Centre for Learning and Professional Development publications

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Browsing Centre for Learning and Professional Development publications by Author "Baron, J."

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    Factors impacting on the adoption and use of web-supported teaching by academic staff
    (ASCILITE, 2003) Shannon, S.; Doube, L.; Australasian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education. Conference (20th : 2003 : Adelaide, South Australia); Crisp, G.; Thiele, D.; Scholten, I.; Baker, S.; Baron, J.
    In 2002-03 the University of Adelaide funded a study into factors impacting on the adoption and use of web-supported teaching in this research intensive University. The University was committed to continuing face-to-face teaching, aided by websupported teaching. The study included the beliefs and values about web-supported teaching and learning among three groups of University of Adelaide teaching staff: • those who had never used web-supported teaching • those who had adopted the University centrally supported Learning Management System (MyUni) • those who had adopted other web-based learning systems or platforms The reflections of these groups on what would be required to develop their use of MyUni and, for users of other systems, to migrate their courses to MyUni, were encompassed. For those who had used web-supported teaching their observations in relation to the impact of web-supported teaching on their students and on their own teaching were canvassed. Interviews and a survey were conducted. The findings were that more staff valued computers in higher education than were using them, and more staff valued web-based learning in higher education than were adopting it. The principal reasons given were time and workload and staff conceptions of University teaching.
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    Learn outside the box - reframing the questions by combining scenario-based learning with online role play/simulation
    (University of Calgary, 2004) Baron, J.; Carrington, A.; Kavanagh, S.; Kindley, R.; Maier, H.; Best Practices in e-Learning Online Conference (2004)
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    Mapping academic programs with ProgramMap
    (ASCILITE, 2003) Roberts, I.; Shannon, S.; Radford, A.; Australasian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education. Conference (20th : 2003 : Adelaide, South Australia); Crisp, G.; Thiele, D.; Scholten, I.; Barker, S.; Baron, J.
    ProgramMap is a web tool that allows curriculum leaders to describe the relationships amongst components of academic programs and between those programs and one or more curriculum frameworks. Information including examples of student work are collected at course-level and aggregated to year-level and program-level as required. Curriculum leaders are led to work within self-declared and externally imposed academic objectives. The design and delivery of integrated programs are thereby fostered and evaluation against strategic objectives enhanced. Compliance with internal and external requirements can be monitored and current and prospective students can discover valuable information about the programs they are undertaking or considering. This paper describes the design and production and implementation of ProgramMap in the School of Architecture, Landscape Architecture and Urban Design at the University of Adelaide.
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    Predicting the future use of web-teaching tools by academic staff
    (ASCILITE, 2003) Shannon, S.; Doube, L.; Australasian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education. Conference (20th : 2003 : Adelaide, South Australia); Crisp, G.; Thiele, D.; Scholten, I.; Baker, S.; Baron, J.
    156 academic staff members with teaching responsibilities responded to a 2003 anonymous staff survey requesting information about their future intentions with regard to using web-teaching tools at the University of Adelaide, and the impact of various factors on their decision-making. A discussion of the implications of the findings and how such issues might be dealt with are covered in this paper.
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    Ready to Learn: Effectively Engaging Students with Pre-Lecture Activities
    (University of Adelaide, 2010) Pope, C.; Karanicolas, S.; Willis, C.; Green, I.; Snelling, C.; Carrington, A.; Baron, J.; ERGA Conference (5th : 2010 : Adelaide, Australia); Centre for Learning and Professional Development
    Many university lecturers are in the process of reshaping the nature and purpose of face-to-face contact time, seeking to morph the traditional lecture into something that is more interactive and student driven. This shift is apparent in a range of initiatives, for example, such as POGIL (Moog, 2010), Team-Based Learning (Sibley, 2010), Peer Instruction (Mazur, 1999; Crouch & Mazur, 2001), Just in Time Teaching (Carrington & Green, 2007; Novak, 2010), Crash Courses (Willis, 2009) and Integrated Online Learning Modules (Snelling et al., 2009; Karanicolas et al., 2009; Karanicolas & Snelling, 2010; Snelling & Karanicolas, 2010) to name but a few. Underpinning this changing lecture dynamic is a focus on the content that students are required to cover so that they may be best prepared for, and thus gain maximum benefit from, the face-to-face session. Team-Based Learning, for example, does this in a quasi-traditional manner, relying on readings combined with reading guides and preparatory questions, while the Integrated Online Learning Modules achieves this in a much more contemporary fashion, providing students with multi-media learning modules and online quizzes. In both cases the emphasis is on moving a significant proportion of the ‘broadcast’ material, i.e. the one-way monologues that were the stuff of the traditional university lecture, out of the face-to-face session, and into a format that students access independently and work through at their own pace. However, designing effective pre-lecture activities presents its own challenges. These activities need to be suitable for students from a wide range of backgrounds and abilities, and with a range of different learning styles and needs. They need to effectively cover the required content while continuing to hold student interest and they need to relate coherently to the upcoming face-to-face session. Without a student perception of relevance, pre-lecture activities will not be carried out either at the right time or, possibly, at all. In this panel session, then, we will review the characteristics of effective pre-lecture activities, those that succeed in engaging students while ensuring they acquire the skills and knowledge enabling them to best participate in the faceto- face interaction. Such activities provide a scaffolding of the curriculum, support collaborative learning and nurture problem solving skills; importantly, they should also function as an effective revision tool, for example, in preparation for final assessment. We will present some approaches to designing activities with these characteristics, and will provide examples from our own work, discussing the lessons we have learned about how (and how not) to design such activities. Equally importantly, we will discuss common stumbling blocks for both lecturers and students in transiting to these teaching and learning modes. The panel members have first hand experience over a wide range of disciplines, year levels and class sizes; they will present current research into, and will reflect on their own experiences of, pre-lecture activities, both online and face-to-face. The session will encourage members of the audience to share their own experiences, and will open dialogue aimed at identifying the sorts of tools and resources sought by lecturers wanting to move towards more interactive face-to-face learning and effective pre-lecture activities.
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    Which came first the Chicken or the Egg? Results from the Chicken & Egg e-Sim 2009
    (The University of Adelaide, 2010) Hazel, S.; Chew, F.; Lawson, T.; Carrington, A.; Baron, J.; ERGA Conference (5th : 2010 : Adelaide, Australia); Centre for Learning and Professional Development
    Decisions made relating to animal treatment in a society are complex, with science, culture, economics, politics, and ethics all having an impact. This complexity can be difficult for students to appreciate, but in a course teaching animal welfare and animal ethics is important to try to help them to grasp. Use of online roleplays, such as the Mekong e-Sim, can help students actively engage in complex issues (Maier 2007). The Chicken & Egg e-Sim was developed to enable active participation by students in a decision-making process related to animals. A total of 132 first year BSc(An Sci) and BSc(Pre-vet) students enrolled in ‘Principles in Animal Behaviour, Welfare and Ethics’ participated in the e-Sim in 2009. Learning objectives included to: • gain an understanding of the complexity of decision-making involving how animals are treated • improve team work and IT skills The scenario was based on a fictitious new development of battery caged layer sheds in SA. Tax payer dollars are allocated to the project, but when the State Government finds a budget shortfall a Public Inquiry was announced. Students represented stakeholder groups (e.g. Australian Egg Corporation Ltd, RSPCA), media groups, or a decisionmaking group (4 students/group). Stakeholder submissions were posted on a Discussion Board, followed by debate with groups trying to enhance their own position and to discredit other groups. The Decision-Maker group then released their final decision onto a Discussion Board and had to defend it. Students finally stepped outside their role for a Debriefing to reflect on what had happened. Assessment comprised 40% of the total course mark, including group and individual components. Quizzes completed prior to the Public Inquiry ensured students were familiar with methods of egg production, and the organisations represented in the e-Sim. The Research Skill Development (RSD) framework was used to design assessment rubrics. Two e-Sims were run simultaneously due to student numbers. A total of 858 entries on Group Forums in e-Sim A (n=64 students) and 608 entries in e-Sim B (n=57 students) were made. The Public Inquiry Discussion Board resulted in 328 and 186 entries in e-Sim A and B, respectively. Thus high levels of participation were achieved. Questions relating to the Chicken & Egg e-Sim were given in a specific SELT. There was 72% broad agreement in reply to ‘I felt actively involved in the e-Sim’ and ‘The Chicken & Egg e-Sim helped me to understand the complexity of decisionmaking in relation to animal welfare.’ Only 31% broad agreement occurred with the question ‘My IT skills have improved’ which may relate to early teething problems getting students on to the Moodle. An encouraging response was a 59% broad agreement in response to ‘My personal viewpoint has been changed.’ The Chicken & Egg e-Sim achieved high levels of student participation. Over half the students agreed their attitudes had changed following the e-Sim, the strongest endorsement of student engagement and learning. With further refinements the e-Sim can be improved, with the possibility of being taken up by other institutions interested in teaching animal welfare and ethics.