Norine Wark - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Norine Wark

Thinking skills and creativity, Jun 1, 2024

Online discussion forums are potentially invaluable for developing learners’ higher order thinkin... more Online discussion forums are potentially invaluable for developing learners’ higher order thinking skills through the power of writing and reflection in quality online learning spaces. In such forums, learners’ interactions are facilitated, or mediated, by instructors to create more meaningful and effective constructivist-based learning. Despite a wealth of instructor mediation theories and the recent global movement to online/blended teaching precipitated by COVID, few practical application mediation models exist. The purpose of the study was to (1) present a mediation strategy model for instructors, drawn from the analysis of an intervention program designed to develop higher order thinking, and (2) explore how those mediation strategies may be applied in these forums individually and collectively. Qualitative data were gathered through asynchronous forums, a post-survey, and my observation notes. Three existing content analysis instruments, the Interaction Analysis Model, Cognitive Dimension of Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy, and Krathwohl’s Affective Domain were used to translate participants’ forum interactions into quantitative data. I created an original coding framework to analyze instructional mediation strategies by generating categories inductively from the raw data. This framework, presented herein, forms the basis of a new, practical mediation model, consisting of twenty strategy-based codes in four broad categories 􀀀 Cognitive-Related, Affective-Related, Co-construction-Related, and Overarching. The study concludes that learners’ thoughts appear to broaden and deepen in forums when an intentional, contingent blend of cognitive mediation strategies is merged with mediation strategies aimed at building (1) affect for rapport, and (2) social interaction for the co-construction of knowledge.

Innovation, diversity and inclusivity in Applied Linguistics and language education: Proceedings of the Applied Linguistics and Language Teaching Conference 2023, 2024

The 21st Century Association for Lifelong Learning (21stCALLing) is an international organization... more The 21st Century Association for Lifelong Learning (21stCALLing) is an international organization registered in New York State, USA. 21stCALLing focuses on the provision of distance and hybrid learning resources for global learners of all ages, despite the learners’ socio-economic circumstances, location, or ability to pay. This article introduces the Association’s vision, mission, goals, and potential client groups. It then moves on to present current research on the first group identified by 21stCALLing as being in urgent need of support: global refugees. After defining the term, “refugees,” the article discusses various populations of refugees and the situations that force them to flee from their homelands. The article concludes by discussing how 21stCALLing action plans will be initiated to provide vital, timely support to help alleviate refugee educational crises, while extending an invitation to interested parties to join this critical endeavor.

Thinking Skills and Creativity, 2024

Online discussion forums are potentially invaluable for developing learners’ higher order thinkin... more Online discussion forums are potentially invaluable for developing learners’ higher order thinking
skills through the power of writing and reflection in quality online learning spaces. In such forums,
learners’ interactions are facilitated, or mediated, by instructors to create more meaningful
and effective constructivist-based learning. Despite a wealth of instructor mediation theories and
the recent global movement to online/blended teaching precipitated by COVID, few practical
application mediation models exist. The purpose of the study was to (1) present a mediation
strategy model for instructors, drawn from the analysis of an intervention program designed to
develop higher order thinking, and (2) explore how those mediation strategies may be applied in
these forums individually and collectively. Qualitative data were gathered through asynchronous
forums, a post-survey, and my observation notes. Three existing content analysis instruments, the
Interaction Analysis Model, Cognitive Dimension of Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy, and Krathwohl’s
Affective Domain were used to translate participants’ forum interactions into quantitative data. I
created an original coding framework to analyze instructional mediation strategies by generating
categories inductively from the raw data. This framework, presented herein, forms the basis of a
new, practical mediation model, consisting of twenty strategy-based codes in four broad categories
􀀀 Cognitive-Related, Affective-Related, Co-construction-Related, and Overarching. The
study concludes that learners’ thoughts appear to broaden and deepen in forums when an
intentional, contingent blend of cognitive mediation strategies is merged with mediation strategies
aimed at building (1) affect for rapport, and (2) social interaction for the co-construction of
knowledge.

Using Online Discussion Forums in Blended Learning Design to Advance Higher Order Thinking, 2024

Due to the predominance of test-oriented practice, one major challenge faced in Japanese high sch... more Due to the predominance of test-oriented practice, one major challenge faced in Japanese high school classrooms is the lack of learning activities to develop higher order thinking. The purpose of this action research study was to explore an extracurricular blended learning program created to develop the higher order thinking of English language learners at a public high school in Japan. In this one-month program, 16 participants engaged in online synchronous and asynchronous activities, with English as a medium of instruction and communication, supported by in-person face-to-face sessions conducted in Japanese. Data were collected via asynchronous forums, a post-survey, and my observation notes. Results indicated that participants demonstrated higher order thinking to a certain extent overall in the forums; however, learner-learner interaction was not as highly activated as expected, mainly due to limited social interaction within the forums. These findings suggested that constructivist asynchronous forums can be used to develop the higher order thinking of English language learners in K-12 settings, with appropriate program design, instructor mediation, and content.

Routledge eBooks, May 19, 2022

International Women Journal of Distance Education, 2023

This interview with Dr. Lisa Marie Blaschke traces the journey of a Wisconsin farm girl who first... more This interview with Dr. Lisa Marie Blaschke traces the journey of a Wisconsin farm girl who first dreamed of becoming a journalist. Upon graduating with a technical writing degree in medicine, Blaschke eventually became a corporate manager of a technical firm which, in turn, led to a career as an educator and program manager in the field of distance education. Today, Blaschke balances a blended career in the corporate and academic worlds. During this candid interview, Blaschke discusses her educational and experiential background, as well as her interests, goals, accomplishments, challenges, and research in distance learning. Drawing from her observations and experiences in the corporate and academic fields, Blaschke identifies the value and power of learner agency in any learning environment. In this interview, she discusses this insight and how it has inspired her to champion the learning approach known as heutagogy (self-determined learning). She also reflects on changes in the field of distance learning over the span of her career, offers some pearls of wisdom, and then shares her current and future plans as she moves into semiretirement. In documenting the trials and tribulations of her epic journey through corporate and academic life, this interview highlights how determination, resilience, tenacity, and grit have been integral to Blaschke attaining her goals and achieving her dreams.

Routledge eBooks, May 19, 2022

intWOJDE, 2023

The term, the Matilda effect was coined to reflect the incongruencies in social equality experien... more The term, the Matilda effect was coined to reflect the incongruencies in social equality experienced by Matilda Gage. Gage's work, as an abolitionist and suffragette, has had ripple effects that include the lack of recognition of innovative women researchers and scientists. This paper serves as a launch pad to enhance one female's poignant academic background and blended research interests. This academic is Gila Kurtz. Gila Kurtz's accomplishments are recognized herein through a recounting of her academic background, research questions, and contributions to the field of education. Kurtz has delved into researching and writing about a variety of relevant open and distance learning (ODL) topics, such as popular technology platforms, with possible functions as learning management systems, or online spaces for synchronous and asynchronous collaboration. Her recent focus in the area of human interaction with technology lends insights into artificial intelligence and Internet of Things (IoT). While her career continues to evolve, it remains illuminated by her constant search for pragmatic and promising practices, tirelessly aimed at the betterment of student-centered instruction, whether the learners are faculty or students.

intWOJDE, 2023

The purpose of this paper is to highlight the work of Li Chen and emphasizefor Englishspeaking a... more The purpose of this paper is to highlight the work of Li Chen and emphasizefor Englishspeaking audiencesthe depth and breadth of Chen's contributions to the distance education narrative. Li Chen is a visionary in distance education research and an influential advocate for the modernization of China's higher education system. However, it is understandable that readers of English-based distance education publications might be unaware of her contributions. We find Li Chen at the crossroads of the Matilda effect (the absence of women's voices from artistic, literary, and scientific narratives; Rossiter, 1993) and Anglo-dominated knowledge production. The Matilda effect and the absence of non-English speaking researchers from global discussions (Swale, 2004) are unfortunately wellestablished trends in distance education research. Finding oneself a casualty of either one of these phenomena might resign even the most prolific researcher to obscurity; even worse, finding oneself at the intersectionality of these would all but assure one's absence from the research narrative. Chen's research contributions have touched almost all areas of distance education including its epistemological and ontological underpinnings, the type and necessity of supporting ecosystems, and the importance of quality assurance. Chen's work in connectivism and interaction have also served to further our philosophical and pragmatic understanding of distance education in practice. While Chen's pioneering contributions are integral in Chinese distance education academia, her work has much to offer to other parts of the world as well. Diminishing the language barrier can assist in mitigating the Matilda effect on this outstanding academic.

Routledge eBooks, May 19, 2022

Thinking skills and creativity, Jun 1, 2024

Innovation, diversity and inclusivity in Applied Linguistics and language education: Proceedings of the Applied Linguistics and Language Teaching Conference 2023, 2024

Thinking Skills and Creativity, 2024

Online discussion forums are potentially invaluable for developing learners’ higher order thinkin... more Online discussion forums are potentially invaluable for developing learners’ higher order thinking
skills through the power of writing and reflection in quality online learning spaces. In such forums,
learners’ interactions are facilitated, or mediated, by instructors to create more meaningful
and effective constructivist-based learning. Despite a wealth of instructor mediation theories and
the recent global movement to online/blended teaching precipitated by COVID, few practical
application mediation models exist. The purpose of the study was to (1) present a mediation
strategy model for instructors, drawn from the analysis of an intervention program designed to
develop higher order thinking, and (2) explore how those mediation strategies may be applied in
these forums individually and collectively. Qualitative data were gathered through asynchronous
forums, a post-survey, and my observation notes. Three existing content analysis instruments, the
Interaction Analysis Model, Cognitive Dimension of Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy, and Krathwohl’s
Affective Domain were used to translate participants’ forum interactions into quantitative data. I
created an original coding framework to analyze instructional mediation strategies by generating
categories inductively from the raw data. This framework, presented herein, forms the basis of a
new, practical mediation model, consisting of twenty strategy-based codes in four broad categories
􀀀 Cognitive-Related, Affective-Related, Co-construction-Related, and Overarching. The
study concludes that learners’ thoughts appear to broaden and deepen in forums when an
intentional, contingent blend of cognitive mediation strategies is merged with mediation strategies
aimed at building (1) affect for rapport, and (2) social interaction for the co-construction of
knowledge.

Using Online Discussion Forums in Blended Learning Design to Advance Higher Order Thinking, 2024

Routledge eBooks, May 19, 2022

International Women Journal of Distance Education, 2023

Routledge eBooks, May 19, 2022

intWOJDE, 2023

Routledge eBooks, May 19, 2022

5th Applied Linguistics & Language Teaching Annual International Conference & Exhibition (ALLT). Zayed University, 2023

Poster presentation introducing 21st Century Association for Life Long Learning (21stCALLing). Po... more Poster presentation introducing 21st Century Association for Life Long Learning (21stCALLing). Poster presentation includes vision, mission, goals, who we are, what we do, our action steps, and much more.

Proceedings of the International Council on Distance Education (ICDE) World Conference on Online Learning (WCOL) 2019, Dublin, Ireland, 2019

As online education moves into the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), there is a sense of urgenc... more As online education moves into the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), there is a sense of urgency to make the shift to integrate 4IR technologies into online education. Other sectors such as businesses, industries, and entertainment are starting to use 4IR technologies, such as artificial intelligence, internet of things, robotics, and data analytics to personalize services, and to become more effective and efficient. This presentation will provide results from a research study that investigates the role of the tutor and online organization in the 4IR era. A central question asked in this study is, “How can online education benefit by adopting 4IR technologies?” For example, in the past online learning was used to deliver theory courses. How can online education use 4IR technologies such as, robotics and artificial intelligence to teach hands-on skills at a distance and allow remote access of equipment? How can the technology personalize learning for each learner? At the same time, online educators must consider how best to use 4IR technologies for the benefit of all learners. The next generation of online learning must prepare learners across the globe for the future by adopting the “good” of 4IR technologies.

Zenodo, 2020

The dynamic, exponential growth in emerging technologies requires learners to adopt a mindset tha... more The dynamic, exponential growth in emerging technologies requires learners to adopt a mindset that enables them to perpetually and seamlessly integrate appropriate technologies for learning on demand throughout life. Emergent technologies (defined as “tools, concepts, innovations, and advancements utilized in diverse educational settings to serve varied education-related purposes”; Veletsianos, 2010, p. 33) are rapidly changing the global landscape of learning. These technologies are expediting the transformation of the millennial-old institution of education, enabling: (1) a local State-controlled economy of information scarcity to be replaced by one of worldwide information abundance; (2) the social structure of a teacher-directed knowledge transmission model to become a learner-determined knowledge innovation, curation, evaluation, and sharing model; and (3) the rigidly-defined time/space parameters of formal institutional schooling to become the increasingly mobile learners’ seamless, dynamic real and virtual world learning contexts. Such profound changes to the socio-political and economic structures in the institution of education, prompted by the increasingly ubiquitous use of emergent technologies, are precipitating a shift in educational paradigms. This paper offers findings from a doctoral dissertation undertaken to determine what educational paradigm best facilitated learners’ perpetual and intentional integration of emergent technologies for learning on demand. A Paradigm Shift Framework was employed to track the relationship between online graduate students’ integration of 16 emergent technologies and their perceptions of what key factors, approach to learning, and paradigm most enabled them to perpetually integrate these technologies for learning. When the study began, all respondents indicated that, on average, they were at the early practice level with the 16 emergent technologies. End-of-study results indicated that there was a significant increase in mastery with these technologies by learners who preferred a perceptual, learner-determined paradigm. Conversely, learners aligning with the traditional behavioural paradigm experienced a slight decrease in their practice level with these technologies by the end of the study. It was determined that such findings had profound implications for designing innovative learning experiences that maximized student success, not only within the context of formal learning, but also for life-wide and lifelong learning. Another key finding offering a significant contribution to educational stakeholders was the usefulness of the Paradigm Shift Framework for capturing and analyzing existing educational contexts, as well as for choosing or designing future learning contexts that could not only meet the increasingly online and mobile learners’ needs, but would also be theoretically and practically cohesive in nature.

Zenodo, 2020

A paradigmatic shift in education is being precipitated by dynamic, exponentially-emerging techno... more A paradigmatic shift in education is being precipitated by dynamic, exponentially-emerging technologies. Eons of information scarcity is rapidly evolving into a new era of information abundance. State-controlled, teacher-directed knowledge transmission is transforming into learner-determined knowledge creation, curation, and sharing. Time- and space-defined formal schooling is being supplanted with the mobile learner’s increasingly seamless, dynamic real and virtual world contexts. The dilemma that educational stakeholders face is in selecting the theoretical framework that can best facilitate the perpetual integration of emergent technologies for learning now and in the future, given the current state of flux that the world of education is in. In keeping with the conference sub-theme, “transformative online pedagogies,” this paper employs the Paradigm Shift Model in the theoretical and practical analysis of the: (1) Framework for the Rational Analysis of Mobile Education (FRAME); (2) Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) framework; (3) Padagogy Wheel; (4) Substitution, Amplification, Modification, and Redefinition (SAMR) taxonomy; (5) Replacement, Amplification, and Transformation (RAT) framework; and (6) Replacement, Amplification, Transformation, and Leadership (RATL) model. The goal of this analysis is to determine what framework, model, or taxonomy can best support the individual online learner’s perpetual emergent technology integration needs in the most theoretically- and practically-cohesive, dynamic, relevant, and transformative manner. The analysis concludes that none of the reviewed frameworks, models, or taxonomies reflects the transformative learner-determined paradigm required to help learners flourish in this fluxing world or the nebulous future beyond. The presentation concludes by offering the innovative Omni-tech Taxonomy, which enables educational stakeholders to design and participate in theoretically-founded online and distance learning contexts that empower learners to transition from their dependence upon teacher-directed emergent technology integration instruction to becoming self-determined transformative emergent technology integration learners and leaders. The Omni-tech Taxonomy and the Paradigm Shift Framework make significant contributions to the academic community because they enable stakeholders to adjust traditional focus from the “what” and “how” to the “what, how, when, where, why, and who” of emergent technology integration learning and, in doing so, replace formal learning competency measures with transformative, lifelong and life-wide “capabilities” (defined as “deeper cognitive processes…using competencies in new contexts and challenging situations”; Hase & Kenyon, 2013, p. 25).

Literacy adult courses are traditionally delivered as synchronous face-to-face courses. Mobile te... more Literacy adult courses are traditionally delivered as synchronous face-to-face courses. Mobile technology introduced into literacy education enables a blended approach to learning by allowing for time and place flexibility. Literacy Uplift is a research project that aims to define design guidelines and principles for a mobile adult literacy learning system. Tabuenca, Kalz, Drachsler, and Specht (2015) explore the importance of tracking and monitoring time devoted to learning with mobile tools and their effect on selfregulated learning. Their work shows that there is a positive correlation between self-regulated learning and monitoring study-time, as well as between self-regulated learning and study-time planning. These authors also noticed that complexity of the tool has a negative impact on a learner's ability to use and integrate the tool into their schedule, hence forfeiting the benefits of the monitoring. With tools such as Experience API (xAPI) integrated into the system, time monitoring and logging can be done automatically without additional actions from the learner beyond giving one-time permission. Time spent on learning as well as other learner analytics can be visualized using various tools. These tools can not only show individual progress, but can also present the learner's situation within the context of a group when possible. Such information, combined with positive reinforcement through notifications and reminders, can be very motivating. As reported by Tabuenca et al. (2015), notifications and reminders have a positive impact on learner results. These authors suggest that notifications containing learning analytics and generic tips on self-regulation may positively influence time management skills and, as a result, improve the learner's ability to incorporate learning episodes into everyday life. Such reminders create occasional "stop and think" moments that, if containing adequately contextualized messages, can support learners in the capacity of learning to learn, especially when these notifications are combined with suitable visualizations. Tang and Kay (2014) claim that rewards and reward schedules are powerful techniques that can engage users in self-monitoring and reflection. Providing possibilities for the learner to see how they do in comparison to other learners in their course can encourage the learner to selfmonitor more closely, and develop the habit to maintain this behaviour over time (Zichermann & Cunningham, 2011). In this presentation, we analyze the design guidelines for a mobile adult literacy learning solution, focusing on the self-regulation and self-motivation elements required for successful learning using a blended learning approach. The analysis also points to potential technological solutions that can support implementation of these guidelines. Time tracking and reminders, visualization tools, and gamification elements as motivation and guidance tools in self-regulated learning are also discussed.

Symposium conducted at the meeting of AU-CDE and BNU-RCDE, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, 2019

As the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) progresses, online learning institutions have to re-thi... more As the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) progresses, online learning institutions have to re-think the way they design and deliver online learning. Other sectors are using 4IR such as artificial intelligence (AI), internet of things (IoT), robotics, data analytics, augmented reality, virtual reality, mixed reality, etc., to provide quality service to customers and, at the same time, to provide efficient and timely service required by the new generations of citizens. AI can be used to personalize learning, match the learner with the best tutor, relieve the tutor of mundane tasks allowing the tutor to motivate the learner, and so on. Robotics can be used to develop learner programming and motor skills, while permitting the learner to control and program the robot. Learners can also manipulate the robot at a distance using remote systems. IoT can be used to connect the different information systems related to the learner without human intervention. Augmented reality, virtual reality, and mixed reality can be engaged to provide real life situational experiences that enhance learner interaction and motivation, resulting in genuine and higher-order learning. The 4IR technologies must be used ethically and to benefit citizens. This presentation will describe the different 4IR technologies and how they can be used to take online learning into the next generation. The presentation will also suggest research topics for online learning in the 4IR era.

Paper presented at the 4th Athabasca University Centre for Distance Education/Beijing Normal University Research Centre for Distance Education Symposium (AU-CDE/BNU-RCDE, 2018), Beijing, China, 2018

This paper presents a comparative analysis of preferred educational paradigms in two Master of Ed... more This paper presents a comparative analysis of preferred educational paradigms in two Master of Education courses at an online North American institution during one four-month term. The data used for this presentation were derived from a doctoral dissertation that used a critical pragmatic research paradigm and a transformative mixed methods methodology to explore what educational paradigm most empowers learners to acquire higher levels of emergent technology integration for learning on demand. A total of 12 graduate students were involved in this study. A Paradigm Shift Framework (Wark, 2018) was designed to create quantitative online pre-and post-term questionnaires, as well as early-and post-term qualitative interviews that could capture participants' paradigmatic preferences and their perceived levels of integration mastery with 16 emergent educational technologies throughout the term. The study considered two disparate epistemic views on the source of human knowledge (that is, external, objective world or subjective, innate human perceptions), the educational paradigms associated with these views (behaviourism versus perceptual learning), and the learning approaches employed to translate these theories into daily educational practice (pedagogy versus heutagogy; Emery, 1981; Hammond, Austin, Orcutt, & Rosso, 2011; Hase & Kenyon, 2001, 2013). At the practical level, the most significant difference between these epistemic stances, paradigms, and learning approaches was who retained the locus of control over learning-the teacher or the learner (Wark, 2018). The most significant finding was that while all respondents reported being at the early practice level with integration of the 16 emergent educational technologies when the term began, their end-of-term integration levels varied remarkably. Those who preferred a perceptual learning paradigm/heutagogical approach acquired an early competency level with these emergent technologies, while those adhering to a behavioural paradigm/pedagogical approach reported a slight decrease in their pre-term practice level by the end of the term. Collectively, respondents in both courses indicated a slight preference for a behavioural paradigm/ pedagogical learning approach early in the term. By the end of the term, the preference for the behavioural paradigm/pedagogical learning approach had increased moderately among Course A respondents, while the preference for a perceptual learning paradigm/heutagogical approach in Course B had increased significantly. Examination of the course environments indicated that most course elements were nearly synonymous between Course A and B. Both course instructors gave students significant choice among aspects within the instructors' realm of control. Examples of such aspects included offering numerous assignment topic choices, opportunities for students to tailor assignments to suit unique goals, flexible deadlines for assignment submissions, and some self-or peer-grading options. Other, more global aspects of both courses, such as the course syllabus, module delivery timelines, and assessment allocations were controlled by department faculty, the institution, or the government, so could not be changed by the instructor without consent from these educational stakeholders. Thus, it was determined that both class environments manifested elements of both paradigms and learning approaches. Two possible reasons for the notable changes in respondent paradigmatic preferences between the two courses emerged from the study data. First, study results indicated that respondents' conception of the term, emergent technology, may have influenced their decision to set personal emergent technology integration goals. This decision, in turn, may have affected their paradigmatic preferences during the term. A second reason for why respondent preferences for a perceptual paradigm/heutagogical approach may have increased significantly in Course B was that instructor's use of a practice during the term known as mindfulness ("paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally"; Kabat-Zinn, 1994, p. 4). Research conducted with this instructor on the same course with other students a few months later indicated a marked increase among respondents in that study to become more self-determined, heutagogical learners as the term progressed. The paper concludes its analysis of the relationship between respondents' conception of the term, "emergent technology," the employment of mindfulness techniques in Course B, and changes in respondents' collective course-based preferred learning paradigms by discussing the significance of these findings, as well as presenting recommendations for instructional best practices and future research. The paper also reviews measures taken to insure the internal and external validity of the study, while pointing out salient study limitations.

Paper presented at the World Conference on Online Learning, (ICDE 2017), Toronto, Ontario, 2017

A team of seasoned language learning, literacy, and technology experts have developed a mobile li... more A team of seasoned language learning, literacy, and technology experts have developed a mobile literacy solution in response to pervasive low adult literacy skills in Canada and globally. This innovative DBR project combines iterations of data collection from pertinent literature with surveys, interviews, and focus group with experts and adult literacy learners to inform and guide evolving cycles of a mobile adult literacy app prototype that promotes the development of language and digital literacy skill. The aim is to produce a pedagogically and technologically sound, innovative literacy solution that is designed by experts for the learner and with the learner. The prototype app and the key findings related to its design are presented. These findings center on three pedagogical design themes and related principles: (1) Mobility: Design for the mobile learner, (2) Learner-Determined: Respond to the learner, and (3) Context: Integrate environmental affordances into the design. Organized within each theme and principle are secondary principles and guidelines used to direct the development of the mobile app. These replicable principles and guidelines may inform the development of successful mobile adult literacy solutions in any similar contexts, as well as generate further academic research and dialogue. This topic aligns with all conference tracks. In relation to Track 1, the presentation is about an original, research-based, learner-determined m-learning solution that integrates novel pedagogical design principles and guidelines with technological guidelines that are flexible, adaptive, and regenerative in nature. Through each DBR phase literacy learners and their instructors are asked to test the app prototype. Based upon this feedback and ongoing review of the literature, the prototype undergoes iterative revisions until the app successfully meets all identified criteria. Research undertaken thus far indicates that the adoption of a learner-determined approach is a vital element to ensuring the successful design of this innovative literacy solution for adult literacy learners. The team achieves this by engaging the learners as equal partners in this human-centred design process.

Proceedings of the 2nd World Conference on Blended Learning (IABL2017), 41-51., 2017

Design principles for an adult literacy mobile learning solution in a blended learning context. A... more Design principles for an adult literacy mobile learning solution in a blended learning context. ABSTRACT Recognizing the risks of pervasive low adult literacy levels amongst Canadians and globally, our research project aims to design a mobile learning solution to support literacy training for adult learners in a blended learning context. This mobile solution will equip them with language and digital literacy skills needed to thrive in their communities and workplaces. This paper offers preliminary results of this research project investigating design principles for an adult literacy mobile learning solution. It provides definitions for design principles and guidelines. The paper also identifies, briefly discusses, and provides examples of the three key themes from the reviewed literature and interviews with experts during the Informed Exploration process in Phase 1 of this project.

Paper presented at the World Conference on Online Learning, (ICDE 2017), Toronto, Ontario, 2017

We are in the mobile era where mobile technology is available to billions of people around the wo... more We are in the mobile era where mobile technology is available to billions of people around the world. Education should take advantage of this availability to deliver education to everyone regardless of location and status. Society has the responsibility to provide a basic education to everyone. This is reinforced by UN Sustainable Development Goal 4: "inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning for all". There are many benefits for using mobile learning in education, but the most important ones include reaching people in remote locations, educating the disadvantaged, allowing learners to learn in context, and facilitating social interactions for learning. The implementation of mobile learning and the availability of open education resources will provide equal access to education to citizens of the world and allow education to reach the unreachable. People in many countries, especially developing countries, already have mobile technology which they can use to access education. People in developing countries are skipping the large computer age and moving directly to mobile technology. The young generations of students are comfortable using technology. This provides an excellent opportunity for educators to reach learners around the world regardless of location. The combination of mobile learning and use of open education resources will make education affordable to everyone. Education for all cannot be achieved with the current traditional education system where learners have to go to a specific location to learn. Using mobile technology allows learners to use the communication capabilities of the technology to network with people around the world so that they learn from each other and share information. Mobile and emerging technologies will allow ubiquitous access of information and learning materials where citizens of the world can access learning materials from anywhere and at anytime. The technology will exist everywhere giving learners' seamless access to learning materials. The learning space is moving away from the classroom at a specific time to anyplace and anytime. This presentation will describe how mobile technology can be used to increase access to education. It will present examples of successful mobile learning implementations. Participants will be able to identify how they can use mobile learning in their organizations to provide flexible access to education.

Paper presented at the World Conference on Online Learning, (ICDE 2017), Toronto, Ontario, 2017

Augmented reality (AR) is the projection of digital sensory information (such as images and sound... more Augmented reality (AR) is the projection of digital sensory information (such as images and sounds) onto real world objects (Azuma, 1997; Hӧllerer & Feiner, 2004; Richardson et al., 2014). AR systems register and render digital visual imagery as overlays in the real world through the use of wearable and mobile hardware devices that enables respondents to align, explore, and manipulate 3D virtual and physical objects in real time. The AR technology offers innovative solutions to rapidly-evolving industry training needs by reducing training time and increasing workplace safety, while supplying contemporary expert instruction on demand. This training process is active, enabling learners to "see-and-do" as they learn by providing fully animated step-by-step instructions overlaying real objects that learners are practicing on. However, to benefit organizations, the AR system should be able to train learners in their place of work rather than having to travel to a central location for the training. This presentation will describe how augmented reality can be used in distributed learning and will provide examples of augmented reality training at a distance. It will also present results from a recent augmented reality training project. Participants will get an opportunity to determine how augmented reality can be used for education and training in their institutions.

Paper presented at the Athabasca University/Beijing Normal University Symposium, Edmonton, Alberta, 2017

Trainees from three North American industrial site locations assess a proprietary augmented reali... more Trainees from three North American industrial site locations assess a proprietary augmented reality (AR) instructional system designed for valve repair and maintenance. An independent mixed methods research study, employing the New World Kirkpatrick training evaluation model, concludes that the AR training is well received among trainee respondents. When compared to previous types of training, participants indicate a preference for the new AR learning experience, describing it as a cutting-edge, time- and cost-effective form of learning that increases workplace safety, product knowledge, employee engagement, customer satisfaction, and company market share.

Challenges most frequently reported are with the AR technologies used, particularly image manipulation and resolution issues, and minor instructional oversights. Requests include opportunity to practice the new training at work, broadened availability of the AR system, and more AR training modules. Recommendations range from technical and instructional tweaking, to developing more interactive real-time features, and remote on-demand interactive field training and troubleshooting.

Proceedings of the 3rd World Conference on Blended Learning (WCBL 2019), 2019

Literacy adult courses are traditionally delivered as synchronous face-to-face courses. Mobile te... more Literacy adult courses are traditionally delivered as synchronous face-to-face courses. Mobile technology introduced into literacy education enables a blended approach to learning by allowing for time and place flexibility. Literacy Uplift is a research project that aims to define design guidelines and principles for a mobile adult literacy learning system. Tabuenca, Kalz, Drachsler, and Specht (2015) explore the importance of tracking and monitoring time devoted to learning with mobile tools and their effect on self-regulated learning. Their work shows that there is a positive correlation between self-regulated learning and monitoring study-time, as well as between self-regulated learning and study-time planning. These authors also noticed that complexity of the tool has a negative impact on a learner's ability to use and integrate the tool into their schedule, hence forfeiting the benefits of the monitoring. With tools such as Experience API (xAPI) integrated into the system, time monitoring and logging can be done automatically without additional actions from the learner beyond giving one-time permission. Time spent on learning as well as other learner analytics can be visualized using various tools. These tools can not only show individual progress, but can also present the learner's situation within the context of a group when possible. Such information, combined with positive reinforcement through notifications and reminders, can be very motivating. As reported by Tabuenca et al. (2015), notifications and reminders have a positive impact on learner results. These authors suggest that notifications containing learning analytics and generic tips on self-regulation may positively influence time management skills and, as a result, improve the learner's ability to incorporate learning episodes into everyday life. Such reminders create occasional "stop and think" moments that, if containing adequately contextualized messages, can support learners in the capacity of learning to learn, especially when these notifications are combined with suitable visualizations. Tang and Kay (2014) claim that rewards and reward schedules are powerful techniques that can engage users in self-monitoring and reflection. Providing possibilities for the learner to see how they do in comparison to other learners in their course can encourage the learner to self-monitor more closely, and develop the habit to maintain this behaviour over time (Zichermann & Cunningham, 2011). In this presentation, we analyze the design guidelines for a mobile adult literacy learning solution, focusing on the self-regulation and self-motivation elements required for successful learning using a blended learning approach. The analysis also points to potential technological solutions that can support implementation of these guidelines. Time tracking and reminders, visualization tools, and gamification elements as motivation and guidance tools in self-regulated learning are also discussed.

Paper presented at the WorldCALL 2018 Conference, Concepçion, Chile, 2018

Mobile technology melds the mobile learner's authentic real and virtual worlds, enabling increasi... more Mobile technology melds the mobile learner's authentic real and virtual worlds, enabling increasingly untethered personalized, learner-determined language learning opportunities. This article introduces an evidence-based framework based upon cumulative findings from a number of the authors' recent and ongoing research projects involving the collection of data from: language, literacy, and mobile learning experts, mobile technology experts, adult higher education, second language, and literacy learners, and expansive reviews of pertinent literature. This framework provides guidance for designing mobile language learning activities within the learner's evolving personal, authentic situational learning context. The framework consists of three learner dimensions and four external environmental elements that synergistically define the dynamics of this learning context. The merger of these learner dimensions and external contextual elements yields three interdependent learning concepts that enhance the mobile learner's motivation and self-determination; these interdependent learning concepts are relevancy, adaptation, and personalization. Application of these concepts enables instructors and learners to adjust activities by varying context-dependent and independent degrees of learner freedom, system control, structure and progression, content themes and topics, support and feedback, and interaction, as well as task types, layouts, and difficulty levels, with the benefit of environmental affordances. This framework is currently being used to develop a freely-available mobile app that aims to provide increasingly untethered, personalized, learner-determined language learning opportunities within the mobile adult literacy learner's authentic situational contexts.

Paper presented at the World Conference on Online Learning, (ICDE 2017), Toronto, Ontario, 2017

In D. Parsons, R. Power, A. Palalas, H. Hambrock & K. MacCallum (Eds.), Proceedings of 17th World Conference on Mobile and Contextual Learning (pp. 8-13)., 2018

Mobile technology is becoming prevalent in today's Canadian society. Yet despite the widespread u... more Mobile technology is becoming prevalent in today's Canadian society. Yet despite the widespread use of Internet-accessible mobile devices, very little research has been undertaken to examine the value that mobile technology may have [1], especially within the milieu of Canadian higher education. With ever-expanding technological capabilities and rapidly increasing student use of sophisticated mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets [2, 3], it is imperative that educators consider the impact that these devices may have-particularly when it comes to the affordances such devices provide for mobile learning in the digital classroom. This paper reports on the demographic and descriptive findings from a three-year study on online graduate-level students' perceptions and experiences with mobile devices that provides some insight into the relationship between graduate level learners, their online learning contexts, and their use of mobile devices for learning. The results indicate that: (1) the use of mobile devices for learning is common among these students, and (2) these devices and how they are being used are rapidly evolving to provide nearly seamless continuity of formal learning for the increasingly mobile learner.

Paper presented at the WorldCALL 2018 Conference, Concepcion, Chile, 2018

Iterative cycles of data analyses from relevant literature reviews merged with respondent data fr... more Iterative cycles of data analyses from relevant literature reviews merged with respondent data from literacy, language learning, mobile learning, and mobile technology experts, and adult literacy learners in a mobile language literacy project generated three distinct, albeit interrelated pedagogical design themes and principles supporting mobile learner-determined language learning. A brief overview of each design theme and related principle is introduced first. This is followed by a number of suggested strategies and activities, which illustrate how these design themes and principles can be applied in praxis. This practical discussion is enriched by the inclusion of examples of freely-available apps and technologies that support these and other mobile language learning goals, strategies, and activities. The aim of this presentation is to provide practical guidance and tools (including freely-available apps) for language instructors and learners within a pedagogical framework designed to promote mobile learner-determined language learning. Abstract:

Dissertation, 2018

This dissertation used a critical pragmatic research paradigm, transformative mixed methods resea... more This dissertation used a critical pragmatic research paradigm, transformative mixed methods research methodology, and a paradigm shift framework to explore online graduate level students’ perceptions of what key government, institutional, curricular, instructional, and environmental factors and, ultimately, what educational paradigm most empowered them to integrate emergent technologies for learning on demand. Voluntary respondents came from two semester-long online graduate courses on educational technology that blended traditional and learner-centered policies, structures, and practices. The study employed in-depth interviews supplemented with online questionnaires to capture students’ perceptions before, during, and after their courses. One quarter of respondents expressed a consistent preference for one paradigm, while three quarters reported a paradigm shift from the beginning to the end of the term under study. Early term results indicated that nearly half of the respondents felt that a behavioural paradigm most empowered them to integrate emergent technologies for learning on demand. By the end of the term, over 90 percent perceived that a blended or learner-determined paradigm was most empowering. Furthermore, changes in respondents' pre- to post-term emergent technology integration level scores indicated that the most empowering paradigm was the perceptual paradigm. Throughout the term all respondents indicated that instructional, followed by environmental factors were most empowering. Nevertheless, those who preferred a learner-determined paradigm identified environmental factors more often; they also rated personal responsibility and self-motivation highly as well. Lastly, across all factor categories, three prevalent empowerment themes emerged: use of emergent technology was most cited, followed by relevancy, and then accessibility.

This .pdf offers a brief overview of the book, The Encyclopedia of Female Pioneers in Online Lear... more This .pdf offers a brief overview of the book, The Encyclopedia of Female Pioneers in Online Learning (2023), by Susan Bainbridge and Norine Wark. The .pdf also includes information and links for buying hard copy, paperback, and e-book versions, and reminds interested parties that they can also obtain the book through their librarians.

The Encyclopedia of Female Pioneers of Online Learning is the first volume to explore the lives a... more The Encyclopedia of Female Pioneers of Online Learning is the first volume to explore the lives and scholarship of women who have prominently advanced online learning. From its humble origins as distance education courses conducted via postal correspondence to today's advances in the design and delivery of dynamic, technology-enhanced instruction, the ever-evolving field of online learning continues to be informed by the seminal research and institutional leadership of women. This landmark book details 30 preeminent female academics, including some of the first to create online courses, design learning management systems, research innovative topics such as discourse analysis and open resources, and speak explicitly about gender parity in the field. Offering comprehensive career profiles, original interviews, and research analyses, these chapters are illuminating on their own right while amounting to an essential combination of reference material and primary source.

OAsis: Commonwealth of Learning, 2020

This report is based on a research project exploring various Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) t... more This report is based on a research project exploring various Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) technologies, and the benefits and challenges of employing these technologies for global sustainable development and education. The report includes initial findings from a thematic review of 32 academic peer-reviewed journal articles from 2017 to 2019, and interviews with six international experts on the use of 4IR technologies for attaining the SDGs around the world, including in education. Findings include examples of the beneficial uses and implementation challenges of 4IR technologies for sustainable development and education. One of the important findings is that 4IR technologies must be used responsibly and to benefit people (4IR technologies for good); hence, the development of artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, blockchain, and robotics systems will be advanced best by assembling a multidisciplinary team from areas such as computer science, education, social sciences, ethics, privacy, and security. The aim is to develop an informed, collective understanding of the benefits, challenges and other issues arising from the adoption of 4IR technologies for achieving the United Nation Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially in relation to SDG4, which focuses on education. Recommendations for future projects and research initiatives are also considered. This project report is timed to guide countries in making the transition into the 4IR and in using 4IR technologies for sustainable development and education.