Technology and Pedagogy

Evaluation and multimedia learning objects: towards a human-centred approach

by Tom McEwan

Final Report - Learning to Teach Online Project

by Simon McIntyre

Final Report of impact of the project for ALTC the funding body. The file is quite large, so please download the document from our website: http://online.cofa.unsw.edu.au/learning-to-teach-online/report

This final project report, completed for the funding body, the ALTC, analyses the outputs and impacts of the project... more This final project report, completed for the funding body, the ALTC, analyses the outputs and impacts of the project up until June 24, 2011 when the report was completed. Since that time, the project has continued to attract attention from educators all over the world, and as of 14 October 2011 when this report was released here, we are nearing 90,000 unique views of the episodes from all over the world (nearly 40,000 more views than when the report was written 4 months previously). We hope this will continue well into the future!

The final evaluative report examines:

The project output, outcomes and impact
- Project methodology
- Critical factors for project success
- The dissemination strategy employed
- Evaluation of the success of the project

Since its release, the Learning to Teach Online project has developed a reputation for providing quality, pedagogically sound and broadly applicable professional development resources relevant not only to the Australian higher education sector, but to other sectors around the world.

ISBN number 978-1-921856-70-9

Rethinking MySpace

by Antero Garcia

DATA Annual International Research Conference 2004-Paper Extracts

by Ruth Dineen

Reflecting on Teaching Experiences in the Lab: Challenges with Classroom Design

by Vanessa Cozza

Using ePortfolios as a reflective teaching tool - Case study

by Simon McIntyre

Written by Simon McIntyre & Karin Watson as part of the 'Learning to Teach Online' Collection

What do you think of this resource? Please click more What do you think of this resource? Please click http://svy.mk/e6BP1G to complete a quick survey.

Also watch the accompanying video for this episode http://bit.ly/koVNA2 from the Learning to Teach Online project website.

This case study examines how ePortfolios, used in conjunction with blogs, can encourage students to become more critically reflective learners. The benefits and challenges of using ePortfolios are discussed, along with strategies for providing sufficient technical and pedagogical support, to enable teachers and students to confidently use the technology as a collaborative learning tool.

Using online environments for teaching large classes - Case study

by Simon McIntyre

Written by Karin Watson & Simon McIntyre as part of the 'Learning to Teach Online' Collection

When teaching larger classes, an online environment can provide many opportunities for increased student engagement,... more When teaching larger classes, an online environment can provide many opportunities for increased student engagement, group work and self testing. In this case study Professor Alan Crosky, from the University of New South Wales,  explains how he uses a blended learning approach in his Engineering Materials and Chemistry course with 700 first year students. He highlights the importance of providing student orientation and support when first introducing an online component, and discusses the benefits of integrating online tutorials and resources, group work, peer assessment and self-testing into the course.

" A Meeting of Minds": Using Clickers for Critical Thinking and Discussion In Large Sociology Classes

by Stefanie Mollborn

Because lecture-based teaching limits student learning, many instructors are interested in pedagogical strategies that... more Because lecture-based teaching limits student learning, many instructors are interested in pedagogical strategies that support critical thinking, student participation, and group discussion in large classrooms. Audience response systems, or ‘‘clickers,’’ are an emerging tool for addressing this problem, but predom- inant pedagogical models for clicker use developed in the natural sciences often do not encourage the ‘‘inquiry-guided learning’’ that is useful in sociology. This article introduces readers to clicker technology and outlines a new pedagogical model for clicker use designed to address sociological learning goals, including critical thinking, applications of concepts to real-life experiences, and critiques of sociological methods. The authors discuss the effects of clickers for classroom interaction and students’ experiences in three undergraduate sociology courses, using quantitative and qualitative data about students’ percep- tions of the effects of this pedagogical model on learning. The results suggest that the model positively affects participation, critical thinking, and classroom interaction dynamics. The authors conclude with practical suggestions for instructors considering implementing clickers in sociology courses.

Online teamwork and collaboration

by Simon McIntyre

Written by Karin Watson & Simon McIntyre as part of the 'Learning to Teach Online' Collection http://bit.ly/d18ac5

While developing effective teamwork and collaboration skills are considered important to the learning process, many... more While developing effective teamwork and collaboration skills are considered important to the learning process, many students find group work challenging and difficult. In this episode we explore how Internet technologies can improve the collaborative process within online teamwork, and offer some useful strategies for facilitation and assessment.

Using audio feedback in your teaching- Case study

by Simon McIntyre

Written by Simon McIntyre & Karin Watson as part of the 'Learning to Teach Online' Collection http://bit.ly/d18ac5

This case study aims to show how simple and powerful using audio feedback can be. While the context of this case study... more This case study aims to show how simple and powerful using audio feedback can be. While the context of this case study is in art and design, the use of audio files for giving students feedback is applicable to any discipline or almost any type of student work, even in 100% face-to-face classes. This case study will examine some of the motivations for adopting the use of audio feedback, the benefits for students and teachers, and some key considerations to keep in mind.

Using online lectures to support active learning - Case study

by Simon McIntyre

Written by Simon McIntyre & Karin Watson as part of the 'Learning to Teach Online' Collection http://bit.ly/d18ac5

This case study examines how technology can be used to support an active learning strategy within face-to- face... more This case study examines how technology can be used to support an active learning strategy within face-to- face Chemistry classes. Both in-class polling software and online lectures are used as part of a comprehensive teaching strategy, designed to enable students to develop critical thinking and analytical skills. While in- class polling is not an online process, it is included within this case study to highlight how different types of technology can be used together to effectively support classroom teaching, when integrated with a carefully considered pedagogical approach.

Using Blogs for peer feedback and discussion - Case study

by Simon McIntyre

Written by Simon McIntyre & Karin Watson as part of the 'Learning to Teach Online' Collection http://bit.ly/d18ac5

This case study aims to describe how a blog was used in one particular teaching context to promote peer- to-peer... more This case study aims to describe how a blog was used in one particular teaching context to promote peer- to-peer interaction, feedback and discussion. While the case study does examine one particular teaching application of a blog, the principles discussed can just as easily be applied to any teaching situation where the ability for individuals to chronologically record a learning process, collate different learning resources such
as text, video and audio, and increased peer feedback or discussion between students is desired. This episode will examine the context, planning and teaching within the case study, and highlight any issues that were encountered, and benefits that make this type of online teaching worthwhile.

Understanding Creative Commons - Case Study

by Simon McIntyre

Written by Karin Watson & Simon McIntyre as part of the 'Learning to Teach Online' Collection http://bit.ly/d18ac5

This episode explains the basics of creative commons. We examine some of the different license terms and combinations,... more This episode explains the basics of creative commons. We examine some of the different license terms and combinations, and offer some insights into which might be better suited for educational purposes. We also discuss how to generate your own creative commons license and what to do when your work is not attributed by others.

Online discussions in maths teacher education - Case study

by Simon McIntyre

Written by Simon McIntyre & Karin Watson as part of the 'Learning to Teach Online' Collection http://bit.ly/d18ac5

This case study examines the use of online asynchronous discussions as part of a large professional practice class for... more This case study examines the use of online asynchronous discussions as part of a large professional practice class for primary mathematics teachers. Online forums within Blackboard are used to host discussions about video lectures, support assessments and to enable students to ask questions and receive advice about content. The realities of managing large scale online discussions are discussed, along with strategies for effective facilitation.

Creating eBooks for distance education - Case study

by Simon McIntyre

Written by Simon McIntyre & Karin Watson as part of the 'Learning to Teach Online' Collection http://bit.ly/d18ac5

This case study examines the use of eBooks and eReaders as an extension of the usual Blackboard Learning Management... more This case study examines the use of eBooks and eReaders as an extension of the usual Blackboard Learning Management System (LMS). This initiative was undertaken as part of the DUCKLING research project (Delivering University Curricula: Knowledge, Learning and Innovation Gains) conducted by the Beyond Distance Research Alliance at the University of Leicester in the UK. While the context of this study involves distance students, using electronic books can have applications in any discipline where students are required to undertake a significant amount of reading. This case study discusses some advantages of using eBooks, and outlines the process involved in creating and uploading them to an eReader device.

Using Flickr as an online classroom - Case study

by Simon McIntyre

Written by Simon McIntyre & Karin Watson as part of the 'Learning to Teach Online' Collection http://bit.ly/d18ac5

This case study aims to give you a basic understanding of the website Flickr, and how it was used to teach photography... more This case study aims to give you a basic understanding of the website Flickr, and how it was used to teach photography in a blended (face-to-face and online) class. It discusses the benefits of using an online community for submitting, organising and giving feedback on images, and the impact on student learning. Key issues surrounding pedagogic planning and teaching with Flickr that were encountered in this context of the case study will also be examined, highlighting the benefits and potential issues of adopting this approach.

Hippocrates: Online medical tutorials - Case study

by Simon McIntyre

Written by Simon McIntyre & Karin Watson as part of the 'Learning to Teach Online' Collection http://bit.ly/d18ac5

This case study aims to demonstrate how the effective use of simple ‘just in time’ style online tutorials, stringently... more This case study aims to demonstrate how the effective use of simple ‘just in time’ style online tutorials, stringently prepared and designed to support the needs of the students, can positively impact student learning when used in conjunction with traditional teaching approaches. It will examine the reasons behind adopting an online supported teaching approach, and discuss key considerations in the planning and use of online tutorials. It is hoped that teachers in a wide range of different disciplines will be able to relate how this approach would be of benefit to their own students’ learning.

iLabs: Online access to remote laboratories - Case study

by Simon McIntyre

Written by Simon McIntyre & Karin Watson as part of the 'Learning to Teach Online' Collection http://bit.ly/d18ac5

This case study examines the concept of using the Internet to remotely access laboratory equipment to conduct... more This case study examines the concept of using the Internet to remotely access laboratory equipment to conduct experiments in science or engineering. In particular, it demonstrates one of several experiments that can be conducted online using the iLabCentral website developed by Northwestern University. It explores benefits and opportunities for student learning offered by iLabs, by demonstrating how online learning materials in the iLabCentral website utilise remotely access specialist laboratory equipment made available by the Centre for Educational Innovation and Technology (CEIT) at the University of Queensland, in Brisbane Australia.

Increasing student engagement using podcasts - Case study

by Simon McIntyre

Written by Simon McIntyre & Karin Watson as part of the 'Learning to Teach Online' Collection http://bit.ly/d18ac5

This case study examines the use of simple audio podcasts in a fully online distance education class, as part of the... more This case study examines the use of simple audio podcasts in a fully online distance education class, as part of the DUCKLING research project conducted by the Beyond Distance Research Alliance at the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom. It discusses the benefits of using podcasts as part of an integrated online learning strategy in a distance learning context, and gives an overview of how podcasts were used to introduce concepts, provide support for assignments, and to give students direct feedback on their work.

Teaching with web 2.0 technologies: Twitter, wikis & blogs - Case study

by Simon McIntyre

Written by Simon McIntyre & Karin Watson as part of the 'Learning to Teach Online' Collection http://bit.ly/d18ac5

Web 2.0 tools can be useful for any situation where discussion and content sharing is desired, and where accessing... more Web 2.0 tools can be useful for any situation where discussion and content sharing is desired, and where accessing current information in certain topic areas can be advantageous for learning. This case study examines how and why Lubna Alam from the University of Canberra used the Moodle Learning Management System (LMS) as a central hub that both provided her students with easy access to the class blogs, wiki and Twitter, and a place where information from the different technologies was amalgamated. The integration of web 2.0 technologies into the learning process is examined, highlighting how this can improve student engagement, communication and collaboration.