SoTL Workshop for New Researchers

This one hour workshop is designed for newer researchers to look at how to turn your new teaching ideas into scholarship of learning and teaching (SoTL) opportunities. It is great to see participants from last years’ SoTL workshop presenting research this year, suggesting that you can put into practice immediately what you learn in the workshops. To get you started on your own SOTL project, this workshop will: Identify which areas of your practice could become a focus for SoTL Examine the research stages and progress of successful SoTL projects and Explore your specific SoTL project idea

Designing wireframes as assessment in the study of adolescent mental health

Applications (apps) have become commonplace in the treatment of adolescent mental health problems. This study set out to explore whether it is possible to prepare undergraduate counselling students to use these professional tools, as part of an assessment regime. Using the software “Pencil Project” students enrolled in an undergraduate counselling degree were required to design wireframes for an app to support adolescent mental wellbeing. Evaluation methodology employing a concurrent quan-qual mixed method was used. Marks earned for student presentations of their wireframes, along with marker comments were analysed followed by a thematic analysis of student reflections of their learning experience. Students reported that this authentic learning approach to counselling constructs was innovative and positive. This positive engagement was reflected in student grades where all students earned a ‘pass’ or better and their reflections revealed the experience to be transformative. By sharing lessons learned this paper contributes to the literature in innovations in technology enhanced learning. While further iterations are required, it is hoped that this study provides the groundwork for those interested in pursuing the design of wireframes as a method to measure students’ application of knowledge

A mobile learning framework for higher education in resource constrained environments

It is well documented that learning oppourtunities afforded by mobile technology (m-learning) holds great potential to enhance technology-enhanced learning in countries and communities with low socio-economic conditions where web-based e-learning has failed because of limited infrastructure and resources. Despite the potential for m-learning, its actual uptake has been low. The extant literature in this sphere provides some theoretical insight, with evidence of limited on-the-ground practical studies that often do not progress beyond the pilot phase. Failure to embed sustainable learning opportunities has been attributed to the absence of a contextual framework suitable for the heterogeneous nature of many developing countries. This paper thus presents an m-learning framework that considers the sociocultural and socio-economic contexts of low-income economies. The framework is based on a range of studies conducted over four years, including the outcome of two empirical studies conducted in a Nigerian university. Documenting the research underpinning the design provides practitioners and policymakers with a framework for a potentially sustainable strategy for long-term mainstream m-learning integration in higher education in low-income countries

Academic Staff Presentations

Join your colleagues for their Research in Progress and Scholarship of Learning and Teaching presentation

Book review

3 page(s

On-boarding discipline experts to adopt the academic literacies framework

Evidence shows that students must possess academic literacy skills to achieve success. While aware of student limitations in academic writing, discipline academics delivering first year subjects are often reluctant to teach academic literacies. The reluctance can stem from a deficit view of students, a perceived lack of skill to teach academic literacies, and/or the way academics view their work. Our experience shows that we need to change our ideas about what our work entails. Using a pedagogical framework for course design (Lea & Street, 2006), the chapter demonstrates that to take academics on the journey of change requires a commitment to participate in a robust, collegial community of practice characterised by mutual respect for the expertise of academics and academic literacy skill advisors. Such practice not only facilitates deep professional learning, but ensures that the message to students in relation to academic literacies is consistent. By using feedup and feedforward, underpinned by a concern for student welfare, students realise that the learnings can be transferred to all of their studies. Our journey led to the development of common resources, a defensible and immediate increase in pass rates and student feedback that told us that our commitment was worthwhile

Teachers who support Reggio : exploring their understandings of the philosophy (Reggio Emilia)

There is a growing recognition that for an educational innovation to be successful it needs to be more than a good idea--success requires an understanding of how change is implemented. Reggio, a widely-applied, innovative philosophy in early childhood settings, has some support in primary schools. Yet there is very little research to guide primary teachers interested in incorporating it into their teaching practice. This study begins to address this issue by investigating whether teachers committed to Reggio: a) have a deep understanding of the philosophy; b) distinguish a difference between the original and their own sociopolitical and cultural contexts; and c) report utilising this knowledge in their practice. The findings of the research underscore the importance of knowledge of the change process and the need for debate regarding Reggio in primary school settings.7 page(s

SoTL Workshop for New Researchers

This one hour workshop is designed for newer researchers to look at how to turn your new practice ideas into scholarship of learning and teaching (SoTL) opportunities. To get you started on your own SOTL project, this workshop will Identify which areas of your practice could become a focus for SOTL Examine the research stages and progress of successful SoTL projects Explore your specific SOTL project ideas Workshop recordings Full workshop: https://youtu.be/6hVndzzyaw0 Part 1: https://youtu.be/Ok96X5Dwf_M Part 2: https://youtu.be/68ynL9vyL3w Part 3: https://youtu.be/ja1rV7Qfy6

Readiness, roles, and responsibilities of stakeholders for sustainable mobile learning adoption in higher education

The extant literature on mobile learning in higher education has mainly focused on students and academics. This study conducted in a Nigerian university considered a wider group of stakeholders (students, academics, IT personnel, and administrative leaders) in its investigation of stakeholders’ awareness, willingness, and readiness for mobile learning adoption, using a mixed methods approach. The findings revealed that while the awareness of mobile learning amongst students was low, they were keen on adoption. Academics were more tentative, for while they were willing, it was clear that a shift in their teaching philosophy and pedagogy would be required for mobile learning to work effectively. For those in IT and administrative leadership roles, their perceptions were more resource-focused. While this study only considered the views of internal stakeholders, it also uncovered the need for the involvement of external stakeholders. Building on these findings, a strategy table which outlines the roles and responsibilities of each stakeholder group was created. The table provides a blueprint which otherwise has been missing, to guide sustainable mobile learning adoption and implementation not only in higher education in developing countries, but which may have more global appeal

Editorial : diverse contexts but common issues : shared dialogues in teacher education research (Asia-Pacific journal of teacher education)

The sheer diversity of educational research has often been attributed as one of the sources of difficulty in defining and valuing educational research. In other eyes, however, such research diversity might be seen to reflect the very core of teachers’ work and thus the work of teacher educators. This issue of the journal reflects the growth in manuscripts the APJTE is receiving from across the Asia-Pacific region and the diversity of these manuscripts. With this growth has come a rich array of papers, reflecting diverse research interests, regional concerns and introducing us to new educational contexts and research problems. Yet in this issue of the journal, featuring research from geographically and culturally diverse locations—Fiji, Turkey, Hong Kong, Singapore, and the Philippines—we are struck by the commonality of themes arising from these papers. Throughout this issue, concerns for teacher attitudes, beliefs, skills and abilities, reflect the complexity of teacher’s work; the multiplicity of ways in which these concerns are taken up in different contexts; and the diversity of research interests that nonetheless resonate with common educational problems in the Asia-Pacific region.3 page(s