174 research outputs found

    Learning recursively: integrating PBL as an authentic problem experience [Plenary presentation]

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    [Abstract]: Problem based learning (PBL) is widely recognised as a desirable approach to education of future professionals. One strong basis for its appeal is the use of authentic problems of practice, which make the relevance of what is being learned apparent to the learners and encourage development of attitudes and skills that will be central to continuing professional growth beyond graduation. However, the change from traditional lecture-based courses to PBL presents challenges to educators and the institutions in which they work. In many respects, the implementation of PBL can be itself an experience in PBL for the educator. This presentation will address some of the challenges associated with integrating PBL in a university setting from the perspective of those who design and teach courses using PBL, which will be understood as a spectrum of practices rather than a single approach that must be replicated in every instance

    3D online spaces for teacher education: mapping the territory

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    [Abstract]: If familiarity with games played out in 3D online spaces is truly a defining characteristic of the emerging generations of learners then teacher educators need to attend to these environments both as venues for teacher preparation and as a subject of study for preparing teachers who will be expected to work in such environments. As an aid to investigating possible applications of 3D online spaces in teacher education some means of mapping out the territory to be explored is desirable. This paper proposes one such map and suggests examples of applications that might be explored various areas of the map

    Benchmarking citation measures among the Australian education professoriate

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    Individual researchers and the organisations for which they work are interested in comparative measures of research performance for a variety of purposes. Such comparisons are facilitated by quantifiable measures that are easily obtained and offer convenience and a sense of objectivity. One popular measure is the Journal Impact Factor based on citation rates but it is a measure intended for journals rather than individuals. Moreover, educational research publications are not well represented in the databases most widely used for calculation of citation measures leading to doubts about the usefulness of such measures in education. Newer measures and data sources offer alternatives that provide wider representation of education research. However, research has shown that citation rates vary according to discipline and valid comparisons depend upon the availability of discipline specific benchmarks. This study sought to provide such benchmarks for Australian educational researchers based on analysis of citation measures obtained for the Australian education professoriate

    The seamless integration of Web3D technologies with university curricula to engage the changing student cohort

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    The increasing tendency of many university students to study at least some courses at a distance limits their opportunities for the interactions fundamental to learning. Online learning can assist but relies heavily on text, which is limiting for some students. The popularity of computer games, especially among the younger students, and the emergence of networked games and game-like virtual worlds offers opportunities for enhanced interaction in educational applications. For virtual worlds to be widely adopted in higher education it is desirable to have approaches to design and development that are responsive to needs and limited in their resource requirements. Ideally it should be possible for academics without technical expertise to adapt virtual worlds to support their teaching needs. This project identified Web3D, a technology that is based on the X3D standards and which presents 3D virtual worlds within common web browsers, as an approach worth exploring for educational application. The broad goals of the project were to produce exemplars of Web3D for educational use, together with development tools and associated resources to support non-technical academic adopters, and to promote an Australian community of practice to support broader adoption of Web3D in education. During the first year of the project exemplar applications were developed and tested. The Web3D technology was found to be still in a relatively early stage of development in which the application of standards did not ensure reliable operation in different environments. Moreover, ab initio development of virtual worlds and associated tools proved to be more demanding of resources than anticipated and was judged unlikely in the near future to result in systems that non-technical academics could use with confidence. In the second year the emphasis moved to assisting academics to plan and implement teaching in existing virtual worlds that provided relatively easy to use tools for customizing an environment. A project officer worked with participating academics to support the teaching of significant elements of courses within Second LifeTM. This approach was more successful in producing examples of good practice that could be shared with and emulated by other academics. Trials were also conducted with ExitRealityTM, a new Australian technology that presents virtual worlds in a web browser. Critical factors in the success of the project included providing secure access to networked computers with the necessary capability; negotiating the complexity of working across education, design of virtual worlds, and technical requirements; and supporting participants with professional development in the technology and appropriate pedagogy for the new environments. Major challenges encountered included working with experimental technologies that are evolving rapidly and deploying new networked applications on secure university networks. The project has prepared the way for future expansion in the use of virtual worlds for teaching at USQ and has contributed to the emergence of a national network of tertiary educators interested in the educational applications of virtual worlds

    Hong Kong home economics teachers' adoption of ICT for learning and teaching

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    The Hong Kong government has implemented policies to increase both the availability of ICT in schools and the capabilities of teachers for using them. This paper reports the responses of Hong Kong Home Economics teachers using a theoretical framework informed by educational change theory and prior research about the adoption of ICT by teachers. A questionnaire distributed to 350 Hong Kong secondary schools elicited 252 responses that appeared to be representative of the population. Data revealed that typical respondents had attained at least the intermediate level on the HK IT competence standards for teachers, held positive attitudes toward the use of ICT in teaching, and had access to ICT in their teaching spaces. However, the mean rate of use of ICT for teaching was 1.5 hours per week and the major uses were for lecturing or explanation. Although most had encountered problems when using ICT in their teaching they generally agreed that technical support was adequate. A large proportion saw a need for additional subject specific ICT resources and professional development in pedagogy

    Exploring the worth of online communities and e-mentoring programs for beginning teachers

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    [Abstract]: Education systems worldwide face challenges in retaining and developing beginning teachers against a widespread pattern of significant attrition. This study used interviews with beginning teachers, their mentors and other relevant staff members in the local system to investigate the potential of online communities and e-mentoring to address the problem. The findings support the hypothesis that online mentoring would effectively supplement induction procedures already in place. The initial topics or threads of discussion within the learning community should address issues identified in the study, such as behavior management, interactions and relationships with parents, and assessment and reporting. This will allay concerns by addressing issues seen as most relevant by beginning teachers

    Networked knowledge: challenges for teacher education [Editorial]

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    Since 1990, the World Wide Web has caused an inversion in the information economy of education. Where a traditional view of education characterized teachers as dispensers of knowledge, the second half of the twentieth century witnessed a shift towards an alternative paradigm in which knowledge is viewed as constructed by the learner from personal and shared experience. In an information-rich environment, education is likely to be less about accumulating information and more about transforming it in ways that make it more useful. Although the evolution of a networked knowledge economy may eventually require responses in many aspects of education, at least three areas are already evident. These are questions of knowledge as property attaching to concepts such as copyright and plagiarism, development of processes and skills for effective collaboration, and the problem of assessment of student learning if it is accepted that knowledge may exist in the network rather than the individual

    New communication media challenges for supervisors and external doctoral students

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    This study investigated perceptions of doctoral students and supervisors in an Australian university about communication challenges in doctoral distance education, frequency of communication between candidate and supervisors, satisfaction with meetings or communication, use of communication media and use of new types of personal media of communication. Forty-one doctoral students and nine supervisors confirmed their reliance on email communication via responses on a communications survey. Subtle differences emerged between the perceptions of doctoral students and their supervisors with reference to the adaptation of distance learning materials, the mix of synchronous and asynchronous interaction, and the use of new media of communication in the university. There was a less than positive perception of the use of discussion boards or online communities as learning tools

    Primary connections in a provincial Queensland school system: relationships to science teaching self-efficacy and practices

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    The teaching of science is important, both to meet the need for future workers in fields requiring scientific capability and to equip students for full participation in modern societies where many decisions depend upon knowledge of science. However, many teachers in Australian primary schools do not allocate science education sufficient amounts of time to achieve these outcomes. This study reports data obtained from 216 teachers in the primary schools in a provincial Australian school system. The purpose of the study was to assess the effects of existing strategies using Primary Connections for promoting science teaching and to inform future professional development strategies. Teachers reported moderate levels of self-efficacy for teaching science and a proportion reported allocating little or no time to teaching science. Both self-efficacy for science teaching and the amount of science taught were higher for teachers who had used Primary Connections curriculum materials
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