Student engagement with an ePortfolio : a case study of pre-service education students

The emergence of ePortfolios is relatively recent in the university sector as a way to engage students in their learning and assessment, and to produce records of their accomplishments. An ePortfolio is an online tool that students can utilise to record, catalogue, retrieve and present reflections and artefacts that support and demonstrate the development of graduate students’ capabilities and professional standards across university courses. The ePortfolio is therefore considered as both process and product. Although ePortfolios show promise as a useful tool and their uptake has grown, they are not yet a mainstream higher education technology. To date, the emphasis has been on investigating their potential to support the multiple purposes of learning, assessment and employability, but less is known about whether and how students engage with ePortfolios in the university setting. This thesis investigates student engagement with an ePortfolio in one university. As the educational designer for the ePortfolio project at the University, I was uniquely positioned as a researching professional to undertake an inquiry into whether students were engaging with the ePortfolio. The participants in this study were a cohort (defined by enrolment in a unit of study) of second and third year education students (n=105) enrolled in a four year Bachelor of Education degree. The students were introduced to the ePortfolio in an introductory lecture and a hands-on workshop in a computer laboratory. They were subsequently required to complete a compulsory assessment task – a critical reflection - using the ePortfolio. Following that, engagement with the ePortfolio was voluntary. A single case study approach arising from an interpretivist paradigm directed the methodological approach and research design for this study. The study investigated the participants’ own accounts of their experiences with the ePortfolio, including how and when they engaged with the ePortfolio and the factors that impacted on their engagement. Data collection methods consisted of an attitude survey, student interviews, document collection, a researcher reflective journal and researcher observations. The findings of the study show that, while the students were encouraged to use the ePortfolio as a learning and employability tool, most students ultimately chose to disengage after completing the assessment task. Only six of the forty-five students (13%) who completed the research survey had used the ePortfolio in a sustained manner. The data obtained from the students during this research has provided insight into reasons why they disengaged from the ePortfolio. The findings add to the understandings and descriptions of student engagement with technology, and more broadly, advance the understanding of ePortfolios. These findings also contribute to the interdisciplinary field of technology implementation. There are three key outcomes from this study, a model of student engagement with technology, a set of criteria for the design of an ePortfolio, and a set of recommendations for effective practice for those implementing ePortfolios. The first, the Model of Student Engagement with Technology (MSET) (Version 2) explored student engagement with technology by highlighting key engagement decision points for students The model was initially conceptualised by building on work of previous research (Version 1), however, following data analysis a new model emerged, MSET (Version 2). The engagement decision points were identified as: • Prior Knowledge and Experience, leading to imagined usefulness and imagined ease of use; • Initial Supported Engagement, leading to supported experience of usefulness and supported ease of use; • Initial Independent Engagement, leading to actual experience of independent usefulness and actual ease of use; and • Ongoing Independent Engagement, leading to ongoing experience of usefulness and ongoing ease of use. The Model of Student Engagement with Technology (MSET) goes beyond numerical figures of usage to demonstrate student engagement with an ePortfolio. The explanatory power of the model is based on the identification of the types of decisions that students make and when they make them during the engagement process. This model presents a greater depth of understanding student engagement than was previously available and has implications for the direction and timing of future implementation, and academic and student development activities. The second key outcome from this study is a set of criteria for the re-conceptualisation of the University ePortfolio. The knowledge gained from this research has resulted in a new set of design criteria that focus on the student actions of writing reflections and adding artefacts. The process of using the ePortfolio is reconceptualised in terms of privileging student learning over administrative compliance. The focus of the ePortfolio is that the writing of critical reflections is the key function, not the selection of capabilities. The third key outcome from this research consists of five recommendations for university practice that have arisen from this study. They are that, sustainable implementation is more often achieved through small steps building on one another; that a clear definition of the purpose of an ePortfolio is crucial for students and staff; that ePortfolio pedagogy should be the driving force not the technology; that the merit of the ePortfolio is fostered in students and staff; and finally, that supporting delayed task performance is crucial. Students do not adopt an ePortfolio just because it is provided. While students must accept responsibility for their own engagement with the ePortfolio, the institution has to accept responsibility for providing the environment, and technical and pedagogical support to foster engagement. Ultimately, an ePortfolio should be considered as a joint venture between student and institution where strong returns on investment can be realised by both. It is acknowledged that the current implementation strategies for the ePortfolio are just the beginning of a much longer process. The real rewards for students, academics and the university lie in the future.

Teachers’ and parents’ perspectives of digital technology in the lives of young children

The pervasiveness of technology in the 21st Century has meant that adults and children live in a society where digital devices are integral to their everyday lives and participation in society. How we communicate, learn, work, entertain ourselves, and even shop is influenced by technology. Therefore, before children begin school they are potentially exposed to a range of learning opportunities mediated by digital devices. These devices include microwaves, mobile phones, computers, and console games such as Playstations® and iPods®. In Queensland preparatory classrooms and in the homes of these children, teachers and parents support and scaffold young children’s experiences, providing them with access to a range of tools that promote learning and provide entertainment. This paper examines teachers’ and parents’ perspectives and considers whether they are techno-optimists who advocate for and promote the inclusion of digital technology, or whether they are they techno-pessimists, who prefer to exclude digital devices from young children’s everyday experiences. An exploratory, single case study design was utilised to gather data from three teachers and ten parents of children in the preparatory year. Teacher data was collected through interviews and email correspondence. Parent data was collected from questionnaires and focus groups. All parents who responded to the research invitation were mothers. The results of data analysis identified a misalignment among adults’ perspectives. Teachers were identified as techno-optimists and parents were identified as techno-pessimists with further emergent themes particular to each category being established. This is concerning because both teachers and mothers influence young children’s experiences and numeracy knowledge, thus, a shared understanding and a common commitment to supporting young children’s use of technology would be beneficial. Further research must investigate fathers’ perspectives of digital devices and the beneficial and detrimental roles that a range of digital devices, tools, and entertainment gadgets play in 21st Century children’s lives.

Conceptualising use for information systems (IS) success

This thesis conceptualises Use for IS (Information Systems) success. While Use in this study describes the extent to which an IS is incorporated into the user’s processes or tasks, success of an IS is the measure of the degree to which the person using the system is better off. For IS success, the conceptualisation of Use offers new perspectives on describing and measuring Use. We test the philosophies of the conceptualisation using empirical evidence in an Enterprise Systems (ES) context. Results from the empirical analysis contribute insights to the existing body of knowledge on the role of Use and demonstrate Use as an important factor and measure of IS success. System Use is a central theme in IS research. For instance, Use is regarded as an important dimension of IS success. Despite its recognition, the Use dimension of IS success reportedly suffers from an all too simplistic definition, misconception, poor specification of its complex nature, and an inadequacy of measurement approaches (Bokhari 2005; DeLone and McLean 2003; Zigurs 1993). Given the above, Burton-Jones and Straub (2006) urge scholars to revisit the concept of system Use, consider a stronger theoretical treatment, and submit the construct to further validation in its intended nomological net. On those considerations, this study re-conceptualises Use for IS success. The new conceptualisation adopts a work-process system-centric lens and draws upon the characteristics of modern system types, key user groups and their information needs, and the incorporation of IS in work processes. With these characteristics, the definition of Use and how it may be measured is systematically established. Use is conceptualised as a second-order measurement construct determined by three sub-dimensions: attitude of its users, depth, and amount of Use. The construct is positioned in a modified IS success research model, in an attempt to demonstrate its central role in determining IS success in an ES setting. A two-stage mixed-methods research design—incorporating a sequential explanatory strategy—was adopted to collect empirical data and to test the research model. The first empirical investigation involved an experiment and a survey of ES end users at a leading tertiary education institute in Australia. The second, a qualitative investigation, involved a series of interviews with real-world operational managers in large Indian private-sector companies to canvass their day-to-day experiences with ES. The research strategy adopted has a stronger quantitative leaning. The survey analysis results demonstrate the aptness of Use as an antecedent and a consequence of IS success, and furthermore, as a mediator between the quality of IS and the impacts of IS on individuals. Qualitative data analysis on the other hand, is used to derive a framework for classifying the diversity of ES Use behaviour. The qualitative results establish that workers Use IS in their context to orientate, negotiate, or innovate. The implications are twofold. For research, this study contributes to cumulative IS success knowledge an approach for defining, contextualising, measuring, and validating Use. For practice, research findings not only provide insights for educators when incorporating ES for higher education, but also demonstrate how operational managers incorporate ES into their work practices. Research findings leave the way open for future, larger-scale research into how industry practitioners interact with an ES to complete their work in varied organisational environments.

Nursing and competencies - a natural fit : the politics of skill/competency formation in nursing

The last two decades have seen a significant restructuring of work across Australia and other industrialised economies, a critical part of which has been the appearance of competency based education and assessment. The competency movement is about creating a more flexible and mobile labour force to increase productivity and it does so by redefining work as a set of transferable or ‘soft’ generic skills that are transportable and are the possession of the individual. This article sought to develop an analysis of competency based clinical assessment of nursing students across a bachelor of nursing degree course. This involved an examination of a total of 406 clinical assessment tools that covered the years 1992-2009 and the three years of a bachelor degree. Data analysis generated three analytical findings: the existence of a hierarchy of competencies that prioritises soft skills over intellectual and technical skills; the appearance of skills as personal qualities or individual attributes; and the absence of context in assessment. The article argues that the convergence in nursing of soft skills and the professionalisation project reform has seen the former give legitimacy to the enduring invisibility and devaluation of nursing work.

Composition and source identification of road deposited pollutants

Road deposited solids are a mix of pollutants originating from a range of anthropogenic sources common to urban land uses and soil inputs from surrounding areas. These particles accumulate potentially toxic pollutants thereby posing a threat to receiving waters. Reliable estimation of sources of particulate pollutants in build-up and quantification of particle composition is important for the development of best management practices for stormwater quality mitigation. The research study analysed build-up pollutants from sixteen different urban road surfaces and soil from four background locations. The road surfaces were selected from residential, industrial and commercial land uses from four suburbs in Gold Coast, Australia. Collected build-up samples were analysed for solids load, organic matter and mineralogy. The soil samples were analysed for mineralogy. Quantitative and qualitative analysis of mineralogical data, along with multivariate data analysis were employed to identify the relative source contributions to road deposited solids. The build-up load on road surfaces in different suburbs showed significant differences due to the nature of anthropogenic activities, road texture depth and antecedent dry period. Analysis revealed that build-up pollutants consists primarily of soil derived minerals (60%) and the remainder is composed of traffic generated pollutants and organic matter. Major mineral components detected were quartz and potential clay forming minerals such as albite, microline, chlorite and muscovite. An average of 40-50% of build-up pollutants by weight was made up of quartz. Comparison of the mineral component of build-up pollutants with background soil samples indicated that the minerals primarily originate from surrounding soils. About 2.2% of build-up pollutants were organic matter which originates largely from plant matter. Traffic related pollutants which are potentially toxic to the receiving water environment represented about 30% of the build-up pollutants at the study sites.

Review: acoustic emission technique - opportunities, challenges and current work at QUT

Acoustic emission (AE) is the phenomenon where high frequency stress waves are generated by rapid release of energy within a material by sources such as crack initiation or growth. AE technique involves recording these stress waves by means of sensors placed on the surface and subsequent analysis of the recorded signals to gather information such as the nature and location of the source. AE is one of the several non-destructive testing (NDT) techniques currently used for structural health monitoring (SHM) of civil, mechanical and aerospace structures. Some of its advantages include ability to provide continuous in-situ monitoring and high sensitivity to crack activity. Despite these advantages, several challenges still exist in successful application of AE monitoring. Accurate localization of AE sources, discrimination between genuine AE sources and spurious noise sources and damage quantification for severity assessment are some of the important issues in AE testing and will be discussed in this paper. Various data analysis and processing approaches will be applied to manage those issues.

Development and evaluation of an integrated clinical learning model to inform continuing education for acute care nurses

Background Significant ongoing learning needs for nurses have occurred as a direct result of the continuous introduction of technological innovations and research developments in the healthcare environment. Despite an increased worldwide emphasis on the importance of continuing education, there continues to be an absence of empirical evidence of program and session effectiveness. Few studies determine whether continuing education enhances or develops practice and the relative cost benefits of health professionals’ participation in professional development. The implications for future clinical practice and associated educational approaches to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse multigenerational and multicultural workforce are also not well documented. There is minimal research confirming that continuing education programs contribute to improved patient outcomes, nurses’ earlier detection of patient deterioration or that standards of continuing competence are maintained. Crucially, evidence-based practice is demonstrated and international quality and safety benchmarks are adhered to. An integrated clinical learning model was developed to inform ongoing education for acute care nurses. Educational strategies included the use of integrated learning approaches, interactive teaching concepts and learner-centred pedagogies. A Respiratory Skills Update education (ReSKU) program was used as the content for the educational intervention to inform surgical nurses’ clinical practice in the area of respiratory assessment. The aim of the research was to evaluate the effectiveness of implementing the ReSKU program using teaching and learning strategies, in the context of organisational utility, on improving surgical nurses’ practice in the area of respiratory assessment. The education program aimed to facilitate better awareness, knowledge and understanding of respiratory dysfunction in the postoperative clinical environment. This research was guided by the work of Forneris (2004), who developed a theoretical framework to operationalise a critical thinking process incorporating the complexities of the clinical context. The framework used educational strategies that are learner-centred and participatory. These strategies aimed to engage the clinician in dynamic thinking processes in clinical practice situations guided by coaches and educators. Methods A quasi experimental pre test, post test non–equivalent control group design was used to evaluate the impact of the ReSKU program on the clinical practice of surgical nurses. The research tested the hypothesis that participation in the ReSKU program improves the reported beliefs and attitudes of surgical nurses, increases their knowledge and reported use of respiratory assessment skills. The study was conducted in a 400 bed regional referral public hospital, the central hub of three smaller hospitals, in a health district servicing the coastal and hinterland areas north of Brisbane. The sample included 90 nurses working in the three surgical wards eligible for inclusion in the study. The experimental group consisted of 36 surgical nurses who had chosen to attend the ReSKU program and consented to be part of the study intervention group. The comparison group included the 39 surgical nurses who elected not to attend the ReSKU program, but agreed to participate in the study. Findings One of the most notable findings was that nurses choosing not to participate were older, more experienced and less well educated. The data demonstrated that there was a barrier for training which impacted on educational strategies as this mature aged cohort was less likely to take up educational opportunities. The study demonstrated statistically significant differences between groups regarding reported use of respiratory skills, three months after ReSKU program attendance. Between group data analysis indicated that the intervention group’s reported beliefs and attitudes pertaining to subscale descriptors showed statistically significant differences in three of the six subscales following attendance at the ReSKU program. These subscales included influence on nursing care, educational preparation and clinical development. Findings suggest that the use of an integrated educational model underpinned by a robust theoretical framework is a strong factor in some perceptions of the ReSKU program relating to attitudes and behaviour. There were minimal differences in knowledge between groups across time. Conclusions This study was consistent with contemporary educational approaches using multi-modal, interactive teaching strategies and a robust overarching theoretical framework to support study concepts. The construct of critical thinking in the clinical context, combined with clinical reasoning and purposeful and collective reflection, was a powerful educational strategy to enhance competency and capability in clinicians.

The relationship between building characteristics and the chemical composition of surface films found on glass windows in Brisbane, Australia

Films found on the windows of residential buildings have been studied. The main aim of the paper was to assess the roles of the films in the accumulation of potentially toxic chemicals in residential buildings. Thus the elemental and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon compositions of the surface films from the glass windows of eighteen residential buildings were examined. The presence of sample amounts of inorganic elements (4.0–1.2 × 106 μg m−2) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the films (BDL - 620.1 ng m−2) has implications for human exposure and the fate of pollutants in the urban environment. To facilitate the interpretation of the results, data matrices consisting of the chemical composition of the films and the building characteristics were subjected to multivariate data analysis methods, and these revealed that the accumulation of the chemicals was strongly dependent on building characteristics such as the type of glass used for the window, the distance from a major road, age of the building, distance from an industrial activity, number of smokers in the building and frequency of cooking in the buildings. Thus, building characteristics which minimize the accumulation of pollutants on the surface films need to be encouraged.

Design of experiments for bivariate binary responses modelled by Copula functions

Optimal design for generalized linear models has primarily focused on univariate data. Often experiments are performed that have multiple dependent responses described by regression type models, and it is of interest and of value to design the experiment for all these responses. This requires a multivariate distribution underlying a pre-chosen model for the data. Here, we consider the design of experiments for bivariate binary data which are dependent. We explore Copula functions which provide a rich and flexible class of structures to derive joint distributions for bivariate binary data. We present methods for deriving optimal experimental designs for dependent bivariate binary data using Copulas, and demonstrate that, by including the dependence between responses in the design process, more efficient parameter estimates are obtained than by the usual practice of simply designing for a single variable only. Further, we investigate the robustness of designs with respect to initial parameter estimates and Copula function, and also show the performance of compound criteria within this bivariate binary setting.

Bayesian methodology for genetics of complex diseases

Genetic research of complex diseases is a challenging, but exciting, area of research. The early development of the research was limited, however, until the completion of the Human Genome and HapMap projects, along with the reduction in the cost of genotyping, which paves the way for understanding the genetic composition of complex diseases. In this thesis, we focus on the statistical methods for two aspects of genetic research: phenotype definition for diseases with complex etiology and methods for identifying potentially associated Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) and SNP-SNP interactions. With regard to phenotype definition for diseases with complex etiology, we firstly investigated the effects of different statistical phenotyping approaches on the subsequent analysis. In light of the findings, and the difficulties in validating the estimated phenotype, we proposed two different methods for reconciling phenotypes of different models using Bayesian model averaging as a coherent mechanism for accounting for model uncertainty. In the second part of the thesis, the focus is turned to the methods for identifying associated SNPs and SNP interactions. We review the use of Bayesian logistic regression with variable selection for SNP identification and extended the model for detecting the interaction effects for population based case-control studies. In this part of study, we also develop a machine learning algorithm to cope with the large scale data analysis, namely modified Logic Regression with Genetic Program (MLR-GEP), which is then compared with the Bayesian model, Random Forests and other variants of logic regression.

Exploration and optimization of user experience in viewing videos on a mobile phone

Compared with viewing videos on PCs or TVs, mobile users have different experiences in viewing videos on a mobile phone due to different device features such as screen size and distinct usage contexts. To understand how mobile user’s viewing experience is impacted, we conducted a field user study with 42 participants in two typical usage contexts using a custom-designed iPhone application. With user’s acceptance of mobile video quality as the index, the study addresses four influence aspects of user experiences, including context, content type, encoding parameters and user profiles. Accompanying the quantitative method (acceptance assessment), we used a qualitative interview method to obtain a deeper understanding of a user’s assessment criteria and to support the quantitative results from a user’s perspective. Based on the results from data analysis, we advocate two user-driven strategies to adaptively provide an acceptable quality and to predict a good user experience, respectively. There are two main contributions from this paper. Firstly, the field user study allows a consideration of more influencing factors into the research on user experience of mobile video. And these influences are further demonstrated by user’s opinions. Secondly, the proposed strategies — user-driven acceptance threshold adaptation and user experience prediction — will be valuable in mobile video delivery for optimizing user experience.

A pilot study assessing the feasibility of a home-based progressive resistance exercise program and trend toward healing rates for patients with venous leg ulcers

Venous leg ulceration is a serious condition affecting 1 – 3% of the population. Decline in the function of the calf muscle pump is correlated with venous ulceration. Many previous studies have reported an improvement in the function of the calf muscle pump, endurance of the calf muscle and increased range of ankle motion after structured exercise programs. However, there is a paucity of published research that assesses if these improvements result in an improvement in the healing rates of venous ulcers. The primary purpose of this pilot study was to establish the feasibility of a homebased progressive resistance exercise program and examine if there was any clinical significance or trend toward healing. The secondary aims were to examine the benefit of a home-based progressive resistance exercise program on calf muscle pump function and physical parameters. The methodology used was a randomised controlled trial where eleven participants were randomised into an intervention (n = 6) or control group (n = 5). Participants who were randomised to receive a 12-week home-based progressive resistance exercise program were instructed through weekly face-to-face consultations during their wound clinic appointment by the author. Control group participants received standard wound care and compression therapy. Changes in ulcer parameters were measured fortnightly at the clinic (number healed at 12 weeks, percentage change in area and pressure ulcer score healing score). An air plethysmography test was performed at baseline and following the 12 weeks of training to determine changes in calf muscle pump function. Functional measures included maximum number of heel raises (endurance), maximal isometric plantar flexion (strength) and range of ankle motion (ROAM); these tests were conducted at baseline, week 6 and week 12. The sample for the study was drawn from the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane, Australia. Participants with venous leg ulceration who met the inclusion criteria were recruited. The participants were screened via duplex scanning and ankle brachial pressure index (ABPI) to ensure they did not have any arterial complications. Participants were excluded if there was evidence of cellulitis. Demographic data were obtained from each participant and details regarding medical history, quality of life and geriatric depression scores were collected at baseline. Both the intervention and control group were required to complete a weekly exercise diary to monitor activity levels between groups. To test for the effect of the intervention over time, a repeated measures analysis of variance was conducted on the major outcome variables. Group (intervention versus control) was the between subject factor and time (baseline, week 6, week 12) was the within subject or repeated measures factor. Due to the small sample size, further tests were conducted to check the assumptions of the statistical test to be used. The results showed that Mauchly.s Test, the Sphericity assumptions of repeated measures for ANOVA were met. Further tests of homogeneity of variance assumptions also confirmed that this assumption was met. Data analysis was conducted using the software package SPSS for Windows Release 17.0. The pilot study proved feasible with all of the intervention (n=6) participants continuing with the resistance program for the 12 week duration and no deleterious effects noted. Clinical significance was observed in the intervention group with a 32% greater change in ulcer size (p= 0.26) than the control group, and a 10% (p = 0.74) greater difference between the numbers healed compared to the control group. Statistical significance was observed for the ejection fraction (p = 0.05), residual volume fraction (p = 0.04) and ROAM (p = 0.01), which all improved significantly in the intervention group over time. These results are encouraging, nevertheless, further investigations seem warranted to examine the effect exercise has on the healing rates of venous leg ulcers, with a multistudy site, larger sample size and longer follow up period.

Recognition of expertise : an important concept in the acquisition of nephrology nursing expertise

The present article, which is abstracted from a larger study into the acquisition and exercise of nephrology nursing expertise, aims to explore the concept of recognition of expertise. The study used grounded theory methodology and involved 17 registered nurses who were practising in a metropolitan renal unit in New South Wales, Australia. Concurrent data collection and analysis was undertaken, incorporating participant observations and interviews. According to nurses in this study, patients, doctors and other nurses recognized that some nurses were experts while others were not. In addition, being trusted, being a role model and teaching others were important components of being recognized as an expert nephrology nurse. Of importance for nursing, the results of the present study indicate that knowledge and experience are not sufficient to ensure expert practice; recognition of expertise by others is an important function of expertise acquisition.