Keeping the Scholarship in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning

As the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) increases in recognition for its contributions to teaching and learning in higher education, it also becomes increasingly important that those wishing to make contributions, and whose area of expertise falls outside of the field of education, make themselves aware of how to conduct educational research. In this essay I question what scholarship means in SoTL and provide a discussion about what is considered to be a scholarly contribution within the educational research community

Using Constructivism in Technology-Mediated Learning: Constructing Order out of the Chaos in the Literature

There are a variety of epistemological positions underlying constructivism learning theory in the literature. The purpose of this paper is to identify and categorize the positions of constructivism learning theories, their relationships to each other, and the implications for instructional practice for each position. This paper clarifies these positions by differentiating the major forms of constructivism along two dimensions. The first dimension defines the constructivist position along a continuum between an understanding of reality as being objective at one end, and a view of reality that is defined subjectively at the other end. The second dimension defines each position on a continuum where knowledge is either socially constructed at the one end, or individually constructed at the other end

Distance education MBA students: An investigation into the use of an orientation course to address academic and social integration issues.

Distance education programs warrant the use of innovative intervention practices to enhance student learning experiences. Academic and social empathy by faculty has been shown to enhance student retention in programs along with their critical thinking abilities. Using Holmberg’s (2001) theory of teaching-learning conversations as the guiding theoretical framework, the purpose of this study was to assess whether an intervention activity (a week-long orientation course) increases academic and social empathy for students entering a distance-delivered MBA programme. Empathy was measured through seven academic and social integration indicators. Using pre and post surveys (n=102), the results reveal that an orientation intervention can be effective for facilitating social and academic empathy.Athabasca Universit

Online Social Interchange, Discord, and Knowledge Construction

Online forums provide potential for new forms of collaborative work, study, and community that reduce barriers of time and distance. Yet the types of interaction and means by which individuals create new knowledge in online environments are not well understood. This study presents the results of an exploratory multimethod evaluation study and transcript analysis of an online forum. The researchers used a constructivist interaction analysis model developed by Gunawardena, Lowe, and Anderson (1997) to help understand and assess online learning. The model describes the phases that are attributed to learning development in an online forum. Analysis of the transcripts revealed that most of the online interactions during the forum were at the lower phases of the interaction analysis model. In addition, the researchers studied the interaction patterns that occurred during the online forum. Social-cognitive processes were observed among participants in the forum. The processes included significant time engaged in social interchange followed occasionally by social discord. The social discord served as a catalyst to the knowledge construction process observed. The results of the study illustrate that there are many types of structures, motivations, and applications of online interaction that make the understanding of this communication medium both challenging and exciting

Ethical Issues in Qualitative E-Learning Research

In the mid 1980s education researchers began exploring the use of the Internet within teaching and learning practices, now commonly referred to as e-learning. At the same time, many e-learning researchers were discovering that the application of existing ethical guidelines for qualitative research was resulting in confusion and uncertainty among both researchers and ethics review board members. Two decades later we continue to be plagued by these same ethical issues. On reflection on our research practices and examination of the literature on ethical issues relating to qualitative Internet- and Web-based research, the authors conclude that there are three main areas of confusion and uncertainty among researchers in the field of e-learning: (a) participant consent, (b) public versus private ownership, and (c) confidentiality and anonymity

Using Blended Learning Strategies to Address Teaching Development Needs: How Does Canada Compare?

The provision of blended learning strategies designed to assist academics in the higher education sector with the knowledge, skills, and abilities required for effective teaching with technology has been, and continues to be, a challenge for teaching centres in Canada. It is unclear, first, whether this is an ongoing issue unique to Canada; and, second, if it is not unique to Canada, whether we might be able to implement different and/or more effective strategies based on what others outside Canada are doing. Teaching centre leaders in Australia, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Britain, Scotland, and the United States (n=31) were interviewed to explore how their units used blended learning strategies. Findings suggest that, as in Canada, there is a “value gap” between academics and leaders of teaching centres regarding teaching development initiatives using blended learning strategies.  La disposition de stratégies d’apprentissage mixte conçues pour aider les instructeurs en enseignement supérieur à obtenir les connaissances, les compétences et les aptitudes requises pour enseigner de manière efficace avec les technologies a constitué un défi pour les centres d’enseignement du Canada, et continue de l’être. En outre, on ignore si ce problème récurrent est unique au Canada et, s’il ne l’est pas, s’il serait possible d’établir des stratégies différentes, ou plus efficaces, en fonction de ce qui se fait à l’extérieur du Canada. Par ailleurs, des dirigeants de centres d’enseignement (n = 31) localisés en Australie, en Finlande, en Suède, au Danemark, en Grande-Bretagne, en Écosse et aux États-Unis ont été interrogés pour explorer comment leurs unités ont eu recours aux stratégies d’apprentissage mixte. Les données suggèrent que, tout comme au Canada, il existe un écart de valeurs entre ce que font les instructeurs en ce qui concerne les initiatives de perfectionnement de l’enseignement à l’aide de stratégies d’apprentissage mixte, et ce que font les dirigeants des centres d’enseignement

Graduand Student Attributes: A Canadian Case

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to gain insights into how academics understand undergraduate graduand attributes. The findings reveal some alignment in views about student attributes, including that they are engaged citizens, are self-directed, have imagination, are questioning, are flexible, display leadership, are problem solvers, and possess character. This consistency, however, does not include the spectrum of views on how these attributes are conceived and developed. The findings reveal a range of interpretations regarding the kinds and levels of understandings of how graduand student attributes are developed throughout an undergraduate program of study. The findings indicate that (i) a shared understanding does not exist on how academics construe student attributes, (ii) academics do not share common meanings about the core achievements of a higher education, or how these are developed through students’ undergraduate programs, and (iii) student attributes tend not to be perceived as developing from the usual process of an undergraduate education.  L’objectif de cette étude de cas qualitative était de mieux comprendre comment les étudiants de premier cycle sont perçus par les universitaires. Les résultats révèlent que les universitaires partagent certaines perceptions comme : l’engagement citoyen, l’autogestion, l’imagination, la curiosité, la flexibilité, le leadership, la résolution de problèmes et la grande force de caractère. Cependant, cette cohésion des perceptions exclut les points de vue quant à la conception et à la création de ces caractéristiques. En particulier, ces résultats révèlent des interprétations très différentes quant aux types et aux niveaux de compréhension sur la façon dont les caractéristiques des étudiants sont développées pendant un programme de premier cycle. Les données de cette étude de cas indiquent : 1) qu’il n’y a pas de consensus quant à la façon dont les universitaires interprètent les caractéristiques des étudiants; 2) que les universitaires ne partagent pas la même signification des réalisations fondamentales de l’enseignement supérieur ni de la façon dont ces réalisations sont obtenues lors du baccalauréat; et 3) que les caractéristiques des étudiants ne tendent pas à être perçues comme se développant pendant le processus habituel d’un enseignement de premier cycle

Transdisciplinary or Pedagogically Distinct? Disciplinary Considerations for Teaching Certificates in Higher Education

This research provides an analysis of disciplines and disciplinary differences regarding the pedagogical value and content of post-graduate teaching certificates in higher education. Findings and recommendations are based upon a survey (N = 450) of department heads and doctoral students at Canadian research-focused universities. Participants were surveyed regarding their perceptions of the value of a credentialed teaching certificate for new academics seeking employment, as well as whether they believe the pedagogical knowledge and skills that typically comprise teaching certificates are valuable. Examining whether a strongly held disciplinary identity in more senior academics contributes to these differences, the survey results demonstrate significant differences between disciplines for the overall value and, in some areas, the content of teaching certificates, especially in department head responses. Relatedly, the open-ended survey comments show a deeply ingrained disciplinary identity, particularly for those holding the department head roles, which in turn reflected several participants’ perceptions of disciplinary teaching and learning knowledge and skills as holding superior value to generic, transdisciplinary programs. Recommendations include a renewed focus in educational development initiatives on linking transdisciplinary approaches to specific disciplinary contexts, further connecting overarching pedagogical theories to pedagogical content knowledge as it is translated in practice

The factor structure of teaching development needs for distance delivered e-learning

Athabasca University Centre for Innovative Managemen