In an ever-changing and globalised world there is a need for higher education to adapt and evolve... more In an ever-changing and globalised world there is a need for higher education to adapt and evolve its models of learning and teaching. The old industrial model has lost traction, and new patterns of creative engagement are required. These new models potentially increase relevancy and better equip students for the future. Although creativity is recognised as an attribute that can contribute much to the development of these pedagogies, and creativity is valued by universities as a graduate capability, some educators understandably struggle to translate this vision into practice. This paper reports on selected survey findings from a mixed methods research project which aimed to shed light on how creativity can be designed for in higher education learning and teaching settings. A social constructivist epistemology underpinned the research and data was gathered using survey and case study methods. Descriptive statistical methods and informed grounded theory were employed for the analysis...
Universities are now tasked with competing in a global education market. Consequently there are c... more Universities are now tasked with competing in a global education market. Consequently there are considerable creative, pedagogical, and capacity building challenges for institutions, many of which are related to curriculum transformation. Curriculum transformation is a deliberate process of marked change in learning and teaching that impacts the construction of effective learning environments. In this paper we discuss curriculum transformation at an Australian university, where challenging opportunities for innovation were recognised and taken up, resulting in new learning pathways for students and the organisation. The design of two massive open online courses (MOOCs) is presented as a triggering event for change. MOOC evaluation findings confirm the need to establish quality parameters for curriculum innovation projects; the contribution of personal and organisational learning to the transformation process; the need to select the delivery platform early in the project development ...
The LAMS @ Macquarie University Implementation Project is an enterprise-wide project which aims t... more The LAMS @ Macquarie University Implementation Project is an enterprise-wide project which aims to develop and promote the use of LAMS (the Learning Activity Management System) across the University. This paper is a brief exploration of some of the early indications from the research conducted during Stage 1. We consider some of the challenges of adopting the next generation of e-learning tools, in particular the issues surrounding adoption and dissemination, establishment of a community of practice, and creation and sharing of reusable learning designs.
The implementation of systematic peer review as a professional development activity, and as a sup... more The implementation of systematic peer review as a professional development activity, and as a support for educational design activities is under-utilised in many Australian higher education institutions. This case study reports on the first stages of planning and implementation of an institution-wide project to enhance teaching and learning quality at a remote and regional university, where one of the major strategies for improvement is peer review. Through a systematic process of staff engagement in peer review, within and from outside the organisation, a substantial change in flexible learning is envisaged. A mix of new and different learning spaces are to be used in the project, including blended learning spaces for academic development. This paper describes the research framework that will guide the peer review process and examines the early findings of the design-based research. Leadership, awareness raising and development of a supportive community of inquiry are seen as key c...
Information Technology, Education and Society, 2007
This chapter aims to provide a snapshot of a selection of online projects carried out within the ... more This chapter aims to provide a snapshot of a selection of online projects carried out within the last 5 years in order to describe the diversity and range of practices that the medium of e-learning can facilitate and to identify the factors most likely to contribute to their success or failure. Four online projects that shared the goal of aiming to improve learning opportunities for school students through the use of e-learning are discussed. The projects represent a series of initiatives hosted by three different Centres (The Centre for Flexible Learning, the Macquarie University ICT Innovations Centre and the Macquarie University e-Learning Centre of Excellence) located within an Australian University. They involve collaboration between staff from these Centres with technical support staff and academic staff from a range of disciplines at Macquarie University, Australia; with technical and teaching staff from schools in New South Wales; and with research staff from organisations such as the Australian Centre for Astrobiology (ACA), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in America and the Centre for Astronomy and Science Education (CASE) at the University of Glamorgan.
Abstract: The challenge of creating a learning environment that builds on experience, providing c... more Abstract: The challenge of creating a learning environment that builds on experience, providing clear and secure support for a new world of knowing, requires reflection upon and examination of traditional and accepted ways of learning and teaching. This paper ...
Abstract: The Learning Activity Management System (LAMS) is new authoring software designed to su... more Abstract: The Learning Activity Management System (LAMS) is new authoring software designed to support collaborative, activity-driven learning. This paper reports on a pilot study of the implementation of LAMS in different disciplines at University level and in different grades and subjects at ...
Background The COLIS project (see http://www. colis. mq. edu. au) demonstrates an open standards ... more Background The COLIS project (see http://www. colis. mq. edu. au) demonstrates an open standards approach to the integration of e-learning and information systems. The 'Demonstrator'environment created for the COLIS project incorporates a Learning Object ...
Bennett, S, Parrish, D, Lefoe, G, O'Reilly, M, Keppell, MJ & Philip, R 2008,'A need ana... more Bennett, S, Parrish, D, Lefoe, G, O'Reilly, M, Keppell, MJ & Philip, R 2008,'A need analysis framework for digital repository design in higher education', in L Lockyer, S Bennett, S Agostiniho & B Harper (eds), Handbook of research on learning design and learning objects: issues, applications and technologies, Information Science Publishing, Hershey., pp. 607-628. ISBN: 9781599048611
Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 2018
Bridging the gap between theory and practice in higher education continues to be problematic for ... more Bridging the gap between theory and practice in higher education continues to be problematic for educators. One potential means of addressing this problem and moving practice forward is to articulate and share learning designs created from the work of exemplary practitioners. This study offers a new representation of learning design which foregrounds creative processes. The learning design patterns are in text and visual format, and they reveal where creative processes reside in the learning process. The patterns are complemented by case study narratives, so there is an opportunity to bring significant insight to pedagogical practice. The designs were derived from an in-depth, qualitative study of exemplary practitioners who teach creatively and foster student creativity within either the creative industries or social sciences. Constructivist, informed grounded theory methods were used for the case study data collection and analysis that led to the construction of the patterns. The ...
Proceedings of World Conference on Educational …, 2008
Abstract: Reusing learning designs created by successful teachers is a means of sharing innovatio... more Abstract: Reusing learning designs created by successful teachers is a means of sharing innovation and exemplary lessons whilst at the same time conserving resources. It would seem beneficial, therefore, to encourage and promote this practice. Repositories exist to ...
In an ever-changing and globalised world there is a need for higher education to adapt and evolve... more In an ever-changing and globalised world there is a need for higher education to adapt and evolve its models of learning and teaching. The old industrial model has lost traction, and new patterns of creative engagement are required. These new models potentially increase relevancy and better equip students for the future. Although creativity is recognised as an attribute that can contribute much to the development of these pedagogies, and creativity is valued by universities as a graduate capability, some educators understandably struggle to translate this vision into practice. This paper reports on selected survey findings from a mixed methods research project which aimed to shed light on how creativity can be designed for in higher education learning and teaching settings. A social constructivist epistemology underpinned the research and data was gathered using survey and case study methods. Descriptive statistical methods and informed grounded theory were employed for the analysis...
Universities are now tasked with competing in a global education market. Consequently there are c... more Universities are now tasked with competing in a global education market. Consequently there are considerable creative, pedagogical, and capacity building challenges for institutions, many of which are related to curriculum transformation. Curriculum transformation is a deliberate process of marked change in learning and teaching that impacts the construction of effective learning environments. In this paper we discuss curriculum transformation at an Australian university, where challenging opportunities for innovation were recognised and taken up, resulting in new learning pathways for students and the organisation. The design of two massive open online courses (MOOCs) is presented as a triggering event for change. MOOC evaluation findings confirm the need to establish quality parameters for curriculum innovation projects; the contribution of personal and organisational learning to the transformation process; the need to select the delivery platform early in the project development ...
The LAMS @ Macquarie University Implementation Project is an enterprise-wide project which aims t... more The LAMS @ Macquarie University Implementation Project is an enterprise-wide project which aims to develop and promote the use of LAMS (the Learning Activity Management System) across the University. This paper is a brief exploration of some of the early indications from the research conducted during Stage 1. We consider some of the challenges of adopting the next generation of e-learning tools, in particular the issues surrounding adoption and dissemination, establishment of a community of practice, and creation and sharing of reusable learning designs.
The implementation of systematic peer review as a professional development activity, and as a sup... more The implementation of systematic peer review as a professional development activity, and as a support for educational design activities is under-utilised in many Australian higher education institutions. This case study reports on the first stages of planning and implementation of an institution-wide project to enhance teaching and learning quality at a remote and regional university, where one of the major strategies for improvement is peer review. Through a systematic process of staff engagement in peer review, within and from outside the organisation, a substantial change in flexible learning is envisaged. A mix of new and different learning spaces are to be used in the project, including blended learning spaces for academic development. This paper describes the research framework that will guide the peer review process and examines the early findings of the design-based research. Leadership, awareness raising and development of a supportive community of inquiry are seen as key c...
Information Technology, Education and Society, 2007
This chapter aims to provide a snapshot of a selection of online projects carried out within the ... more This chapter aims to provide a snapshot of a selection of online projects carried out within the last 5 years in order to describe the diversity and range of practices that the medium of e-learning can facilitate and to identify the factors most likely to contribute to their success or failure. Four online projects that shared the goal of aiming to improve learning opportunities for school students through the use of e-learning are discussed. The projects represent a series of initiatives hosted by three different Centres (The Centre for Flexible Learning, the Macquarie University ICT Innovations Centre and the Macquarie University e-Learning Centre of Excellence) located within an Australian University. They involve collaboration between staff from these Centres with technical support staff and academic staff from a range of disciplines at Macquarie University, Australia; with technical and teaching staff from schools in New South Wales; and with research staff from organisations such as the Australian Centre for Astrobiology (ACA), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in America and the Centre for Astronomy and Science Education (CASE) at the University of Glamorgan.
Abstract: The challenge of creating a learning environment that builds on experience, providing c... more Abstract: The challenge of creating a learning environment that builds on experience, providing clear and secure support for a new world of knowing, requires reflection upon and examination of traditional and accepted ways of learning and teaching. This paper ...
Abstract: The Learning Activity Management System (LAMS) is new authoring software designed to su... more Abstract: The Learning Activity Management System (LAMS) is new authoring software designed to support collaborative, activity-driven learning. This paper reports on a pilot study of the implementation of LAMS in different disciplines at University level and in different grades and subjects at ...
Background The COLIS project (see http://www. colis. mq. edu. au) demonstrates an open standards ... more Background The COLIS project (see http://www. colis. mq. edu. au) demonstrates an open standards approach to the integration of e-learning and information systems. The 'Demonstrator'environment created for the COLIS project incorporates a Learning Object ...
Bennett, S, Parrish, D, Lefoe, G, O'Reilly, M, Keppell, MJ & Philip, R 2008,'A need ana... more Bennett, S, Parrish, D, Lefoe, G, O'Reilly, M, Keppell, MJ & Philip, R 2008,'A need analysis framework for digital repository design in higher education', in L Lockyer, S Bennett, S Agostiniho & B Harper (eds), Handbook of research on learning design and learning objects: issues, applications and technologies, Information Science Publishing, Hershey., pp. 607-628. ISBN: 9781599048611
Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 2018
Bridging the gap between theory and practice in higher education continues to be problematic for ... more Bridging the gap between theory and practice in higher education continues to be problematic for educators. One potential means of addressing this problem and moving practice forward is to articulate and share learning designs created from the work of exemplary practitioners. This study offers a new representation of learning design which foregrounds creative processes. The learning design patterns are in text and visual format, and they reveal where creative processes reside in the learning process. The patterns are complemented by case study narratives, so there is an opportunity to bring significant insight to pedagogical practice. The designs were derived from an in-depth, qualitative study of exemplary practitioners who teach creatively and foster student creativity within either the creative industries or social sciences. Constructivist, informed grounded theory methods were used for the case study data collection and analysis that led to the construction of the patterns. The ...
Proceedings of World Conference on Educational …, 2008
Abstract: Reusing learning designs created by successful teachers is a means of sharing innovatio... more Abstract: Reusing learning designs created by successful teachers is a means of sharing innovation and exemplary lessons whilst at the same time conserving resources. It would seem beneficial, therefore, to encourage and promote this practice. Repositories exist to ...
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