Higher Education Research in Scotland: Report of a Survey Undertaken by Universities Scotland Educational Development Sub-Committee

The aim of this study was to gain an insight into a range of higher educational research taking place across Scotland with a particular focus on the nature, expertise, support and dissemination of this research. For the purposes of this study, we used the term ‘research into higher education’ to refer to a range of higher educational research activity that included: research into higher education policies and practice, pedagogical research, research into learning and teaching taking place in higher education and research about transition from further education or school into higher education. The findings point to the underground nature of pedagogic research taking place in Scotland. Many researchers are based within disciplines and their pedagogic research is disseminated in a variety of settings that do not always make it easily accessible within generic higher education research discourse. Pedagogic research is also apparently undervalued, with many academic staff experiencing pressure to prioritise publishing within their main discipline over and above pedagogic research. In addition there appears to be a lack of capacity within Scottish institutions to maximise the profile of higher educational research in the forthcoming UK Research Excellence Framework (REF) exercise

A didactical design perspective on teacher presence in an international online learning community

This paper is based on a study of the student learning experience in a particular module of an international Masters programme that included a large element of online learning. It builds on earlier work which highlighted the importance of design and development of social infrastructure for supporting the development of an online learning community by revisiting the data from the perspective of a didactical design framework. The overall aims of this study are to consider how, as teachers, we designed and developed teacher presence and how this was achieved in practice from the design of teaching-studying-learning processes through development to interaction in the online learning community

Developing professional knowledge and expertise in educational technology: legacy, change and investment (Editorial)

This editorial reviews the curricular and pedagogical development of the international MSc TELIC programme and the work of the TELIC community since its inception in 2000. This review is used as the site of analysis to map the research undertaken and the professional practice that has emerged. Issues associated with the role, effects and implications of technology in education are examined in the light of this mapping of a professional curriculum. The notions of learning enhancement, innovation and change that are prevalent at this time in professional contexts, and which shape understandings and actions of TELIC professionals, are used to reflect on contributions to this issue and what they indicate about the state of play in the community and beyond. The paper concludes by considering what response we might make to the need for knowledge building in the professional field of educational technology and how to investigate it

Virtual Learning Communities: Success Factors and Challenges. In:

Abstract: Despite their didactical potential many Virtual Learning Communities (VLCs) fail in enhancing learning outcomes. Therefore, we synthesise factors most critical for establishing a successful VLC. Applying a structured literature review, we searched for studies dealing with VLCs in the well known databases Business Source Premier, Science Direct and ERIC. We identified, classified and synthesised 64 relevant papers. Results indicate that critical success factors include a strong instructor that acts in different facilitation roles, face-to-face meetings that help establishing social ties and well structured small-group assignments that scaffold the learning process. Main challenges are a lack of common goals, feelings of inhibition and technical problems. Based on the review, we offer concrete advice for instructors building up VLCs. We suggest that future research should focus on the design of methods and tools for instructors to facilitate the learning process in a less resource demanding way

Exploring distance learning experiences of in-service music teachers from Puerto Rico in a master's program

Thesis (D.M.A.)--Boston UniversityThe purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of in-service music teachers who chose to pursue a master's degree in music education through distance learning. In this study, I examined the motivations of in-service music teachers for choosing to pursue a master's degree in music education through distance learning; the benefits teachers reported as a result of emolling in a distance learning program; the challenges teachers faced when studying in an online distance learning graduate program; and, the learning experiences teachers found significant for their profession and teaching environments. Teachers who pursued a master's degree in music education through distance learning at Cambridge College Puerto Rico Regional Center comprised the sample. The primary data collection method was individual semi-structured interviews. Results depicted that the experiences gained by in-service music teachers increased their capacity in teaching pedagogy, theoretical understanding of the field, communication skills, and capability in handling technological issues. The difference between the number of students satisfied and dissatisfied with the program was significant, with the former outnumbering the latter. The salient disadvantages reported by the sample group included a technological gap, reduced direct interaction with professors, a need for self-motivation, and a reduced practical ability between the moderators and the students. On the other hand, the primary advantage of distance learning was the convenience and flexibility of pursuing a music education degree online, which allowed the in-service music teachers to study at home and gave them the capability to balance their domestic and professional responsibilities. The participants' main reasons for enrolling in an online degree program were a desire to excel in their careers, the lack of a geographically closer option, professional and/or family lifestyles, a need for increasing academic knowledge, and a need to improve teaching capability and capacity. Recommendations are offered for leaders and institutions engaged in distance learning programs to address the challenges raised by students who have gone through the system. I hope that the knowledge gained from this study will expand both scholars' and prospective students' current understanding of distance learning as an educational model, especially in the music education field

Orchestrating interdependence in an international online learning community

This paper focuses on research into the student experience as participants in the development of an international online community. The background context for this is an international master’s programme and the specific context for the research is a module on Digital Media Applications (DMA), which are outlined. The programme design emphasises peer and formative assessment practices and the pedagogical approach aims to foster group collaboration in international teams. Following an overview of the research methods adopted, a number of emergent themes from the data analysis of student diaries are discussed, including issues of language, culture and identity. In conclusion, we offer some reflections on these issues and discuss the underpinning assumptions (in relation to assessment practices in particular) that have given direction to our subsequent ongoing research and development

Action Research of Cyclonic Transactions in Online Management Education

The aim of the research was to generate a cyclonic model for understanding the influences and processes of continuously improving management education in an environment rich in online learning technologies. The research questions were: 1. What is the nature of the cyclonic interactions observed in the transactions of a team of online management educators? 2. How might an understanding of cyclonic interactions, a. help refine action research, and, b. generate rich insight for online management education? The methodology was an action research project. The research team worked in an online Master of Business Administration (MBA) to continuously develop teaching practice in one unit of the MBA. The methodology matched the objectives of the project, and the appropriate rigour associated with qualitative, interpretive research. The results showed that theories of systems and relational dynamics, adapted to hermeneutics and aligned with other learning theories, can be framed by the metaphor of a cyclone to conduct research into teaching practice and build upon the theory base in the field of online education. Online management education is subject to reinterpretations. The cyclonic framework explains some of the changes. The project showed that a chaotic but organised cyclonic program development process in one particular MBA course was informative for and informed by the chaotic and cyclonic globalized business world. For the education of managers the cyclonic view was relevant. The approach was metaphorical and, therefore, opened new ways of seeing and speaking. Findings pertained to the nature of the cyclonic interactions, how an understanding of cyclonic interactions helped to refine action research, and how an understanding of cyclonic interactions helped generate rich insight for online management education. It was found that it was the asymmetrical impetus of imperfection that created the examples of cyclonic learning spirals formed as double feedback loops for improved understanding. Online education in the action research required cyclical enhancement of connectedness by teachers, stronger emphasis on relational considerations in learning, and heightened expectations of collaboration by educators. It became possible to correlate earlier conceptions of action research with cyclonic categories and analyse the parallels with events in this action research project. Models were developed and presented to explain cyclonic connections with hermeneutics, collaborative teaching, online resource development, and the environment of online management education