scholarly journals Recommendations for teaching in a distributed learning environment: The students’ perspective

2002 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Geraldine Lefoe ◽  
Cathy Gunn ◽  
John Hedberg

The University of Wollongong opened a new campus and two new access centres on the south coast of NSW, Australia, in 2000. The combination of distance with limited funding, after seed funding was expended, has provided opportunities to rethink teaching and learning strategies. Competition from traditional distance education providers in the area meant that, strategically, Wollongong had to “think differently”. This paper provides an overview of issues identified by students through an evaluation of the inaugural year of a flexibly delivered Arts degree in a distributed learning environment. Actions taken by the University to resolve the issues are outlined and recommendations for implementation from the students’ perspective are proposed.

Author(s):  
Karen Elizabeth Mate ◽  
John Cameron Rodger ◽  
Brett Andrew Lidbury

This chapter examines student performance in Human Physiology and Biology in response to a number of interactive language-focused and career-oriented interventions that were integrated into both lecture and tutorial formats. The study took place at the University of Newcastle, Australia and involved around 1000 students on two campuses. Although it was not possible to demonstrate a clear overall improvement in student performance as a result of these interventions, the activities were viewed positively by the majority of students. Arguably, the major impact of the language and other interventions was in the level of student motivation and engagement with the course topic. Contemporary university students are highly focused on the relevance of a course to their chosen career path, suggesting that language-based teaching and learning strategies would be most effective if placed within a vocation-specific context.


Author(s):  
Bruce King ◽  
Holly McCauslan ◽  
Ted Nunan

The University of South Australia's (UniSA) approach to converting its distance education programs to online delivery is to manage it as a part of establishing an online teaching and learning environment for all of its programs. UniSA's move to online teaching and learning derives from a clear vision of its future, is informed and directed by a comprehensive framework for teaching and learning, and enabled by appropriate structures, processes and resources. The institution has chosen to develop a relatively low-cost, easy to use online teaching and learning environment that has facilitated large-scale conversion to the online mode for all teaching and learning, including traditional distance education.


2014 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
pp. iii-iii
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Mackinlay ◽  
Martin Nakata

We are very proud to present this timely and significant Special Issue of The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education, guest edited by Katelyn Barney (The University of Queensland), Cindy Shannon (The University of Queensland) and Martin Nakata (The University of New South Wales). This collection of articles focuses on the activities of the Australian Indigenous Studies Learning and Teaching Network, an initiative funded by the Office for Teaching and Learning. The Australian Indigenous Studies Learning and Teaching Network was formed to bring leaders and early career academics in the field together to build relationships, debate and discuss central issues, and explore and share teaching and learning strategies in the discipline at tertiary level. These discussions at once untangle and re-entangle the processes, pedagogies and politics at play when Indigenous Studies becomes defined as a discipline.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Pramila Devi

<p>This study developed a model for evaluating the ability of ICT-based modes of communication to foster an effective learning environment, by creating telepresence, flexibility, interaction and collaboration, for distance learners at the University of the South Pacific (USP). The model is formulated on the basis of the educational relationship triad developed by Hall and Kidman (2002). Concepts and attributes from foundations of distance education; new models of distance education; and learning theories, which build on the educational relationships are identified and integrated into the ICT-based distance education model developed in the thesis. The study employed a multi-perspective evaluation design with survey questionnaires as the main technique of data collection. Interviews and online conferencing data was used in triangulation to support the main technique of data collection. Nine ICT-based modes of communication used for distance education at USP were assessed in this study. These are video broadcast, audio conferencing, video conferencing, the Web, email, and WebCT-based homepages, text chat, mail and discussion boards. There are two key findings of this study. The first set of findings reveals that the ICT-based distance education model developed in the thesis provided a useful framework for the evaluation of ICT-based modes of communication at USP. The second set of findings shows that distance learners at USP found the use of ICT-based modes of communication fostered an effective learning environment for them, by enhancing telepresence, flexibility, interaction and collaboration. The extent to which the four key attributes were enhanced in each course was influenced by the use of varying modes of communication, the pedagogical design of the course, access to Internet facilities, and the age,  occupation and cultural background of distance learners.</p>


2011 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 73-85 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrícia Albergaria Almeida ◽  
José Joaquim Teixeira-Dias ◽  
Jorge Medina

University students must develop several higher-order skills along their higher education route. One of these fundamental skills is creativity. The practice of questioning is one of the modes to enhance creativity. In this paper, the authors illustrate how students’ approaches to creativity can be linked to the types of questions they ask in Higher Education. Several teaching and learning strategies were implemented in a geology course and a chemistry course, at the University of Aveiro, Portugal, as a way of promoting students’ questioning competence. The relationship between the kinds of questions asked and the students’ approaches to creativity is analysed and discussed.


Author(s):  
Oisín Cawley ◽  
Stephan Weibelzahl ◽  
Ita Richardson ◽  
Yvonne Delaney

With a focus on addressing the perceived skills gap in Software Engineering (SE) graduates, some educators have looked to employing alternative teaching and learning strategies in the classroom. One such pedagogy is Problem-Based Learning (PBL), an approach the authors have incorporated into the SE curriculum in two separate third-level institutions in Ireland, namely the University of Limerick (UL) and the National College of Ireland (NCI). PBL is an approach to teaching and learning which is quite different to the more typical “lecture” style found in most 3rd level institutions. PBL allows lecturers to meet educational and industry-specific objectives; however, while it has been used widely in Medical and Business schools, its use has not been so widespread with computing educators. PBL is not without its difficulties given that it requires significant changes in the role of the lecturer and the active participation of the students. Here, the authors present the approach taken to implement PBL into their respective programs. They present the pitfalls and obstacles that needed to be addressed, the levels of success that have been achieved so far, and briefly discuss some of the important aspects that Software Engineering lecturers should consider.


2007 ◽  
Vol 21 (5) ◽  
pp. 361-366 ◽  
Author(s):  
Denise Owens ◽  
June Rutherford

This paper describes the conception and progress to date of the development of work-based learning as part of post-qualifying education in the School of Nursing at the University of Salford. There is a changing culture in the university in relation to the delivery of programmes via non-traditional routes. In this context, work-based learning is a radical change from current teaching and learning strategies in the School of Nursing and in the university as a whole. This creative approach contrasts significantly with the more traditional methods of teaching and learning in higher education. The paper reports on the development, introduction and evaluation of a work-based learning module as a pilot project. It then outlines the development of a work-based learning degree using the lessons learnt from the pilot.


Author(s):  
Ivana Milanovic ◽  
Tom Eppes

We document the four-year long experience aimed at improving student readiness to engage in research. A key ingredient has been the development of a multidisciplinary modeling course that integrates four teaching and learning strategies. Preceded by two sets of scaffolded projects, the course culminates with an inquiry-based learning (IBL) assignment on a topic that is relevant and supported by mentoring. Benefits include the development of modeling skills marketable to external entities, presentations at the University colloquia and symposia, peer-reviewed conference or journal papers, and application software releases. This paper describes the course structure, its evolution over time to meet various challenges, and provides examples of student work.


1998 ◽  
Vol 162 ◽  
pp. 93-99
Author(s):  
E.M. McCabe

The Teaching and Learning Technology Programme (TLTP) in the UK was launched in 1992 to “develop innovations in teaching and learning through the power of technology”. Increasing numbers of students with mixed abilities and backgrounds were entering into higher education. Flexible course structures and the need for remedial teaching added further motivation in the search for methods of improving productivity and efficiency.Since 1992 over 33 million of funding has been awarded to 76 projects spanning the university curriculum. When support from host institutions is taken into account, overall funding for the TLTP is estimated at 75 million. TLTP materials are now becoming available to assist institutions in maintaining and enhancing the quality of their teaching provision. The successful implementation of this new technology is requiring each institution to rethink its teaching and learning strategies (Laurillard, 1993).


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