Caroline Steel | The University of Queensland, Australia (original) (raw)

Language Learners' Digital & Mobile Technologies by Caroline Steel

Digitized audio and video have made their way into all aspects of educational computing. On the I... more Digitized audio and video have made their way into all aspects of educational computing. On the Internet, streaming audio and video allow the learner access to a vast quantity of audio material of all kinds. Audio and video files may be stored, managed, and distributed using technologies such as MP3 players and mobile phones. Listening materials may be manually or automatically downloaded to a computer or portable media players for later study and use through simple file transfer, podcasts, and Web casts. Readily available programs such as Media Player enable the learner to examine sound and video files in flexible ways for learning, by adjusting the speed to slow down the stream of language or to pause and repeat key segments.

This presentation examines a number of these new developments relating to the development of the listening skill with a dual focus on design and use. Generic software tools for listening will be considered as will the pedagogical design of podcasts that blend content with pedagogy using a variety of approaches to facilitate structure and sequencing. A podcasting blog is also an option, and learners may create their own podcasts. These various alternatives will be examined and compared with an emphasis on their practical value for language teachers and learners.

" ‘... both in Australia and internationally there has been a great deal of rhetorical attention... more "
‘... both in Australia and internationally there has been a great deal of rhetorical attention paid to the need for collaboration and innovation in the provision of teaching of languages other than English. By contrast there has been far less systematic examination of what exactly effective and sustainable collaboration involves…’ (Lo Bianco & Gvozdenko, 2006, p.10)

According to Hajek, Slaughter and Stevens (2008, p. 23): “The primary rationale for the introduction of the collaborative provision of languages is a commitment to the provision of a wide range of languages in the tertiary sector. This includes supporting languages of smaller candidature, which may have a fairly specific target group,…”. There are other advantages too—especially when one considers the limited resources available and the potential for sharing those resources—and yet collaboration, especially between universities in close proximity to one another, is often complex and challenging for all parties involved.

This paper reflects upon the experience of collaborative provision of languages in South-East Queensland in relation to the Brisbane Universities Languages Hub (BULH), a 3-year agreement between the University of Queensland, Griffith University and Queensland Institute of Technology. In the presentation, areas of focus will include: 1) providing the most effective administrative arrangements and structures , and; 2) developing deeper collaborations around teaching and learning .
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For university students, the availability, convenience and low cost of mobile applications (apps)... more For university students, the availability, convenience and low cost of mobile applications (apps) present new opportunities to fit learning into their busy lives outside class. Studies of teacher-led mobile learning in universities abound while few studies explore students’ own use of mobile apps and their perspectives on how these apps can benefit their learning. As we consider learning for the future, it is crucial to partner with students to build a picture of emergent technology practices beyond our classrooms and institutions. However, discipline-specific studies are required to gain an understanding of the ways apps are used to acquire specific disciplinary knowledge and skills. This paper reports on how 134 language learners used mobile apps to profit from their available learning time outside of class. It provides insights into student perspectives on the benefits of using mobile apps for foreign language learning.

"In this presentation, 2011 data on language students’ use of technologies was collected and then... more "In this presentation, 2011 data on language students’ use of technologies was collected and then compared with similar data from two large-scale studies in 2006. The current study was conducted in Australia and the two earlier studies in Canada and the UK (Peters, Weinberg and Sarma, 2008; Conole, 2008). Our aims here were to both record the technologies currently in-use by language learners at an Australian university and to compare and contrast these findings with studies conducted five years earlier. Our motivation was our observation that in the intervening period there had been significant changes in the technologies available, their levels of adoption by students and their potential for language learning. Related to this, we were especially interested in how students were using their own technologies out-of-class.

A survey was distributed to 2,114 language students and 587 completed responses were received (28%). In the survey, students identified the technologies they used to support their language studies. Students then differentiated between in-class and out-of-class use. Next, they ranked the three technologies they perceived as most beneficial to their language studies. Quantitative results were aggregated and will be presented in a tabular form. Findings were then compared with data presented in published papers from the 2006 comparator studies.

Our comparison revealed some distinct and more subtle changes across the technology landscape between 2006 and 2011. While some technologies and practices have become more normalized (Bax, 2003), others have been reinvigorated, a few have disappeared, some have not experienced anticipated take-up whilst others have emerged and changed the possibilities for where, when and how students learn languages. Certainly, students are now using more of their own personal technologies and moving away from institutionally provisioned ones. This shift is not necessarily mirrored in current research directions in CALL.

References:
Bax, S. (2003) CALL - Past, present and future. System 31: 13-28.
Conole, G. (2008) Listening to the Learner Voice: The ever-changing landscape of technology use for language students. ReCALL 20 (2): 124-140.
Peters, M., Weinberg, A. and Sarma, N. (2008) To like or not to like! Student perceptions of technological activities for learning French as a second language at five Canadian universities. The Canadian Modern Language Review, 65 (5): 869–896. "

The objective of this research is to understand the benefits and constraints that language studen... more The objective of this research is to understand the benefits and constraints that language students perceive in their use of mobile applications (apps) for language learning. Theoretically, this study is positioned within a constructivist framework that draws upon the student voice through collaborative enquiry. Two data sources were utilised. The first, a 2011 survey of language students at an Australian university, found that 331 (56%) language students used mobile apps and 134 (23%) ranked mobile apps in their top three most beneficial language learning technologies. The second source was an undergraduate class (2011-2013) who more thoroughly investigated the use of mobile apps for their own language studies. These students revealed initial optimism for the potential use of apps, however limitations were also realised. Additionally, students identified a number of desirable functions and features that might inform future app development for language learning.

This paper has two key objectives. Firstly, it seeks to record the technologies in current use by... more This paper has two key objectives. Firstly, it seeks to record the technologies in current use by learners of a range of languages at an Australian university in 2011. Data was collected via a large-scale survey of 587 foreign language students across ten languages at The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia. Notably the data differentiates between those technologies that students used inside and outside of formal classrooms as well as recording particular technologies and applications that students perceived as beneficial to their language learning. Secondly, this study aims to compare and contrast its findings with those from two previous studies that collected data on students’ use of technologies five years earlier in 2006 in the UK and Canada. The intention is to chart major developments and changes that have occurred during the 5-year intervening period, between 2006 to 2011. The data reported in two studies, one by Conole (2008) and one by Peters, Weinberg and Sarma (2008) are used as points of reference for the comparison with the present study.

The findings of the current study point to the autonomy and independence of the language learners in this cohort and the re-emergence of CALL tools, both for in-class and out-of-class learning activities. According to this data set, learners appear to have become more autonomous and independent and much more able to shape and resource their personal language learning experience in a blended learning setting. The students also demonstrate a measure of sophistication in their use of online tools, such that they are able to work around known limitations and constraints. In other words, the students have a keen awareness of the affordances of the technologies they are using.

The learning challenge was designed as an authentic and formative assessment task that encouraged... more The learning challenge was designed as an authentic and formative assessment task that encouraged language students to delve deeper into their digital learning practices. The learning design was conceptualised to help learners develop an evidence-based approach to understand how to use their personal technologies to accelerate their language learning. Adapted from a teacher development model for technology integration (Steel & Andrews, 2012), the design has been implemented and refined over several iterations of an undergraduate languages and technologies course. Mapped to Fullan and Langworthys’ (2014) continuum of pedagogical effectiveness and supported by student-generated data, the learning challenge offers a powerful way for language learners to understand the impact of their digital learning practices and prepare them for a continuously changing technology landscape.

‘The learning challenge’ is an authentic and formative assessment task that requires students to ... more ‘The learning challenge’ is an authentic and formative assessment task that requires students to evaluate the power of their learning strategies, personal technologies and digital practices for learning. The design was created in response to the need for universities to provide more pedagogical guidance to students preparing for an unknown digital future. The challenge provokes students to question their digital practices and underlying beliefs as learners through gaining pedagogical intelligence and a trialing a transferable action-learning process. The learning design was adapted for an undergraduate languages and technologies course from a teacher development model for technology integration (Steel and Andrews, 2012). The tasks deepen students’ understanding of themselves as learners and technology users through self-exploration, experimentation, evidence-gathering and reflection. Mapped to Fullan and Langworthys’ (2014) continuum of pedagogical effectiveness and supported by student-generated data, the learning challenge offers a powerful way to discover the impact of students’ digital learning practices.

This paper investigates the extent of electronic dictionary use by language learners in an Austra... more This paper investigates the extent of electronic dictionary use by language learners in an Australian university. All students in the study are formally enrolled in language courses across ten languages at first, second or third year level. The study places a particular emphasis on gauging student perceptions of the beneficial aspects of electronic dictionaries as judged by learners themselves in circumstances where they are able to act independently. As these benefits are often described in terms of usability and functionality, these particular terms are defined and introduced in the literature review, and then later they are employed to help structure and describe the results.

The arguments for the discussion are supported by the use of empirical data taken from a large-scale survey conducted in 2011 (n=587) where comments from students were obtained on why and how dictionary-type resources were accessed and used (see also Steel & Levy, 2013). The paper restricts itself to the quantitative and qualitative data gathered on mobile phones, translators, dictionaries and web conjugators and related items (e.g., discussion forums). The particular functions that students’ use and the ways in which they use them are described and categorized with the discussion supported by student comments.

The data exhibits a remarkable range of resources available to students to look up unknown words or to see translations and, consequently, our understanding of what exactly an electronic dictionary might comprise is challenged. Many students’ comments demonstrate a sophistication and knowledge about the effective use of these dictionary tools together with a keen awareness of their limitations.

This chapter reports on language students’ perspectives of the affordances and constraints of usi... more This chapter reports on language students’ perspectives of the affordances and constraints of using mobile devices and applications for language learning. Student perspectives are drawn from a large scale survey (n=587) conducted in 2011 and 36 podcasts created by 66 undergraduate students between 2011 and 2013. Overall, students found the convenience, ease of use and portability of ‘a classroom on the go’ compelling. They highlighted many affordances that helped them to fit language learning into their life and contributed to their enjoyment of learning. The enormous variety of interactive and multimodal applications evaluated offered a plethora of affordances for specific language learning skills and knowledge. Students’ podcasts also described a number of constraints of both a practical and pedagogical nature. In combination, these constraints highlight some important areas where mobile application development is still immature. Together, student perspectives on the affordances and constraints of using mobile devices and applications for language learning contain valuable messages for teachers, developers, fellow language learners and the on-going sustainability of CALL.

For university students, the availability, convenience and low cost of mobile applications (apps)... more For university students, the availability, convenience and low cost of mobile applications (apps) present new opportunities to fit learning into their busy lives outside class. Studies of teacher-led mobile learning in universities abound while few studies explore students' own use of mobile apps and their perspectives on how these apps can benefit their learning. As we consider learning for the future, it is crucial to partner with students to build a picture of emergent technology practices beyond our classrooms and institutions. However, discipline-specific studies are required to gain an understanding of the ways apps are used to acquire specific disciplinary knowledge and skills. This paper reports on how 134 language learners used mobile apps to profit from their available learning time outside of class. It provides insights into student perspectives on the benefits of using mobile apps for foreign language learning.

This chapter presents learner perspectives on the pedagogical use of commercial mobile learning a... more This chapter presents learner perspectives on the pedagogical use of commercial mobile learning applications for acquiring Asian and European languages at an Australian university. It contributes to this book by addressing one of the key organising questions: What are different ways of conceptualising, identifying and evaluating mobile learning initiatives in higher education in the region? Specifically, it utlises the student perspective from the ‘Pedagogical’ level of the Mobile Learning Evaluation Framework whereby students were co-partners in an inquiry that focused on evaluating how mobile devices and applications could be used for learning foreign languages. It aims to build a better understanding of students’ emerging mobile learning practices and preferences in the Asia Pacific region through learners’ own evaluations and experiential accounts in learner- determined contexts.

Over three iterations of an undergraduate class (2011– 2013), language students selected and actively evaluated current and emerging technologies for their potential for assisting language acquisition. Simultaneously, students were encouraged to gain pedagogical intelligence (Hutchings, 2005) about themselves as learners and how they were taught languages. Increasingly, students selected mobile devices and commercial applications as the focus of their evaluations. In pairs or individually, 63 students created a total of 36 radio-style podcasts to share their discoveries with language teachers. Approximately 25% of these students were from Asian countries such as China, Korea, Japan and Vietnam.

This chapter presents the perspectives of regionally-diverse and pedagogically intelligent learners on enabling effective mobile language learning. Their wants, needs and recommendations are summarised for institutions, teachers, learners and mobile learning application developers in the Asia Pacific Region who are seeking to enable effective mobile learning.

Curriculum Innovation & Transformation by Caroline Steel

Flipped learning classroom (FLC) approaches continue to gain traction across educational institut... more Flipped learning classroom (FLC) approaches continue to gain traction across educational institutions. A flipped classroom represents an inversion of traditional lecture and tutorial-based delivery modes. That is, lecture content is delivered ahead of time so that classes can focus on exploring and applying concepts and content alongside rich opportunities for review and formative assessment and feedback.

This blog post was inspired by a conversation, and later an interview, with a first-year student who experienced a highly successful flipped classroom in first semester and then a major flop in the second one. The interview used six framing questions to understand why her flipped classroom ‘flopped’ and what characterised a successful flipped classroom from her perspective.

Much effort has gone into the development of evaluation methods for learning technology. Yet the ... more Much effort has gone into the development of evaluation methods for learning technology. Yet the mantra remains the same; that studies fail to produce reliable evidence to answer important questions about the impact of technology on student learning and behaviour. The authors conducted a meta-analysis of 100 evaluation studies published in two leading learning technology journals from 2005 – 2010. A set of thirteen criteria to critique the articles was derived from the principles of educational design research. This paper discusses findings concerned with the extent to which studies are a) theoretically grounded, b) show evidence of impact on student learning and behaviour and c) potentially transferable to other higher education contexts. The findings resonate with comments in a recent report on Learning with Technology (ALT 2010) that ‘research typically doesn’t address the problem of building an ecology of learning, or treat integration of the innovation as a research issue’ (p.5). The authors are keen to discuss ways to improve the quality of evaluation studies in learning technology for the future. Some recommendations are proposed to stimulate discussion and feedback.

We present a case to reposition theory so that it plays a pivotal role in learning technology res... more We present a case to reposition theory so that it plays a pivotal role in learning technology research and helps to build an ecology of learning. To support the case, we present a critique of current practice based on a review of articles published in two leading international journals from 2005 to 2010. Our study reveals that theory features only incidentally or not at all in many cases. We propose theory development as a unifying theme for learning technology research study design and reporting. The use of learning design as a strategy to develop and test theories in practice is integral to our argument. We conclude by supporting other researchers who recommend educational design research as a theory focused methodology to move the field forward in productive and consistent ways. The challenge of changing common practice will be involved. However, the potential to raise the profile of learning technology research and improve educational outcomes justifies the effort required.

Research in Learning Technology, 2012

Ascilite 2011 the Australasian Society For Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education, 2011

Much effort has gone into the development of evaluation methods for learning technology. Yet the ... more Much effort has gone into the development of evaluation methods for learning technology. Yet the mantra remains the same; that studies fail to produce reliable evidence to answer important questions about the impact of technology on student learning and behaviour. The authors conducted a metaanalysis of 100 evaluation studies published in two leading learning technology journals from 2005 -2010. A set of thirteen criteria to critique the articles was derived from the principles of educational design research. This paper discusses findings concerned with the extent to which studies are a) theoretically grounded, b) show evidence of impact on student learning and behaviour and c) potentially transferable to other higher education contexts. The findings resonate with comments in a recent report on Learning with Technology (ALT 2010) that ‗research typically doesn't address the problem of building an ecology of learning, or treat integration of the innovation as a research issue' (p.5). The authors are keen to discuss ways to improve the quality of evaluation studies in learning technology for the future. Some recommendations are proposed to stimulate discussion and feedback.

For university students, the availability, convenience and low cost of mobile applications (apps)... more For university students, the availability, convenience and low cost of mobile applications (apps) present new opportunities to fit learning into their busy lives outside class. Studies of teacher-led mobile learning in universities abound while few studies explore students' own use of mobile apps and their perspectives on how these apps can benefit their learning. As we consider learning for the future, it is crucial to partner with students to build a picture of emergent technology practices beyond our classrooms and institutions. However, discipline-specific studies are required to gain an understanding of the ways apps are used to acquire specific disciplinary knowledge and skills. This paper reports on how 134 language learners used mobile apps to profit from their available learning time outside of class. It provides insights into student perspectives on the benefits of using mobile apps for foreign language learning.

Research in Learning Technology, 2012

Ascilite 2011 the Australasian Society For Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education, 2011

Much effort has gone into the development of evaluation methods for learning technology. Yet the ... more Much effort has gone into the development of evaluation methods for learning technology. Yet the mantra remains the same; that studies fail to produce reliable evidence to answer important questions about the impact of technology on student learning and behaviour. The authors conducted a metaanalysis of 100 evaluation studies published in two leading learning technology journals from 2005 -2010. A set of thirteen criteria to critique the articles was derived from the principles of educational design research. This paper discusses findings concerned with the extent to which studies are a) theoretically grounded, b) show evidence of impact on student learning and behaviour and c) potentially transferable to other higher education contexts. The findings resonate with comments in a recent report on Learning with Technology (ALT 2010) that ‗research typically doesn't address the problem of building an ecology of learning, or treat integration of the innovation as a research issue' (p.5). The authors are keen to discuss ways to improve the quality of evaluation studies in learning technology for the future. Some recommendations are proposed to stimulate discussion and feedback.

Immersion has been defined as the ‘the subjective impression that one is participating in a compr... more Immersion has been defined as the ‘the subjective impression that one is participating in a comprehensive, realistic experience’ (Witmer & Singer, 1998), and is seen as a necessary condition for ‘presence’. This chapter will look at those characteristics of the MulSeMedia experience which facilitate immersion in three-dimensional virtual environments including Multi-User Virtual Environments (MUVEs) such as Second Life, Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games (MMORPGs) such as World of Warcraft, and various three-dimensional simulations.

Though there are multiple factors that impede or facilitate immersion, one of the key factors is the ability to engage multiple senses. Chris Dede (2009) has described this as ‘sensory immersion’. An environment that produces a greater sense of sensory immersion, will produce a greater feeling of presence (Witmer & Singer, 1998: p. 228); a psychologically emergent property of immersion (Zhu, Xiang, & Hu, 2007: p. 265). It has been shown that the more sensory information provided by the virtual environment, the higher the sense of presence (Franceschi, Lee, & Hinds, 2008: p. 6) and that as more sensory modalities are stimulated presence is similarly increased (Steuer, 1992). It can therefore be expected, that
MulSeMedia, engaging a range of senses, should enhance presence. Evidence can be extracted from the extensive literature pertaining to gaming and presence, and the work surrounding user interfaces enabling haptic feedback, tactile precision and engaging other sensory modalities.

This chapter will begin by unraveling the relationship between ‘immersion’, with a special emphasis on ‘sensory immersion’, and ‘presence’ in relation to MulSeMedia. In addition, it will look at the nature of the sensory stimulation provided by MulSeMedia in relation to the amount of immersion it engenders. For example, sound that is directional will have a positive effect on immersion and sensory feedback that is not conflicting will further enhance the immersive experience.

ascilite2014, Nov 2014

The emergence of any new educational technology is often accompanied by inflated expectations ab... more The emergence of any new educational technology is often accompanied by inflated expectations
about its potential for transforming pedagogical practice and improving student learning
outcomes. A critique of the rhetoric accompanying the evolution of 3D virtual world education
reveals a similar pattern, with the initial hype based more on rhetoric than research demonstrating
the extent to which rhetoric matches reality. Addressed are the perceived gaps in the literature
through a critique of the rhetoric evident throughout the evolution of the application of virtual
worlds in education and the reality based on the reported experiences of experts in the field of
educational technology, who are all members of the Australian and New Zealand Virtual Worlds
Working Group. The experiences reported highlight a range of effective virtual world
collaborative and communicative teaching experiences conducted in members’ institutions.
Perspectives vary from those whose reality is the actuation of the initial rhetoric in the early years
of virtual world education, to those whose reality is fraught with challenges that belie the rhetoric.
Although there are concerns over institutional resistance, restrictions, and outdated processes on
the one-hand, and excitement over the rapid emergence of innovation on the other, the prevailing
reality seems to be that virtual world education is both persistent and sustainable. Explored are
critical perspectives on the rhetoric and reality on the educational uptake and use of virtual worlds
in higher education, providing an overview of the current and future directions for learning in
virtual worlds.

Chapter 11 Teaching online: Issues and challenges for on-campus and distance instruction Caroline... more Chapter 11 Teaching online: Issues and challenges for on-campus and distance instruction Caroline Steel University of Queensland INtRoDuCtIoN So you are going to be doing some teaching online! Perhaps your students may be undergraduate or postgraduate. Your courses ...

New Developments in MulSeMedia, 2012

Immersion has been defined as the &#x27;the subjective impression that one is participati... more Immersion has been defined as the &#x27;the subjective impression that one is participating in a comprehensive, realistic experience&#x27;(Witmer &amp; Singer, 1998), and is seen as a necessary condition for &#x27;presence&#x27;. This chapter will look at those characteristics of the MulSeMedia experience which facilitate immersion in three-dimensional virtual environments including Multi-User Virtual Environments (MUVEs) such as Second Life, Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games (MMORPGs) such as World of Warcraft, and various three- ...

Description Virtual worlds (VWs) continue to be used extensively in Australia and New Zealand hig... more Description Virtual worlds (VWs) continue to be used extensively in Australia and New Zealand higher education institutions although the tendency towards making unrealistic claims of efficacy and popularity appears to be over. Some educators at higher education institutions continue to use VWs in the same way as they have done in the past; others are exploring a range of different VWs or using them in new ways; whilst some are opting out altogether. This paper presents an overview of how 46 educators from some 26 ...

New technology-enriched learning spaces are a focus of institutional investment to address the id... more New technology-enriched learning spaces are a focus of institutional investment to address the identified shortcomings of traditional teaching and learning environments. Academic development, an area that has received little attention in this context, can be designed to provide strong opportunities for university teachers to re-imagine their teaching for these new spaces while also building their leadership capacity. This chapter discusses challenges that teachers face in transforming their teaching practices and proposes a model for academic development to support this. Two case studies demonstrate the flexibility and efficacy of the model and provide pointers for further adoption in the higher education context.

Same places, different spaces, Jan 1, 2009

Three-dimensional immersive spaces such as those provided by virtual worlds, give unparalleled op... more Three-dimensional immersive spaces such as those provided by virtual worlds, give unparalleled opportunities for learners to practically engage with simulated authentic settings that may be too expensive or too dangerous to experience in the real world. The potential afforded by these environments is severely constrained by the use of a keyboard and mouse moving in two dimensions. While most technologies have evolved rapidly in the early 21 st century, the mouse and keyboard as standard navigation and interaction tools have not. However, talented teams from a range of disciplines are on serious quests to address this limitation. Their Holy Grail is to develop ways to interact with 3D immersive spaces using more natural human movements with haptic feedback. Applications would include the training of surgeons and musical conductors, training elite sports people and even physical rehabilitation. This paper reports on the cutting-edge technology projects that look most likely to provide a solution for this complex problem, including the Wiimote and the Microsoft's Project Natal.

ICT: Providing choices for learners and learning. …, Jan 1, 2007

In October 2006, a survey was conducted at an Australian university that was aimed at gaining stu... more In October 2006, a survey was conducted at an Australian university that was aimed at gaining student feedback on future and current IT services. Two questions were specifically targeted at finding out about students' use of the university's central Learning Management System (LMS). The LMS being used at that time was Blackboard (Bb) version 6.3. While one question asked whether or not students used the system (N=6,724), the second question invited them to comment on what they liked and disliked about the LMS (N=4,538). The latter question elicited rich qualitative data that was analysed using two methods. Initial themes were noted through a manual analysis and then data was run through a software program called Leximancer. This program analysed the conceptual structure of the data. While some themes related to student preferences around the LMS itself, a great deal of the data was linked to the ways the system was being used by university teachers. Student expectations around teacher use of the LMS form the focus of this paper and consequential challenges and future directions for staff development are considered.

Interactive Learning …, Jan 1, 2007

Problem-based learning (PBL) is a powerful instructional approach. By working through assessable ... more Problem-based learning (PBL) is a powerful instructional approach. By working through assessable complex problem-solving tasks learners can be encouraged to actively engage in investigation and inquiry and to use high level cognitive thought processes to solve real-life problems in professional contexts. A critical element of a successful PBL design is the inclusion of instructional support, such as scaffolding, to guide and assist the learner through the reasoning process that is crucial to successful problem-solving. The e-learning tool 'Challenge FRAP' (Form for the Recording of the Analysis of Problems) is client-based public domain authoring software which facilitates the use of scaffolding, the provision of progressive feedback and can promote student reflection at key decision-making points. This paper illustrates the benefits of such an e-learning scaffolding tool through two PBL case studies; one group-based PBL task in science and technology and one selfdirected PBL task in plant pathology.

Concept mapping and retrospective stimulated recall techniques provided rich insights into univer... more Concept mapping and retrospective stimulated recall techniques provided rich insights into university teachers' pedagogical beliefs and beliefs about technology and how they enacted these within the constraints of their disciplinary and pedagogical contexts. This in-depth qualitative study helps to understand the translation process and the challenges university teachers face when reconciling their beliefs with their technology practices. Affordance theories offered an accommodating view of how teachers make decisions about their practices with reference to their beliefs and their whole teaching and disciplinary context. Those teachers with sophisticated and coherent belief systems could translate their pedagogical beliefs more easily into technology-rich learning environments. However, a one-size-fits-all technology solution can be limiting for different disciplinary and pedagogical visions. The findings have important implications for academic development and teacher education related to technology integration.

Who's learning, Jan 1, 2006

Research into teacher beliefs and practices in a web-enhanced environment have often failed to co... more Research into teacher beliefs and practices in a web-enhanced environment have often failed to consider the influence of participant belief systems about web technologies in learning and teaching contexts in conjunction with these beliefs more generally. The findings from this study emerged as part of a larger PhD investigation into university teacher beliefs about web technologies, learning and teaching, and the enactment of these two belief systems in practice. For this paper, the influence of the belief systems of three award-winning university teachers on practice is explored in relation to learners and teachers and the design of web-enhanced learning experiences.

Abstract Educational technologies in university education are widely promoted for their potentia... more Abstract
Educational technologies in university education are widely promoted for their potential to enrich, enhance and extend student learning experiences (Hedberg, 2006). In the last decade, Learning Management Systems (LMS) have become a standard educational technology solution at most universities. While LMS have been purchased with enthusiasm, they have not always been integrated into university teacher practices with the same enthusiasm, and little work has been completed to assess differential effects across individual teachers, contexts and disciplines. If universities hope to encourage uptake of LMS and other technologies, studies are required to examine how teachers reconcile and translate their beliefs in these environments. Research into university teacher beliefs has suggested that belief systems infiltrate teacher thinking, planning, decision-making, behaviour and their application of educational technologies (Bain, McNaught, Lueckenhausen, & Mills, 1998; Reeves & Reeves, 1997).

This study explores these ideas through examining the interrelationship between university teacher’s pedagogical beliefs, beliefs about web technologies and their web practices. Rich qualitative data was collected from six case study participants who were using an LMS in their practice. The data collection procedure required participants to create blended (open and closed) concept maps to represent the two belief systems under investigation. These maps served as scaffolding for interviews on their belief systems as well as providing an alternative and visual representation of their knowledge structures and the relational propositions between their belief concepts. A retrospective stimulated recall task was used to explore participant’s course websites. Analysing this qualitative data individually and across cases revealed important insights into the interrelationships under investigation. Affordance theories particularly, offered an accommodating view of how teachers make decisions about their web practices with reference to their beliefs and their whole teaching and disciplinary context. The findings have strong implications for academic development and teacher education related to technology integration. The findings clearly show that there is no ‘one size fits all’ teacher development approach that will enable our teachers to successfully express their individual pedagogies in web environments. There are many complex factors at play that are interactive and recursive.

Learning management systems (LMS) serve as the primary online technology for student learning in ... more Learning management systems (LMS) serve as the primary online technology for student learning in many universities. Although they are only one ‘solution’, they are
often regarded as all encompassing. How university teachers reconcile their beliefs about such technologies with their pedagogical beliefs remains a relatively unexplored
area. This study draws on three cases from various disciplines to uncover faculty beliefs about the roles, affordances and limitations of these technologies and how each
teacher adapted these to their learning designs within an LMS environment. The overall aim is to reveal the relationship between teacher beliefs and learning designs
for web technologies such as LMS. This research contributes to the conceptual understandings that underpin faculty teacher development for technology integration. It provides insightful accounts of the kinds of teacher beliefs that underlie effective
learning designs for quite large classes. The resultant stories themselves hold great potential to promote reflection and discourse on the use of technologies in university teaching.

Most universities still offer Learning Management Systems (LMS) as the ‘one size fits all’ techno... more Most universities still offer Learning Management Systems (LMS) as the ‘one size fits all’ technology solution for all teachers across all disciplines. Using LMS across diverse campuses has resulted in efficiencies-of-scale for administrators, however LMS integration into teacher practices is minimal (e.g., Conole & Fill, 2005) and teachers’ creative space can be limited for discipline-based innovation.

Together, these realities indicate that there are significant barriers to the effective use of LMSs, especially for teaching and learning purposes. To overcome such barriers, the complex and less visible internal space of teacher beliefs must be understood in relation to teachers’ pedagogical contexts and the affordances they can identify. This paper reports on the findings of six qualitative case studies of teachers at different stages of LMS integration and the extent to which teachers reconciled their beliefs. The results highlight the need for technology environments that better accommodate teacher diversity.

Educational technologies in university education are widely promoted for their potential to enric... more Educational technologies in university education are widely promoted for their potential to enrich, enhance and extend student learning experiences (Hedberg, 2006). In the last decade, Learning Management Systems (LMS) have become a standard educational technology solution at most universities. While LMS have been purchased with enthusiasm, they have not always been integrated into university teacher practices with the same enthusiasm, and little work has been completed to assess differential effects across individual teachers, contexts and disciplines. If universities hope to encourage uptake of LMS and other technologies, studies are required to examine how teachers reconcile and translate their beliefs in these environments. Research into university teacher beliefs has suggested that belief systems infiltrate teacher thinking, planning, decision-making, behaviour and their application of educational technologies (Bain, McNaught, Lueckenhausen, & Mills, 1998; Reeves & Reeves, 1997).

Same places, different spaces, 2010

Most universities still offer Learning Management Systems (LMS) as the 'one size fits all&#x... more Most universities still offer Learning Management Systems (LMS) as the 'one size fits all' technology solution for all teachers across all disciplines. Using LMS across diverse campuses has resulted in efficiencies-of-scale for administrators, however LMS integration into teacher practices ...

Proceedings of World Conference on Educational …, 2003

Abstract: Increasingly, academic teachers are designing their own web sites to add value to or re... more Abstract: Increasingly, academic teachers are designing their own web sites to add value to or replace other forms of university teaching. These web sites are tangible and dynamic constructions that represent the teachers thinking and decisions derived from an implicit belief system ...

Most universities still offer Learning Management Systems (LMS) as the 'one size fits all' techno... more Most universities still offer Learning Management Systems (LMS) as the 'one size fits all' technology solution for all teachers across all disciplines. Using LMS across diverse campuses has resulted in efficiencies-of-scale for administrators, however LMS integration into teacher practices is minimal (e.g., and teachers' creative space can be limited for discipline-based innovation. Together, these realities indicate that there are significant barriers to the effective use of LMSs, especially for teaching and learning purposes.

Increasingly, academic teachers are designing their own web sites to add value to or replace othe... more Increasingly, academic teachers are designing their own web sites to add value to or replace other forms of university teaching. These web sites are tangible and dynamic constructions that represent the teachers thinking and decisions derived from an implicit belief system about teaching and learning. The emphasis of this study is to explore the potential of the research techniques of concept-mapping and stimulated recall to locate the implicit pedagogies of academic teachers and investigate how they are enacted through the learning designs of their web sites. The rationale behind such an investigation is that once these implicit belief systems are made visible, then conversations can commence about how these beliefs are transformed into practice, providing a potent departure point for academic development.

Balance, fidelity, mobility: Maintaining the momentum, Jan 1, 2005

With increasing importance being accorded to web technologies for learning and teaching, many uni... more With increasing importance being accorded to web technologies for learning and teaching, many universities are now considering changing or moving to enterprise-level learning management systems (LMS). Stories about the perils of advancing change in a university environment are well known in the higher education sector. Change is something that universities do not do well! Drawing on the idea that change can be empowering, enabling and educational, this implementation uses the inter-related approaches of culture, leadership, project management and change management to inform its strategies for change.

Professional societies, established to support academic and professional staff in higher educatio... more Professional societies, established to support academic and professional staff in higher education, need to be vigilant of regional and international trends that affect their core business. In this paper, we provide an analysis of political, economic, social and technological factors that are impacting upon the Australasian higher education environment through considering the case of the Australasian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education (ascilite). Drawing on two ascilite membership surveys along with the relevant literature we identify significant challenges for professional societies and offer some strategic insights for similar regional societies and their executive teams.

Ascilite has a long tradition in welcoming delegates from around the world to engage, share and d... more Ascilite has a long tradition in welcoming delegates from around the world to engage, share and discuss research and practitioner applications of innovative ideas with like minded people. The ascilite conference has a reputation for its friendliness and for the passion of its energetic community of practice. The 27 conference continues this energy and delegates will find a diverse range of keynotes, invited speakers, papers and workshops from some of the leading lights in the field.

Challenge FRAP (Form for the Analysis of Problems), is client based public-domain authoring softw... more Challenge FRAP (Form for the Analysis of Problems), is client based public-domain authoring software that facilitates the dynamic use of scaffolding, progressive feedback to learners, and student reflection at important decision-making points. This paper reports the student use and evaluation of this eLearning tool in the context of a plant pathology course over three years. Students in a third year undergraduate course were given authentic commercially significant plant disease problems derived from industry and matched with industry clients to work through their analysis and diagnosis. The use of Challenge FRAP enabled students to work in a flexible, selfdirected way with strong scaffolding support and guidance to assist them through a scholarly scientific reasoning process. The e-learning tool also enabled the teacher to gain insights into student decision-making and cognitive thinking processes and to provide feedback and guidance at crucial learning points. This paper details student perceptions of this e-learning scaffolding tool during and after their experience of using it, as well as their responses to the authentic learning context and how they believed the process influenced their learning.

Hello! Where are you in the …, 2008

ePortfolio progress has been slowed at many institutions by a technology-first attitude: a platfo... more ePortfolio progress has been slowed at many institutions by a technology-first attitude: a platform is chosen and then wider use of that platform is encouraged. One flaw in this strategy is that ePortfolios can be used for a variety of activities, each of which has somewhat different support needs (often including different technologies). A planning team at the University of Queensland decided to widen the engagement of the academic community by focusing attention on the activities, rather than on the software. The team's innovative planning process has many points of interest including the involvement of international expertise, the list of ePortfolio-supported activities, the workshop's tasks, and the use of Google spreadsheets to make small group breakouts work more quickly and effectively. The resulting half-day workshop has energised wider interest in ePortfolios at the university.

Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 2012

The emergence of any new educational technology is often accompanied by inflated expectations abo... more The emergence of any new educational technology is often accompanied by inflated expectations about its potential for transforming pedagogical practice and improving student learning outcomes. A critique of the rhetoric accompanying the evolution of 3D virtual world education reveals a similar pattern, with the initial hype based more on rhetoric than research demonstrating the extent to which rhetoric matches reality. Addressed are the perceived gaps in the literature through a critique of the rhetoric evident throughout the evolution of the application of virtual worlds in education and the reality based on the reported experiences of experts in the field of educational technology, who are all members of the Australian and New Zealand Virtual Worlds Working Group. The experiences reported highlight a range of effective virtual world collaborative and communicative teaching experiences conducted in members' institutions. Perspectives vary from those whose reality is the actuati...

3D virtual reality, including the current generation of multiuser virtual worlds, has had a long ... more 3D virtual reality, including the current generation of multiuser virtual worlds, has had a long history of use in education and training, and it experienced a surge of renewed interest with the advent of Second Life in 2003. What followed shortly after were several years marked by considerable hype around the use of virtual worlds for teaching, learning and research in higher education. For the moment, uptake of the technology seems to have plateaued, with academics either maintaining the status quo and continuing to use virtual worlds as they have previously done or choosing to opt out altogether. This paper presents a brief review of the use of virtual worlds in the Australian and New Zealand higher education sector in the past and reports on its use in the sector at the present time, based on input from members of the Australian and New Zealand Virtual Worlds Working Group. It then adopts a forward-looking perspective amid the current climate of uncertainty, musing on future directions and offering suggestions for potential new applications in light of recent technological developments and innovations in the area.

ReCALL, 2015

ReCALL, 2013

This paper has two key objectives. Firstly, it seeks to record the technologies in current use by... more This paper has two key objectives. Firstly, it seeks to record the technologies in current use by learners of a range of languages at an Australian university in 2011. Data was collected via a large-scale survey of 587 foreign language students across ten languages at The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia. Notably the data differentiates between those technologies that students used inside and outside of formal classrooms as well as recording particular technologies and applications that students perceived as beneficial to their language learning. Secondly, this study aims to compare and contrast its findings with those from two previous studies that collected data on students’ use of technologies five years earlier, in 2006, in the UK and Canada. The intention is to chart major developments and changes that have occurred during the intervening five-year period, between 2006 and 2011. The data reported in two studies, one by Conole (2008) and one by Peters, Weinberg and ...

Virtual worlds continue to be used in Australia and New Zealand higher education institutions alt... more Virtual worlds continue to be used in Australia and New Zealand higher education institutions although the hype has settled. Whilst some higher education institutions continue to use virtual worlds as they have done for some time, other institutions are trialing different virtual worlds and some are opting out altogether. An overview of how 46 authors from 28 institutions see virtual worlds as an opportunity to sustain the future of higher education is presented. The positives and negatives of using virtual worlds are discussed.