Pacific Journal of Technology Enhanced Learning
Not a member yet
165 research outputs found
Sort by
Calculating Coloniality in Higher Education
Get PDFThis keynote explores the idea that coloniality describes the emergent and future state of higher education. Coloniality refers to the ongoing systems, practices and patterns of power that echo and repeat colonial forms of engagement, in which we are all participants. Through dominant digitally-mediated extractive business models, these practices are becoming the default terms of social and educational relationships and are being internalised, normal and lived. The talk will consider the key ongoing colonial characteristics which echo historically, and which are being re-enacted and reinscribed in the present. The characteristics which will be elaborated on are : 1) central goals of profit making and market expansion, enabled by technology 2) the exploitation of natural resources and of human beings 3) the promise of improvement and progress through shared belief systems 4) premised on, amplifying and engendering inequality 5) Assimilation as a central strategy of buy-in and 6) a homogenised culture and filtered world view.
To conclude, there will be some thoughts on responding to this state of coloniality given that it is the dominant reality for scholars, educators and students in higher education, even more deeply entrenched due to the pandemic.
Presentation: https://vimeo.com/518495341
References
https://czernie.weebly.com  
Supporting STEAM learning through student-developed Mixed Reality (MR) experiences
Get PDFMixed reality (MR) provides new opportunities for creative and innovative learning. MR supports the merging of real and virtual worlds to produce new environments and visualisations where physical and digital objects co-exist and interact in real-time (MacCallum & Jamieson, 2017). The MR continuum links both virtual and augmented reality, whereby virtual reality (VR) enables learners to be immersed within a completely virtual world, while augmented reality (AR) blend the real and the virtual world. MR embraces the spectrum between the real and the virtual; the mix of the virtual and real worlds may vary depending on the application. The integration of MR into education provides specific affordances which make it specifically unique in supporting learning (Parson & MacCallum, 2020; Bacca, Baldiris, Fabregat, Graf & Kinshuk, 2014). These affordance enable students to support unique opportunities to support learning and develop 21st-century learning capabilities (Schrier, 2006; Bower, Howe, McCredie, Robinson, & Grover, 2014).
In general, most integration of MR in the classroom tend to be focused on students being the consumers of these experiences. However by enabling student to create their own experiences enables a wider range of learning outcomes to be incorporated into the learning experience. By enabling student to be creators and designers of their own MR experiences provides a unique opportunity to integrate learning across the curriculum and supports the develop of computational thinking and stronger digital skills. The integration of student-created artefacts has particularly been shown to provide greater engagement and outcomes for all students (Ananiadou & Claro, 2009).
In the past, the development of student-created MR experiences has been difficult, especially due to the steep learning curve of technology adoption and the overall expense of acquiring the necessary tools to develop these experiences. The recent development of low-cost mobile and online MR tools and technologies have, however, provided new opportunities to provide a scaffolded approach to the development of student-driven artefacts that do not require significant technical ability (MacCallum & Jamieson, 2017). Due to these advances, students can now create their own MR digital experiences which can drive learning across the curriculum.
This presentation explores how teachers at two high schools in NZ have started to explore and integrate MR into their STEAM classes. This presentation draws on the results of a Teaching and Learning Research Initiative (TLRI) project, investigating the experiences and reflections of a group of secondary teachers exploring the use and adoption of mixed reality (augmented and virtual reality) for cross-curricular teaching. The presentation will explore how these teachers have started to engage with MR to support the principles of student-created digital experiences integrated into STEAM domains
Collaborative Online Professional Development Design
Get PDFCOVID-19 has impacted not only higher education teaching practice, but also professional development (PD) such as F2F workshop sessions for supervisor training have had to pivot to online modes. This presentation overviews the process of designing an academic supervision training workshop as an online module that can be used as a design framework for other professional development and training contexts. We used a design-based research methodology (McKenney & Reeves, 2019) encompassing three stages.
Stage 1 Evaluation and Analysis
We formed a collaborative design team of two academics and a professional staff member and met regularly over Zoom as due to COVID-19 we were all working from home, and across countries (Australia and New Zealand). We began with an evaluation of the existing introductory supervision online module to identify key design elements and refinements that we could integrate into the new refresher module. This was followed by a collaborative definition of the scope of the new PD module that was focused upon providing a ‘Refresher Course’ for experienced higher degree research supervisors. We decided to focus the content of the module upon authentic user-generated scenarios from highly experienced academics across the university. User reflection was designed through an optional link to contribute to an institutional Wiki page to provide tips and comments from user experiences in supervision. The analysis of users needing an informative but short time investment in the refresher module highlighted the need for collating resources that would be referenced throughout the module to be made available at the end of the module as a downloadable interactive PDF resource for users.
Stage 2 Collaborative Prototype Design
An initial storyboard module prototype based upon learning object and instructional design principles (Boyle, 2003; Author1, 2007; Reigeluth et al., 2016) was created. While we began with big ideas based upon the rapid prototype of how to make the new module interactive and appealing to the users there were significant design restraints imposed by the institutional Course Builder online development platform, that provides a basic Web 1.0 approach to online module design and delivery. This meant that user interaction options were limited, file size uploads were small, and display dimensions fixed. Therefore, Vimeo was used to host and embed the video vignettes in the module pages through an institutional license providing a range of privacy and customisation options. We were able to negotiate these technical design hurdles, albeit with downgraded expectations of user interaction within our new module design.
Stage 3 Evaluation and Redesign
User feedback on the initial prototype was very positive and the user-generated video vignettes and funky iPad created graphics were highlights. Feedback also highlighted the need for additional user instructions, a more unified design across the module and implementation of accessibility features such as closed captioning for the video vignettes. This was achieved through maintaining a consistent font and paragraphing style and creating a new embedded player style format for the Vimeo video host platform. Closed captions were added by manually transcribing and timecoding the videos on Vimeo.
https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.13718725.v
‘Unfreezing’ traditional teaching: The challenge of teaching online during Covid-19
Get PDFTeaching online is not an unfamiliar phenomenon for university lecturers evidenced by the rapid rise in the number of those who “want to teach online”, “have been told to teach online” and “are training and encouraging others to teach online” (Ko & Rossen, 2017:xx). Never-the-less, the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic in 2020 caught many teachers from elementary to tertiary level unprepared and in some cases led to the collapse of educational systems in countries around the world (Mishra, Gupta & Shree, 2020).
Moving lessons online, creating virtual classrooms, accessing appropriate software and online tools, as well as being competent in the use of them within a very short time period not only required “adjustment” but also had a “mental health impact” on both the educators and the students (Etchells et al, 2020). Attempts have been made to assess the success with which lecturers have been able to transition their classes to online. A survey of students in the United States (USC Center for the Digital Future, 2020), for example, asked about their remote learning experience during the pandemic and found that only around one-third enjoyed it better than in-class instruction. In addition, almost one half of them felt they learned less online than in person, and only around half of the students believed that their teachers were good at adapting their courses for online construction. This raises the question of whether educational institutions and their staff were up to speed enough with online learning to make this sudden transition.
For those running practical teaching programmes that require face-to-face contact, the thrust into the isolation of Covid-19 lock-down was most challenging. This presentation documents our learning experiences as two Auckland University of Technology lecturers whose respective programmes involving journalism practice and student collaborative movie-making were caught midway by lockdown when the government commanded us to “Stay Home, Save Lives”. Viewing our teaching experiences through the lens of change management theory (Lewin, 1958) that divides the process of change into the three stages of unfreezing – changing– refreezing, we discuss how the unfreezing of our standard methods of instruction forced us into change where we had no other choice but to learn to adapt our courses and teach online. We provide insights in this presentation as to how well the new methods of the virtual classroom worked for us based on the resources we were given, and whether they are now refrozen and maintained in our classes for the future, or will we simply change back to our original methods. We also offer feedback from the students and their experiences of our lessons in lockdown.
 
Micro-credentials: Common features and challenges
Get PDFMicro-credentials (MCs) are emerging as a viable form of non-degree qualification as they can offer flexible, inexpensive contents which closely match learners’ needs. The opportunities to gain MCs are increasing and academics involved in online learning are particularly situated to help make, assess and validate MC courses. However, the lack of agreed definitions as to what MCs are can undermine their value and uptake. This presentation attempts to fill this gap by summarizing common features and challenges of MCs.
In practice, MCs tend to be offered online (Gallagher, 2018) and are often seen as short courses for learners to reskill or upskill for work (Kato, Galán-Muros & Weko, 2020). Among a large range of courses leading to MCs, the most common are MOOCs. The top five providers in 2019 were Coursera, EdX, Udacity (all US); Future Learn (UK) and SWAYAM (India) (Shah, 2019). Such courses range from general skills (language learning) to more specific ones (coding). The top three courses from the most popular MOOC provider (Coursera) in 2019 were Machine Learning; Learning How to Learn; and the Science of Well-Being. Overall, the most popular courses are business and IT-related (Shah, 2019). The majority of learners who have been awarded MCs via MOOCs “tend to be relatively well-educated, male, and within the core-working age group (25-54)” (Kato, Galán-Muros & Weko, 2020, p. 23). Not enough data is yet available as to what degree these learners have found MCs are beneficial, either professionally or personally. A further question to be asked is to what extent MCs can reach out to non-traditional learners who can take advantage of these types of lifelong, alternative learning opportunities.
One key challenge is that there are few validating frameworks that MCs fit in to. This can cause problems for both learners and potential employers as it is difficult to demonstrate what exact values MCs offer and to answer the crucial question: “Are MCs going to be useful?” This is further complicated as MCs also vary widely in terms of duration, modes of assessment, and whether they can lead to further qualifications or not. In order to overcome these challenges governments are establishing criteria for MCs. Perhaps the leading agency in this area is New Zealand’s Qualifications Authority; and Australia, the EU and the US have also all created various MC models. The OECD has also produced a working paper (Kato, Galán-Muros & Weko, 2020) to guide policy makers as to what MCs are. This paper uses the term “alternative credentials” and includes certificates, digital badges and MCs within that term. It defines alternative credentials as ones “that are not recognised as standalone formal educational qualifications by relevant national education authorities”.
In sum, the term MCs is a contested one and there is an ongoing debate as to how they could develop in the future. What is not contested is that the number of online courses leading to MCs will continue to grow and so academics working in online education can influence their content, quality and form
Enhancing Immersiveness in Paramedicine Education XR Simulation Design
Get PDFThe Multiple Environments Simulation Hub (MESH360) research cluster was established in 2016 to explore ways of making critical care simulation environments more authentic learning experiences for students (Cochrane et al., 2016). Since its establishment, three cycles of data collection have occurred exploring immersive mixed reality (XR) to enhance traditional clinical simulation methodologies in Paramedicine education (Aguayo et al., 2018; Cochrane et al., 2020). Using a design-based research (DBR) methodology focused on prototyping in practice to generate design principles (Cochrane et al., 2017; McKenney & Reeves, 2019), along with a mixed-methods and multimodal approach to data collection and analysis in educational research (Cohen, Manion & Morrison, 2011; Lahat, Adali & Jutten, 2015), led the MESH360 team to develop a framework for designing immersive reality enhanced clinical simulation (Cochrane et al., 2020).
Building upon this work, a set of design principles permitted to augment the immersive experience of participants through a case study involving an XR enhanced rescue helicopter simulation experience. Two key components of this enhanced simulation are: (1) a focus on combining XR design principles merging real environment elements with digital affordances (possibilities offered by digital tools and platforms) to provide a range of ‘learning points’ for different types of learners (i.e., from novice to experienced participants) (Aguayo, Eames & Cochrane, 2020); and (2) a focus on the embodiment of the experience (Aguayo et al., 2018) to maximize the interactivity, authenticity, and realism of the enhanced immersive reality through a sequence of experiences including virtual reality (VR) helicopter ride, simulated manikin work, and critical environmental soundscapes.
Findings from the third cycle indicate an increase in spatial and context awareness across all types of participants, in relation to the authenticity of the XR environment when compared to traditional Paramedicine simulation training. Furthermore, participants also reported an enhanced realism of the ‘emergency response’ helicopter VR ride, as the sequence of experiences permitted participants to plan their response based on audio cues and information updates while virtually ‘traveling to the scene’. This iterative research work has led the MESH360 project to validate the set of transferable design principles and implementation framework for the design of authentic critical care simulation environments in Paramedicine education.
Here we present and discuss a series of implications and benefits from the third MESH360 cycle in Paramedicine education emerging from the framework for designing XR enhanced clinical simulation. Anecdotic yet relevant data in relation to participant demographics and VR anxiety has led the MESH360 team to explore culturally-responsive practice in XR simulation in Paramedicine education (see Aiello et al., 2021). Future directions and transferability to other health and medical contexts are also discussed.
Presentation: https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.14055401.v
Exploring Teachers’ Perception of Online Engagement in Higher Education in New Zealand
Get PDFStudent retention in higher education online learning is important for most education institutes around the world. Understanding what contributes to good learning engagement and key factors affecting engagement is important in improving online engagement. Online learning engagement is a very broad topic with multidimensional and interrelated factors that affect how engagement evolves. This study investigated higher education teachers’ perceptions of what online engagement means. It examined the importance of teachers' perceptions of online engagement in higher education with a focus on how teachers’ perceptions of engagement compare and the importance they placed on factors that help them identify the different forms of engagement. The study also explored whether the teachers’ perspectives were similar in terms of what equates to good learner engagement and what good engagement results into.
An extended literature review was carried out to inform the research. As the study eventually aims to gather responses about engagement from both learners and teachers, the methodology for the project was Case Study. Yin (1989, p.13)) explains that this approach is consistent when “the focus is on a contemporary phenomenon within some real-life context”. A survey using Microsoft 365 forms was conducted among higher education teachers with online teaching experience in various education disciplines in New Zealand.
The Findings from this initial step showed first, there are various definitions, and each teacher had a slightly different perspective of what engagement involved. The study also highlighted the similarities and gaps in terms of online engagement from a teacher’s point of view.
The study findings indicated, a consensus approach of understanding about what online engagement means and the strategies used by the teachers to foster engagement. The findings also suggested first, how motivation to learn, technology and access plays an important role with online engagement. Second, how the flexibility of online learning is differentiated from face to face teaching environments and the importance of adopting newer strategies for online engagement. Third, findings suggest that there are some offline learning with no visibility of engagement and show that this affected the teacher’s perceptions in regards to student success.
References
Yin, R. (1989)Case study research: Design and methods. Sage Publication
Microcredentials: Designing innovative pathways to and beyond degree offerings
Get PDFHigher education has faced, and will continue to face, significant challenges in the future (Bradley et al., 2009). Some of these challenges are foreseeable, for example, increasingly diverse student cohorts, many of whom are the ‘first in family’ to come to university. In addition, students today are more likely to have other responsibilities such as multiple jobs or caring duties whilst pursuing their studies (Kift et al., 2010). In addition, students’ expectations about how they will learn at university are changing, with learning technologies playing a bigger role than in the past (Dvoretskaya et al., 2018). These expectations include the use of technology to facilitate learning, more choices in learning approaches and subjects that are directly relevant and immediately translate to career pathways.
In the face of these challenges, institutions are adopting a range of different and innovative measures, including experimenting with the use of technological affordances (Jeong & Hmelo-Silver, 2016) to allow for course restructuring and modifications. While some have long called for these changes (Preston et al, 2010), it could be argued that COVID has provided further stimulus for universities to investigate and trial these new ideas. One such modification is the development and implementation of microcredentials and short courses that exist both as stand-alone courses but also directly feed into terminal degree offerings (Ehlers, 2018). While the notion of microcredentials is not new (DeMonte, 2017), the entry of tertiary institutions into this space is, and is, in part, a response to the offerings of non-higher education providers. However, developing, implementing and advertising these new courses is not without its own challenges including how these might ‘stack’ meaningfully into larger qualifications (Hall-Ellis, 2016).
This presentation describes the innovative development and implementation of eight learning design microcredentials within the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at the University of Technology Sydney. The challenges faced by faculty and learning designers responsible for the design and delivery of these microcredentials are analysed, including: multiple entry and exit points for students; the intensity of the short time frame of the courses; the requirement to find the right mix of synchronous and asynchronous delivery; the best way to ensure facilitation throughout the student experience and, most importantly, creating a sense of belonging beyond the bounds of a single microcredential.
This presentation then examines the creative structure and nature of the eight microcredentials, the blended learning theories that underpinned their design, the articulation pathways that they offered, and the design decisions that informed the development of the microcredentials, including the decision to focus on experience over expertise, situate the course close to industry and practice, manage an internship-like experience, and assess students’ achievements through a competency-based portfolio It also describes the way that technology enhanced learning approaches provided the pedagogical basis for the design of the microcredentials. The paper concludes with a summation of the learning design principles that will inform the development of future microcredentials as pathways using innovative program designs into terminal degree opportunities
Rapid transformation of work integrated learning from the farm to virtual reality
Get PDFAll veterinary schools in Australasia require students in the first half of their course to complete work integrated learning (WIL) during vacation time on a range of animal enterprises. This allows students to gain an understanding of how the enterprises function on a day to day basis and compare to the theoretical training that students receive on-campus. The time on-property required is equivalent to 60 days of work with a requirement to visit several enterprises (AVBC, 2016). COVID-19 required immediate cessation of all on-property placements. Given the limited number of holiday weeks available for WIL we developed an on-line experiential program to support student learning.
The backbone of the online WIL experience relied on previously developed or developing virtual reality (VR) farm resources; the 4DVirtual Farm and DookieVR (Barber etal, 2016). These resources allow students to visit properties via multiple 360 images through time on a property, allowing virtual travel through time and place to see what happens on an enterprise throughout a year. They also integrate environmental variables and both 360 and standard video to provide access to further information. They are viewable using mobile phones, laptop and desktop systems as well as VR viewers. The basic VR resource allows students to take their own tour around the property however the week of experiential learning was planned to reinforce the students’ ability to see what happens on the individual property throughout the year. This compares to an individual property visit where a student gains more “hands-on” insight for a much more limited timespan of the year, usually 1-2 weeks.
The week of synchronous, experiential learning used Zoom as the primary tool to allow communication between staff and students with content managed on the learning management system, Canvas. The standard format for each day involved an initial entire class group session, mostly in didactic information transfer from staff to students and then a mixture of small group, full class or individual tasks. Assessment of content understanding was evaluated on a regular basis using multiple choice questions or word responses using PollEverywhere. The large class group of 100-250 students broke into small virtual rooms of 6 to 8 students. Each day this small student group had a task to complete and submit via Feedback Fruits, which then allocated individual students to provide written feedback on the group report by the next day. Time was allocated for students to review these reports both individually and then to discuss the multiple reports that group members were assessing and submit feedback. In addition, each small group reported on a relevant name to the veterinary industry, either from current or historical times. A short video detailing the link of this name to the veterinary industry was posted to Flipgrid for both staff and other students to review. Student understanding of the week was measured at the commencement and completion of the week using an online multiple choice quiz as well as receiving student feedback by an online survey. This presentation will cover the background, development and design of the week and associated material.
References
AVBC (2016), Standard 9.3 Extra Mural Studies (EMS or Workplace Learning), page 32, Australasian Veterinary Boards Council, https://avbc.asn.au/wp-content/uploads/documents/public/AVBCStandardsAug2016.pdf
Barber S, Hallein E, Shallcross D, Weston J, Jacobson C, Bramley E, Celi P, McGowan M (2016), Final report: Development of 4D farms to improve student learning and safety, Office of Learning and Teaching https://ltr.edu.au/resources/ID12_2365_Barber_Report_2016.pdf
 
Re-visioning the Student Experience: Using design thinking to build your vision
Get PDFAbstract
COVID-19 has fundamentally shifted higher education into uncharted waters. It was a tsunami of change pushing courses, students and academics online. Research is now pointing to a student-centered approach that embeds digital for the long term. Luckily, chaos is often where we encounter innovation. So, how do we build on 2020, learn from it and come up with breakthrough ideas that support change? How do we get our teams onboard and leverage the momentum to make the change sustainable?
As a Client Experience Manager for Blackboard I am privileged to get in depth insights into challenges and learnings with higher education clients across Australia and New Zealand. I will share some insights from the institutions that I work with as well as research on the impact of COVID-19 on higher education. We will also look at how to use design thinking, a human-centered approach to innovation, to help you to understand student needs, rapidly prototype new approaches and generate creative ideas. This approach can help you to generate your own wave of change, transforming products, services and processes by combining what is feasible with what is economically viable.
References
Learning and teaching reimagined: A new dawn for higher education?, Jisc, November 2020, Professor David Maguire, interim principal and vice-chancellor, University of Dundee Chair, learning and teaching reimagined Louisa Dale, director of insight, Jisc Michelle Pauli, Michelle Pauli Editorial
Envisioning the Future of Higher Ed in a Post-pandemic World, Dian Schaffhauser, 10 February 2020, retrieved from https://campustechnology.com/articles/2020/10/02/envisioning-the-future-of-higher-ed-in-a-post-pandemic-world.aspx?m=1
Learning from lockdown: 12 steps to eliminate digital exclusion, Georgina Bowyer, Anna Grant and Douglas White, 2020, Carnegie Trust UK.
Horizon Report 2020, Educause Publications, 2020. Retrieved from https://library.educause.edu/resources/2020/3/2020-educause-horizon-report-teaching-and-learning-edition
Higher Education Remade by COVID-19, Deloitte Center for Higher Education Excellence, May 2020.