Actor network theory and the study of online learning: new perspectives on quality

This paper describes an approach to studying innovation and change that is taken from the field of Science and Technology Studies. Actor-network theory draws attention to the performative nature of the implementation of new technologies like quality systems and on1ine teaching. The theory posits that the world is not populated with entities that possess certain essences in and of themselves, but rather that the world is a texture of relations-a network which occasionally produces the effect of stabilised entities. We examine the consequences of producing durable forms of online teaching and quality assurance and argue that achieving durable performances requires a conformity to existing performances of a university thus reproducing current patterns of inequity.

Constructing wikis as a platform for online collaboration in an e-learning environment

Previous studies conclude that finding a collaborative tool to suit the e-Iearning environment adequately is quite a task. Consequently, research has been conducted for this very purpose, to trial the use of wikis as a platform to support collaboration in a way that students will embrace and adopt for regular use. The wiki is easily accessible, requires no software and allows its contributors to feel a sense of responsibility and ownership. However there are wiki related challenges that have yet to be researched in the online e-Iearning environment. Possible intrusions, no opinion control, user hostility, and unintentional deletions or editing all require further investigation. This paper will further research the wiki environment in the tertiary e-Iearning setting, as well as consider wiki moderation, member authentication, and interest sustainability to support this community focused collaborative tool. Relevant results from the current case study are explored whilst delivering meaningful data, thus providing an insight into how wikis are an appropriate platform to incorporate in the online collaborative environment.

Security in the online e-learning environment

This paper addresses the role of security in the collaborative e-learning environment, and in particular, the social aspects of security and the importance of identity. It represents a case study, completed in Nov 2004, which was conducted to test the sense of security that students experienced whilst using the wiki platform as a means of online collaboration in the tertiary education environment. Wikis, fully editable Web sites, are easily accessible, require no software and allow its contributors (in this case students) to feel a sense of responsibility and ownership. A comparison between two wiki studies will be made whereby one group employed user login and the other maintained anonymity throughout the course of the study. The results consider the democratic participation and evolution of the work requirements over time, which in fact ascertains the nonvalidity of administrative identification.

Student perspectives of online learning

The advent of online learning in tertiary education has changed the way students interact with institutions and undertake their studies. All students at Deakin University interact with their courses through an online learning environment. While online learning environments can be evaluated in a number of ways, the perceptions of the key users and their levels of satisfaction with the online learning environment are important measures.
This paper presents results of a survey of students studying at Deakin University in 2005. The survey explored their perceptions of learning in the online environment. The results indicate that overall students were enthusiastic about learning in such an environment. The main advantages are the flexibility that it provides and the ability to study when it suits students. The disadvantages include technical issues such as speed of access, and the need to participate regularly. The size and spread of the responses suggest that these outcomes can be generalized for all students studying online.

Wholly online learning in environmental science

In recent years there has been a significant shift in the way courses and subjects are delivered to students in tertiary institutions. Advances in technology have resulted in a change to the traditional face-to-face lecture and tutorial teaching format, with many subjects in tertiary education now available online. Although research has explored the advantages and disadvantages of online learning, there has been little attention paid to this teaching format in the field of environmental science. In particular, there is little evidence in the literature to suggest that this method of teaching is appropriate for studies in environmental science or for environmental science students. This study examined the outcomes from a wholly online subject in environmental science at Deakin University, Australia. More specifically, the study aimed to investigate student views about online learning in environmental science as well as online group work. Questionnaires were distributed to all students who completed the core second year subject Society and Environment in semester 1, 2005. Although many of the responding students (n = 48) recognised the benefits of wholly online learning, the findings suggest that most prefer to learn in a face-to-face environment. This paper examines the implications of these findings for future online teaching methods in this discipline.

Assessment of online reflections : engaging English second language (ESL) students

Online discussion boards are being used increasingly by tertiary educators as a tool for encouraging greater student interaction and developing learning communities. In particular, educators who have adopted a learner centered, socio-constructivist approach to teaching have sought to facilitate collaborative learning in which students reflect upon and share their experiences and perspectives, and construct knowledge together through developing shared meanings. This paper presents the findings of an electronic survey of the perceptions of 70 distance education EFL and ESL students concerning a compulsory assessment item involving contribution to an online course discussion board. The study revealed that the majority of the students enjoyed the assessment item and agreed that posting to the online course discussion board had allowed them to achieve a range of cognitive and social learning outcomes, as well as to develop some important graduate skills. In particular, ESL students reported the benefits of posting to the discussion board in terms of sharing their experiences with others and reducing the feeling of isolation. Further, when considering social outcomes, ESL students perceive the discussion board provided them with an opportunity to meet and develop a closer relationship with other students in the course and encouraged them to keep up with their studies.

Playing a critical role: experiential learning resources and analytical media studies in higher education

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).

High culture, high context: online strategies of indigenous cultural enterprises

Indigenous Australians experience a great demand for their culture, but do not benefit sufficiently from its commercialization. Recent developments in digital and Internet technology have presented new commercial opportunities for mainstream enterprises and for greater interaction between global cultures. Indigenous Australians recognized these opportunities and have adopted Internet technology across a range of sectors. Very little is known about Indigenous -owned enterprises and their e-commerce practices, particularly in the lucrative cultural sector. This paper draws on a national online survey and enterprise case studies to examine approaches to, and perceptions of Internet commerce in Indigenous-owned culture sector enterprises. Cultural products (such as art, craft, dance, theatre and cultural tours) are not traditionally aligned with e-commerce which favours intangible and standardised, easily comparable products. However some Indigenous enterprises have been highly successful at increasing income and viability through the online medium. Because of the complex preconditions for selling Indigenous culture, transactions are rarely conducted fully on the Web. The research found that in examples of successful Indigenous e-commerce, cultural enterprises first establish social and cultural contexts before achieving economic gains. Social contexts are built online through relationships and communication, which underscore reputation, and transactions as 'experiences'. Online construction of a product's cultural context is used to ensure 'authenticity', which can act as a subtle alternative to online branding and trust.

The impact of information and communications technology on teaching and design of flexible, online and distance education courses at Deakin University

This paper describes the use of an online learning environment which has been established for postgraduate students studying at Master’s level in Professional Education and Training Deakin University. A detailed evaluation of the use of computer conferences in an Open and Distance Education specialism was undertaken during 2000 as part of a CUTSD funded project, Learner Centred Evaluation of Computer Facilitated Learning Projects in Higher Education. As the Open and Distance Education specialism is being revised and new units are written, the information gathered in this evaluation is being integrated into the pedagogical planning and the technological decisions being made about the design of the new master’s program.

Requirements for online teaching and learning at Deakin University : a case study

The dynamics of teaching and learning in higher education are being affected by a combination of educational, social, political and economic factors, and one of the most important changes is the extent to which Learning Management Systems (LMS) are forming the basis for online teaching and learning environments. Deakin University has just completed an extensive evaluation of learning management systems (LMS) to select an enterprise level online teaching and learning system. One of the important aspects of this process is that unlike other evaluations which focused on systems comparison, this evaluation was user-centred, taking into account teaching and learning needs to determine the LMS that would best align with those needs. This paper examines the methods and results of this collection of staff and student needs in online teaching and learning.

Implementing an online audio lecture streaming facility

This paper describes our experiences in implementing an audio lecture streaming facility for Deakin University. For many years Deakin students have benefited from some of the most comprehensive printed study notes of any university in Australia. In 2002, portable digital audio recorders were utilised by academic staff to capture lecture presentations in order to supplement existing unit learning materials and teaching delivery methods. Audio recordings were processed to enable streamed access via the web browser interface using QuickTime. A trial of incorporating PowerPoint presentations was conducted on a limited basis. 68 undergraduate and postgraduate units implemented lecture streaming. This represented over1700 lecture recordings and 20000 audio streams. Evaluation findings indicate that students find this facility highly valuable to their studies and regularly access the audio recordings throughout semester. Benefits include; access to lecture presentations for off-campus enrolled students, the ability to revisit lecture presentations, and the ability to study at a place and time of convenience. Future enhancement to the audio lecture streaming may include implementing a hard-wired audio capture system into lecture theatres and providing for a more rapid turn around of audio processing.