Student attitudes to plagiarism and collusion within computer science

There is a widespread perception among staff in Computer Science that plagiarism is a major problem particularly in the form of collusion in programming exercises. While departments often make use of electronic detection measures, the time consumed prosecuting plagiarism offences remains a problem. As a result departments continue to seek ways to reduce the amount of plagiarism and collusion that occurs. This paper reports the findings of a questionnaire based study which attempted to assess the students' attitudes to the issues involved in the hope that such an understanding might result in practical measures for minimizing the problem. The study revealed that while students did understand the definition of plagiarism in its most extreme cases they were often confused about less clear-cut situations. Changes in the previous experience of incoming students meeting modules originally designed on the assumption that students already had some programming background and were equipped for self-directed study would also appear to be a contributory factor in the extent of collusion in programming exercises.

Working with Student Teachers: A Mixed Methods Study to Examine the Roles and Self-Identified Dispositions of Cooperating Teachers

A critical component of teacher education is the field experience during which candidates practice under the supervision of experienced teachers. Programs use the InTASC Standards to define the requisite knowledge, skills, and dispositions for teaching. Practicing teachers are familiar with the concepts of knowledge and skills, but they are less familiar with dispositions. Practicing teachers who mentor prospective teachers are underrepresented in the literature, but they are critical to teacher preparation. The research goals were to describe the self-identified dispositions of cooperating teachers, identify what cooperating teachers consider their role in preparing prospective teachers, and explain challenges that cooperating teachers face. Using a mixed methods design, I conducted a quantitative survey followed by a qualitative case study. When I compared survey and case study data, cooperating teachers report possessing InTASC critical dispositions described in Standard 2: Learning Differences, Standard 3: Learning Environments, and Standard 9: Professional Learning and Ethical Practice, but not Standard 6: Assessment and Standard 10: Leadership and Collaboration. Cooperating teachers assume the roles of modeler, mentor and advisor, and informal evaluator. They explain student teachers often lack skills and dispositions to assume full teaching responsibilities and recommend that universities better prepare candidates for classrooms. Cooperating teachers felt university evaluations were not relevant to teaching reality. I recommend modifying field experiences to increase the quantity and duration of classroom placements. I suggest further research to detail cooperating teacher dispositions, compare cooperating teachers who work with different universities, and determine if cooperating teacher dispositions influence student teacher dispositions.

The experience of teaching statistics to non-specialist students in Saudi universities

Undoubtedly, statistics has become one of the most important subjects in the modern world, where its applications are ubiquitous. The importance of statistics is not limited to statisticians, but also impacts upon non-statisticians who have to use statistics within their own disciplines. Several studies have indicated that most of the academic departments around the world have realized the importance of statistics to non-specialist students. Therefore, the number of students enrolled in statistics courses has vastly increased, coming from a variety of disciplines. Consequently, research within the scope of statistics education has been able to develop throughout the last few years. One important issue is how statistics is best taught to, and learned by, non-specialist students. This issue is controlled by several factors that affect the learning and teaching of statistics to non-specialist students, such as the use of technology, the role of the English language (especially for those whose first language is not English), the effectiveness of statistics teachers and their approach towards teaching statistics courses, students’ motivation to learn statistics and the relevance of statistics courses to the main subjects of non-specialist students. Several studies, focused on aspects of learning and teaching statistics, have been conducted in different countries around the world, particularly in Western countries. Conversely, the situation in Arab countries, especially in Saudi Arabia, is different; here, there is very little research in this scope, and what there is does not meet the needs of those countries towards the development of learning and teaching statistics to non-specialist students. This research was instituted in order to develop the field of statistics education. The purpose of this mixed methods study was to generate new insights into this subject by investigating how statistics courses are currently taught to non-specialist students in Saudi universities. Hence, this study will contribute towards filling the knowledge gap that exists in Saudi Arabia. This study used multiple data collection approaches, including questionnaire surveys from 1053 non-specialist students who had completed at least one statistics course in different colleges of the universities in Saudi Arabia. These surveys were followed up with qualitative data collected via semi-structured interviews with 16 teachers of statistics from colleges within all six universities where statistics is taught to non-specialist students in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Region. The data from questionnaires included several types, so different techniques were used in analysis. Descriptive statistics were used to identify the demographic characteristics of the participants. The chi-square test was used to determine associations between variables. Based on the main issues that are raised from literature review, the questions (items scales) were grouped and five key groups of questions were obtained which are: 1) Effectiveness of Teachers; 2) English Language; 3) Relevance of Course; 4) Student Engagement; 5) Using Technology. Exploratory data analysis was used to explore these issues in more detail. Furthermore, with the existence of clustering in the data (students within departments within colleges, within universities), multilevel generalized linear models for dichotomous analysis have been used to clarify the effects of clustering at those levels. Factor analysis was conducted confirming the dimension reduction of variables (items scales). The data from teachers’ interviews were analysed on an individual basis. The responses were assigned to one of the eight themes that emerged from within the data: 1) the lack of students’ motivation to learn statistics; 2) students' participation; 3) students’ assessment; 4) the effective use of technology; 5) the level of previous mathematical and statistical skills of non-specialist students; 6) the English language ability of non-specialist students; 7) the need for extra time for teaching and learning statistics; and 8) the role of administrators. All the data from students and teachers indicated that the situation of learning and teaching statistics to non-specialist students in Saudi universities needs to be improved in order to meet the needs of those students. The findings of this study suggested a weakness in the use of statistical software applications in these courses. This study showed that there is lack of application of technology such as statistical software programs in these courses, which would allow non-specialist students to consolidate their knowledge. The results also indicated that English language is considered one of the main challenges in learning and teaching statistics, particularly in institutions where English is not used as the main language. Moreover, the weakness of mathematical skills of students is considered another major challenge. Additionally, the results indicated that there was a need to tailor statistics courses to the needs of non-specialist students based on their main subjects. The findings indicate that statistics teachers need to choose appropriate methods when teaching statistics courses.

The background impact in HEI math lectures: an experience in math in the 1st year of Accounting and Management Degree

It is a fact, and far from being a new one, that students have been entering Higher Education courses with many different backgrounds in terms of secondary school programs they attended. The impact of these basic skills is a general and worldwide challenge, fundamentally when facing some specific “constructive” subjects like foreign languages and Mathematics. Working with students with an extensive variety of Math qualifications is an outrageous challenge when they enter an advanced Math course, leading to an almost generalized expectations’ failure - from students enrolled in course and from their teachers, who feel powerless in trying to monitor knowledge construction from completely different “starting points”. If teachers’ "haste" is average, more than half of the students do not “go along” and give up, even before experiencing any kind of evaluation procedure. On the contrary, if the “speed” is too low, others are discouraged (feeling not progressing at all) and the teacher runs the risk of not meeting the minimum objectives (general and specific) of its course, which may have a negative impact on students’ future training development. Failure in Mathematics, despite being a recurrent and global issue, does not have any “magical solution”, however, in general, teachers in this area seem untiring, searching, investigating, trying and implementing new and old “recipes” to tackle and demystify this subject. In this article we describe a project developed in a Math course, with the first year students from an Accounting and Management bachelor degree, and its outcomes since it was brought to practice, revealing its impact in students’ success, from approval to dropout rates, in this course. We will shortly describe students’ differentiated Math backgrounds, their results in a pre-assessment analysis and how we try to deal with these differences and level them up, having in mind the same “finish line”. One should never forget that all these students where officially accepted in higher education institutions, so they are ones’ reality, the reality of institutions whose name one should value and strive to defend.

Tutors as mediators of exchange student experiences: evaluation of the international student tutor system at the University of Turku

As academic student mobility is increasing, improving the functionality of international operations is recognised as a competitive advantage at tertiary education institutions. Although many scholars have researched the experiences of exchange students, the role of student tutors and their contribution to exchange students’ experiences is still an unknown factor. This research examines international tutoring at the University of Turku, and aims to understand better the way tutoring contributes to exchange experiences and to explore the functionality of the tutor system and discover areas for improvements. To achieve these goals, the research seeks to answer the fundamental research question: What is the role of tutors in mediating exchange experiences? The theoretical framework combines literature on mediating exchange experiences, the phenomenon of studying abroad, the process of adaptation, the importance of cross-cultural communication, and the role of student tutors as mediators. Based on the literature review, a theoretical model for studying the mediation of exchange experiences is introduced. The model’s applicability and validity is examined through a case study. Three methods were used in the empirical research: surveys, participant observations, and interviews. These methods provided extensive data from three major parties of the tutor system: tutors, exchange students, and the international office. The findings of the research reveal that tutoring – instrumental leading and social and cultural mediating – generates both negative and positive experiences depending on the individuals’ expectations, motivations, relationships, and the nature of the tutoring. Although functional, there are a few weaknesses in the tutor system. Tutors tend to act as effective instrumental leaders, but often fail to create a friendship and contribute to the exchange students’ experience through social and cultural mediation, which is significantly more important in the exchange students’ overall experience in terms of building networks, adapting, gaining emotional experiences, and achieving the stage of personal development and mental change. Based on the weaknesses, three improvements are suggested: (1) increasing comprehensive sharing of information, effective communication, and collective cooperation, (2) emphasising the importance of social and cultural mediation and increasing the frequency of interaction between tutors and exchange students, and (3) improving the recruitment and training, revising the process of reporting and rewarding, and finally, enhancing services and coordination.

Summit between West Chester University, Pennsylvania, USA and Universidad Nacional, Heredia Costa Rica. Global Library Literacy Initiative: An Intercultural Learning Experience

 This document describes the experience of academic cooperation between professionals in the field of library science, both from West Chester University (WCU), and the National University (UNA) of Costa Rica. The event took place at West Chester University during the week May 4th to May 8th, 2009. The objectives of this revolved around the exchange of ideas and interests in the academic and cultural relations between the two universities. In addition, it unveiled several services and procedures in the handling of information and highlighted the importance of promoting the exchange of students from both institutions. Finally, this article highlights the schedule of activities to integrate international and intercultural perspective in various areas related to the teaching-learning process, the contribution of university libraries on student success and techniques of information dissemination.

Functions of code-switching in multilingual student community

Dissertação de Mestrado, Ciências da Linguagem, Faculdade de Ciências Humanas e Sociais, Universidade do Algarve, 2013

Tackling disadvantage through student-centred learning - exploring 'Worlds of Work' in the Melbourne CBD

As the educational landscape increasingly mirrors deepening socio-economic cleavages within Australian society, the disparity in educational outcomes has been identified as one of the biggest challenges confronting secondary schooling. In contrast with most OECD countries, family background remains the most important determinant of educational achievement in Australia. More and more, schools are defined by location, reinforcing what has been dubbed the 'circular pattern of disadvantage'. At the same time, recognition of strong links between outcomes, socio economic status and location has elicited growing calls for systematic redefining of learning experiences and the public education framework. Focus on flexible, rigorous, community-oriented, person-centred learning opportunities has predicated multiple mentoring and youth schemes and has guided policy. Recognition of the need to re-engage Year 9 and 10 students underpinned development of VELS, for instance; it has also directed the programming priorities of Education Foundation Australia (EFA). This paper will discuss first, how schools perceive the programs have made a difference to both individual students and the curriculum offered in the schools, and second, how the experiences and activities provided through the program have changed the expectations and aspirations that many of the participants have in regard to how they perceive their future, their engagement with school and their careers. Both City Centre and Worlds of Work (WOW) program have received a very positive student response to real world activities that have demonstrably enhanced the development of reflective processes, interpersonal and social skills and social networks. Practical outcomes have included self-organised work experience, the development of mentor relationships and the re-engagement of some students with the schooling process. Interview data confirmed EFA's assessment that its programs have greatest impact when integrated into a school's curriculum rather than as "stand alone" electives.

Blended learning and art education: student participation in a collaborative, authentic assessment project

This paper reports on higher education student engagement with blended learning experiences incorporating located (on campus), cloud based (online e-learning ) and graphically built, socially networked 3D multi user virtual environments (MUVES). Immersion in this environment enabled collaboration between two groups of students enrolled in separate undergraduate art education and public relations units, to identify, develop and participate in an integrated, authentic assessment project. It is contended that immersive blended learning experiences support creative problem solving and encourages synchronous and asynchronous student participation in authentic problem solving and collaborative practice. Interacting with co-learners, students gain knowledge and skills through situated learning, defined as the application of knowledge, learned in one setting and transferred to another and where immersion in a virtual learning experience leads to higher level engagement on the transfer task in a real world setting. In this project, collaborative blended learning involved the creation of a collection of digital artworks by art education students using computer software located in a real world environment. These artworks were curated and exhibited by the students in a virtual gallery they designed and built on Deakin Arts Education island in Second Life. For public relations students, the virtual art exhibition was the focus of a virtual campaign, designed, researched and developed by them to promote the Deakin Virtual Art Gallery on Deakin island in Second Life. The final promotion for the Virtual Gallery was presented by the students at a symposium in both real world and virtual world environments.

Does student engagement improve when 1:1 device technologies are used and adapted to cater for individual learning styles during online delivery of engineering courses?

BACKGROUND OR CONTEXT: A developing international engineering industry is dependent on competition and innovation, creating a market for highly skilled graduates from respected overseas and Australian Engineering universities. The delivery of engineering teaching and learning via blended faceto-face, problem based, research focused and online collaborative learning will continue to be the foundation of future engineering education, however, it will be those institutions who can reshape its learning spaces within a culture of innovation using 1:1 devices that will continue to attract the brightest minds. Investing in educational research that explores the preferred learning styles of learners and matching this to specifically designed 1:1 personalized web applications may be the ‘value add’ to improve student engagement. In this paper, a survey of Australian engineering education is presented and contrasted against a backdrop of internationally recognised educational pedagogy to demonstrate how engineering teaching and learning has changed over time. This paper draws on research and identifies a gap where a necessity to question the validity of 1:1 devices as the next step in the evolution of engineering education needs to be undertaken. How will teaching and learning look using 1:1 devices and will it drive student demand into engineering higher
education courses. Will this lead to improving professional standards within a dynamic engineering education context? How will current and future teaching and learning be influenced by constructivism using 1:1 device technologies? How will the engineering industry benefit from higher education investment in individualised engineering education
using 1:1 devices for teaching and learning?
PURPOSE OR GOAL: To review the current academic thinking around the topic of 1:1 devices within higher education engineering teaching and learning context in Australia. To identify any gaps in the current understandings and use of 1:1 devices within engineering courses in Australia. To generate discussion and better understanding about how the use of 1:1 devices may hinder and/or improve teaching and learning and student engagement.
APPROACH: A review covering the development of engineering education in Australia and a broader international review of engineering teaching methodology. To identify the extent of research into the use and effectiveness of online strategies within engineering education utilising 1:1 devices for teaching and learning. i.e. “Students must feel that they are part of a learning community and derive motivation to engage in the study material from the lecturer.’ (Lloyd et al., 2001) It is proposed to add to the current body of understandings and explore the effectiveness of a constructiveness teaching approach using course material specifically designed to cater for individual learning styles and delivered via the use of 1:1 devices in the classroom. It is anticipated the research will contrast current engineering teaching and learning practices and identify factors that will facilitate a greater understanding about student connectedness and engagement with the teaching and learning experience; where a constructiveness environment is supported with the use of 1:1 devices. Also, it is anticipated that the constructed learning environment will foster a culture of innovation and students will be empowered to take control of their own learning and be encouraged to contribute back to the discussion initiated by the lecture and/or course material with the aid of 1:1 device technologies. A gap has been identified in the academic literature that show there is a need to understand the relationship between engineering teaching, learning, students engagement and the use of 1:1 devices.
DISCUSSION: A review covering the development of engineering education in Australia and a broader international review of engineering teaching methodology. To identify the extent of research into the use and effectiveness of online strategies within engineering education utilising 1:1 devices for teaching and learning. i.e. “Students must feel that they are part of a learning community and derive motivation to engage in the study material from the lecturer.’ (Lloyd et al., 2001) It is proposed to add to the current body of understandings and explore the effectiveness of a constructiveness teaching approach using course material specifically designed to cater for individual learning styles and delivered via the use of 1:1 devices in the classroom.
ANTICIPATED OUTCOMES: It is anticipated the research will contrast current engineering teaching and learning practices and identify factors that will facilitate a greater understanding about student connectedness and engagement with the teaching and learning experience; where a constructiveness environment is supported with the use of 1:1 devices. Also, it is anticipated that the constructed learning environment will foster a culture of innovation and students will be empowered to take control of their own learning and be encouraged to contribute back to the discussion initiated by the lecture and/or course material with the aid of 1:1 device technologies. A gap has been identified in the academic literature that show there is a need to understand the relationship between engineering teaching, learning, students engagement and the use of 1:1 devices.
RECOMMENDATIONS/IMPLICATIONS/CONCLUSION: A gap exists in the current research about the effectiveness and use of 1:1 devices in engineering education; therefore, it is necessary to undertake further research in the area. It is proposed to hypothesize and conduct field research to identify any shortcomings and possible benefits for engineering educators and learners within a constructivist-teaching
context that explores the relationship between the use of personalized 1:1 devices for teaching and learning, adapting for individual learning styles, and identification and application of appropriate teaching and learning strategies within a constructiveness engineering course approach. Research is required to clarify the following research questions;
• What education teaching and learning strategies best facilitate the use of 1:1 devices for online teaching and learning?
• Does student engagement improve when 1:1 device technologies are used and adapted to cater for individual learning styles during online delivery of engineering courses?
• What are the factors within a university engineering faculty that may hinder and/or support the use of 1:1 devices for online teaching and learning?
• To what extent do 1:1 devices assist engineering educators and students to foster a culture of innovation? The study results will offer engineering educators and students an opportunity to reflect on
their current teaching and learning practice, and contextualise the use of 1:1 devices as a tool to improve student engagement. It is expected the learning benefits will outweigh the implementation costs and derive a unique learning experience that will empower engineering educators and students to inspire a culture of innovation.

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.

Beyond curriculum, technology and transformation for an unknown future: towards a holistic model for understanding student resilience in education

Many views of fostering student resilience come from the perspective of a set of individual student traits, skill sets, or the lack of ability to "tough it out", rather than viewing resilience as a holistic entity which involves relationships, community and context. This belief, in turn, disconnects learners from the socio-cultural context in which their learning experience is embedded. These factors can play an equally pivotal role on participation and learning outcomes. This poster proposes a holistic model for understanding student resilience in a time of rapid change in education.

Understanding global student mobility: exploring new ways of capturing international experiences using in-county overseas students

Australian universities have large numbers of overseas students who do not engage meaningfully with local students about their international experience. The objective of this research, an initiative that was part of a project funded by Australian Government Office for Learning and Teaching (OLT), entitled the Global Canopy, was to develop pedagogy to promote local students’ awareness about international study based on an in-country teaching program. The research study aimed to develop new knowledge about how domestic students understand global mobility through interacting with international students enrolled in the same university. The initiative included two workshops that brought together a number of project team members, three overseas students and academic staff mentors, representatives from Deakin Global Student Mobility office, and 31 undergraduate domestic students. Data was collected from a series of in-depth interviews with students involved in the program. Initial findings suggested that the workshops were successful, with 12 undergraduate students enrolled in winter schools in India after completion of the program. The paper concludes with lessons learned from the initiative and calls for exploring new ways of identifying international experiences that can be facilitated within discipline curriculum of the home university.

Collaborative learning experience of students in distance education

Educational institutions recognised that the distance education mode is a preferred way to combine study with life, family and work commitments for distance learners. Distance education has played an important role in the provision of educational equity for distance learners who live in remote Australian communities. Engaging students and academic staff will always enhance student-learning outcomes to ensure a positive experience in distance education. It can be effectively achieved through collaborative learning. In distance education, academic staff and students face a number of challenges such as lack of student motivation, high student attrition rates, and a sense of isolation from a university community. Collaborative learning experience will enhance learner-staff and learner-learner interactions in distance learning, which can be achieved through developing a learning process. The learning process for distance learners involves student-learning strategy, Staff interactive sessions, peer-to-peer support, e-assessment, and self-realization of graduate learning outcomes. This distance learning process is confined for Deakin University learning environment, however the expectations is that the distance learning will be more mainstream in future of learning and teaching in Australian institutions. The focus of this research is to analyse and share collaborative learning experience of distance learners (off-campus) students in project management unit. It helps to analyse the barriers in distance education and finding ways to initiate collaborative programs in future. It also helps to fulfil the distance learners’ expectations on program delivery.