Utilising the virtual learning environment to encourage faculty reflection and improve the student learning experience

Student evaluations of teaching (SETs) are the most frequent form of faculty performance in the classroom, though they tend to be used as summative rather than formative evaluations. In this chapter, a project involving the use of a virtual learning environment for formative, weekly SETs is explored from both the student and faculty point of view at a rural university college in the United Kingdom. This project encouraged student participation in creating the learning environment and faculty reflection on how to improve the student experience. From the student perspective, the weekly anonymous evaluations were useful for providing feedback; however, students tended to only respond if they were not satisfied with the faculty member. The exception to this was that some students were more motivated to complete the evaluation forms if they believed the faculty member was utilising their feedback. From the faculty perspective, the feedback was not as detailed as they had expected, and some questioned whether it was worth the effort of conducting formative evaluations if the response rate was so low. Others used the feedback for reflective purposes, and it was found that those that reflected on their work at higher levels tended to receive a greater year-on-year increase in their end of year teaching evaluations.

The nature of student learning and knowing in science

As outlined in previous chapters, the representation construction approach is underpinned by sociocultural, pragmatist, semiotic perspectives on learning and knowing. In this chapter we will:
a. review how each of these perspectives relate to this pedagogy, illustrating with the animals in the school-ground classroom sequence,
b. explore how this classroom practice relates to practice in science itself
c. discuss how the pedagogy promotes understandings of the nature of science, and
d. clarify the nature of quality learning, and knowledge, from this perspective.

Internationalising the curriculum: student learning in the global experience program

Outcomes include critical analyses of student teacher learning from teaching practicum in Vanuatu; the intercultural sensitivity and competence; the notion of professional learning in the light of internationalisation of the curriculum, and the potentials and limitations of the GEP for achieving the goals of internationalisation of the curriculum

What does distributed cognition tell us about student learning of science?

This paper reports multi-layered analyses of student learning in a science classroom using the theoretical lens of Distributed Cognition (Hollan et al. 1999; Hutchins 1995). Building on the insights generated from previous research employing Distributed Cognition, the particular focus of this study has been placed on the “public space of interaction” (Alac and Hutchins 2004, p. 639) that includes both participants’ interaction with each other and their interaction with artefacts in their environment. In this paper, a lesson from an Australian science classroom was examined in detail, in which a class of grade-seven students were investigating the scientific theme of gravity by designing pendulums. The video-stimulated post-lesson interviews with both the teacher and the student groups offered complementary accounts (Clarke 2001a) that assisted the interpretation of the classroom data. The findings of this study provide supporting evidence to demonstrate the capacity of Distributed Cognition for advancing our understanding of the nature of learning in science classrooms.

Designing blended spaces to maximise student learning in work integrated learning programs

This paper describes a case study at a large metropolitan university in Australia where a range of technology-enabled blended spaces are used for interaction, communication and reflection between the work and university environments to enrich students' learning experiences during their work placement year. Blended space design requirements to maximise the learning experience of students undertaking work integrated learning are identified

Designing blended spaces to maximise student learning in work integrated learning programs

This paper describes a case study at a large metropolitan university in Australia where a range of technology-enabled blended spaces are used for interaction, communication and reflection between the work and university environments to enrich students' learning experiences during their work placement year. Blended space design requirements to maximise the learning experience of students undertaking work integrated learning are identified. © 2009 Friederika Kaider, Kathy Henschke, Joan Richardson and Mary Paulette Kelly.

Evaluation of student learning outcomes in fourth year engineering mechatronics through design based learning curriculum

This paper focuses on evaluation of student learning outcomes in fourth year engineering mechatronics through design based learning curriculum. The purpose of all engineering degrees is to provide strong grounding with principles of engineering science and technology. By learning engineering methods and approaches in an academic environment, graduates can enter the world of work and tackle real world problems with innovation and creativity. In many cases, academic staff are responsible for driving and setting high expectations in their classrooms. Sometimes staff are expected to teach subjects outside their expertise. This research paper is concerned with evaluating student learning outcomes through feedback sought from students on design-based learning approach.

A trial of e-simulation of sudden patient deterioration (FIRST2ACT WEB) on student learning

BACKGROUND: High-fidelity simulation pedagogy is of increasing importance in health professional education; however, face-to-face simulation programs are resource intensive and impractical to implement across large numbers of students. OBJECTIVES: To investigate undergraduate nursing students' theoretical and applied learning in response to the e-simulation program-FIRST2ACT WEBTM, and explore predictors of virtual clinical performance. DESIGN AND SETTING: Multi-center trial of FIRST2ACT WEBTM accessible to students in five Australian universities and colleges, across 8 campuses. PARTICIPANTS: A population of 489 final-year nursing students in programs of study leading to license to practice. METHODS: Participants proceeded through three phases: (i) pre-simulation-briefing and assessment of clinical knowledge and experience; (ii) e-simulation-three interactive e-simulation clinical scenarios which included video recordings of patients with deteriorating conditions, interactive clinical tasks, pop up responses to tasks, and timed performance; and (iii) post-simulation feedback and evaluation. Descriptive statistics were followed by bivariate analysis to detect any associations, which were further tested using standard regression analysis. RESULTS: Of 409 students who commenced the program (83% response rate), 367 undergraduate nursing students completed the web-based program in its entirety, yielding a completion rate of 89.7%; 38.1% of students achieved passing clinical performance across three scenarios, and the proportion achieving passing clinical knowledge increased from 78.15% pre-simulation to 91.6% post-simulation. Knowledge was the main independent predictor of clinical performance in responding to a virtual deteriorating patient R(2)=0.090, F(7, 352)=4.962, p<0.001. DISCUSSION: The use of web-based technology allows simulation activities to be accessible to a large number of participants and completion rates indicate that 'Net Generation' nursing students were highly engaged with this mode of learning. CONCLUSION: The web-based e-simulation program FIRST2ACTTM effectively enhanced knowledge, virtual clinical performance, and self-assessed knowledge, skills, confidence, and competence in final-year nursing students.

The contribution that alternate, pull-out and externally provided programs within schools make towards student learning, wellbeing and pathways

Research report for Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, Frankston Mornington Peninsula Youth Partnerships & Frankston Mornington Peninsula Local Learning Employment Network. The focus of this review is on programs organised for schools by providers external to the education system for students who are at risk of not completing both compulsory and the non‐compulsory years of schooling and/or who are at risk of low academic achievement. The nature of such risks faced by students and the responses of education institutions to them—and the efficacy of such programs—are also considered.

Quandary 2003 -

Dr Marcia Devlin is an educational psychologist and Professor of Higher Education Research at Deakin University. Marcia has a broad and extensive publication record in the scholarship of teaching and learning that incorporates academic development, student learning support and the use of information and communication technologies in teaching and learning.  She writes regularly for The Age and Campus Review newspapers.

The Age (Education section) 2003 -

Dr Marcia Devlin is an educational psychologist and Professor of Higher Education Research at Deakin University. Marcia has a broad and extensive publication record in the scholarship of teaching and learning that incorporates academic development, student learning support and the use of information and communication technologies in teaching and learning. She writes regularly for The Age and Campus Review newspapers.

Engaging and effective asynchronous online discussion forums

Discussion is usually considered a powerful tool for the development of pedagogical skills such as critical thinking, collaboration and reflection. In the last few years, an online asynchronous discussion forum has become an integral part of teaching and learning in tertiary education. However, there are considerable challenges involved in designing discussion forum for learning and teaching arrangements that can support desired learning outcomes. The study analysed the factors that affect the level of the student participation in the online discussion forums with emphases on some of the critical issues that should be taken into account when designing online discussions forums that can support desired learning outcomes. We show that the course instructor roles and level of participations in the discussion forum particularly determines the overall level of discussion among the learning communities.

Academic skills and beyond : a resource based approach to support student success in higher education

An increasingly diverse range of students are entering higher education, bringing with them a vast range of experiences, skills and pre-existing knowledge. However, approaches to increasing student participation (and therefore success) to date have focused on strategies aimed at supporting non-traditional students to “fit in”, rather than changing existing structures to accommodate their needs. This paper will outline a resource-based approach to student success, which capitalises on the resources and capacities existing within the student, within their performance of the student role and within the environment that surrounds their learning.
This paper will report on a study and propose a resource based approach to student success. Three main sites or domains are identified as a focus of this approach – intrapersonal resources, skills resources and environmental resources. These domains interact with each other to support student success, and three potential methods for implementing a resource based approach are highlighted in the spaces where they intersect. Pedagogical design, mapping and matching, and learning support all have a role in enabling both students and universities to make the most of their existing resources and develop new ones.