title: Exploring the virtual classroom: What students need to know (and teachers should consider)

authors: Falloon, Garry

subjects: online

abstract: Technological improvements in many countries have meant that institutions offering distance education programmes now have more options available to them to communicate and interact with their students, and increasingly, attention is being turned to the potential of Web2 technologies to facilitate synchronous interaction. This study explores the affordances and limitations of an online virtual classroom, Adobe Connect Pro, when used in the learning programmes of two groups of undergraduate and postgraduate education students. Results indicate that while both groups gained value from using the classroom, they also found it a completely new environment, and one to which many had trouble transferring the interaction and communication skills developed in other contexts. The reasons for this related to three specific areas of knowledge – technical, procedural and operational, that were identified as being critical to student performance in this environment. The study suggests that educators and course designers need to embed strategies into their online offerings to enable students to develop these, if they are to gain substantial benefit from the availability of virtual classrooms. Additionally, the study identified that when making design decisions about online learning environments, it is very much a matter of horses for courses when selecting tools for specific purposes. While the virtual classroom proved useful for developing social connection and a sense of community, it may not be so beneficial for supporting deeper learning.

text: Exploring the virtual classroom: What students need to know (and teachers should consider) Technological improvements in many countries have meant that institutions offering distance education programmes now have more options available to them to communicate and interact with their students, and increasingly, attention is being turned to the potential of Web2 technologies to facilitate synchronous interaction. This study explores the affordances and limitations of an online virtual classroom, Adobe Connect Pro, when used in the learning programmes of two groups of undergraduate and postgraduate education students. Results indicate that while both groups gained value from using the classroom, they also found it a completely new environment, and one to which many had trouble transferring the interaction and communication skills developed in other contexts. The reasons for this related to three specific areas of knowledge – technical, procedural and operational, that were identified as being critical to student performance in this environment. The study suggests that educators and course designers need to embed strategies into their online offerings to enable students to develop these, if they are to gain substantial benefit from the availability of virtual classrooms. Additionally, the study identified that when making design decisions about online learning environments, it is very much a matter of horses for courses when selecting tools for specific purposes. While the virtual classroom proved useful for developing social connection and a sense of community, it may not be so beneficial for supporting deeper learning.

year: 2011

title: Editorial: Teachers and Curriculum Volume 14

authors: Ussher, William (Bill) Grant

abstract: In this, the 2014 general issue of Teachers and Curriculum, we are pleased to incorporate a wide range of contributions that demonstrate the breadth and complexity of teaching and curriculum work in education settings. The editorial board of this journal continues to be committed to working with contributors to present research, debates, and accounts of practice that are accessible to practitioners and have the potential to inform practice. We acknowledge that practitioners do not always feel that they have the requisite knowledge or ability to make a ‘legitimate’ contribution to our growing understandings of curriculum, pedagogy, assessment or policy. In many ways this could be viewed as a learned behaviour, in response to our own educational experiences that position ‘academic’ knowledge as held by ‘experts’, while positioning practitioner ways of knowing as of lesser consequence. Teachers and Curriculum is committed to addressing these by providing a forum for both practitioner and academic contributions.

text: Editorial: Teachers and Curriculum Volume 14 In this, the 2014 general issue of Teachers and Curriculum, we are pleased to incorporate a wide range of contributions that demonstrate the breadth and complexity of teaching and curriculum work in education settings. The editorial board of this journal continues to be committed to working with contributors to present research, debates, and accounts of practice that are accessible to practitioners and have the potential to inform practice. We acknowledge that practitioners do not always feel that they have the requisite knowledge or ability to make a ‘legitimate’ contribution to our growing understandings of curriculum, pedagogy, assessment or policy. In many ways this could be viewed as a learned behaviour, in response to our own educational experiences that position ‘academic’ knowledge as held by ‘experts’, while positioning practitioner ways of knowing as of lesser consequence. Teachers and Curriculum is committed to addressing these by providing a forum for both practitioner and academic contributions.

year: 2014

title: DrownBaseTM – Identifying at risk factors: Strategies and issues around Māori practices and activities towards water safety

authors: Karapu, Rolinda

subjects: Maori

abstract: Aotearoa has some of the most extensive and beautiful waterways in the world. The seas, rivers, beaches, and lakes provide endless opportunities for Māori to enjoy water activities, such as gathering kai, swimming, hoe waka, diving and fishing (Haimona & Takurua, 2003). For Māori, water is one of the greatest taonga (treasures) of this land – both physically and spiritually. Māori have always been acknowledged as possessing expertise in swimming and aquatic activities pre-European times (Haimona & Takurua, 2003). Early writers such as Best (1976) wrote extensively about Māori games and pastimes while in, on or near the water. These early descriptions illustrate the practice that Māori children were taught to swim at a very early age. The gathering of seafood and the consistent use of waterways as a mode of transport were also customary activities for Māori. The traditional beliefs and practices of Māori, demonstrate a great awareness and understanding of water, its dangers and its life-giving properties.

text: DrownBaseTM – Identifying at risk factors: Strategies and issues around Māori practices and activities towards water safety Aotearoa has some of the most extensive and beautiful waterways in the world. The seas, rivers, beaches, and lakes provide endless opportunities for Māori to enjoy water activities, such as gathering kai, swimming, hoe waka, diving and fishing (Haimona & Takurua, 2003). For Māori, water is one of the greatest taonga (treasures) of this land – both physically and spiritually. Māori have always been acknowledged as possessing expertise in swimming and aquatic activities pre-European times (Haimona & Takurua, 2003). Early writers such as Best (1976) wrote extensively about Māori games and pastimes while in, on or near the water. These early descriptions illustrate the practice that Māori children were taught to swim at a very early age. The gathering of seafood and the consistent use of waterways as a mode of transport were also customary activities for Māori. The traditional beliefs and practices of Māori, demonstrate a great awareness and understanding of water, its dangers and its life-giving properties.

year: 2008