Transition: improved literacy outcomes research study

This paper reports on the Transition: Improved Literacy Outcomes Research Study established by the Department of Education and Training (DET). The purpose of the study was to identify the most useful and usable data for educators to access in order to ensure that student literacy learning is maximised during the transition from Primary to Secondary school.1. The research followed a mixed-methods approach, combining a statistically defensible sample of schools selected to represent school types (primary, secondary, combined), locations (rural, regional, urban) and all regions with a survey and follow- up interviews.2. The results are presented as a mixture of statistics, case studies and discussion. The case studies were developed from both survey data and interview data.3. Leaders and teachers overwhelmingly valued teacher judgement (through AusVELS) as the most useful data in understanding students’ strengths and weaknesses, followed by On-Demand testing.4. NAPLAN results were frequently transferred between schools, but were found to be less useful than other data by teachers.5. School leaders and teachers are currently using data for ability streaming, or for tailoring curriculum for individual student needs. A number of schools use the Literacy data for achieving a balance of student abilities within classes.6. Support for access to, and use of, data is mainly manual, with some use of spreadsheets.7. As the number of feeder Primary schools to a single Secondary school increases, data management becomes a much larger burden on the Secondary staff concerned.8. In Secondary schools, there was a clear demand for Literacy data, but these data were not always those that were being provided by their feeder Priamary schools. This mis-match appears to lead to some frustration among Literacy transition staff at both levels of schooling.9. A gap that needs filling is around the nature of the pedagogies at the two school levels. Not knowing, or misunderstanding, the approaches and needs of each level of schooling leads to the passing on of irrelevant Literacy data in some instances.10. The need for a common template for transition data was expressed by many Transition staff, both Primary and Secondary. In some instances the secondary school had set up a local template for this11. It would be advantageous for data to be directly up-loaded or transferred into a system via electronic tools already in use, such as an Excel spreadsheet.12. We would recommend that the capacity to provide some visualisation of data, and the compilation of internal Literacy data such as teacher judgements and AusVELS levels, or additional testing carried out by the school.13. Student background data was seen by many Secondary transition staff as being equally as valuable as more formal Literacy data for determining student needs.

Field ‘work’ vs ‘feel’ trip : approaches to out-of-class experiences in geography education

Fieldwork is viewed as integral to geography teaching and acclaimed benefits often include holistic, student-driven learning, where all the senses are engaged and the impacts are more than cognitive. While these benefits are often assumed, in this paper, I argue that geography fieldwork in schools is often teacher-led and focused on the intellectual task of knowledge acquisition and skill development. Based on a qualitative content analysis of examples of fieldwork in a state geography teachers’ journal, I assert that the affective and sensory dimensions, are often used to promote the benefits of fieldwork, but seldom explicitly addressed through fieldwork pedagogy and learning activities in school geography. I contend that this is a missed opportunity for a deeper, more embodied and critical engagement with, and response to, the places visited.

Student learning: "the heart of quality" in education and training

This paper surveys the development of various approaches to quality that are essentially learning-centred:

•In the Schools sector: a brief overview of the Victorian Quality in Schools project;

•In Higher Education: work in progress at two Australian universities (Victoria University of Technology and Swinburne Universities of Technology in Melbourne); and

•In Vocational Education and Training: work in progress in re-orienting the policy approach to Quality towards a more flexible and learning-centred model.

This paper will argue that when looked at from the perspective of the individual learner, there is a strong case for student learning to be placed at the very heart of Quality Systems in all sectors of education, and also therefore in related sectoral Quality Assurance programs and processes.

Technology student learning preferences and the design of flexible learning programs

The learning preferences of three hundred and thirty eight technology students enrolled in sub-degree programs at an Australian institution of Technical and Further Education were tested using the Canfield Learning Styles Inventory (CLSI). The results have been interpreted in a learning preferences framework and provide supportive evidence for the preferences factors of print-nonprint, collaborative, dependent,and autonomous learning identified by Sadler-Smith & Riding (1999). Although there search focussed on learning preferences the analysis also indicated support for the Wholist-Analytic cognitive style proposed by Riding & Cheema (1991). Gender differences were shown for the Interest subscales of the CLSI. Age-group differences were shown for several Conditions of Learning and Modes of Learning subscales. Implications for the design of training programs, and the skills that may need to be developed in technology learners to enable effective use of flexible delivery, are also discussed.

Experiential learning in social science theory: an investigation of the relationship between student enjoyment and learning

This paper provides an analysis of student experiences of an approach to teaching theory that integrates the teaching of theory and data analysis. The argument that supports this approach is that theory is most effectively taught by using empirical data in order to generate and test propositions and hypotheses, thereby emphasising the dialectic relationship between theory and data through experiential learning. Bachelor of Commerce students in two second-year substantive organisational theory subjects were introduced to this method of learning at a large, multi-campus Australian university. In this paper, we present a model that posits a relationship between students' perceptions of their learning, the enjoyment of the experience and expected future outcomes. The results of our evaluation reveal that a majority of students:

•enjoyed this way of learning;
•believed that the exercise assisted their learning of substantive theory, computing applications and the nature of survey data; and
•felt that what they have learned could be applied elsewhere.

We argue that this approach presents the potential to improve the way theory is taught by integrating theory, theory testing and theory development; moving away from teaching theory and analysis in discrete subjects; and, introducing iterative experiences in substantive subjects.

Learning in virtual teams: exploring the student experience

In 2005 an existing undergraduate course in project management was converted from face-to-face mode to wholly online mode. Wholly online mode means that there are no face-to-face classes at all, and all teaching and learning is facilitated through an online environment.

The revised project management course was designed with an underlying problem-based learning (PBL) pedagogy and used a simulated, fictitious telecommunications company, United Enterprises (UE), as a case study learning resource. The students worked in virtual teams to complete online learning activities and to solve authentic project management tasks for UE. Employees of UE were available online to provide direction and answer further questions about the tasks.

The overall research study used an action research methodology in which feedback was elicited from two groups of stakeholders involved in the project management course - students and teaching staff. The feedback was used to plan, develop and implement the new Information Technology (IT) Professional Practice course.

This paper reports on the findings of three anonymous student surveys that were conducted after each of the main project management topics and tasks were completed. The surveys sought feedback in a number of areas. However, the feedback reported here relates specifically to student opinions about their experiences of working in virtual teams within the learning environment. Other aspects of the research, including student perceptions of UE and feedback from the teaching staff, are not reported here.

Across the three surveys, most students indicated that they valued the opportunity to discuss various aspects of the course with peers and teaching staff online, and to interact with real-life employees of UE. Although discussion forums were the prescribed method for communication other forms of communication such as email, chat and face-to-face meetings were also used. According to the students, the best things about online group work were that it provides the flexibility of time and place; it allows communication and participation to be recorded; and is an ‘efficient’ way of working. The worst things about online group work were that communication is more difficult and that team members leave participation and submission to
the last minute. While up to 15 percent of students did not like the experience of online group work at all, overall students were generally satisfied with this style of learning and enjoyed the experience of working collaboratively within a virtual team.

The research has highlighted a number of areas where improvements can be made to the student experience of working in virtual teams. These improvements will be adopted in the development and delivery of the new course as part of the action research study.

Educational partnerships on-line: global collaborative learning through an on-line student exchange programme

Deakin University and the University of Calgary have used the internet to provide workplace-based learners with the possibility of a student exchange programme which does not disrupt their careers, lives or families.  The programmes involved in this on-line exchange were both developed in response to the needs of workplace learners and are representative of the role of universities in the field of life-long learning.  This paper describes the first phase of the exchange and discusses the shared pedagogical philosophies and shared implementation of on-line groupware which provided a rationale for the exchange.  The paper will explore the cross-cultural implications of the educational experience and the possibilities such an exchange opens up for life-long learners.

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.

Improved questionnaire for gathering student perceptions of teaching and learning

An instrument used to gather university students’ perceptions of their learning environments, the Perceptions of Learning Environments Questionnaire (PLEQ) has been used recently in higher education research. The current paper examines the strengths and limitations of the PLEQ, particularly in relation to uncovering student perceptions about responsibility for their own learning. A study trialling a modified questionnaire, which
builds on the advances and addresses the limitations of the PLEQ, is reported.

Revisiting the impact of formative assessment opportunities in student learning

This project developed as a result of some inconclusive data from an investigation of whether a relationship existed between the use of formative assessment opportunities and performance, as measured by final grade. We were expecting to show our colleagues and students that use of formative assessment resources had the potential to improve performance of first year students. This first study, undertaken in semester 1 2002, indicated that there was no apparent relationship between the two, even though the students reported how useful they found the formative assessment resources. This led us to ask if there was a transition effect such that students were not yet working in an independent way and making full use of the resources, and/or whether in order to see an effect we needed to persuade non-users of the resources to become users, before investigating if use can be correlated with improvement in performance. With the 2002-3 NextEd ASCILITE Research Grant we set out to repeat our project and to look at use and usefulness of resources in both first and second semester, to encourage non-users to become users and to investigate the relationship between use and performance. Now our story has a different ending.

Revisiting associations between student performance outcomes and formative assessment opportunities: is there any impact on student learning?

This project developed as a result of some inconclusive data from an investigation of whether a relationship existed between the use of formative assessment opportunities and performance, as measured by final grade. We were expecting to show our colleagues and students that use of formative assessment resources had the potential to improve performance. This first study, done in semester 1 2002, indicated that there was no apparent relationship even though the students reported how useful they found the resources. This led us to ask if there was a transition effect
such that students were not yet working in an independent way and making full use of the resources, and/or whether in order to see an effect we needed to persuade non-users of the resources to become users before investigating if use can be correlated with improvement in performance. With the 2002-3 NextEd ASCILITE Research Grant we set out to repeat our project and to look at use and usefulness of resources in both first and second semester, to encourage non-users to become users and to investigate use with performance. Now our story has a different ending.