Barbara A Combes | Charles Sturt University (original) (raw)

Papers by Barbara A Combes

... Description of the GiggleIT Project The GiggleIT Project was designed to engage children in w... more ... Description of the GiggleIT Project The GiggleIT Project was designed to engage children in writing and reading, and to support their ... The GiggleIT Project Team created a VoiceThread (Carmichael, Combes, & Manck, 2010) for TLs on the YSL4: Reading 2010 virtual conference ...

IASL conference proceedings, Feb 10, 2021

This research forum paper presents the conclusion of a much broader PhD study which examines the ... more This research forum paper presents the conclusion of a much broader PhD study which examines the information-seeking behaviour of the Net Generation or Generation Y. The overarching premise of this study centres on the belief that a greater understanding of how young adults seek and interact with information and the online environment, is an important first step in developing strategies to prepare them for tertiary education, the workplace and a future that will be characterised by an increasingly complex and constantly evolving information landscape. This paper will present the final analysis of the PhD findings, discuss what this means for the current generation of students and examine where schools and particularly teacher librarians need to focus if we are to cater for future generations.

IASL conference proceedings, Mar 18, 2021

Journal of ICT Research and Applications, Sep 28, 2018

Students' ownership of technology devices, their access to software and Web-based utilities, and ... more Students' ownership of technology devices, their access to software and Web-based utilities, and their related preferences are the subject of this ongoing research. The devices that instructors use in the classroom, how students use online learning systems as provided by the university, and students' skill levels when using technology for learning are also included. The major objective of this research is to provide a long-term comparative analysis across one university to determine if students' and lecturers' use of technology for teachinglearning has changed. Such ongoing data collection and analysis will inform individual institutions about online learning and how to improve facilities for both staff and students for maximum educational success. An initial study was conducted in 2015. This paper reports on the second data collection to determine if there have been any changes over a two-year period. The findings indicate that students have intermediate skill levels when using basic software programs for their study, whereas their social media skills are advanced. Students use mobile devices (phones and tablets) to access online learning materials. Overall, most students and staff lack basic knowledge in using information technology for study purposes. It was concluded that the university should continue to conduct ongoing monitoring and evaluation of students' and staff's information technology competencies.

The Electronic Library, Aug 14, 2007

IASL conference proceedings, Mar 4, 2021

Recent findings from PEW Internet and American Life studies in the US, the JISC Information Behav... more Recent findings from PEW Internet and American Life studies in the US, the JISC Information Behaviour of the Researcher of the Future report and the Educational Testing Service 2006 ICT literacy assessment, all indicate that the students from the Y or Net Generation are not as tech-savvy as portrayed by the world's media and large Internet software providers. If this is the case, then assumptions currently being made about the information-seeking behaviour of today's students need to be rectified at the school level to ensure that tomorrow's citizens are not disenfranchised or disempowered as users in a world where Governments are increasingly committed to the provision of essential services and information wholly online. This paper discusses the secondary results of a much larger PhD study on the informationseeking behaviour of the Net Generation and the need for schools and particularly teacher librarians, to become more involved in teaching students how to use the electronic environment effectively.

Many universities are embracing Learning Management Systems (LMS) for the delivery of programs to... more Many universities are embracing Learning Management Systems (LMS) for the delivery of programs to students. The LMS provides paperless modes of document and rich content delivery such as Microsoft Word documents and video lectures. Such delivery modes for on-campus students are becoming the norm as more blended learning environments are implemented in universities. This research examines how students make use of technologies and applications, what they think about their skill levels, and whether the online materials encourage and motivate their study. The research also reports on how and where some students and lecturers at Nakhonphanom University, Thailand use the technology and devices in their classrooms. Findings of the research will guide university educators in the improvement and change required in their physical and virtual classrooms as they move into a blended learning environment

Recent research indicates that Generation Y is not as tech-savvy as is often portrayed. If this i... more Recent research indicates that Generation Y is not as tech-savvy as is often portrayed. If this is the case, then assumptions about the information-seeking behaviour of today's students need to be re- assessed. This paper discusses some of the findings of a PhD study on the information-seeking behaviour of Generation Y and the need for schools to become more involved

Finding information in the twenty-first century can be a daunting prospect. The new information l... more Finding information in the twenty-first century can be a daunting prospect. The new information landscape is overloaded, increasingly complex and dense, and characterised by rapidly evolving technologies that are both convergent and divergent, with new and exciting formats and a variety of delivery modes. We also use a range of words to describe information. Only fifty years ago, the information landscape was so much simpler. Traditional descriptions began with two categories fiction or nonfiction, a simple dichotomy. However, in today’s information landscape new categories using a wide variety of descriptors are increasingly more common. Is it any wonder that our students are confused? In view of this increasing complexity and the development of information sources that are multifaceted, perhaps it is now time to seriously reconsider how we describe and present information resources. Perhaps it is time to take the term fiction out of our library collections

During the last thirty years the rapid development of technology has left many educators struggli... more During the last thirty years the rapid development of technology has left many educators struggling to come to terms with the changes the integration of technology brings to the teaching-learning environment. Governments and education administrators around the world are currently diverting limited resources into the provision of infrastructure and computers in the belief that the use of technology as a means of education delivery has the potential to significantly enhance teaching strategies and resources currently available to schools. For schools and teachers, the push for the implementation of technology from the administrative levels has meant changes to the learning environment, the necessity to acquire new skills and issues of accountability. Thus the impact of technology in education and on learning has been the subject of much debate and an increasing body of research has endeavoured to assess the impact of various technologies on student learning, with mixed results. The pu...

– The Asian Conference on Education & International Development 2020 Official Conference Proceedings, 2020

Walailak Journal of Science and Technology (WJST), 2017

Mid-way through the second decade of the twenty-first century, young people are still being toute... more Mid-way through the second decade of the twenty-first century, young people are still being touted as digital natives in a world where technology is increasingly ubiquitous in nature. Technology appears in all levels of society, from the grocery store self-serve, Internet banking and shopping, to the classroom. This paper reports on the initial findings of a much larger study conducted in a Thai university that explores how students use technology for learning. The paper also discusses ownership of technology and examines the myth of the digital native. The research is based on an earlier PhD study conducted across 2 universities in Western Australia. Findings from the current research indicate that attitudes to technology and cultures of technology use amongst young people have changed little since the original study’s data collection 7 years ago. However, there are subtle differences in how Thai university students use technology for learning.

'Re-conceptualising and re-positioning Australian library and information science education ... more 'Re-conceptualising and re-positioning Australian library and information science education for the 21st century' is a research project funded by the Australian Learning and Teaching Council. The project aims to establish a consolidated and holistic picture of the Australian ...

IASL Annual Conference Proceedings, 2021

Library and Information Science (LIS) education faces considerable opportunities and challenges i... more Library and Information Science (LIS) education faces considerable opportunities and challenges in the 21st Century. Institutions must produce a range of information professionals, including teacher librarians. These future professionals must be able to respond flexibly to rapidly evolving social, economic and technological change. Multimedia elearning environments and the interactive nature afforded by Web 2.0 technologies mean that LIS programs can be delivered globally and collaboratively to an international audience. Attracting students who will take LIS and the challenges posed by a rapidly evolving information landscape into the twenty-first century, is an integral part of building strong and sustainable educational programs.

Education for Information, 2012

Tertiary education in Australia has long been associated with the integration of developing techn... more Tertiary education in Australia has long been associated with the integration of developing technologies as a vehicle for distance education. As personal access to the Web has become more affordable, tertiary institutions have implemented wholly online courses to create flexible elearning spaces for students. While there are tangible benefits attached to online education programs, there are also disadvantages and high attrition rates. The results published in this paper are drawn from research conducted by the student sub-study group of the Re-conceptualising and re-positioning Australian library and information science education for the twenty-first century research project. The student sub-study group explored online learning and student satisfaction with courses, course materials and delivery modes, the emotional response to online learning environments, and some of the enablers and inhibitors experienced by students studying online. Findings presented in this paper indicate that both current students and graduates felt online LIS programs were definitely on the way, but there is still room for improvement. However, the findings of this research project also need to be considered in the context of the LIS demographic, which is distinctive to the profession.

Synergy, 2016

At least several times a year reports from a variety of organisations indicate that there is a co... more At least several times a year reports from a variety of organisations indicate that there is a continuing decline in the literacy levels of young people across Australia. Parents, business leaders, politicians and educators are worried and at a loss to understand why this is happening, especially when we consider how much Commonwealth money has been put into schools for technology (DET, 2016) and infrastructure, including the BER scheme for libraries under the Gillard/Rudd government (Education HQ, 2010). A major issue highlighted by personnel working in school libraries at the time of the BER funding was the lack of commitment to resourcing and staffing of these libraries. As a result we have lots of new buildings, but no funding to take these libraries to the next level. Commonwealth money has not been so forthcoming during the last 3 years and schools in most states have experienced funding cuts, most notably in Western Australia. This has resulted in the steady decline of profes...