Virtual reality or virtually real : blended teaching and learning in a Master's level research methods class

This paper examines the enabling effect of using blended learning and synchronous internet mediated communication technologies to improve learning and develop a Sense of Community (SOC) in a group of post-graduate students consisting of a mix of on-campus and off-campus students. Both quantitative and qualitative data collected over a number of years supports the assertion that the blended learning environment enhanced both teaching and learning. The development of a SOC was pivotal to the success of the blended approach when working with geographically isolated groups within a single learning environment.

Bilingual asynchronous online discussion groups : design and delivery of an e-Learning distance study module for nurse academics in a developing country

The advent of eLearning has seen online discussion forums widely used in both undergraduate and postgraduate nursing education. This paper reports an Australian university experience of design, delivery and redevelopment of a distance education module developed for Vietnamese nurse academics. The teaching experience of Vietnamese nurse academics is mixed and frequently limited. It was decided that the distance module should attempt to utilise the experience of senior Vietnamese nurse academics - asynchronous online discussion groups were used to facilitate this. Online discussion occurred in both Vietnamese and English and was moderated by an Australian academic working alongside a Vietnamese translator. This paper will discuss the design of an online learning environment for foreign correspondents, the resources and translation required to maximise the success of asynchronous online discussion groups, as well as the rationale of delivering complex content in a foreign language. While specifically addressing the first iteration of the first distance module designed, this paper will also address subsequent changes made for the second iteration of the module and comment on their success. While a translator is clearly a key component of success, the elements of simplicity and clarity combined with supportive online moderation must not be overlooked.

Design minds : an online design education platform for non-designers to enact cultural change

Education in the 21st century demands a model for understanding a new culture of learning in the face of rapid change, open access data and geographical diversity. Teachers no longer need to provide the latest information because students themselves are taking an active role in peer collectives to help create it. This paper examines, through an Australian case study entitled ‘Design Minds’, the development of an online design education platform as a key initiative to enact a government priority for state-wide cultural change through design-based curriculum. Utilising digital technology to create a supportive community, ‘Design Minds’ recognises that interdisciplinary learning fostered through engagement will empower future citizens to think, innovate, and discover. This paper details the participatory design process undertaken with multiple stakeholders to create the platform. It also outlines a proposed research agenda for future measurement of its value in creating a new learning culture, supporting regional and remote communities, and revitalising frontline services. It is anticipated this research will inform ongoing development of the online platform, and future design education and research programs in K-12 schools in Australia.

New media and the transformation of higher education

One set of public institutions that has seen growing discussion about the transformative impact of new media technologies has been universities. The higher education sector, historically one of the more venerable and stable areas of public life, is now the subject of almost continuous speculation about whether it can continue in its current form during the 21st century. Digital media technologies are often seen as being at the forefront of such changes. It has been widely noted that moves towards a knowledge economy generates ‘skills-biased technological change’, that places a premium upon higher education qualifications, and that this earnings gap remains despite the continuing increase in the number of university graduates. As the demand for higher education continues to grow worldwide, there are new discussions about whether technologically-mediated education through new forms such as Massively Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are broadening access to quality learning, or severing the vital connection between teacher and student seen as integral to the learning process. This paper critically appraises such debates in the context of early 21st century higher education. It will discuss ten drivers of change in higher education, many of which are related to themes discussed elsewhere in this book, such as the impact of social media, globalization, and a knowledge economy. It will also consider the issues raised in navigating such developments from the perspective of the ‘Five P’s’: practical issues; personal issues; pedagogical issues; policy issues; and philosophical issues. It also includes a critical evaluation of MOOCs from the point of view of their educational qualities. It will conclude with the observation that while universities will continue to play a significant – and perhaps growing – role in the economy, society and culture, the issues raised about what Clayton Christensen and Henry Eyring term the ‘disruptive university’ (Christensen and Eyring 2011) are nonetheless pressing ones, and that cost and policy pressures in particular are likely to generate significant institutional transformations in higher education worldwide.

Developing ‘design minds’ for the 21st century through a public sector initiated online design education platform

Education in the 21st century demands a model for understanding a new culture of learning in the face of rapid change, open access data and geographical diversity. Teachers no longer need to provide the latest information because students themselves are taking an active role in peer collectives to help create it. This paper examines, through an Australian case study entitled ‘Design Minds’, the development of an online design education platform as a key initiative to enact a government priority for statewide cultural change through design-based curriculum. Utilising digital technology to create a supportive community, ‘Design Minds’ recognises that interdisciplinary learning fostered through engagement will empower future citizens to think, innovate, and discover. This paper details the participatory design process undertaken with multiple stakeholders to create the platform. It also outlines a proposed research agenda for future measurement of its value in creating a new learning culture, supporting regional and remote communities, and revitalising frontline services. It is anticipated this research will inform ongoing development of the online platform, and future design education and research programs in K-12 schools in Australia.

Critical success factors in distance learning construction programs at Central Queensland University : students’ perspective

Distance education has gone through rapid expansion over the years. Many Australian universities are pushing the use of distance education in delivering construction education programs. However, the critical success factors (CSFs) in distance learning construction programs (DLCPs) are not fully understood. More importantly, students’ demographic features may affect the selection of distance education technologies. Situation-matching strategies should therefore be taken by universities or institutions with different student cohorts. A survey is adopted in Central Queensland University (CQU) to identify and rank the critical success factors in a DLCP in Australia where there is a significant number of earner-learners and students with low socioeconomic background. The findings suggest that the most important CSFs include access to computers and internet, reliability of web-based learning sites, high relevance and clarity of learning materials and assessment items, the availability of web-based learning sites that can be easily manipulated, and the capability of the instructors to provide well-structured courses. The findings also suggest that students with low socioeconomic background have more rigorous requirements on interface design, instructors’ support, and the integration of practical components into courses. The results provide good guidance of the design and delivery of DLCPs and will be useful for universities and institutions that are seeking to implement the distance mode in construction education.

Children’s physical activity, health and physical education in isolated rural contexts : the views of parent educators in Queensland

This paper describes the views of parent educators of their children’s levels and types of physical activity. The study was conducted at two mini-schools in western Queensland. These are occasion where students who undertake formal education through various Schools Distance Education, come together for a week of educational activity. Parents (mostly mothers) were interviewed using a semi-structured approach. The interview data were then analysed for dominant themes using a constant comparison method. The emergent themes related to nutrition and physical activity. Within the physical activity theme, notions of the great outdoors, work and organised sport skill development also emerged.

Implementing a Videoconferencing Studio in Cape Verde to Support a Blended Learning Education System

In 2004, the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation invited the University of Aveiro to develop an education and training program in advanced topics of ICT for Cape Verde. The focus should be on technologies to support the development of distance education. Two years later, when the program was started, the University of Aveiro had a high-performance videoconferencing Studio installed by the Foundation for National Scientific Computing. However, the investment to duplicate this high quality structure and operating costs were not compatible neither with the project’s budget nor with the technological options available in Cape Verde. This paper demonstrates the decision-making process by an economically viable option to meet the needs and local peculiarities.

La formation continue à distance des enseignants du secondaire au Bénin : réalités et perspectives

Cette recherche porte sur la pertinence et la faisabilité d’un programme de formation continue à distance des enseignants qualifiés de l’enseignement secondaire général public du Bénin. Elle a deux objectifs spécifiques : l’identification et l’analyse des besoins de formation continue des enseignants du secondaire du Bénin et l’étude des modalités administratives, pédagogiques et techniques de mise en place d’un tel programme dans le contexte béninois. Les recherches sont effectuées sur la base de la mise en œuvre de la technique du groupe nominal (TGN) qui a permis de générer un premier questionnaire soumis à un échantillon de 278 enseignants représentatifs des 1 488 enseignants qualifiés de l’enseignement secondaire général public du Bénin et trois autres questionnaires, basés sur la technique Delphi, adressés à 13 experts du système éducatif béninois. Il apparaît qu’un futur programme de formation continue à distance des enseignants du secondaire devrait comporter, principalement, les trois thèmes ci-après, classés par ordre de priorité : «Technologies de l’information et de la communication »; «Méthodes pédagogiques» et « Matière de spécialité ». L’utilisation de la technique Delphi a permis d’établir une liste de 23 items correspondant aux modalités administratives, pédagogiques et techniques pour la mise en œuvre de la formation. L’analyse des résultats de la technique Delphi et celle des réponses au questionnaire adressé aux enseignants ont permis d’opérer un choix de médias à utiliser et/ou à intégrer pour transmettre le savoir et soutenir l’apprentissage. Il ressort des résultats de la recherche que les enseignants béninois du secondaire ont d’importants besoins de formation continue et que la conception et la mise en œuvre d’un programme de formation à distance axée sur l’utilisation des TIC sont pertinentes et faisables au Bénin. Un modèle organisationnel de formation continue à distance a été proposé.

Conception et développement d'un environnement informatisé d'expérimentations contrôlées et assistées à distance par ordinateur (Ex@O)

La démarche scientifique (ou expérimentale) en milieu scolaire nécessite des savoir-faire expérimentaux qui ne s’acquièrent habituellement qu’en présentiel, c’est-à-dire en laboratoire institutionnel où l’enseignant ou le technicien sont présents et peuvent, à tout moment, assister pleinement l’apprenant dans sa démarche d’investigation scientifique et technologique. Ils peuvent l’orienter, le diriger, susciter sa réflexion, faire des démonstrations réelles ou contrôler son expérimentation en lui montrant comment paramétrer les outils d’expérimentation assistée par ordinateur (ExAO). Pour répondre aux besoins de la formation à distance, cette recherche de développement en didactique des sciences et de la technologie propose de mettre à la disposition des apprenants et des enseignants un environnement de laboratoire informatisé, contrôlé et assisté à distance. Cet environnement, axé sur un microlaboratoire d’ExAO (MicrolabExAO), que nous avons nommé Ex@O pour le distinguer, a été testé de manière fonctionnelle, puis évalué en situation réelle par des étudiants-maîtres et des élèves de l’éducation des adultes qui ont pratiqué et expérimenté la démarche scientifique, en situation de laboratoire réel, mais à distance. Pour ce faire, nous avons couplé le logiciel MicrolabExAO à un logiciel de prise en main à distance avec outils audio et vidéo (Teamviewer). De plus, nous avons créé et inséré, dans le logiciel MicrolabExAO, une aide en ligne pour télécharger et faciliter la prise en main à distance. Puisque cet environnement Ex@O permet de multiplier les contacts des apprenants avec une expérimentation concrète, ce prototype répond bien à l’un des objectifs du Programme de formation de l’école québécoise (PFEQ) qui est de rendre l’apprenant plus actif dans ses apprentissages. Et parce que ce premier prototype d’environnement Ex@O permet d’effectuer des activités en laboratoire à distance, nous avons pu vérifier qu’il met aussi l’accent, non seulement sur les savoirs, mais également sur les savoir-faire expérimentaux en sciences et technologie, traditionnellement développés dans les locaux des laboratoires institutionnels. Notons ici que la démarche expérimentale s’acquiert très majoritairement en laboratoire en pratiquant, souvent et régulièrement, le processus inductif et déductif propre à cette démarche. Cette pratique de la démarche expérimentale, à distance, avec la technologie Ex@O qui l’accompagne, nous a permis de vérifier que celle-ci était possible, voire comparable à la réalisation, pas-à-pas, d’un protocole expérimental effectué dans un laboratoire institutionnel.

Adaptive intelligent agent approach to guide the web navigation on the PLAN-G distance learning platform

Hypermedia systems based on the Web for open distance education are becoming increasingly popular as tools for user-driven access learning information. Adaptive hypermedia is a new direction in research within the area of user-adaptive systems, to increase its functionality by making it personalized [Eklu 961. This paper sketches a general agents architecture to include navigational adaptability and user-friendly processes which would guide and accompany the student during hislher learning on the PLAN-G hypermedia system (New Generation Telematics Platform to Support Open and Distance Learning), with the aid of computer networks and specifically WWW technology [Marz 98-1] [Marz 98-2]. The PLAN-G actual prototype is successfully used with some informatics courses (the current version has no agents yet). The propased multi-agent system, contains two different types of adaptive autonomous software agents: Personal Digital Agents {Interface), to interacl directly with the student when necessary; and Information Agents (Intermediaries), to filtrate and discover information to learn and to adapt navigation space to a specific student

Education and training futures in horticulture and horticultural science

Horticultural knowledge and skills training have been with humankind for some 10,000 to 20,000 years. With permanent settlement and rising wealth and trade, horticulture products and services became a source of fresh food for daily consumption, and a source of plant material in developing a quality environment and lifestyle. The knowledge of horticulture and the skills of its practitioners have been demonstrated through the advancing civilizations in both eastern and western countries. With the rise of the Agricultural Revolutions in Great Britain, and more widely across Continental Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries, as well as the move towards colonisation and early migration to the New Worlds, many westernised countries established the early institutions that would provide education and training in agriculture and horticulture. Today many of these colleges and universities provide undergraduate, postgraduate and vocational and technical training that specifically targets horticulture and/or horticultural science with some research and teaching institutions also providing extension and advisory services to industry. The objective of this chapter is to describe the wider pedagogic and educational context in which those concerned with horticulture operate, the institutional structures that target horticulture and horticultural science education and training internationally; examine changing educational formats, especially distance education; and consider strategies for attracting and retaining young people in the delivery of world-class horticultural education. In this chapter we set the context by investigating the horticultural education and training options available, the constraints that prevent young people entering horticulture, and suggest strategies that would attract and retain these students. We suggest that effective strategies and partnerships be put in place by the institution, the government and most importantly the industry to provide for undergraduate and postgraduate education in horticulture and horticultural science; that educational and vocational training institutions, government, and industry need to work more effectively together to improve communication about horticulture and horticultural science in order to attract enrolments of more and talented students; and that the horticulture curriculum be continuously evaluated and revised so that it remains relevant to future challenges facing the industries of horticulture in the production, environmental and social spheres. These strategies can be used as a means to develop successful programs and case studies that would provide better information to high school career counsellors, improve the image of horticulture and encourage greater involvement from alumni and the industries in recruitment, provide opportunities to improve career aspirations, ensure improved levels of remuneration, and promote the social features of the profession and greater awareness and recognition of the profession in the wider community. A successful career in horticulture demands intellectual capacities which are capable of drawing knowledge from a wide field of basic sciences, economics and the humanities and integrating this into academic scholarship and practical technologies.

Building virtual learning communities

This chapter introduces the concept of virtual learning communities and discusses and further enhances the theory and definitions presented in related literature. A model comprising four criteria essential to virtual learning communities is presented and discussed in detail. Theory and case studies relating to the impact of virtual learning communities on distance education and students from diverse cultural groups are also examined. In addition, this chapter investigates the enabling technologies and facilitation that is required to build virtual learning communities. Other case studies are used to illustrate the process of building virtual learning communities. Emerging technologies such as wikis and video lectures are also analysed to determine the effects they have on building and sustaining effective virtual learning communities.

Distance learning for laboratory practical work in microcontrollers

This paper presents a simple and relatively straightforward solution to the problems of equity in laboratory practical exposure between distance-education students and their traditional, on-campus, fellow cohort. This system has been implemented for the past five years in a university that is amongst the leaders in distance education delivery and has proved to be extremely successful and very well accepted by all students. While the intention was to allow distance education students easy access to the required laboratory practical content of the course, the solution found has proved to have many advantages for the on-campus students. Although this specific implementation is based upon microcontroller technology units in an engineering degree course, the methodology is easily transferable to other disciplines and courses.