Papers by Deborah West
This study provides insight into technology-enhanced assessment (TEA) in diverse higher education... more This study provides insight into technology-enhanced assessment (TEA) in diverse higher education contexts. The effectiveness of using technology for assessment in higher education is still equivocal, particularly in regard to evidence of improvements in student learning. This empirical research explores the affordances that technology offers to assessment for transforming student learning. A systematic literature review, guided by an analytic survey tool, was used to identify and interrogate recent scholarly articles published in 19 international journals. From a total of 1713 articles, 139 articles were identified as being focused on the use of technology for assessment. The analytic tool guided the rigorous exploration of the literature regarding the types of technology being used, the educational goal, the type of assessment, and the degree of “transformation” afforded by the technology. Results showed that, in
the sample investigated, TEA is used most frequently for formative peer learning, as part of the task design and feedback stages of the assessment cycle, and that social media has been a major affordance for this. Results are discussed with a view to fostering a future culture of inquiry and scholarship around TEA in higher education.
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Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 2016
This paper presents findings from a study of Australian and New Zealand academics (n = 276) who t... more This paper presents findings from a study of Australian and New Zealand academics (n = 276) who teach tertiary education students. The study aimed to explore participants' early experiences of learning analytics in a higher education milieu where data analytics is gaining increasing prominence. Broadly speaking participants were asked about: (1) their teaching context; (2) their current student retention activities; (3) their involvement in, and aspirations for, learning analytics use; and (4) their relationship with their institution around learning analytics. The sampled teaching staff broadly indicated a high level of interest but limited level of substantive involvement in learning analytics projects and capacity building activities. Overall, the intention is to present a critical set of voices that assist in identifying and understanding key issues and draw connections to the broader work being done in the field.
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In the current higher education environment, providing high quality teaching and learning experie... more In the current higher education environment, providing high quality teaching and learning experiences to students has moved beyond desirable to essential. Quality improvement takes many forms, but one core aspect to ensure sustainable improvement is the development of a culture of scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL). Developing such an institutional culture is surprisingly challenging yet essential to improving the status of teaching in higher education (HE), being successful in teaching and learning awards and grants, and, improving the student experience.
The Australian Government’s Promoting Excellence Network initiative funds networks to foster collaboration between HE institutions to improve outcomes in national learning and teaching award and grant programs. Supported by this funding, the South Australian / Northern Territory Promoting Excellence Network (SANTPEN), a grouping of six institutions, formed. Bringing together a diverse network of institutions, similar only by virtue of geographic location is challenging.
This paper describes the first three years of SANTPEN’s journey from the context of our own development with the concept of SoTL and how we applied this to build a culture of SoTL in and between our institutions. It also demonstrates how a modest budget can be put to effective use to benefit those immediately involved, institutional objectives and the aims of the national funding body. We provide evidence of this effectiveness and conclude with our collective aspirations for the future of SANTPEN and other likeminded and funded networks.
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Educational Technology Research & Development, 2016
As learning analytics activity has increased, a variety of ethical implications and consideration... more As learning analytics activity has increased, a variety of ethical implications and considerations have emerged, though a significant research gap remains in explicitly investigating the views of key stakeholders, such as academic staff. This paper draws on ethics-related findings from an Australian study featuring two surveys, one of institutional leaders (n = 22) and one of academic staff (n = 353), as well as a set of follow-up interviews (n = 23) with academic level staff. A self-selecting sample of participants was asked about the ethical issues they see as important in learning analytics and about the types of ethical principles or considerations they thought should guide learning analytics use. Data showed participants’ views did tend to align with established ethical principles, though the language used to express this varied widely. Building on, and in response to, both the data and the literature review the paper proposes an ethical decision making framework that encourages institutional leaders and those involved in implementing learning analytics to consistently apply and document ethical decision making processes as part of an overall approach to developing well-aligned and transparent institutional policies and broader ethical literacy.
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Online Learning Journal, 2016
This paper presents a dialogical tool for the advancement of learning analytics implementation fo... more This paper presents a dialogical tool for the advancement of learning analytics implementation for student retention in Higher Education institutions. The framework was developed as an outcome of a project commissioned and funded by the Australian Government's Office for Learning and Teaching. The project took a mixed-method approach including a survey at the institutional level (n = 24), a survey of individual teaching staff and other academics with an interest in student retention (n = 353), and a series of interviews (n = 23). Following the collection and analysis of these data an initial version of the framework was developed and presented at a National Forum attended by 148 colleagues from 43 different institutions. Participants at the forum were invited to provide commentary on the usefulness and composition of the framework which was subsequently updated to reflect this feedback. Ultimately, it is envisaged that such a framework might offer institutions an accessible and concise tool to structure and systematize discussion about how learning analytics might be implemented for student retention in their own context.
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Journal of Technology in Human Services, 2002
... Deborah West, MSW, is Research Assistant, School of Social Administration and So-cial Work, F... more ... Deborah West, MSW, is Research Assistant, School of Social Administration and So-cial Work, Flinders University of South Australia (E ... The authors acknowledge the dedicated efforts of their other team members, Alan Marriage and Cynthia Elford, and their volunteers, Helen ...
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Australian Social Work, 2009
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Advances in SoTL, 2016
This paper reports on partial findings of an Australian Office for Learning and Teaching funded p... more This paper reports on partial findings of an Australian Office for Learning and Teaching funded project entitled Learning Analytics: Assisting Universities with Student Retention. The potential of learning analytics to address diverse learning needs in a systematic and responsive manner is discussed, focusing on how the use of learning analytics can assist in developing responsive and student-centred curricula, and by extension improve student retention. Potential uses of learning analytics to address diverse learning needs and improve retention are explored, as is current use by academics. The paper first provides a literature review with a focus on the potential impact of learning analytics on student retention, and student success and engagement, before reporting on academic-level qualitative data of the project. These qualitative data for this paper are retrieved from a combination of surveys and focused interviews with academics across the Australian higher education sector. The key findings indicate that learning analytics is currently still a potential source of confusion for many academics, that institutional context is a crucial factor, and that a need exists for proactive communication about learning analytics planning and strategy by institutional leaders.
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Globally Connected, Digitally Enabled: Proceedings of the ascilite 2015 Conference, 2015
This paper presents findings from a study of Australian and New Zealand academics (n = 276) that ... more This paper presents findings from a study of Australian and New Zealand academics (n = 276) that teach tertiary education students. The study aimed to explore participants’ early experiences of learning analytics in a higher education milieu in which data analytics is gaining increasing prominence. Broadly speaking participants were asked about: (1) Their teaching context, (2) Their current student retention activities, (3) Their involvement in, and aspirations for, learning analytics use, (4) Their relationship with their institution around learning analytics. The sampled teaching staff broadly indicated a high level of interest but limited level of substantive involvement in learning analytics projects and capacity building activities. Overall, the intention is to present a critical set of voices that assist in identifying and understanding key issues and draw connections to the broader work being done in the field.
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Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, 2015
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Australia's Children's Courts Today and Tomorrow, 2013
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Australian Social Work, 2010
Strengths-based practice appears to be a popular approach to social work practice. Increasingly, ... more Strengths-based practice appears to be a popular approach to social work practice. Increasingly, it has become the approach of choice in community work, with the “asset-based community development” model being utilised both in Australia and internationally. However, asset-based community development has been criticised for its lack of an evidence base, lack of theoretical depth, and its lack of consideration of
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Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 2011
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Conference Presentations by Deborah West
This symposium is based on a recently published edited volume “Foundations of Digital Badges and ... more This symposium is based on a recently published edited volume “Foundations of Digital Badges and Micro-Credentials” which aims to provide insight into how digital badges may enhance formal and informal education by focusing on technical design issues including organizational requirements, instructional design, and deployment. All panel members are contributors to the edited volume and will share their perspectives on (1) digital badges’ impact on learning and assessment, (2) digital badges within instructional design and technological frameworks, and (3) the importance of stakeholders for the implementation of digital badges.
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Papers by Deborah West
the sample investigated, TEA is used most frequently for formative peer learning, as part of the task design and feedback stages of the assessment cycle, and that social media has been a major affordance for this. Results are discussed with a view to fostering a future culture of inquiry and scholarship around TEA in higher education.
The Australian Government’s Promoting Excellence Network initiative funds networks to foster collaboration between HE institutions to improve outcomes in national learning and teaching award and grant programs. Supported by this funding, the South Australian / Northern Territory Promoting Excellence Network (SANTPEN), a grouping of six institutions, formed. Bringing together a diverse network of institutions, similar only by virtue of geographic location is challenging.
This paper describes the first three years of SANTPEN’s journey from the context of our own development with the concept of SoTL and how we applied this to build a culture of SoTL in and between our institutions. It also demonstrates how a modest budget can be put to effective use to benefit those immediately involved, institutional objectives and the aims of the national funding body. We provide evidence of this effectiveness and conclude with our collective aspirations for the future of SANTPEN and other likeminded and funded networks.
Conference Presentations by Deborah West
the sample investigated, TEA is used most frequently for formative peer learning, as part of the task design and feedback stages of the assessment cycle, and that social media has been a major affordance for this. Results are discussed with a view to fostering a future culture of inquiry and scholarship around TEA in higher education.
The Australian Government’s Promoting Excellence Network initiative funds networks to foster collaboration between HE institutions to improve outcomes in national learning and teaching award and grant programs. Supported by this funding, the South Australian / Northern Territory Promoting Excellence Network (SANTPEN), a grouping of six institutions, formed. Bringing together a diverse network of institutions, similar only by virtue of geographic location is challenging.
This paper describes the first three years of SANTPEN’s journey from the context of our own development with the concept of SoTL and how we applied this to build a culture of SoTL in and between our institutions. It also demonstrates how a modest budget can be put to effective use to benefit those immediately involved, institutional objectives and the aims of the national funding body. We provide evidence of this effectiveness and conclude with our collective aspirations for the future of SANTPEN and other likeminded and funded networks.