Profiling and understanding student information behaviour: Methodologies and meaning

This paper draws on work conducted under the Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) User Behaviour Monitoring and Evaluation Framework to identify a range of issues associated with research design that can form a platform for enquiry about knowledge creation in the arena of user behaviour. The Framework has developed a multidimensional set of tools for profiling, monitoring and evaluating user behaviour. The Framework has two main approaches: one, a broad‐based survey which generates both a qualitative and a quantitative profile of user behaviour, and the other a longitudinal qualitative study of user behaviour that (in addition to providing in‐depth insights) is the basis for the development of the EIS (Electronic Information Services) Diagnostic Toolkit. The strengths and weaknesses of the Framework approach are evaluated. In the context of profiling user behaviour, key methodological concerns relate to: representativeness, sampling and access, the selection of appropriate measures and the interpretation of those measures. Qualitative approaches are used to generate detailed insights. These include detailed narratives, case study analysis and gap analysis. The messages from this qualitative analysis do not lend themselves to simple summarization. One approach that has been employed to capture and interpret these messages is the development of the EIS Diagnostic Toolkit. This toolkit can be used to assess and monitor an institution's progress with embedding EIS into learning processes. Finally, consideration must be given to integration of insights generated through different strands within the Framework

Kiosks 21: a new role for information kiosks?

Discusses and analyses the latest generation of information kiosks, Kiosks 21, which features information provision/promotion, interaction, transaction and relationships. In contrast to their task based predecessors, these kiosks focus on customer service delivery to ‘customers in context’. Five case studies of such kiosks located respectively in an airport, railway station, car rental base, hotel lobby, and shopping mall are analysed to demonstrate the way in which the kiosks are implemented to meet the differing requirements of customers in different contexts. Case studies are analysed in terms of kiosk design and location, user profile, information architecture, interface design, communication, and commerce. A range of areas for research and development are proposed.</p

The evolved landscape of ePortfolios: Current values and purposes of academic teachers and curriculum designers

As ePortfolios are increasingly being used in universities to help develop self-reflective practitioners, academic teachers and students need to develop the skills and processes required to implement them. During 2015, a series of webinars was presented by a cross-university team to provide professional development for academic teachers, curriculum designers and other staff interested in initiating or extending ePortfolio learning in their institutions. A survey was conducted with participants to gauge the depth of understanding and use of ePortfolios in degree programs. The survey aimed to clarify participants’ perception of the value of ePortfolio tools in Australian universities, and to identify future directions for developing knowledge and learning related to ePortfolios. Through the survey questions participants were able to provide information anonymously about their knowledge and use of ePortfolios. Respondents were also invited to be interviewed. Nine interviews, conducted in 2016, explored ePortfolio-users’ opinions of the learning tool. The results indicate that teachers’ use of the ePortfolio as a learning tool has evolved beyond that reported in the current literature. Furthermore, when used for reflection, assessment and documenting professional standards, the ePortfolio tool contributes to the students’ development of skills required to transition to future careers

Enhancing learning through strategies lecturers use: A snapshot of students\u27 learning at a satellite campus

This study sought to investigate undergraduate Education and Commerce students’ perceptions of learning within a distributed learning environment at the Loftus Education Centre (LEC), University of Wollongong (UOW). The LEC was established in 2003 as part of a distributed learning environment comprising regional campuses and centres to enable UOW to deliver tertiary education opportunities to regional students. It offers both undergraduate and post-graduate degrees. The distance of Loftus from the hub campus requires that, for reasons of economy and efficiency, studies often involve a blended learning approach. Also, the campus is small in size (an enrolment of 286 in 2009), which is a feature that allows for the development of cohesive on-campus learning communities. Thus, its size and its distance from the main campus are features which influence both the nature of the teaching and the learning that takes place. An open-ended questionnaire, based on the instrument used by Calder and Daly (2007) at James Cook University, asked students to identify strategies used by Loftus lecturers that assisted students’ learning. They were also asked which features of their subject environment contributed to their learning. The findings revealed differences between this study and the James Cook University study, raising questions about student engagement and highlighting possibilities for the effective use of blended learning in a distributed learning environment. The findings from the two faculties in this study share a number of similarities and a key difference in relation to technology. This suggests and affordance gap that could be dealt with by student and staff planning of the environment and the technologies used

Enablers and Barriers to Knowledge Management in Universities: Perspectives from South Africa and Mauritius

Purpose Universities need to manage their knowledge assets, and, to work creatively to maximize the enablers and minimize the barriers associated with knowledge management processes. This research offers a comparative perspective on knowledge management in universities in two countries whose university sectors are at different stages of their development, South Africa and Mauritius. Design/methodology/approach Semi-structured interviews were conducted with expert informants from 10 high-ranking universities in Mauritius and South Africa, who held senior roles in research and its management within their respective universities Findings Both enablers and barriers (eandb) were evident in relation to: strategies and policies, organizational structures, rewards and incentives, culture, technology, leadership, human resources, resources and funding, and university-industry linkages, although the significance of these eandbs varied between the three knowledge processes, knowledge creation, knowledge sharing and knowledge transfer. Overall, Mauritius, with a less developed university sector, faced more challenges in respect of knowledge management than did South Africa. Originality/value This study's theoretical contribution is a holistic framework for enabling KM in universities on the basis of a mapping between KM eandb's and KM processes. This comparative country level study, embracing a number of universities, offers insights into national policy, and cultural expectations that influence the extent and nature of barriers and enablers to effective KM. The insights offered by this study will be valuable for Mauritius and South Africa, and also for universities in other countries

Place and Destination Branding: A Review and Conceptual Mapping of the Domain

Although there is increasing interest in place and destination branding, the inter‐disciplinary nature of the field poses challenges for the development of a coherent knowledge base. With a view to informing both research and practice, this article presents a systematic review combining place and destination branding, identifying and defining its core themes, and developing a conceptual map of the inter‐play between them. The following key themes are identified: general, brand identity, image and personality, politics, heritage, communication/media, country‐of‐ origin, and designscape and infrastructure. The article concludes with an agenda for further research including the need for research on specific themes across a wider range of place entities

Young Consumers’ Brand Communications Literacy in a Social Networking Site Context

Purpose - Whilst substantial scholarly attention has been given to children’s understanding of advertising in the context of traditional advertising channels, there is a gap in the literature with regard to children’s commercial awareness in the context of online social networking sites (SNS). This paper seeks to explore the nature and extent of advertising literacy amongst young consumers in the context of their use of SNS, namely Facebook and Bebo. Design/methodology/approach - A three-stage study was conducted with 12-14 year old girls, using focus group discussions, participant observation and in-depth interviews. Findings - The study illustrates that the increasingly blurred line between online advertising and other forms of online brand-related content is militating against the development of advertising and marketing literacy in young consumers. A key issue which is discussed is the extent to which the traditional conceptualisation of advertising literacy is ‘fit for purpose’ in an online context. Originality/value –The authors propose an alternative to the advertising literacy concept, namely the Online Brand Communications (OBC) literacy framework. This framework recognises the convergence of traditional online advertising and other forms of online brand content, and also acknowledges that the messaging around a brand may originate from the brand owner in a variety of overt and covert forms. Equally, online consumers may also act as brand promoters when they engage in brand-related word-of-mouth

The e-portfolio continuum: Discovering variables for e-portfolio adoption within music education

This article presents the results of audit data compiled from a case study introducing e-portfolios into a Music Education degree program, and highlights the key challenges faced from the initial stages of student use to curricular embedding and student adoption. This article discusses the technological, social and educational impacts inherent in a student’s adoption of e-portfolios within a degree program, and critically, shows how training for e-portfolio use must manage these complex,interrelated imbalances on an individual student basis

Making open access work: The ‘state-of-the-art’ in providing open access to scholarly literature

Purpose: This paper is designed to provide an overview of one of the most important and controversial areas of scholarly communication: open-access publishing and dissemination of research outputs. It identifies and discusses recent trends and future challenges for various stakeholders in delivering open access (OA) to the scholarly literature. Design/methodology/approach: The study is based on a number of inter-related strands of evidence which make up the current discourse on open access, comprising the peer-reviewed literature, grey literature and other forms of communication (including blogs and email discussion lists). It uses a large-scale textual analysis of the peer-reviewed literature since 2010 (carried out using the VOSviewer tool) as a basis for discussion of issues raised in the OA discourse. Findings: A number of key themes are identified, including the relationship between ‘Green’ OA (deposit in repositories) and ‘Gold’ OA (OA journal publication), the developing evidence base associated with OA, researcher attitudes and behaviours, policy directions, management of repositories, development of journals, institutional responses, and issues around impact and scholarly communication futures. It suggests that current challenges now focus on how OA can be made to work in practice, having moved on from the discussion of whether it should happen at all. Originality/value: The paper provides a structured evidence-based review of major issues in the OA field, and suggests key areas for future research and policy development

Exploring the Pedagogy and Impact of Technology on ePortfolio Creation for Arts Students in Australian Tertiary Study

The creative application and development of an ePortfolio as a pedagogic innovation in learning and teaching in higher education lies in strategies acquired by students to select authentic evidence to document achievements and skills as a graduate. Many educators use ePortfolios as a learning tool and through the introduction of reflection, or reflective practice activities the ePortfolio has the potential to be a powerful tool for all learners. This paper reports the pedagogic and technological undertaking of ePortfolio development for creative and performing arts students at four tertiary institutions in Australia. It explores how the artist perceives her/himself and the choice of evidence selected to showcase development, thus highlighting aspects of artistic identity versus professional career identity. ePortfolio development involves reflection, organisation and critical thinking by students developing a learning ‘story’ that accurately represents skills learnt and competencies developed during tertiary study. The creation of an ePortfolio often relies on a student’s ability to collect, reflect and select material that is appropriate; and to exercise the management of their knowledge in such a way that contributes to linking pedagogy and technology. It can also involve students exploring their known ICT skills and, at times, extending these beyond their expectation. This paper will review literature, in addition to reporting initial experiences of academics and students where the ePortfolio has been implemented into curriculum for creative and performing arts degree programs. Results show ePortfolios allowed students to achieve a demonstration of artistic capabilities and revealed that students have increased their ability to plan, implement and assess their learning reflectively; and to understand documentation relevant to Arts careers. Students developed a greater competency in their educational beliefs, pedagogical skills, University generic attributes, technological expertise and ability to address employment parameters required by employer groups and such professional bodies