Rozz J Albon
Department of Education, Curtin University of Technology
Tony Jewels
School of Information Systems, Queensland University of Technology

This research investigated the implementation of an Audience Response System (ARS) to learning in a multicultural Asian context using multiple case methodology. Four academic staff teaching in four diverse units with different student numbers (n=133) used ARS as one of their teaching approaches with each using it in very different ways. Both quantitative and qualitative data was collected through questionnaires and convergent interviewing of staff and students. Six constructs emerging from the literature were investigated and five are reported. Although some results aligned with other research, some specific issues were identified and appear relevant not only to other similar cultural contexts but possibly all contexts. The paper concludes with questions for further research into ARS in a multicultural Asian context in pursuant of choices for learners and learning.

Susan Atkins, Gayl O'Connor and Leanne Rowe
The Learning Federation, Curriculum Corporation, Australia

The Learning Federation (TLF) project employs emerging technologies to produce online curriculum content to encourage student learning and support teachers in Australian and New Zealand schools. Teachers and students in 20 schools participated in a field trial of a differentiated curriculum model that incorporated online curriculum content and associated assessment components. Teacher and student interviews were conducted to collect information in accordance with the study aims, which were to ascertain the extent to which the Differentiated Curriculum model resulted in increased knowledge by the teacher of individual student achievement; increased knowledge of the next appropriate activity for teaching and learning; increased knowledge by the student of their content understanding; and increased knowledge by the student of the next appropriate activity for learning.

The Differentiated Curriculum model used a Learning Management System (LMS) for delivery. Upon commencement, each student completed a pre-test conducted as a diagnostic tool. On the basis of the pre-test results, the student progressed through an individualised learning pathway, culminating in the completion of a post-test.

The data reported in this paper is qualitative in nature, reflecting teacher and student perceptions of the value of explicit and immediate feedback on student understanding against specified learning outcomes. This paper reports on initial findings and how they are being used to inform the technical and educational design principles for production of digital assessment resources.
Keywords: assessment, differentiated curriculum, learning pathway, diagnostic, LMS

Roger Atkinson (Chair)
Australasian Journal of Educational Technology and Proceedings ascilite 2007
Fang Yanping
Pedagogies: An International Journal
Alistair Inglis
Distance Education
Clare McBeath
Issues in Educational Research and Proceedings ascilite 2007
Catherine McLoughlin
Australasian Journal of Educational Technology

This session is for delegates who wish to know more about publishing their work in educational journals and conference proceedings, to meet these editors face to face and discuss their problems and concerns. The editors will present briefly a number of issues which they consider important, and then invite the audience to ask questions and make comments. The session will be run in panel format and is expected to be highly interactive, so bring along your questions and concerns.

Simon Atkinson and Kevin Burden
University of Hull, United Kingdom

With the emergence and popularity of online social networking technologies (Web 2.0) students are exploring new concepts of self, identity and community both in real and virtual spaces. New theories are necessary to develop social policy responses, including those of educational systems and institutions, to the consequences of these new conceptualisations. We present an original theoretical model, the 3V model, to assist in the interpretation of existing theory, illustrated through an exploration of higher education students' concept of identity in the interface between the 'real' and 'virtual' worlds. We wish to explore whether the theoretical and methodological instruments available within the broader Social Sciences are adequate to examine emerging notions of identity. Our emergent theoretical model outlines a set of complex assumptions concerning the concept of the "real-virtual" interface; it presents an internal structure to this realm and provides a framework for further empirical study.
Keywords: social networking, Web 2.0, value orientation, culture

Harmi Izzuan Bin Baharum and Alexei Tretiakov
Information Science Research Centre, College of Business, Massey University
Kinshuk
School of Computing and Information Systems, Athabasca University

We analyse the needs of adult Malay business English learners, and demonstrate that they can be met by using an online teaching environment relying on animated pedagogical agent technology to implement scenario based learning.
Keywords: business English, Malay learners, agent technology

Kanishka Bedi and Helen Lange
Universitas 21 Global

The last decade has witnessed e-learning evolving as a major force in higher education delivery. The role of faculty in an e-learning educational environment is still debated. This paper reports the findings of a study of the role of faculty interaction in a pedagogically rich online environment, grounded in a constructivist model of learning. The study examines the results from 145 sections of graduate management programs, covering 2005, 2006 and 2007, and also covering quantitative, behavioural and hybrid subjects. The findings of this study support the arguments that faculty interaction adds value to learner perception and satisfaction, and finally, may also positively impact actual learning outcomes as measured by student grades. It also showed that there is value placed on email communication by graduate learners. Finally, the study showed that both perceived and real value (in terms of grades) is found by learners in both quantitative subjects and behavioural subjects.
Keywords: faculty interaction; learning experience; learning outcomes; online learners

Sue Bennett, Shirley Agostinho, Lori Lockyer, Lisa Kosta, Jennifer Jones
Faculty of Education, University of Wollongong
Rob Koper
Educational Technology Expertise Centre, Open University of the Netherlands
Barry Harper
Faculty of Education, University of Wollongong

This paper summarises the work being conducted in an ongoing research agenda focused on exploring how the 'learning design' construct can be used to support university educators to create both pedagogically sound and interoperable e-learning experiences. The premise of this work is that a learning design can be used to support the pedagogical design process and the integration of international e-learning standards, such as learning object metadata and IMS-LD, enabling resources and tools to be technically interoperable across different standards compliant systems. The paper presents the rationale guiding this research focus, describes the features of the research that is underway, and outlines future directions of this research.
Keywords: learning design, university, education, design, e-learning, online learning, online teaching

Robyn Benson
Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University
Gayani Samarawickrema
Institute of Teaching and Learning, Deakin University

One of the major advantages of e-learning technologies is the expanded opportunities that they offer for when and where learning takes place. Until recently, little attention has been given to the implications that variation in the learner's context creates for e-learning design. The context of learning with technologies is often considered quite narrowly, sometimes at the level of specific learning transactions, with limited acknowledgement of whether learners will be engaging with them on campus, off campus, across national boundaries or in some other contexts. While there are limitations to teachers' control of contextual variation, their knowledge of the student cohorts to whom a particular unit of study will be offered provides some clear implications for choices to be made in relation to e-learning design. This paper illustrates these choices through the use of examples from e-learning showcase sites at two institutions. The examples are analysed within a selected theoretical framework to provide preliminary guidelines for accommodating contextual variation in e-learning.
Keywords: e-learning design; context; transactional distance

Stephen Bright
Bethlehem Tertiary Institute, New Zealand

The effective teacher is a reflective teacher who seeks to learn from a range of sources (literature, formal theory, evidence) in order to continually improve student learning. This project seeks to capture the impact on practice inherent in the collegial development of a theoretically informed framework which enables lecturers to monitor and analyse what they do to create an effective online teacher presence and thereby facilitate a productive online learning environment for their students. Initially, the project involves a pilot group of tertiary e-teachers interacting with the seven principles for good practice in undergraduate education (Chickering and Gamson, 1987) to develop a framework to monitor and analyse online interactions for evidence of their teacher presence. Secondly, lecturers will be invited to submit an electronic portfolio which contains samples of online interaction which are evidence of their teacher presence online. Thirdly, working with an experienced online lecturer as a mentor, lecturers can develop a process which helps them analyse and review this data to identify both strengths and areas for further professional learning. Finally, through a reflective process lecturers will identify factors which contribute to effective online teacher presence. This is a work in progress report on this research project which received the 2006 ASCILITE research grant. This concise paper outlines the research proposal, rationale and methodology, and gives an update on progress with the project.

Mark Brown
Distance Education, Massey University
Bill Anderson and Fiona Murray
School of Curriculum and Pedagogy, Massey University

This paper provides an overview of experiences in the development of e-learning policy for the tertiary sector across a number of countries. It contrasts how different countries have responded to e-learning and proposes a discernible pattern to policy development. Consistent trends, themes and tensions run through the policy implementation process and these raise a number of questions about the way policies might define e-learning; address and acknowledge gaps in e-learning policy; align and differentiate levels of policy, and account for the national and global education context. The paper concludes with a brief consideration of issues and implications for local policy makers as governments endeavour to embed and connect e-learning policy with other strategic social, economic and educational goals. Key words: e-learning, policy, accessibility, emerging issues

Edwin Bundy
Technical Support Working Group (TSWG), Explosives Detection Subgroup
Roderick Sims
Instructional Design for Online Learning
Capella University

The bomb disposal community seeks to attract, train, and retain individuals who are physically, mentally, and emotionally capable of performing diverse and complex tasks. However, while bomb disposal technicians and organisations tend to believe that bomb disposal requires a certain "type" of individual, little research has been conducted to identify the cognitive characteristics that make a "good" bomb disposal technician. The purpose of this study therefore was to investigate the extent to which individual learner preferences, as measured by learning styles and multiple intelligences, impacts on the effectiveness of bomb disposal training. The investigation used a non-experimental, descriptive methodology, and focused on a geographically dispersed group of 100 current and former bomb disposal technicians. The Canfield Learning Styles Inventory (LSI) and Multiple Intelligences Developmental Assessment Scales (MIDAS) instruments were used to assess learning style preferences and intelligence strengths. Overall, ten demographic variables, eight intelligence strengths, and 17 learning style preferences were examined, covering 250 different dimensions, 16 of which (6.4 %) showed a statistically significant difference between intelligence strengths and learning style preferences. The data supports the contention that learning style preferences and intelligence strengths can be used as predictors for academic and vocational success. As such, the results have specific implications for bomb technician education and training in terms of technician selection and the potential to learn and retain the knowledge and skills being taught.
Keywords: multiple intelligences, learning styles, bomb disposal

Matthew Butler and Michael Morgan
Faculty of Information Technology, Monash University

This paper describes an investigation into the nature of the academic problems that face novice programming students. These learners are required to demonstrate competencies in high level abstract principles of programming and logic, such as program design and OOP principles, which are conceptually difficult. During the programming task learners receive relatively high levels of feedback on low level issues, such as syntax rules, but tend to receive low levels of feedback on conceptually more difficult issues. This problem tends to be exacerbated by the trend of learners to study independently, outside the classroom or in online modes, which further reduces the options available for quality feedback on high level issues. This paper analyses the results of a survey given to students enrolled in an introductory programming unit across three campuses at Monash University in 2007. The survey focused on student perceptions of the relative difficulty in understanding and implementing both low level programming concepts, such as syntax and variables, and high level concepts, such as OOP principles and efficient program design. An analysis of the approximately 150 responses has indicated that a significant percentage of students experienced difficulties in high level concepts. Also while many students may indicate an understanding of the principles of many high level concepts more students reported experiencing difficulty in implementing such concepts. This indicates that many students may achieve a level of understanding allowing near transfer of domain knowledge but fail to reach a level of understanding that enables far transfer.
Keywords: programming curriculum, novice programmers, feedback

Leanne Cameron
Australian Centre for Educational Studies, Macquarie University

At their best, ICTs can support knowledge construction, learning by doing, by conversing and by reflecting (Jonassen, 1999) but managing all this in a student centred environment is a complex task that might be made more manageable by teachers sharing and re-using effective learning designs. Furthermore, if these designs were available in machine readable format, educators would be able to select a learning design to suit their context "off the shelf" and plug and play it.
A number of attempts are currently being made to comprehensively document learning designs that would allow educators to share successful, stimulating and engaging learning environments and experiences. IMS-LD, LAMS and the AUTC Learning Design Project are three developments where a comprehensive system is being produced that utilises a consistent data standard and vocabulary to describe the teaching and learning environment and the different theoretical approaches employed (Oliver & Littlejohn, 2006) and two of the three are machine readable (INS-LD and LAMS).
This paper provides a review of each of these methods of documenting learning designs and details the results of a study that demonstrated that a system that educators can use to comprehensively describe successful, stimulating and engaging learning designs so that they can be shared and re-used is still beyond the reach of the average pre-service teacher. However, all have features that illustrate that the dream of an easy to use, machine readable and comprehensive learning design documentation system may not be too far away.
Keywords: learning design, IMS-LD, LAMS, generic templates, AUTC, online learning, pre-service teacher training.

Mónica S. Cárdenas-Claros and Paul A. Gruba
School of Languages and Linguistics, The University of Melbourne

Second language (L2) learners experiencing breakdowns in the comprehension of instructional aural materials when working with computers are enabled to overcome such difficulties by interacting with different forms of enhanced input (i.e. enriched, salient, and modified) provided through help options. Despite of the perceived advantages of using help options, Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) researchers caution their use, arguing that if not used properly, they can hinder learning instead of enhancing it (i.e. Hubbard, 2000; Pujolà, 2002). This paper describes the initial stages of an on going study aimed to construct a principled framework for the understanding, development & evaluation of help options in computer based listening materials by drawing information from previous studies and by inquiring into the L2 learners' perceptions on the effectiveness of help option use.
Keywords: Help options, input enhancements, computer based listening.

Tom Carey
University of Waterloo, Canada
and California State University, U.S.A.

The Carrick Institute for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education is developing the Carrick Exchange to provide a forum for sharing resources and expertise about learning and teaching. This paper reflects on relevant experience in North America with related initiatives, which highlight (a number of) issues to be considered and (a few) lessons which can be incorporated in the design and development of the Carrick Exchange.
Most of the experience cited here comes from the MERLOT network, including both the MERLOT discipline community Editorial Boards and related communities such as the Cooperative Learning Object Exchange in Canada, the disciplinary Teaching Commons sites within the California State University, and the new MERLOT Innovation Projects such as ELIXR creating reusable resources for staff development.
This paper also analyses the resulting reflections in the context of an independently developed taxonomy for distributed collaborations in a parallel domain: large scale scientific collaboratories. This analysis suggests that a full range of possibilities needs to be explored across dimensions such as aggregation versus co-creation and the range of valuable contributions of resources, information and knowledge. Another conclusion is that a number of user needs can be met without the full infrastructure of a distributed community of practice.

Shanton Chang
Department of Information Systems, The University of Melbourne

Since the introduction of the Lectopia (i-Lecture) technology to higher education, there has been debate about its relevance and effectiveness as a teaching and learning tool (Fardon, 2003). Anecdotally, students expect to access Lectopia recordings for their revision and for going through points that were made which they missed in lectures. From the academics' point of view, resistance has resulted from the perception that the Lectopia option will reduce attendance in lectures and also the notion that not all lecturing styles can be suitably recorded by an admittedly limited technology. Fardon (2003) also argues cogently that Lectopia is not necessarily conducive to some styles of lecturing. The classifications of different lecturing styles (Brown and Bakhtar, 1988; Behr, 1988; Saroyan and Snell, 1997) as highlighted by Fardon (2003) present a useful tool in determining if particular styles of lecture may be more or less conducive to Lectopia. However, lecturing styles alone do not determine a willingness or resistance to adoption of the technology. Some other reasons may include perceptions of the reliability of the technology, the technology as a pedagogical tool, the engagement levels with students and suitability for the curriculum. This qualitative project examined 11 academics' perception of Lectopia at The University of Melbourne. The results affirmed some of the benefits and concerns around the use of Lectopia, and highlighted some academic practices in using the technology. Initial results point to some recommendations on incorporating Lectopia technology into the teaching toolkit as well as indicate some future areas of research.
Keywords: Lectopia, lecture recordings, pedagogy and technology, qualitative research

Juliana Chau
English Language Centre, Hong Kong Polytechnic University

This paper describes an e-portfolio project at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, designed to provide university students with an e-learning tool to showcase their cumulative, multi-modal evidence of linguistic accomplishments over time. It charts the initial phase of a portfolio journey from paper to electronic format, bringing to the fore some of the challenges a developer confronts when introducing and implementing an e-portfolio for English language learning. Such challenges range from practical issues (e.g. selection of an appropriate open source platform) to higher order concerns (e.g. sustainability; equity; benchmarkability). Despite the challenges, the paper concludes that the e-portfolio represents a powerful learning mechanism for addressing, among others, learner diversity rendered possible by information and communications technology (ICT).
Keywords: e-portfolio, developers' challenges, language learning tool; technology

Chen Chwen Jen
Faculty of Cognitive Sciences and Human Development, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak

To date, the educational benefits offered by the virtual reality (VR) technology are generally well accepted. Indeed, many efforts are underway to explore ways, both theoretically and practically, to produce effective virtual reality learning. Chen, Toh and Wan (2004), for instance, have proposed an instructional design model that prescribes instructional methods for guiding the design of VR based learning environments. Although this model serves as a feasible and useful template to guide the design of VR based learning environments, particularly learning environments that adopt the constructivist paradigm of instruction, there are still rooms to enhance its robustness. This paper describes how formative research method can be used to improve this instructional design model. Formative research, which is qualitative in nature, is a method that has been employed to develop as well as to improve design theories (or models). The paper also reports some preliminary findings of the study.
Keywords: formative research, virtual reality, learning, instructional design model

John Clayton
Emerging Technologies Centre, Waikato Institute of Technology

The increased use of computers in education, the creation of virtual learning environments based on web services, and the increased investments by educational institutions (both fiscal, physical and human) in the development of networked environments are impacting on all aspects of education. Educationalists, at all levels, are challenged to develop appropriate strategies to deal with new information and communication technology rich ways of teaching and learning. This paper will focus on the procedures used in the validation of an online learning environment perceptual measure the Online Learning Environment Survey (OLLES). It is envisaged the instrument, in its' final form, will inform educationalists of the efficiency and effectiveness of tactics and strategies they are employing in the online learning environments they create.
Keywords: computers in education, online learning, learning environment, perceptual measures, evaluation

Barney Dalgarno
School of Education, Charles Sturt University
Anthony Chan, Peter Adams, Phil Roy and Daryl Miller
School of Computing and Mathematics, Charles Sturt University

It is generally accepted that the use of paperless submission and return of university assignments has potential advantages for reducing delays in each direction, especially for students studying part time, online or at a distance. There are also potential advantages in terms of the quality of feedback and also potential cost savings through reduced printing either by the student or by the institution. A number of studies have explored the use of technologies to assist with the process of submission, marking or return of student assignments, but to date there is little information available about student attitudes to its use. This paper reports on a survey of students who participated in a large scale trial of paperless submission, marking and return of assignments. The results suggest that students in general are strongly in favour of paperless approaches. Advantages identified included reductions in time delays, ability to retrieve feedback while away from home, improved legibility of feedback, reduced printing, and more convenient storage of past assignments. Disadvantages identified included the cost of printing returned assignments and problems with uploading over slow Internet connections. There was no significant difference between preference for paperless marking of students studying on campus and at a distance, with the majority of students in all study modes responding positively. Students were divided in their preference for receiving feedback via email (ie. using a push model), versus downloading their feedback themselves (ie. using a pull model), indicating that both alternatives should be made available.
Keywords: paperless marking, online assessment, electronic grading

Ann Davenport and Judi Baron
Centre for Learning and Professional Development, University of Adelaide

The University of Adelaide is currently undertaking a Situational Learning Initiative in order to make learning more engaging, relevant, interactive and collaborative, and to meet the learning styles of its increasing numbers of digitally literate learners. This paper outlines the rationale for this initiative and its goals and strategies. It reports on progress to date and future directions from a learning and teaching support perspective.
Keywords: situational learning, online role play simulations, scenario based learning, 21st century learners

Kristin Demetrious
School of Communication and Creative Arts, Deakin University

This article compares two Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) used in the Faculty of Arts, Deakin University Australia, and investigates the relationships between technology, pedagogy and key issues in the teaching and practice of public relations, in a media studies context. The online role play 'Save Wallaby Forest' and the e-simulation 'PRessure Point! Getting Framed (GF), in their different ways, afford learning environments with capabilities that present public relations and media students with opportunities to discover a critical consciousness, break out of naturalised world views, and explore alternative approaches to organisational communication. Furthermore, they present students with complex ethical issues to investigate based around the idea that media industries are powerful discursive producers and reproducers of social norms, values and beliefs which in turn shape notions of identity and influence the formation of public opinion in society (Fairclough 1999; Habermas 1995). This article explores the intersections and differences between these distinct ICTs in their relationships to a constructivist learning approach and ethical questions about how public relations both produces and reproduces world views through practice. This interacting nexus - between technology, pedagogy and theme - is significant because "what happens in the learning process" relates to the learning outcome and therefore has the potential to develop holistic reflexivity in studies of public relations (Laurillard 2003, p.42).

Liping Deng and Allan H.K. Yuen
Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong

This study explores into the role of weblogs in supporting preservice teachers during their teaching practice and the key factors determining their engagement with weblogs. Underlying our study is an integrative approach that puts weblogs alongside with other popular media in use. An online community was intentionally built with weblogs to facilitate reflection and social interaction among dispersed preservice teachers. In parallel, multiple channels of communication were employed for peer interaction. Weblogs were perceived as valuable in relieving isolation, documenting their experience, and expressing their personal feelings. Instant Messenger and phone were rated as the most frequently used media. This study sustains our conviction that the integrative approach is vital to have a comprehensive picture of interaction among a community. Our study deepens the insights into the distinct benefit of weblogs as educational media and informs the future development of an online community with weblogs.
Keywords: weblogs, learning community, blogging, preservice teachers

Elizabeth Devonshire
Pain Management Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sydney

Within higher education settings the peer review of research as well as face to face teaching has been an established practice for a number of years. Yet there has been little attention placed on the peer review of online learning designs, in spite of the widespread adoption of ICTs in universities over the last few decades. To date, the most notable strategies aimed at redressing this gap are review mechanisms embedded within learning repositories (such as MERLOT, CLOE, LAMS), and nationally funded projects directed at establishing methods for validating scholarship in university teaching (Taylor & Richardson, 2001; see also Carrick Institute: Priority Projects 2006).
This paper reports on the initial stages of the development of a peer review framework for Project EnRoLE: a Carrick funded initiative aimed at encouraging a community of like minded teachers interested in developing and sharing role based learning environments. It commences with a brief snapshot of the debate surrounding peer review and teaching scholarship, as well as the scope and aims of the project. Then, it outlines proposed elements of the review framework, highlighting its potential for encouraging other academics to EnRoLE in the (re)use of role play learning designs.
Keywords: peer review, role play, role based learning environment, reuse, Project EnRoLE

Robert Dixon, Kathryn Dixon and Lou Siragusa
Faculty of Education, Language Studies and Social Work, Curtin University of Technology

This paper reports upon the results of ongoing research into student responses to their online learning habitat at a Western Australian university. The university in question has been at the forefront of innovation for flexible, online delivery of its Training and Development Program since the late 1990s. A number of reviews and evaluations of the program have taken place since then, with changes being made in direct line with academic research. This has pointed to ways of improving the quality of delivery and therefore student learning. This investigation focuses upon students' reactions to their online learning environment and utilises student questionnaire data which concentrates upon factors relating to communication apprehension and competence, the experience of perceived loneliness, locus of control, collaboration by students regarding the learning experience, institutional support and the students' sense of self efficacy. The results indicated that students' personal perceptions of the importance of peer interaction and group work were surprisingly lower than anticipated. It appeared that the majority of students preferred to work alone and were less likely to initiate contact with fellow students as they believed their learning styles were not collaborative. Communication apprehension and competence were highly influential on their overall expectations of educational success in the unit studied. The students' sense of control over the learning materials and environment led to an increase in their belief regarding a timely and successful completion of the unit of study and their perceived ability to interact effectively with others.

Jennifer Duncan-Howell and Kar-Tin Lee
School of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, Queensland University of Technology

Today's students have grown up with enormous access to digital technology in the last decades of the 20th century. As educators we are left to grapple with what form and shape learning will look like in tertiary settings in the next few decades? The use of M-Learning tools themselves does not guarantee their potential being realised. The key to success is the ability of educators to design and develop pedagogically sound opportunities and environments that enhances learning. This presentation will provide an overview of what is currently happening regarding M-Learning in tertiary institutions and it will look at the conclusions of these initiatives. It will highlight the challenges and issues confronting tertiary educators when planning and catering for the needs, preferences, attitudes and habits of young Generation C mobile technology users and look at the potential applications or uses of M-Learning in the tertiary context. It will present a brief description of M-Learning initiatives currently being trialed at Queensland University of Technology. The paper will conclude with a brief examination of educational policy developments regarding M-Learning around the world and a summary of the changes facing tertiary educational settings.
Keywords: m-learning, learning design, tertiary education, m-learning policy

Irina Elgort
University Teaching Development Centre, Victoria University of Wellington

Wikis have originally emerged and are most commonly known as social software, but there is also a growing trend to use wikis as a learning and assessment tool in higher education. The latter is the focus of the present paper. The effects of task type and instructions on students' decisions about wiki structure and navigation are considered by examining group wikis created by students of two postgraduate courses as part of their assessed course work. More general issues with wiki based learning are also considered.

Kristine Elliott and Kevin Sweeney
Biomedical Multimedia Unit, The University of Melbourne

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 that it would take up to three times more time to develop the Diabetes project by creating new objects. 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.
Keywords: learning objects, reuse, development, e-learning resources

Richard Elliott and John Clayton
Waikato Institute of Technology

Recent research in the New Zealand tertiary education sector, indicated more information was required to identify the observable trends and drivers of change that were likely to have significant impact on the future of "e-learning" in Industry Training Organisations (ITOs).
A three phase research project was undertaken to ascertain the current status of the use of e-learning technologies by New Zealand ITOs. The data reported here, from the second phase, was derived from a multi-part survey of the perceived benefits and barriers to e-learning activity in New Zealand ITOs. Key findings include a pan-sector awareness of the benefits of e-learning for increasing flexibility in training, while at the same time seeing costs and lack of technical infrastructure as real barriers to implementation.
Keywords: industry training, e-learning, benefits, barriers, online survey

Brett Farmer and Audrey Yue
School of Culture and Communication, University of Melbourne
Claire Brooks
Information and Education Services, University of Melbourne

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-value of blogging but also highlights potential limitations and problem areas.
Keywords: weblogs, learner centred, personalised learning, social software

Jan Fermelis
Faculty of Business and Law, Deakin University
Richard Tucker
Faculty of Science and Technology, Deakin University
Stuart Palmer
Institute of Teaching and Learning, Deakin University

The increasing use of team assignments within higher education is well documented. The driving forces behind this include desires to facilitate reflective and collaborative learning, to develop generic teamwork skills for graduate employment and to reduce the grading workloads of faculty staff. Students however consistently report dissatisfaction when the assessment of team assignments produces a common grade for all team members. Self and peer assessment (SAPA) is presented as a fair, valid and reliable method of producing information about ongoing team processes. This information can provide ongoing feedback to team members and rich formative data to instructors attempting to assess the team process and students' teamwork skills. This data can also enable individualised summative assessment in dysfunctional teams or situations of uneven team member contributions. Whilst manual SAPA protocols can work effectively for smaller classes, computer assisted SAPA offers a solution to the problems of large classes. This paper reports on the early stages of an online SAPA tool, originally developed for small classes of architecture students, adapted for use by very large business communication classes comprising up to 1000 students in a semester. This large unit is delivered on four Australian campuses as well as off campus and in off shore mode, by up to fourteen instructors at any one time. The paper documents how three researchers from very different backgrounds worked to create their own research team, implement a pilot study, and adapt the online tool, whilst adhering to comparability of assessment constraints and maintaining integrity of research design.
Keywords: team work, group work, self and peer assessment, SAPA, assessment tools

Brian Ferry and Lisa Kervin
RILE Research Group, University of Wollongong
Lisa Carrington and Kay Prcevich
University of Wollongong

In this paper we describe an online classroom based simulation, ClassSim. The software was developed to enable pre-service teachers to interact with a virtual classroom environment as they assume the role of the teacher. The project built on the research of Herrington, Oliver and Reeves (2003) by investigating how the design elements of authentic learning environments they identified could be operationalised in simulation software to engage pre-service teachers in understanding the complex decisions needed to plan and implement reading and writing experiences for young children.
With the support of a large grant from the Australian Research Council entitled: Investigating a classroom simulation designed to support pre-service teacher decision making in planning and implementing literacy teaching (DP0344011) we have engaged in iterative designs and accompanying trials of the software with more than 500 pre-service teachers studying within the Faculty of Education at the University of Wollongong, Australia. During these trials we noticed some trends in the ways in which pre-service teachers approached the software and report on the implications of these trends for instructional designers.
Keywords: online learning, simulation design, teaching

Julie Fleming
Central Queensland University
Karen Becker
Queensland University of Technology

Technology has had a significant impact on the pedagogical practice of academics in the tertiary education sector. For most academics, this has meant a struggle to adapt to potentially different approaches to learning design. At worst, technology has resulted in nothing more than the use of traditional methods of learning design in an online environment; delivering content in a seemingly linear way that offers little opportunity to enhance learning and teaching. For others, online facilitation of learning presents opportunities to transform learning into an engaging and authentic experience for the student, utilising sometimes unique approaches available only in the online environment. This paper presents findings from a review of courses offered online across a range of disciplines, and particularly focuses on varying approaches to course design and implementation. In particular, the review of these courses and their implementation sought to better understand the roles being played by academics in the design and development of learning in an online environment, through a lens developed by Goodyear, Salmon, Spector, Steeples and Tickner (2001). The findings of the review highlight the importance of a range of competencies for effective design and delivery of online learning. The authors argue that academics may not be the most appropriate individuals to fulfil some of the roles required for the effective design and implementation of online learning.
Keywords: roles in ICT; course design; online learning

Wrennah L. Gabbert
Nursing Faculty, Angelo State University, San Angelo, Texas
Roderick Sims
Instructional Design for Online Learning, Capella University

The United States is in the midst of a severe nursing shortage that is expected to increase in intensity due to the aging nursing population and the increasingly complex healthcare environment. Complicating this situation is the fact that a majority of Registered Nurses find they must acquire additional education if they want to advance their careers or obtain leadership positions, and online learning provides the perfect opportunity for nurses to continue working while pursuing their educational goals. To date, research in nursing education has primarily focused on specific distance delivery formats and technology integration with outcomes measured primarily by grades the students received and their satisfaction with the course and instructor. Nurse educators are challenged to meet the complex needs of the current nursing student and humanise their online courses by intentionally designing relevant curriculum in a supportive learning environment. The purpose of this study was to investigate current nursing students' perceptions of teacher-student interactions in their online nursing courses. Relationships between the students' perceptions and demographic factors of age, professional and online learning experience, and type of program were also explored. Data were collected from a convenience sample of nursing students representing both urban and rural geographic areas of the southwest. Describing students' perceptions provided insight into who the current student is, their needs and information about where teachers need to direct instructional design efforts to develop and maintain attractive and supportive online learning environments.
Keywords: Nursing Education, Teacher-Student Interaction, Instructional Design, Online Learning

Victor Galea
School of Land, Crop & Food Sciences, The University of Queensland
Terry Stewart
Institute of Natural Resources, Massey University
Caroline H Steel
Teaching and Education Development Institute, The University of Queensland

Challenge FRAP (Form for the Analysis of Problems), is client based public domain authoring software that facilitates the dynamic use of scaffolding, progressive feedback to learners, and student reflection at important decision making points. This paper reports the student use and evaluation of this e-learning tool in the context of a plant pathology course over three years. Students in a third year undergraduate course were given authentic commercially significant plant disease problems derived from industry and matched with industry clients to work through their analysis and diagnosis. The use of Challenge FRAP enabled students to work in a flexible, self directed way with strong scaffolding support and guidance to assist them through a scholarly scientific reasoning process. The e-learning tool also enabled the teacher to gain insights into student decision making and cognitive thinking processes and to provide feedback and guidance at crucial learning points. This paper details student perceptions of this e-learning scaffolding tool during and after their experience of using it, as well as their responses to the authentic learning context and how they believed the process influenced their learning.
Keywords: diagnosis, authentic problems, clinical reasoning, PBL, scaffolding, self directed learning, Challenge FRAP, plant pathology

Stuart Garner
School of Management, Edith Cowan University

The learning of software development is difficult for many students. Often students start writing programming code as soon as they receive a problem statement without paying sufficient attention to program design. One of the most common ways to design the logic of a program is to use pseudocode, and yet many students do not like to do this. Reasons for this include: it is another language to learn; they do not think that they are actually programming; they cannot test their designs as the designs are not executable; there is not a rigid syntax and so students are unsure whether their pseudocode meets an instructor's expectations. This paper concerns the development of a simple tool that helps students create pseudocode. The tool has been used and evaluated in an introductory programming unit of study. The results suggest that the tool was easy for students to learn and that it helped support their learning.
Keywords: Programming, design, pseudocode, tools

Stavroula Gkatzidou and Elaine Pearson
Accessibility Research Centre, School of Computing, University of Teesside, UK

With the rapid development of wireless networks and mobile technologies, the widespread use of mobile learning has raised the need for 'anywhere, anytime and any device' access to information and has influenced the design of learning objects. The newly emerging IMS AccessForAll and Dublin Core adaptability and accessibility standards and the proposed profiles of needs and preferences (PNP), present significant challenges to learning designers. This paper responds to these challenges for an accessible relationship between the learner and the resource and suggests a learning object adaptation framework which allows for flexibility and personalisation to learners' needs and preferences. The concept of a transformation, augmentation and substitution framework (TAS) is described by discussing a specific case study, which investigates the adaptations required for existing learning objects delivered as vodcasts (videos downloaded to an MP3 player). The case study is examined in the context of a larger research project which aims to contribute to the requirements specification for the development of an adaptable learning object authoring tool. This paper explains the rationale behind the case study, describes the research methodology and outlines the main findings of the evaluation of the learning vodcast.
Keywords: adaptability, vodcasting, mobile learning

Carlos Gonzalez
Facultad de Educacion, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile

This paper presents preliminary outcomes of a phenomenographic research on lecturers' experiences of teaching undergraduate on campus courses using the web. Eighteen lecturers from different disciplines were interviewed from two research intensive Australian Universities. Interviews were analysed with the aim of describing lecturers' experiences as they emerge from the transcripts. Three different experiences were identified: 'the web for providing academic and administrative information related to the course', in which lecturers understand the web to provide information or contents; 'the web for communicating with other people involved in the course', in which lecturers conceive it as a space for engaging in online discussions; and 'the web as a space to create, build and share knowledge', in which lecturers see it as a valuable tool which allows sharing and knowledge building. These dimensions represent an increasingly sophisticated way of understanding teaching with the web. Findings are coherent with previous research (Gonzalez, 2006; McConnell & Zhao, 2006; Roberts, 2003) which has identified ways of conceiving the web for teaching ranging from 'informative' to 'knowledge building - sharing' conceptions.
Keywords: phenomenography, teaching in higher education, experiences of teaching using the web, e-learning

Peter Goodyear
CoCo, Faculty of Education & Social Work, University of Sydney
Robert Ellis
Institute for Teaching & Learning, University of Sydney

This paper is concerned with the issues that arise when one sees teaching as a process of design, and students as co-constructors of their learning environments. The dominant models of design, we argue, tend to either configure the learner as a compliant consumer of educational designs and a well-behaved user of educational technologies, or they tend to romanticise learners as media savvy experts on managing their own learning. In our view, 'teaching as design' needs to be supported with intellectual resources that avoid these extremes. To get a better sense of how design should be informed by a knowledge of student perspectives, we present the outcomes of some recent research into the ways in which students on 'blended learning' courses interpret the requirements of learning through discussion and learning through inquiry.
Keywords: educational design; online learning; learning through discussion

Paul Gruba
School of Languages and Linguistics, The University of Melbourne

Despite a growing body of work in media literacy, theorists have given scant attention to the ways foreign language learners may develop media decoding skills. In the context of technology rich learning environments, for example, how do learners come to understand the media, and how does the use of media influences their foreign language development? The aim of this case study is to examine how foreign language learners decode visual elements as they develop media literacy. Ten students of Japanese watched digitised newscasts and 'thought aloud' as they responded to short answer comprehension tasks. Results indicate that visual elements have both assistive and deleterious affects in understanding a foreign language. Productive further research may best focus on developing a selection criteria for newscasts, using more subtle methodological techniques and creating better technology mediated tasks.
Keywords: foreign language learning, media literacy, cognitive processes, verbal reports

Evelyn Gullett and Kanishka Bedi
Universitas 21 Global

The training and development function in organisations is undergoing a paradigm shift with the advent of new online technologies like the wiki and educational institutions are no exception. Wiki may provide a means for creating a faculty learning community at educational institutions, thus involving all faculty on a single common platform where each faculty is the producer as well as the user of knowledge. This paper proposes a model for the deployment of wiki for online training and development of faculty in educational institutions. The model is implemented at an online university and preliminary findings indicate that wiki activity by all faculty members is low suggesting the need of further experimentation in the use of wiki as a collaborative T&D tool for online faculty.
Keywords: wiki, faculty, training and development, online collaboration, knowledge creation

Cathy Gunn
Centre for Academic Development, The University of Auckland

Sustained investment in e-learning in different national contexts has lead to a common conclusion; that integration of technology supported teaching and learning strategies into mainstream practice has not reached full potential because levels of engagement by academics vary. Some instances of e-learning demonstrate a level of excellence that proves the potential exists. Yet dissemination of these innovations and the institutional systems required to facilitate wider engagement remain patchy. In other cases, the use of e-learning systems by a critical mass of tertiary teachers focuses primarily on administrative functions. This paper describes the application of three established models as the basis to define the concept of e-scholarship. Articulation of this concept through a systematic and institutionally supported program is proposed as a means to address the challenges identified by a group of leading e-learning practitioners. Nationally funded initiatives are finding emergent social networking tools and strategies to be common ground for both teaching and e-research. This could prove to be a key factor to motivate wider engagement at both individual and organisational levels. The New Zealand tertiary sector provides the context for this development. Design based research is the underlying methodology.
Keywords: e-scholarship, dissemination of innovations, design based research, viable systems, distributive leadership, capacity development, social networking

Pauline Hagel and Robin Shaw
Deakin University

Students' acceptance and use of ICT-based learning needs to be understood in terms of their preferences for alternatives such as face to face (FtF) or print based learning. This paper reports on an investigation of students' preferences for hybrid study modes. Cluster analysis was used to identify segments of students that had distinctive preferences for combinations of FtF, print and web based study modes. Five segments were identified. These segments were distinguishable on some demographic and situational characteristics. The size and nature of the segments have implications for the hybrid modes offered by universities and the extent to which students' may embrace the ICT based innovations designed by educators.
Keywords: preferences, study modes, segmentation, hybrid modes

Andrea Hall
Department for Learning and Teaching, Sultan Qaboos University
Michael Robinson
Department of Biology, Sultan Qaboos University

An ecology course at our university was redesigned as it was felt the learners needed more support to help them gain a deeper knowledge of ecology concepts, terminology and professional practice. A learning design based on Vygotsky's sociocultural theories was used to structure the learning environment. This learning design scaffolds the learning in a more comprehensive manner as it proposes that learning is mediated by others and describes the type of support is required. This paper presents the theoretical basis of the learning design, and how this is used to design the ecology project to help increase learning outcomes. Evaluation of the design will be carried out later this year.
Keywords: sociocultural, learning design, scaffold, Vygotsky, project based

Neil Harris and Maria Sandor
School of Public Health, Griffith University

Computer conferencing, most commonly in the guise of discussion forums, is increasingly available and utilised in the delivery of university level courses. While such advances in the delivery of higher education have permitted greater flexibility for participants with the opportunity of studying almost anywhere at anytime, such modes of delivery can place significant time demands on academics. Traditional and peer based approaches to learning in the e-learning environment often create an onus upon the instructor to be extensively involved in dialogue on course content through such mediums as discussion forums. This paper introduces a conception of discussion forums as student centred peer e-learning environments. The proffered conception positions the student as expert/facilitator at the centre of the learning event and the instructor, one step removed from the process, as overseer of the dialogue. The model is an innovative approach to discussion forums that draws the student into the online learning process by encouraging them to take a more active and central role in their learning.
Keywords: discussion forums, facilitation, peer learning, e-learning

Dale Holt and Stuart Palmer
Institute of Teaching and Learning, Deakin University

The paper examines the implementation of institutional policy relating to mandating wholly online study at the undergraduate level in an Australian higher education institution. The realities of the 'choice' provided to teaching staff in designing such units, and students in studying in this mode, are considered. Staff members' design experiences are reported, and data collected through the surveying of students' experiences in learning wholly online are analysed. The value students attributed to various aspects of the wholly online learning experience is outlined. Observations are made more generally about the uniqueness of wholly online teaching and learning environments in mandated contexts, and where policy and practice developments may evolve in the future.
Keywords: case study; educational design; wholly online; lifelong learning

Hong Kian Sam and Tan Kock Wah
Faculty of Cognitive Science and Human Development, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak
Lai Kim Leong
Batu Lintang Teachers Training Institute Kuching, Sarawak

This study was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of teaching a mathematical problem solving course via the Web using a social constructivist approach. This study looked at participants' perceptions and satisfactions with the online learning environment. A total of 37 pre-service teacher trainees at the Batu Lintang Teacher Institute, Sarawak, Malaysia were the participants of this study. In this online course, the participants were required to complete the course online without face to face classes and they were also required to solve authentic mathematical problems in small group of 4-5 participants based on the Polya's Problem Solving Model via online asynchronous discussion. The online asynchronous discussion enabled the participants to discuss and share knowledge and solutions. Quantitative and qualitative methods such as questionnaires and interviews were used to evaluate the effects of the online learning. Findings in this study showed that majority of the participants were satisfied with their learning experiences in the course. The participants also perceived that they need to have positive attitudes, self discipline, self independence, and self confidence to succeed in the course. Some of the difficulties faced by the participants in the course were technical problems, inadequate computer training for some of the required software and feeling of isolation. Thus, the online mathematical problem solving course using the social constructivist approach was appropriate and ought to be given serious attention as an alternative to traditional classes. Nonetheless, pedagogical considerations should be taken into account in designing and implementing online courses to minimise problems that participants might encounter while participating in such courses.
Keywords: online course, social constructivist, mathematical problem solving, satisfactions

Chun Hu
Centre for Computer-Supported Collaboration and Cognition, University of Sydney

This paper reports students' recounts of their best contributions to the online learning activities in a master's course, and their accompanying reasons. Students' self claimed best contributions fall into three categories, (1) building and sharing new knowledge/ideas, (2) questioning peers, and (3) sharing resources. Bulk of the self selected best contributions is in the first category (72%). The preliminary findings seem to suggest that both instructors and students hold similar standpoints on good performances in an online learning environment, i.e. to build new knowledge, to articulate and share them through interactions with course readings, reflections on personal experiences/beliefs online experiences, and interactions with peers. The findings support the view that in general students can accurately make self assessments about their abilities and achievements, and self assessment could be used as an alternative way of assessing online learning.
Keywords: collaborative learning, collaborative knowledge construction, assessment of online learning, reflective practice, design of online course

Alistair Inglis
Staff College, Victoria University

The way in which a university communicates a strategy that it is attempting to implement to its staff can have an important bearing on the effectiveness of the strategy. However, there are currently no generally accepted conventions governing the scope, structure, content and language of strategy documents. E-learning is an area of activity in which most universities are currently striving achieve major change and therefore the documents being used to communicate institutional strategies in relation to e-learning merit investigation. A study was undertaken of the ways in which Australian universities are documenting their strategies in relation to e-learning and the types of activities that are being identified in strategy documents. The study found that two distinct approaches to documenting institutional e-learning strategies are being adopted. Some universities are developing discrete strategies whereas other universities are embedding their strategies in more general documents. The most common themes that were identified in discrete e-learning strategies included: learning management system(s), networking and infrastructure, planning, policy and strategy development, evaluation, support for projects related to e-learning, development of courses, teaching and support, learning spaces, and future developments. The themes that more than one university covered in general documents included: staff development, programs, use, improved access, effectiveness, and teaching/learning spaces. Comparison of the documents provided by institutions showed that when e-learning strategies have been embedded in more general documents the range of aspects of e-learning that are covered tends to be less wide ranging than is the case when discrete strategies have been produced.
Keywords: strategy, planning

Azilawati Jamaludin, Ho Mei Lin Caroline and Chee Yam San
National Institue of Education, Nanyang Technological University

This paper reports the impact of using a structured argumentation board and enactive role play in Second Life on students' argumentative writing skills in the context of the A-level subject General Paper. Students were taught the structural aspects of argumentation based on Toulmin's (1958) argumentation framework. The structured argumentation board, Voices of Reason, supported their argumentation discourse while the Second Life platform supported students' contextualised role playing activities on the topic of globalisation. Students participated in these two separate modes of technology facilitated learning in a cyclic, interwoven fashion, alternating back and forth between two cycles of argument and enaction. Data in the form of argumentative essays were collected at the beginning and the end of a four week intervention period. We compare the pre and post intervention argumentation essays written by the students based on Toulmin's argumentation framework, contrast the findings with that of the control group's argumentative essays, and present the statistical results in this paper.
Keywords: argumentation, enactive role play, critical thinking

Martin Jenkins and Jo Lonsdale
Centre for Active Learning, University of Gloucestershire, UK

This paper reports on the use of digital storytelling as a means of encouraging student engagement and reflection; consideration is also given to developing an appropriate mechanism to measure student reflection using this medium. Digital storytelling, the combination of still images with an audio track, was piloted in different learning contexts at the University of Gloucestershire, including: a students' transition into a higher education program; student presentations; and capturing reflections on personal development. Evaluations show that staff and students have found this approach to be a positive experience for encouraging student creativity; however, the very personal reflective nature of the stories created has raised issues about how student reflection and progression is adequately captured using this approach. The paper will report on the use of different models to assess this progression and the issues raised.
Keywords: digital storytelling, reflection, student engagement

David Jones and Nona Muldoon
Division of Teaching and Learning Services, Central Queensland University

The application of information and communication technologies (ICTs) to support and enhance learning and teaching (e-learning) provides the potential to significantly increase the flexibility and choice for university learners and learning. The evidence, however, seems to indicate that these advantages are not evident in the majority of e-learning practice. This paper argues that the teleological design process which underpins almost all e-learning within higher education significantly limits the flexibility and choice ICTs can provide. The contribution of this paper is to illustrate how organisational implementation of e-learning has become imprisoned by a dominant and unquestioned epistemological foundation that is limiting understanding. It seeks to improve the understanding that informs e-learning implementation, in order to increase the level of flexibility and choice provided by the institutional implementation of e-learning for learners and learning.
Keywords: e-learning, learning management system, teleological, ateleological

Peter Jones
Department of Social Work and Community Welfare, James Cook University

The second generation of Web based tools, the so called Web 2.0 applications such as podcasts, blogs and wikis, have captured the imagination of many educators, who recognise their potential for creating more collaborative and truly interactive online learning environments. However, whenever new technologies become available, there is a risk that they will be employed on the basis of novelty rather than for sound pedagogical reasons. To ensure that the latest crop of online tools are actually contributing in meaningful ways to the creation of effective and authentic learning environments, educators need to be mindful of the foundations of effective learning design and sound pedagogical principles. This paper explores the use of a wiki in a final year, undergraduate, social work course. Drawing on the concepts of constructive alignment and models for effective learning design, the wiki was integrated into a purposefully designed learning sequence in a manner which allowed students to engage in online collaboration directed at the achievement of a set of intended learning outcomes. In this way, the wiki becomes a fully integrated and coherent part of the learning experience, rather than simply a technological add on.
Keywords: wiki, constructive alignment, learning design, social work education

Sandra Jones
RMIT University

Role play as a means of involving learners in experiential learning opportunities has been a characteristic of student centred learning environments for many years. Developments in the digital environment have enabled the design of more sophisticated role play environments in which learners deal with the complexity and ambiguity of real life issues and the same time develop their knowledge of the advantages and limitations of online communication. Virtual Situated Learning Environments (VSLEs) add a further 'real world' quality to role plays. Using several examples of VSLEs created to underpin courses in management and negotiations, this paper seeks to explore their effectiveness in providing a more real world environment in which participants engage in role play activities in common 'safe' environments and develop their knowledge and skills beyond the 'known' domain of their existing practice.
Keywords: role play; virtual situated learning environments; student centered; action based

Terry Judd and Gregor Kennedy
Biomedical Multimedia Unit, The University of Melbourne

This paper presents the background to and progress of a project investigating the use of courseware and other digital resources by undergraduate medical students in a self directed learning environment (shared open access computing space) within a problem based curriculum. The investigation draws on three parallel streams of data collection; automated usage monitoring, survey and focus group. Over 60,000 individual computer sessions and more than 500 surveys are currently being analysed. Preliminary analysis reveals that only a small percentage of the available courseware resources are regularly used, and that the level of usage appears to be highly dependent the level of promotion and support provided by teaching staff. Analysis of Internet usage data reveals that medical students rely heavily on Google and Wikipedia to locate and access self directed learning resources and that they are relatively unsophisticated in their use of search tools. The results of the investigation are informing the design and development of an innovative software support tool that aims to improve students' awareness of and access to a wide range of digital resources.
Keywords: usage monitoring, self directed learning, social bookmarking

Matthew Kearney and Kirsty Young
Faculty of Education, University of Technology Sydney

This paper reports on one component of a recent study which examined pre-service teachers' use of the Learning Activity Management System (LAMS) to facilitate their professional learning. Over a period of two semesters, seventeen pre-service teachers took part in an in depth study of their professional development as a result of authoring a learning design and implementing it during their practicum. This paper reports on the pre-service teachers' perceptions of LAMS' useability, flexibility and potential for use in K-12 classrooms.
Keywords: teacher education, learning designs, learning design authoring, LAMS.

Benjamin Kehrwald
College of Education, Massey University

This paper contributes to the growing body of knowledge which identifies benefits for online learning in the understanding of mediated social processes. It reports on an exploratory study into the nature, role and function of online social presence and a potential link between social presence and learner support in text based online learning environments. Employing a qualitative collective case study design, the study sought to produce understandings of mediated social processes which were grounded in the experiences of learners in text based online learning environments. Informed by social network analysis, the paper presents key findings of that study including (a) a definition of social presence as described by online learners (b) the role social presence in the development of relations and ties between online learners and (c) the progressive development of relational states which leads to productive collaboration.
Keywords: social presence, social network analysis, online learning, constructivist research

Kevin Kempin
Dubai Women's College

E-learning is relatively new to the United Arab Emirates, arriving as it did, in around 2002 for most college institutions. Nowadays, most tertiary institutions have allocated Information Communication Technology resources to provide alternatives to the previously used teacher centered, "chalk and talk" approach to learning and teaching. This is particularly true within the tertiary sector in the UAE. In line with this, at Dubai Women's College we are developing the e-Winter School program, using a blended learning model that caters to that community of students who needs extra support: the ones that don't quite 'fit' into the blueprint. This paper details some of the pedagogical underpinnings of the program, discusses how it is constructed and explores the relative merits of the way in which the community is taught. It also deals with some of the methods of instruction involved in such an undertaking and details actual results achieved by the students. The contents of this paper may be of interest to those faculty members, designers and developers who need to examine some examples of emerging practice that attempt to combine online learning with face to face, classroom tuition. The paper represents a work in progress and will explore how, when we combine something which is called the "LOAF" approach, with online learning, we have a model that is, judging by the lack of evidence to the contrary, quite unique to this part of the world.
Keywords: English language development; UAE; blended learning; learning support; student self management

Gregor Kennedy
Biomedical Multimedia Unit, The University of Melbourne
Barney Dalgarno
Faculty of Education, Charles Sturt University
Kathleen Gray, Terry Judd, Jenny Waycott
Biomedical Multimedia Unit, The University of Melbourne
Susan Bennett
Faculty of Education, University of Wollongong
Karl Maton
Faculty of Arts, University of Sydney
Kerri-Lee Krause
Griffith Institute for Higher Education, Griffith University
Andrea Bishop
School of Science and Technology, Charles Sturt University
Rosemary Chang, Anna Churchward
Biomedical Multimedia Unit, The University of Melbourne

A great deal has been written over the past few years about the characteristics of a new generation of students and the implications for teaching and learning. This generation, which has variously been referred to as the 'Net Generation', 'Digital Natives' and 'Generation Y' are claimed to be very different to their predecessors in their familiarity with technologies and the regularity with which they use them. Additionally, some commentators have claimed that their immersion in technology during their developmental years has changed the way that they learn and perhaps even the physiology of their brains. This paper reports on some preliminary results from a large cross-institutional study of the implications for University teaching of the characteristics of this generation of students. This paper focuses in particular on the results of a survey of the frequency with which 2588 first year students at the University of Melbourne, the University of Wollongong and Charles Sturt University, use 41 different applications of new technologies in their study and personal lives. The results indicate that there is greater diversity in frequency of use of technology than many commentators have suggested. Importantly, the use of collaborative and self publishing 'Web 2.0' technologies that have often been associated with this generation is quite low. The results of this large survey suggest that to accept the claims of some of the commentators on the changes needed in universities to cater for this generation of students without undertaking further research is likely to be a substantial mistake.
Keywords: net generation, digital natives, y generation, web 2.0, higher education

Christine Kilham
University of Canberra

This paper reports on a postgraduate case study investigating the learning benefits and issues associated with the adoption of blogs in a unit where they were not normally available within the University's version of the learning management system (WebCT). Of interest were various scaffolds designed to assist novice bloggers to reflect on their experiences of teaching children with autism using an approach called TEACCH. Interview data suggested that the ICT requirements enhanced the bloggers capacity to develop insights into their autism teaching. Structured blogging ("reflect-describe-analyse") was particularly useful. Practitioners were equivocal as to whether blogs should be initially linked to a familiar site such as WebCT, but agreed they needed to be given guidelines about how much and how often to blog. The practitioners interpreted "scaffolding" broadly to include their colleagues' blogs, and felt the closed membership structure facilitated the exchange of useful, albeit sensitive, information.
Keywords: novice bloggers; autism; TEACCH

Sarah Lambert and David Macdonald
Centre for Educational Development and Interactive Resources, University of Wollongong

In a paper presented at the 2006 Ascilite conference it was stated that thirty six online role plays were identified in Australian universities, of which 80% were reuse of a Learning Design (Wills & McDougall, 2006). Migrating a proven learning design is not always a simple process (Devonshire, 2006) but as this paper, addressing the conference theme of online role play, demonstrates it can be achieved effectively. From a pedagogical perspective, one of the main challenges is associated with the task of realigning the activity to adequately reflect the new context, delivery mode, target audience, learning process and anticipated outcomes (Devonshire, 2006). This paper addresses the reuse issues by looking at one role play that has been reused to achieve new outcomes.
Keywords: role based learning, academic staff development, re-usable learning designs

Chien-Ching Lee
Nanyang Technological University

Writing is a complex process. Scardamalia and Bereiter (1987) categorise poor and expert writers according to the type of writing they do. Poor writers are likely to use the knowledge telling strategy where students think and write whatever comes to their mind. Their writing reflects their train of thought rather than an understanding of the train of thought of the reader. Expert writers however, use the knowledge transforming strategy. They show an awareness of an overall plan or goal which they develop within the problem constraints given to meet their readers' needs. Graphic organisers have often been used to help students plan their writing but not to revise their writing in the pre-writing stage. Based on the premise that students can revise better if they can see better what they are revising, this paper provides the theoretical underpinnings to show that graphic organisers could be useful revising tools in the pre-writing stage and guidelines on the effective use of graphic organisers as revision tools in multi-draft pre-writing.
Keywords: pre-writing, graphic organisers, revision, scaffold

Chwee Beng Lee, Timothy Teo, Ching Sing Chai, Doris Choy, Ashley Tan and Jimmy Seah
Nanyang Technological University

As technology continues to influence many aspects of our social and work lives, it is important that school experiences equip students the skills and knowledge that will enable them to develop into effective independent, creative, and lifelong learners to cope with the influx of changes. Given that teachers play a key role in the effective use of technology in education, there is a need to ensure that teacher education programs prepare teachers for the effective integration of ICT in the classrooms. We believe that there is a need to adopt a student centered learning framework to design our ICT based Student Centred Learning (SCL) curriculum for all pre-service teachers. In this paper, we presents parts of the findings from a curriculum review which evaluated 483 pre-service teachers' overall satisfaction level towards an ICT based SCL course. We also provide some recommendations to the ICT curriculum based on the results found.
Keywords: ICT, student centred learning, pre-service teachers

Elyssebeth Leigh
Faculty of Education, University of Technology, Sydney
Wendy Meyers
CEDIR, University of Wollongong
Elizabeth Rosser
Assistant Head of Commerce, University of New South Wales

We begin with the premise that integrating active learning strategies into previously static modes of presenting knowledge can be complex and difficult. To reduce the complexity of the task we introduce the Learning Design Discussion Model (LDDM) for use at the beginning of collaboration by learning designers and educators considering role based approaches in tertiary subjects. The model helps align the core elements of a) content knowledge, b) learning objectives and c) learning design from the beginning. The model has emerged from efforts to achieve mutual agreement on use of active learning processes to support knowledge acquisition. Early trials indicate the LDDM helps identify inhibiting concerns and encourages use of interactive learning with an end result of clarification of intent, reduced unease about implementation problems and enhanced mutual understanding.
Keywords: constructive alignment, role play, dialogue, learning design, model

Tim Lever
USYD eLearning, University of Sydney
Mary Jane Mahony
Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Sydney
Helen Wozniak
Faculty of Medicine, University of Sydney

Operating from the margins of the formal curriculum and with relatively limited resources, student orientation faces unique teaching and learning challenges in representing the ideas and values of the academic world in a form that is relevant and engaging for prospective students in the non-academic world outside. Online learning adds a further layer of complexity in the technical medium through which the ideas and values must flow. GetReal, a web based orientation program for independent use by prospective online/distance students, tackles these challenges with a strategy that moves away from information based orientation to focus more on the kind of border crossing practices that enable students to operate at a genuinely independent level among the overlapping contexts of study, technology and personal life. Practices of reality checking, confidence building, choosing and self motivating are enabled through a relatively simple technical concept: the online interactive checklist expanded and elaborated to the point of forming the framework of a whole orientation website and the whole orientation experience. From first moment of contact, the student user stands within a framework that not only assumes active participation in the orientation process but makes it difficult to avoid. The conceptual framework of the GetReal site is outlined and its practical implementation described in relation to content architecture and use of technology. The conceptual vision embodied in the GetReal site provides a framework for discussion on the construction and delivery of student orientation in online and distance learning environments.
Keywords: orientation, postgraduate, distance, online, student support, health sciences

Magdeleine D.N. Lew
Office of Academic Affairs, Republic Polytechnic, Singapore
Henk G. Schmidt
Faculty of Social Sciences, Erasmus University, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

The present study was conducted to investigate the extent to which students believe that journal writing contributes to improving their learning. The research was conducted at a post-secondary institution which organises its curriculum around principles of problem based learning, and in which students have to reflect on their learning daily. In the particular curriculum, reflection journals form a part of the daily assessment. To that end, a questionnaire was developed containing statements derived from the literature, about the effects of journal writing on students' learning. It was then pilot tested on a group of second year students (n = 327). Analyses of the data collected showed that students were able to identify the four latent constructs underlying the 15-item questionnaire, as indicated by the fit of the hypothesised model. Construct reliability values of the four scales gave evidence of good reliability in terms of internal consistency. Correlation coefficients computed for the questionnaire scales were positively correlated and statistically significant. Students, who believed that journal writing enables them to think and write reflectively, agreed that frequent journal writing improves their learning. These students are also more likely to use their journals as a tool to manage the impressions of their facilitators, and to feedback about the contributions of their peers towards team work. These findings suggest that the use of online reflection journals provides many opportunities for students to reflect on their learning. Facilitators can also monitor students' progress through their reflections, and to provide specific, detailed feedback to aid students in their learning.
Keywords: Students' beliefs, reflection journals, learning, problem based learning, daily assessment

Jet Lim Kim Seng and E.M. Nalaka S. Edirisinghe
Diploma in Game & Entertainment Technology, Temasek Informatics & IT School, Temasek Polytechnic

Immersive education using the popular Second Life virtual environment is becoming significantly common. Many institutions and education organisations have already set up a virtual campus and are already conducting virtual lessons in Second Life. However, most of the courses currently being delivered are still limited to non-technical subjects or related to Linden scripting. This paper shares the processes and lessons learned from a pilot project exploring the use of Second Life as a learning environment for computer science subjects. This paper describes the experiences of preparing and delivering Second Life materials in the classroom. It provides a student and lecturer perspective of the advantages and disadvantages of conducting lessons through virtual worlds.
Keywords: virtual environments, immersive education, Second Life

Andrew Litchfield, Laurel Evelyn Dyson and Elaine Lawrence
Faculty of Information Technology, University of Technology Sydney
Agnieszka Zmijewska
Centre for Research on Computer Supported Learning and Cognition, University of Sydney

This paper aims to inform readers of suggested directions for researching how mobile technology can enhance active student learning. These directions are informed by an online survey of our students in early 2007 and a contemporary literature search. We present the findings of our search of global best practice in m-learning, gaps in the current literature are identified and five directions are suggested for 2007 m-learning research and development. We start discussing how to investigate these suggested directions. Our five suggested action research directions are all significant issues in m-learning and all need to be better investigated. If we are interested in enhancing student learning, a priority is to design m-learning and teaching strategies that involve active experiential learning. These strategies need to effectively support our learners' development of attitudes, understandings and skills in identified graduate attributes, curriculum objectives and stated learning outcomes.
The development of wide support for an online body of knowledge of m-learning and teaching principles, strategies and effective, practical case studies across all disciplines - an m-portal is needed and can support and inform emerging national and international approaches to using mobile technologies to enhance learning. Guided by our findings and suggested research suggestions the authors hope to discuss, extend and develop collaborative partnerships for future action research, development and sponsorship at our Ascilite2007 conference workshop.
Keywords: mobile technology, active experiential learning, innovation in learning, ubiquitous learning, interactive classroom

Loi Yaw Yuen
Extra-Mural Studies Department, Tunku Abdul Rahman College
Lee Yik Sheng
Communication and Information Technology Centre, Tunku Abdul Rahman College

In recent years there have been works on developing generic and reusable frameworks, or design patterns and pattern language to facilitate learning designs. No doubt such works have contributed tremendously to the reusing and sharing of useful learning designs and improve their transferability to other similar contexts. However, even though such high or medium level descriptions of learning designs provide useful guidelines and models for practitioners to source and reapply into their unique contexts, decisions of which designs to employ, for what kinds of learner, and in which educational contexts remain complex design decisions to make for practitioners everyday. The appearance of learning technologists in many higher education institutions with the aim to assist the teaching staff in learning design may ease some of the contextualisation and localisation issues, especially for a fully online course, but in blended learning environments, the face to face classroom contexts are inaccessible to anyone but the teaching staff themselves. Thus there is a need to explore and document the common considerations made by such practitioners teaching in a blended mode and the design constraints for them. The paper intends to documents the experiential knowledge of design by the practitioner at such ground level.
Keywords: learning design, design contextualisation, design experiential knowledge, teacher dependency

Angela Ma Kit Fong
Hong Kong Institute of Education
John Mitchell O'Toole
University of Newcastle
Mike Keppell
Charles Sturt University

The approach of problem based learning (PBL) possesses numerous differences when compared with the conventional ways of learning. However, few of the studies seem to tackle the underlying assumptions of PBL and relate it to the local context when it applies to different groups of learners in a particular discipline, such as education professionals in Hong Kong. This paper will, therefore, analyse the teacher educators' attitudes to the five newly developed video triggers on PBL, which were developed by education professionals at the Hong Kong Institute of Education to serve as exemplars for the teaching staff who are not familiar with the problem based approach. The study intends to find out the teacher educators' perceptions of the use of media based educational triggers in this teacher education institute, and what their attitudes are to this particular educational product's potential technological development in fostering student centred learning in general and problem based learning in particular, with the ultimate goal of enhancing and improving the quality of teacher training. The results show that pre-requisite training can exert a significant influence on the adoption of PBL by the Chinese teachers and students.
Keywords: teacher training, video triggers, problem based learning

Dorit Maor
School of Education, Murdoch University

Online learning courses in higher education have increased steadily in popularity in recent years, with many higher education students and educators wondering about their direct value in terms of social and cognitive gains. This study reports on a careful examination of educational processes in an exclusively online asynchronous discussion of a university course in three consecutive years. The researcher used NVivo software as a tool for the qualitative analysis and as a way to establish performance profiles. The study first establishes a framework to identify social and cognitive aspects of online learning based on three models of interaction and then refines the framework to better understand these processes of interaction. The themes that emerged as social processes were categorised as affective, cohesive or interactive. The cognitive processes were categorised into five types of interaction: sharing/comparing information, experiencing cognitive conflict, negotiating meaning, testing/modifying and applying knowledge. This paper focuses on the type of social and cognitive processes that learners experience in a semester long asynchronous discussion environment. The qualitative and quantitative analyses (performance profile) derived from the frequency of responses suggest that students tend to use more lower level cognitive processes and fewer higher level cognitive processes in spite of the fact that the course was designed to maximise the opportunities to establish higher level learning in a socially interactive community of learners. However, the data revealed that when the higher level cognitive processes were achieved, these were powerful and significant for a small but passionate number of learners.
Keywords: online learning, content analysis, social processes, cognitive processes

Anoush Margaryan and Allison Littlejohn
Caledonian Academy, Glasgow Caledonian University, UK

The increase in the number of online, educational communities necessitates a good interplay between digital communities and repository tools. However, there are contradictions in the views of those setting up repositories and the users of these systems. This may potentially lead to limitations in the usefulness of repository systems. This study aims to address this problem through identification of conflicting views of stakeholders within a number of educational communities. Three repositories are analysed as activity systems in order to identify how communities use these tools. These activity systems are used to identify contradictions between the views of users and curators. The paper ends with a framework that can help address the key issues arising from these contradictions and guide implementation of repository systems during the initial development stage.
Keywords: learning object repository, sharing, reuse, digital resources

Iain McAlpine
La Trobe University
Belinda Allen
Learning & Teaching @ UNSW, University of New South Wales

Online course templates based on specific learning designs were developed to support course enhancement at the University of New South Wales. Course designs are based on constructivist theory and activity theory with an emphasis on promoting active learning. Collaborative learning and problem based learning models were used to design templates based on successful online and blended courses. A simplified template with a learning activity focus was used in staff training programs and as a basis for school templates. Templates were developed in Blackboard Vista, but could be applied in other learning management systems. This paper outlines development, implementation and evaluation of the templates and discusses the barriers and potentialities in dissemination of learning design templates.
Keywords: learning design, constructivism, activity theory, collaborative learning, problem based learning

Joshua McCarthy
The School of Architecture, Landscape Architecture and Urban Design, The University of Adelaide

This paper reports on a pilot study involving a long distance learning experiment between the University of Adelaide and Penn State University through a six week video conference program. The program involved staff and students from digital media courses within each University, including Dr Dean Bruton, Senior Lecturer in the School of Architecture, Landscape Architecture and Urban Design at The University of Adelaide, and Associate Professor Madis Pihlak, Director of The Stuckeman Center for Design Computing, School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture, Penn State University.
Using information and communications technologies (ICT) for teaching digital design processes has many advantages and disadvantages. Instant communication between groups and individuals across the world, defies the barrier of distance. Interdisciplinary exploration and collaborative action allow the expansion of design curriculum possibilities and the sharing of information and experience, while technical skills and standards rise as students find new levels of potential in response to more diverse audiences. Disadvantages with such design experiments include time differences between two continents, technical constraints and the availability of technical assistance.
The project was largely successful, evident through positive feedback from staff and students, and the emergent relationship between the two schools. Through this pilot study, and the resulting research, new possibilities are now being explored, including cross-continental design collaboration with design schools in Canada, Malaysia and India. The University of Adelaide, has supported the project by supplying a AUS$48,000 grant to purchase the test equipment, used in the pilot study, and establish a dedicated video conference facility.
Keywords: video conference collaboration, digital design, student learning

Joanne W. McClure
Centre for Educational Development, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

The employment of postgraduate students as graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) to help in the delivery of undergraduate teaching, particularly in laboratories and tutorials has been used for many years throughout higher education institutions, including North America, UK, Australia, and New Zealand and is currently being used in Singapore. However, despite GTAs' sound subject knowledge, research has shown that with their increasing numbers, it is important to provide an effective training course to adequately prepare them for the task of teaching ahead of them. This paper reports on a GTA Preparation Course undertaken by 166 participants in 2006, at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. The course employed a blended learning approach using video recorded 'mini-lectures', PBL videoed critical incidents, reflective learning, as well as self study materials through an online Blackboard platform. The blended learning environment facilitated a friendly cooperative space that allowed the flow of the learning process to proceed at its own pace. This environment encouraged self reflection and self evaluation, supported collaborative learning and problem solving skills, and facilitated tasks requiring analyses and evaluation of 'real life' teaching situations. It was considered important that participants experience the blended learning approach modeled in the course in order to encourage them to use a similar model in their own teaching. The course encouraged the use of technology to enhance and enrich student learning and to model active learning activities through video, group work, online materials and recorded presentations. Participants' ratings of the course suggest that this was an effective pedagogy for promoting innovative educational technology and self confidence in GTA's teaching practice.
Keywords: graduate teaching assistants' preparation; blended approach; ICT; video/educational technology.

Catherine McLoughlin
School of Education (ACT), Australian Catholic University
Mark J.W. Lee
School of Education, Charles Sturt University

The two-way Web has arrived, accompanied by a raft of affordances that expand how we teach, communicate, learn and create knowledge. New trends are emerging in the way information is distributed and consumed. Emerging "Web 2.0" services such as blogs, wikis and social bookmarking applications, as well as social networking sites like MySpace, Friendster and Facebook, are seen as more social and personal, and based on "microcontent", i.e., digital content in small fragments that may be combined and recombined by individuals to produce new patterns, images and interpretations. This paper investigates the affordances of Web 2.0 and social software and the choices and constraints they offer to tertiary teachers and learners. A discussion of emerging pedagogical models is presented to demonstrate that we now have access to an enabling suite of tools to support greater learner choice and self direction.
Keywords: Web 2.0, Pedagogy 2.0, social software, ICT affordance, learner choice, learning control, self regulated learning, informal learning

Mark McMahon and Joe Luca
School of Communications and Contemporary Arts, Edith Cowan University

Research shows that both metacognitive and cognitive strategies are needed for successful learning. In this study, an online tool was developed with a view to help students working in teams reflect on their learning strategies through a process of planning, monitoring and evaluation. An evaluation of the tool was administered at the end of the semester that showed the students valued the tool for tracking their teamwork, but weren't so convinced it help them plan, monitor and evaluate their learning. These results are discussed, and recommendations are made for improvement using a design based research approach.

Chris Mills
Fujitsu Australia
Barney Dalgarno
School of Education, Charles Sturt University

In order to build intelligent tutoring agents within games based learning environments, practitioners must understand the three conceptual models used within Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITS): the expert or domain model, the student model, and the instructional model. This paper investigates the inter-relationship between these models and how they combine to provide the expected behaviour of intelligent tutoring agents by representing and managing domain knowledge, applying techniques for monitoring the progress of human learning, and the appropriate selection of instructional strategies for individualised tuition. From understanding the application of these concepts, this paper proposes bi-directional human and machine learning as necessary for effective game based intelligent tutoring systems. A conceptual architecture for game based learning ITS implementations using multi-agent and machine learning technologies is then outlined, and the design of Stunt Robot a system for learning Newtonian physics concepts is presented as a case study.
Keywords: intelligent tutoring systems, game based learning, serious games

Alemayehu Molla
School of Business Information Technology, RMIT University

This paper aims to reflect on the experience of using Blackboard's "Group Pages" functionality to facilitate students' interaction in a group project assessment. The unit used in this project is an Information Technology Strategy course. It is a postgraduate level course. Preliminary findings indicate that there appears to be a strong association between the use of the tools and the group marks. However, we can't claim that the use of the tools was the only or even the major factor that has affected group marks. The paper concludes with some observations.
Keywords: group project, Blackboard, assessment, information technology, collaborative tools

Marylou Molphy
Faculty of Life and Social Sciences, Swinburne University of Technology
Catherine Pocknee
Academic Coordinator, Swinburne University of Technology
Terry Young
Academic Development & Support, Swinburne University of Technology

In 2006 the Academic Development and Support (AD&S) Unit at a Melbourne university was faced with the dilemma of providing support to an academic member of staff relocating to Brunei. This paper looks at how AD&S worked with the academic to establish an online community of practice to meet her learning and teaching needs. All three members gained invaluable knowledge and experience from participating in this venture and Wenger's seven principles of design for establishing successful communities of practice naturally evolved throughout the project. Their shared interest in online technologies allowed them to safely explore new strategies for teaching online and gave them an opportunity to come up to speed with tools such as Skype, blogs, wikis, video clips, and mp3 sound bites. The skills gained from participating in this community, and the sharing of experiences, allowed each member to confidently look beyond the group to trial and share their new knowledge and experience in a variety of new educational contexts.
Keywords: online community of practice, communication technologies, knowledge building, skype, blogs, wikis, video clips, mp3

Michael Morgan, Matthew Butler and Mark Power
Faculty of Information Technology, Monash University

This paper uses an evaluation method for Information Communication Technology (ICT) in education adapted from Morgan (2007) to conduct a comparison between the Apple iPod, Nintendo DS and Nintendo Wii, in order to assess the potential cognitive impact on learners of the affordances of each ICT device. The ICT evaluation method uses the concept of 'mediation' to link cognitive impacts on learners of specific learning activities with the affordances of mediating artefacts employed during those activities. For each device a set of designed affordances are described along with as series of initial suggestions about how these affordances could be applied to educational contexts. A comparison of the different development options is then conducted to assess the relative educational potential of each device. Finally several avenues for further research are discussed.
Keywords: affordances, mediation, artefacts, cognitive impact, evaluation

Raoul A. Mulder
Department of Zoology, University of Melbourne
Jon M. Pearce
Department of Information Systems, University of Melbourne

The benefits of formative peer assessment of student work are well-recognised, but the onerous nature of administrating peer review remains a disincentive to implementation, especially in large classes. We have developed an online system - PRAZE - that allows the distribution and anonymous exchange of work between students in an educational setting to be automated. In this paper, we describe the functionality of the software and report on an initial trial in which we administered peer review using PRAZE in three subjects taught at the University of Melbourne. Although the subjects involved different disciplines (Zoology and Multimedia & Communications respectively), different year levels (2nd versus 3rd year students), and varying numbers of reviewers, surveys indicated that the opportunity to participate and benefit from peer review was broadly appreciated by students. Students also found the software easy and convenient to use. We identify pedagogical and developmental issues with implementing online peer review, and outline anticipated future changes to the software.
Keywords: anonymous peer review, assessment, student feedback, online learning management systems

Judy Nagy
Deakin Business School, Deakin University
Jacquelin McDonald
Learning and Teaching Support Unit, University of Southern Queensland

'Flexible learning' represents a need associated with 'lifelong learning' and the equipping of graduates to actively engage in a 'knowledge society'. While the precise meaning of each of these terms is not easy to discern, notions of flexible learning have progressed an evolutionary path that concentrates on students as though they are the only stakeholder group in the higher education environment that would benefit from choice. Academic discourse also presumes that all cultural groups making up the increasingly diverse student population aspire to engage in student centred learning as a precursor to involvement in a knowledge economy. In this environment academics have been encouraged to embrace online teaching and promote a more student centred learning approach when the natural inclination and talent of many academics may make this style of pedagogy so challenging that learning outcomes are compromised. We question this 'one size fits all' mentality and suggest a model that empowers both the students and academics by allowing them the ability to choose the approach that suits their educational philosophy and preferred learning/teaching approach. The model represents an innovation in flexibility that recognises initial embedded learning foundation abilities and reaches both teachers and learners by utilising their own frames of reference.
Keywords: student centred learning, academic centred learning, learning styles, teaching styles, higher education

Padma Nathan
School of Commerce, Charles Sturt University
Anthony Chan
School of Computing & Mathematics, Charles Sturt University

This study is based on an investigation into the implications of the use of talkback radio style podcasts in a final year business subject. The authors contend that face to face teaching can be supplemented by such podcasts and prove to be a valuable learning experience among these undergraduate students. Beginning with the objectives of the study, the paper continues with a description of the research methodology before addressing the findings derived from a questionnaire over a semester of podcasting efforts. It concludes with suggestions for other business educators interested in undertaking similar efforts with the intention of contributing towards best practice in the field of academic podcasting.
Keywords: educational podcasting, MP3, talkback radio, supplementary teaching.