title: Investigating an open methodology for designing domain-specific language collections

authors: Fitzgerald, Alannah

subjects: corpus-based language learning

abstract: With this research and design paper, we are proposing that Open Educational Resources (OERs) and Open Access (OA) publications give increasing access to high quality online educational and research content for the development of powerful domain-specific language collections that can be further enhanced linguistically with the Flexible Language Acquisition System (FLAX, http://flax.nzdl.org). FLAX uses the Greenstone digital library system, which is a widely used open-source software that enables end users to build collections of documents and metadata directly onto the Web (Witten, Bainbridge, & Nichols, 2010). FLAX offers a powerful suite of interactive text-mining tools, using Natural Language Processing and Artificial Intelligence designs, to enable novice collections builders to link selected language content to large pre-processed linguistic databases. An open methodology trialed at Queen Mary University of London in collaboration with the OER Research Hub at the UK Open University demonstrates how applying open corpus-based designs and technologies can enhance open educational practices among language teachers and subject academics for the preparation and delivery of courses in English for Specific Academic Purposes (ESAP).

text: Investigating an open methodology for designing domain-specific language collections With this research and design paper, we are proposing that Open Educational Resources (OERs) and Open Access (OA) publications give increasing access to high quality online educational and research content for the development of powerful domain-specific language collections that can be further enhanced linguistically with the Flexible Language Acquisition System (FLAX, http://flax.nzdl.org). FLAX uses the Greenstone digital library system, which is a widely used open-source software that enables end users to build collections of documents and metadata directly onto the Web (Witten, Bainbridge, & Nichols, 2010). FLAX offers a powerful suite of interactive text-mining tools, using Natural Language Processing and Artificial Intelligence designs, to enable novice collections builders to link selected language content to large pre-processed linguistic databases. An open methodology trialed at Queen Mary University of London in collaboration with the OER Research Hub at the UK Open University demonstrates how applying open corpus-based designs and technologies can enhance open educational practices among language teachers and subject academics for the preparation and delivery of courses in English for Specific Academic Purposes (ESAP).

year: 2014

title: Rethinking support for the digital age: support for online learners from a teaching staff perspective

authors: Lewis, Narissa

subjects: online learning

abstract: Although the internet has contributed to a rapid increase in online education provision and student numbers, the withdrawal rate in online settings is higher than that in face to face.  Consequently, the need for adequate infrastructure and support systems for online education cannot be ignored.  With a growing online student base, there is a need for tertiary organisations to be responsive and supportive to students who are completing their education outside of the traditional, face to face classroom scenario.  However, within the tertiary organisation that this study takes place, support services are predominantly focused towards students who are studying face to face.  The purpose of this research was to identify current thinking and practices of support for online students from a teaching staff perspective to contribute to the development of support for online students.  As the main point of contact for students who are studying online with the organisation, tutors of online programmes were interviewed to identify how they currently support their students and in turn, enable them to progress with their education.  Tutors were also interviewed to identify the organisational factors they believe should exist when supporting students who are studying online. This study identified that tutors believe that managerial staff who make decisions about offering online courses perceive these as an extension of face to face courses.  As a result, the time and effort required to develop, teach and support online programmes and students is underestimated which causes challenges for teaching staff.  Nevertheless, tutors in this study were committed to supporting their students and do this through providing timely feedback, encouraging online learning communities and self-directed learning.  Tutors are driven to provide this level of support as they describe their students as having many commitments in addition to their studies.  They also describe students as second-chance learners who may have had negative educational experiences in the past.  This awareness of students’ circumstances drives tutors to provide support when students are studying which can be after hours or during weekends.  Tutors also believe that support services should be more flexible and operate during these times.  To compensate, tutors take on roles that they might not otherwise do in the face to face learning environment.  However, such practices are challenging and may be unsustainable if the number of courses and student numbers are to increase.  Tutors in this study would prefer a collaborative organisational approach to online education to ensure the services and resources required to develop, teach and support online programmes are provided in a seamless manner.  This study does not suggest that support services are made available 24/7; rather, it recommends that the organisation first needs to clarify their position and staff roles in online education to ensure those who develop, teach and support online programmes have a shared understanding of the resources, time and effort required for these programmes.

text: Rethinking support for the digital age: support for online learners from a teaching staff perspective Although the internet has contributed to a rapid increase in online education provision and student numbers, the withdrawal rate in online settings is higher than that in face to face.  Consequently, the need for adequate infrastructure and support systems for online education cannot be ignored.  With a growing online student base, there is a need for tertiary organisations to be responsive and supportive to students who are completing their education outside of the traditional, face to face classroom scenario.  However, within the tertiary organisation that this study takes place, support services are predominantly focused towards students who are studying face to face.  The purpose of this research was to identify current thinking and practices of support for online students from a teaching staff perspective to contribute to the development of support for online students.  As the main point of contact for students who are studying online with the organisation, tutors of online programmes were interviewed to identify how they currently support their students and in turn, enable them to progress with their education.  Tutors were also interviewed to identify the organisational factors they believe should exist when supporting students who are studying online. This study identified that tutors believe that managerial staff who make decisions about offering online courses perceive these as an extension of face to face courses.  As a result, the time and effort required to develop, teach and support online programmes and students is underestimated which causes challenges for teaching staff.  Nevertheless, tutors in this study were committed to supporting their students and do this through providing timely feedback, encouraging online learning communities and self-directed learning.  Tutors are driven to provide this level of support as they describe their students as having many commitments in addition to their studies.  They also describe students as second-chance learners who may have had negative educational experiences in the past.  This awareness of students’ circumstances drives tutors to provide support when students are studying which can be after hours or during weekends.  Tutors also believe that support services should be more flexible and operate during these times.  To compensate, tutors take on roles that they might not otherwise do in the face to face learning environment.  However, such practices are challenging and may be unsustainable if the number of courses and student numbers are to increase.  Tutors in this study would prefer a collaborative organisational approach to online education to ensure the services and resources required to develop, teach and support online programmes are provided in a seamless manner.  This study does not suggest that support services are made available 24/7; rather, it recommends that the organisation first needs to clarify their position and staff roles in online education to ensure those who develop, teach and support online programmes have a shared understanding of the resources, time and effort required for these programmes.

year: 2014

title: Māori Goddesses in Literature Part 1: pre 1880 - 1900

authors: Yates-Smith, Aroha

subjects: Atua wāhine

abstract: Many contemporary Māori are familiar with atua wāhine, Māori goddesses, through accounts that have been passed on to them by word of mouth. Few, however, have had an opportunity to consult accounts of atua wāhine that date from the early period of Māori-Pākehā contact. Those who wish to do so may have considerable difficulty in sifting through all of the written materials for the information they seek. For this reason, this paper provides a review of the literature pertaining to atua wāhine from pre-1880 to 1900, together with a commentary on the sources to which reference is made. A review of literature on atua wāhine which appeared after 1900 will appear in the second volume of this journal.

text: Māori Goddesses in Literature Part 1: pre 1880 - 1900 Many contemporary Māori are familiar with atua wāhine, Māori goddesses, through accounts that have been passed on to them by word of mouth. Few, however, have had an opportunity to consult accounts of atua wāhine that date from the early period of Māori-Pākehā contact. Those who wish to do so may have considerable difficulty in sifting through all of the written materials for the information they seek. For this reason, this paper provides a review of the literature pertaining to atua wāhine from pre-1880 to 1900, together with a commentary on the sources to which reference is made. A review of literature on atua wāhine which appeared after 1900 will appear in the second volume of this journal.

year: 2000-10