Greg Blackburn - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Greg Blackburn

Indian Journal of Open Learning, 2016

The increasing popularity of e-learning does not refer to a specific educational method of instru... more The increasing popularity of e-learning does not refer to a specific educational method of instruction nor method of delivery. The design can have different meanings depending on the sophistication of the educational method employed, the resources made available, and the educator’s skills. Unfortunately the application of technology in education does not necessarily equate to effective forms of learning. The literature does not always provide clarity in defining a framework for educational technology initiatives. This paper suggests that such a taxonomy is necessary to establish distinct categories of e-learning between industrial models, bottom-up innovation and top-down institutionally-led changes.

ABSTRACT Smart phone and tablet technologies have taken the world by storm. These tools are now a... more ABSTRACT Smart phone and tablet technologies have taken the world by storm. These tools are now available to all demographics and it is predicted that 87 percent of Australians will own a smart phone by 2015. The power and accessibility of this technology provides an unprecedented opportunity to access new audiences and improve two-way information flow. This includes the potential for in-field plant identification and mapping systems which can be deployed to tens of thousands of users. The University of Queensland’s AAFIBiological Information Technology (QBIT) group has developed an easy to use identification tool covering all Australian declared plants and a large proportion of Queensland’s non-declared environmental weeds. Currently in prototype form, the Weed Detector mobile app is based on the Lucid plant identification platform and has the capacity to guide users through the identification of plant species, collect GPS and photographic information and link to state and national weed mapping systems. The app is supported by detailed diagnostic photographs and more than 2,000 weed information sheets which are fully integrated into the tool so it can be used in areas where there is no internet access. This paper discusses the potential of this and other mobile technologies to revolutionise the way we look at weed surveillance… ensuring that weeds really do become everyone’s business.

Journal of Economics and Economic Education Research, 2016

INTRODUCTION It is widely accepted that statistics students have negative perceptions of statisti... more INTRODUCTION It is widely accepted that statistics students have negative perceptions of statistics as well as difficulties in mastering fundamental concepts (Cochran 2005, Kotz 2010, Prabhakar 2008). Garfield and Ben-Zvi (2007) argue that statistics education is emerging as a discipline in its own right, with a proliferation of research studies appearing into the teaching and learning of statistics and probability. Today's introductory statistics course is actually a family of courses taught across many disciplines and departments; with students having different backgrounds and goals (Aliaga, et al. 2012:10). Literature related to teaching and learning statistic pedagogical methods, instructional formats, and technological tools, finds that students are often faced with general mathematical problem solving issues. Further, they have problems understanding concepts specific to statistics such as an incomplete understanding of control variables inferring causality from correlatio...

E-Learning and Digital Media

The study investigates (1) the effectiveness of using eLearning-embedded stories and pictures in ... more The study investigates (1) the effectiveness of using eLearning-embedded stories and pictures in order to improve learning outcomes for students and (2) how universities can adopt innovative approaches to the creation of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) resources and embed them in educational technology for teaching domain-specific content, such as statistical literacy-a widely documented difficult subject for students to master. Current didactic approaches for statistics commonly do not arouse student attentiveness and enthusiasm. New educational theories related to contextualism and learning through student-relevant experiences and technologies establish encouraging options to improve educational relevance. The author suggests that contextualizing theories embedded in eLearning systems can eliminate barriers for learning and can serve as a valuable technique that encourages students to learn using scenarios that are more relevant to them. The authors examine empirical data on students' learning and interpretation of the topic studied. The data are instrumental in determining the broader context of learning, including affective dimensions and student interpretations. Based on the proposed approach, a trans-disciplinary application is possible.

Educational Technology Research and Development, 2016

Australian Journal of Public Administration, 2014

ABSTRACT For Tasmanians accessing Government services has traditionally required visits to variou... more ABSTRACT For Tasmanians accessing Government services has traditionally required visits to various Lead Agency locations, as service delivery was fragmented and bureaucratic. The Tasmanian Government adopted a customer-focused approach implementing ‘Service Tasmania’ a One-Stop-Shop service delivery concept. This paper investigates what led to the success of this public service reform and in particular what change management practices were applied during the change effort. Ten common factors of successful change have been identified in the literature; these are explored determining their relevance throughout this initiative. Data were collected with semi-structured interviews conducted with 63 staff plus senior management. Data were analysed using a grounded theory approach and open coding was applied during the first pass through the data to reach the initial codes identifying critical terms and generic key issues. Findings confirm that several management interventions were necessary to address resistance and conflict issues and keep the government reform project on track.

Australasian Journal of Educational Technology

The pedagogical value of problem-based and enquiry–based learning activities has led to increased... more The pedagogical value of problem-based and enquiry–based learning activities has led to increased use of this approach in many courses. While scenarios or case studies were initially presented to learners as text based material, the development of modern software technology provides the opportunity to deliver scenarios as e-learning modules, providing learners with a more accessible and engaging learning experience. Scenario Based Learning – Interactive (SBLi) has been specifically developed to provide teachers and trainers with a generic tool that enables them to easily build interactive, multimedia scenarios without requiring programming skills. The software consists of a Builder and Player application, for constructing and playing scenarios from hard drives or from a CD/DVD, and a Server-based Player and Manager, for deploying scenarios on the web, either for public use or for restricted and managed use in specific courses. This paper describes the history of SBLi, its design and...

International Journal of Public Administration

Government service delivery in Tasmania has undergone a customer-orientated shift changing the na... more Government service delivery in Tasmania has undergone a customer-orientated shift changing the nature of the relationship between the Government and the community. A Tasmanian State Government initiative named Service Tasmania utilising information technologies and private sector style business administration values offers new possibilities in service delivery through its integrated whole-of-government approach. This initiative facilitates cross-agency customer-centred service delivery within the overall government framework. This paper introduces an empirically-based qualitative investigation into the implementation of Service Tasmania’s One-Stop-Shops. Particular interest is placed on identifying the strengths and weaknesses of implementing the Service Tasmania service delivery model. Data were analysed by using a grounded theory approach comprising of open, axial and selective coding. Findings indicate that whilst some weaknesses in the approach have been uncovered the numerous s...

Smart phone and tablet technologies have taken the world by storm. These tools are now available ... more Smart phone and tablet technologies have taken the world by storm. These tools are now available to all demographics and it is predicted that 87 percent of Australians will own a smart phone by 2015. The power and accessibility of this technology provides an unprecedented opportunity to access new audiences and improve two-way information flow. This includes the potential for in-field plant identification and mapping systems which can be deployed to tens of thousands of users. The University of Queensland’s AAFIBiological Information Technology (QBIT) group has developed an easy to use identification tool covering all Australian declared plants and a large proportion of Queensland’s non-declared environmental weeds. Currently in prototype form, the Weed Detector mobile app is based on the Lucid plant identification platform and has the capacity to guide users through the identification of plant species, collect GPS and photographic information and link to state and national weed map...

Preparing students to be critical thinkers and effective communicators is essential in today’s mu... more Preparing students to be critical thinkers and effective communicators is essential in today’s multinational and technologically sophisticated environment. New electronic technologies provide opportunities for creating learning environments that extend the possibilities of ‘old’ but still essential technologies: books, blackboards, and linear, one-way communication media. Such technologies contribute to engagement and meaningful learning in the higher education sector. Greater understanding in educational psychology and the effectiveness of educational interventions has motivated the development of various student-centred pedagogies (e.g. Problem-Based Learning (PBL)) addressing perceived shortcomings of traditional didactic instruction. PBL as a pedagogy promotes meaningful learning due largely to its power to stimulate critical, reflective and creative thinking. Can teaching staff, then, adopt technology-based approaches to create multi-disciplinary interactive PBL environments th...

Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 2011

Factors which influence students&amp;#39; selection of a Master of Business Administratio... more Factors which influence students&amp;#39; selection of a Master of Business Administration programme are identified and the variation in their relative importance across the student population investigated. This research also identifies the features of a university which attracts students, as well as examining the students&amp;#39; perceptions of the management school as compared to the university as a whole. Semi-structured interviews were