: Weng Cathy , Tsai Chin-Chung , Weng Apollo
Published: April 2016

Drawing from the social influence theory and acknowledging that the others’ support within the work context affects employees’ learning, values, and behaviours, an alternative framework was proposed to explain employees’ learning satisfaction and future intention to participate in e-training programs in the current study. 578 survey data collected from employees of various corporations in Taiwan provide empirical support for our extended model. The results suggest that social support from peers and supervisors, a usually neglected factor, has significant effect on trainees’ learning satisfaction, while family support, an often neglected antecedent of e-learning choice, was surprisingly found to affect trainees’ continuous intentions to participate. Finally, the paper concludes with the importance of employees’ perceptions of social support in terms of organisational training. The impact of human resource management policies is also discussed.