Charting the role of the online teacher in higher education: winds of change

The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of the online teacher at the University of Southern Queensland, Australia. In this paper, it is intended to identify the issues and dilemmas facing those who are navigating the online teaching environment, to elaborate on the issues/dilemmas, and to offer some ways of addressing these issues by referring to the responses of experienced practitioners, online students, to the literature and to data collected for an Australian Government-funded educational evaluation project. Much of the data presented in this paper relates to an online course, Designing Instruction for Flexible Learning, which is part of the totally online initiative, launched at USQ in 1997. The authors of this paper have been involved in both teaching and instructional design of online courses for several years and have identified a significant shift in the role of the online teacher

Sharing the journey of facilitator and learner: online pedagogy in practice

Two perspectives are used to reflect on the learning design of a postgraduate online course – that of the designer/facilitator and that of the learner. While the course focus is on online pedagogical approaches, the main aim is to connect learners with each other and with the facilitator so that together they may investigate, trial, challenge and formulate ideas about online pedagogy. The design is influenced by the principles of transformative learning where the concept of a 'dilemma' leads to disorientation and then to learning. Learners are presented with a number of educational dilemmas, given a process for addressing those dilemmas and are required to authentically demonstrate how principles and practices can be applied to enhance online learning and teaching. The design addresses the theory/practice nexus and illustrates that research is best situated in real world contexts, and effective practice should be framed and informed by research

Moving an Australian dual mode university to the online environment: a case study

This paper discusses an educational initiative, USQ Online which has enabled the University of Southern Queensland (USQ), Australia, to deliver multiple courses via the Internet to students worldwide. The paper briefly outlines the underlying structure and philosophy of distance education at USQ and then describes how the online initiative has evolved from this existing distance education infrastructure. The paper reflects on the conceptualisation and initiation of the USQ Online project and the consequences of an apparent shift in the pattern of teaching and learning in a higher education institution following the introduction of online teaching. An interim evaluation conducted by the authors makes the following recommendations: open communication, consultation and collaboration should form the basis of such a major institutional initiative; roles and responsibilities of all stakeholders should be clearly defined; synergies and alliances with strong partners are essential; and there should be sound technological support at all levels

The practice of web conferencing: where are we now?

The use of web conferencing tools to support learning and teaching and facilitate interaction and collaboration is common in many higher education environments as is the replacement of face-to-face meetings with virtual collaboration tools. This paper reports on Phase 3 of a trial of web conferencing conducted at a regional Australian university and further explores the use of web conferencing to support and enhance learning and teaching. Preliminary findings from Phases 1 and 2 of the trial have been reported on in a previous paper. The action research method which framed the initial trial has again been applied to Phase 3. In Phase 1, collaborative mathematical problem-solving in an undergraduate course was carried out using web conferencing and tablet PCs. In addition, students in postgraduate Education courses were linked across the globe to participate in interactive and collaborative web conference activity. In Phase 2, a university-wide trial across disciplines was conducted. Phase 3 represents an analysis of feedback received from teachers who were involved in Phases 1 and 2 and who have had some time to reflect on the impact web conferencing has had on their teaching practice. From this, and their own experience, the authors make further observations regarding the use of web conferencing to support learning and teaching and raise a number of questions and issues to guide future research

Digital communities: context for leading learning into the future?

In 2011, a robust, on-campus, three-element Community of Practice model consisting of growing community, sharing of practice and building domain knowledge was piloted in a digital learning environment. An interim evaluation of the pilot study revealed that the three-element framework, when used in a digital environment, required a fourth element. This element, which appears to happen incidentally in the face-to-face context, is that of reflecting, reporting and revising. This paper outlines the extension of the pilot study to the national tertiary education context in order to explore the implications for the design, leadership roles, and selection of appropriate technologies to support and sustain digital communities using the four-element model

Online pedagogy as a challenge to the traditional distance education paradigm

This paper briefly discusses the educational context at The University of Southern Queensland (USQ), Australia where many courses are delivered solely online. It provides a comparison between online and traditional distance education and reflects on how online pedagogy challenges traditional distance education pedagogy. The pedagogy of print-based distance learning materials has tended to incorporate instructional design strategies aimed at providing an independent learning experience. Internet technology has created opportunities for interactive and collaborative learning which represent an alternative to traditional, autonomous approaches to the delivery of academic content

The power of connection: sharing epistemological approaches to reach beyond knowledge and skill acquisition in an Australian higher education context

[Abstract]: The profiles of today‘s adult learners in higher education are complex and diverse. Supporting these students in their learning journey needs to go beyond the acquisition of knowledge, skills and abilities requiring a paradigm shift in pedagogical approach. In this paper, two tertiary educators from a regional Australian university share how they support adult learners enrolled both locally and globally to connect effectively with course content and with each other. One author, working primarily in undergraduate education courses has proposed a ―Winning Formula‖ approach to her pedagogy with an emphasis on student engagement, contextualised learning and choice of learning resources. The second author who works online with postgraduate learners shares outcomes of her research in online design with a focus on the principle of the ―CHE factor‖ (qualities of Connectivity, Humanness and Empathy) which she has found is the central tenet of effective online learning and teaching. As a result of a categorical analysis of multiple data sources from their individual research activities, the two authors were able to identify a number of shared learning and teaching principles which they have found support learners in making connections between their learning and the real world environments in which they live and work. Principles, however, cannot exist in a vacuum and need to be considered according to the educational contexts within which they are applied. The authors critique these key principles and the application to their own teaching contexts and share some anecdotal comments from students. The paper concludes with an invitation to others to consider the application (and possible adaptation) of the principles to their own educational contexts

Introduction to the 2014 Digital Rural Futures Conference Special Edition in association with the Regional Universities Network (RUN)

[Introduction]: In June, 2014, the Digital Rural Futures Conference, an initiative of the Regional Universities Network (RUN), was held at the University of Southern Queensland’s Toowoomba campus. RUN, a network of six universities with headquarters in regional Australia, was established in October 2011. The foundation members are CQUniversity, Southern Cross University, Federation University Australia, University of New England, University of Southern Queensland and University of the Sunshine Coast. The RUN member universities play an important and distinctive role in advancing Australia’s national prosperity, productivity and identity through their educational and research contributions to regional economic, social, cultural and environmental development

Work in progress: a novel method of creating an academic content repository

This paper outlines a project aimed at addressing the issue of the scalability of online academic support. This project is being run during the Autumn semester at the University of Southern Queensland (USQ) Toowoomba Australia, in conjunction with the Australian Digital Futures Institute. The study attached to the project will use Design-Based Research to evaluate the effectiveness of a simple, but innovative academic content and metadata creation tool referred to as Academic Assist. Academic Assist has been recently developed at USQ as a plug-in block for the moodle-based Learning Management System employed at USQ for its several hundred online subjects. The pilot project and associated study now extends over nine subjects, including three consecutive subjects in computer engineering; and covers faculties of Engineering, Education, Business, Science and Arts. Some preliminary results are presented here. Complete results of the study including acceptance surveys, expert reviews and usage statistics will be presented at FIE 2009

Beginning Teacher Support in Australia: Towards an Online Community to Augment Current Support

This paper describes opportunities to improve the current support provided to beginning teachers in Australia. It holds that there is a need for approaches that go beyond school-based induction and support. The paper presents data from a survey of beginning teachers in Queensland, with aims to determine current access to support and perceptions about gaps in support. It uses these findings alongside existing evidence to make arguments, that some beginning teachers are effectively unsupported and that universities have the potential to play a greater role in beginning teacher support. Further results are used to suggest guidelines for developing a national online community of pre-service and beginning teachers. A case study of a successful online professional support community is used as a model for how this may be implemented