Digital Commons Network^™

Undergraduate Student Acceptance Of A Unit Design For Developing Independent Learning Abilities, Samar Zutshi, Matthew Mitchell, Debbi Weaver

Journal of University Teaching & Learning Practice

This paper describes a method intended to advance students along the path to independent learning. The method is consistent with the principles of enquiry-based Learning. It involves restructuring student contact class time into a single three-hour block, and dedicating the majority of this time to working in small research project groups. Non-punitive, formative feedback is provided continuously on student work through the semester. In order to gain insight into the student experience of the design, a qualitative study using focus groups was conducted across two consecutive semesters. Reflection on the teaching experience in light of the student responses provides insight …

Helping University Students To ‘Read’ Scholarly Journal Articles: The Benefits Of A Structured And Collaborative Approach, Yuka Fujimoto, Pauline Hagel, Paul Turner, Uraiporn Kattiyapornpong, Ambika Zutshi

Journal of University Teaching & Learning Practice

Academics often treat students’ discipline-specific literacy as unproblematic. In doing so they may underestimate the difficulties for university students as they move between subjects of study that may involve different disciplines, language genres and academic practices. This paper describes an initiative aimed at supporting students in reading academic articles in preparation for completing an essay for an assessment task. This initiative involved a structured and collaborative two-week tutorial exercise that provided students with practice in using a framework to extract the main ideas from academic readings. Students were surveyed after this exercise, and their reflections of its value are described …

Practical And Pedagogical Aspects Of Learning Through Participation: The Ltp Assessment Design Framework, Jacqueline A. Mackaway, Theresa Winchester-Seeto, Debra Coulson, Marina Harvey

Journal of University Teaching & Learning Practice

Assessment of student learning in experience-based education is recognised as being a complex but important task. Practitioners are faced with a myriad of practical and pedagogical issues that influence what and how they assess, and can severely impact the effectiveness of assessment strategies.

This paper presents a synthesised overview of the literature about assessment of student learning that is usually discussed in dispersed arenas and under different headings, such as work-integrated learning, cooperative education, practicum, project-based learning and service-learning etc. The term Learning through Participation (LTP) is introduced to cover all of these areas, but especially those where students undertake …

Teaching For Civic Engagement: Lesson Learned From Integrating Positive Psychology And Future Studies, Jeanie K. Allen

Journal of University Teaching & Learning Practice

Teaching for civic education holds promise for assisting colleges and universities that suggest the promotion of global citizenship in their mission statements. This paper presents the study of a course where readings and activities from the literature of positive psychology were integrated with studies about current global issues and potential future scenarios, with the goal of enhancing students’ civic engagement. The hypothesis was that using activities designed to assist individuals in the development of hope, optimism, resilience, and other positive traits would encourage students to become more engaged in global issues. The analysis of students’ reflective essays reveals insights into …

In-Service Development For Graduate Teaching Assistants: A Blended-Learning And Formative Approach, David Santandreu Calonge, Patrio Chiu, Dimple R. Thadani, Kai Pan Mark, Cecilia F.K Pun

Journal of University Teaching & Learning Practice

Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) are front-line facilitators with first-hand contact with students. They play an important role in providing an engaging learning experience for undergraduate and postgraduate students. However, most of them have not received adequate training and guidance in teaching. This paper reports on an intensive and compulsory education development course for postgraduate students, which aims to prepare them for their upcoming teaching role whilst they are still research students; The course provides an introduction to the basic theoretical knowledge and practical skills required before they begin to take up teaching responsibilities at the University, in a Chinese (Hong …

The Lived Experience Of Flexible Education – Theory, Policy And Practice, Stuart R. Palmer

Journal of University Teaching & Learning Practice

The range of rationales that underpin conceptions of flexible education, and the re-making over time of the official meaning of flexibility in national education policy, have led to the point where flexibility might be found, or be required, in nearly every aspect of Australian higher education. This paper seeks to identify those rationales and the development of public policy rhetoric that have framed the development of the meaning of flexible education over time in an Australian context. By considering the intersection of theoretical and policy perspectives on flexible education with the realities of teaching and learning practice in the discipline …

Editorial 8.3, Geraldine E. Lefoe

Journal of University Teaching & Learning Practice

Welcome to the third and final issue of Volume 8 of the Journal of University Teaching and Learning (JUTLP) in 2011. As the year draws to a close we are seeing some striking changes to the higher education sector internationally. In England budget cuts have seen the closure of the twenty-four Higher Education Academy subject centres at the same time as the establishment of student fees. In Australia the cap has been lifted across the board on the number of students that can be enrolled in universities with the resultant projected increased student numbers. The focus in Australia is on …

Using Nominal Group Technique To Develop A Consensus Derived Model For Peer Review Of Teaching Across A Multi-School Faculty, Tracy Burrows, Naomi Findlay, Chloe Killen, Shane E. Dempsey, Sharyn Hunter, Pauline Chiarelli, Suzanne Snodgrass

Journal of University Teaching & Learning Practice

This paper describes the development of a peer review of teaching model for the Faculty of Health at the University of Newcastle, Australia. The process involved using the nominal group technique to engage Faculty academic staff to consider seven key decision points that informed the development of the peer review of teaching model. Use of the consensus based nominal group technique established collegial discussion and networking among participants, and has expanded the discussion within the Faculty about peer review of teaching. Although the academics come from a diverse multi-school and multi-program Faculty, there was high levels of consensus on the …

Pedagogical Approaches That Facilitate Writing In Postgraduate Research Candidature In Science And Technology, Janice Catterall, Pauline Ross, Claire Aitchison, Shelley Burgin

Journal of University Teaching & Learning Practice

The current higher education climate seems to be demanding increasing levels of written output from doctoral researchers during candidature. In this context this study employed an online questionnaire, individual interviews and focus group discussions to collect information on the challenges and successes of doctoral writing. It was found that feedback on student writing was universally regarded as the primary pedagogical tool for teaching and learning research writing and for most, the supervisor’s role was central to this. Some supervisors employed ‘writing for publication’ as a complimentary tool. A number of supervisors and students also reported positively about the value of …

Web-Based-Research As Critical Pedagogy: A Reflection On Its Application To Undergraduate Management Education., Gabriela Coronado

Journal of University Teaching & Learning Practice

In disciplines such as Management, where research capacity is not seen as an obvious workplace skill, it is difficult to get students to engage in research activities. They see them as too difficult and without value. However, research activities in undergraduate Management education are vital as tools for developing key learning attributes such as critical thinking and skills in analysis and argument. Convinced of the high value of integrating research activities into undergraduate Management Education, I took on the challenge to find alternative ways for students to develop their research capacity and engage in actual research. Drawing on reflections on …

Linking Teaching And Research Through Scholarship Projects: A Case Study, Natalie Braber

Journal of University Teaching & Learning Practice

Many lecturers find that teaching and research compete for their time. However, teaching and research can be linked closely together, and there are many ways of linking the two. This article will consider how research can be incorporated into teaching through a case study in Linguistics at Nottingham Trent University (in the United Kingdom), where undergraduate students are invited to participate on a research project. This project aims to foster and strengthen the links between teaching and research in the undergraduate curriculum to enhance the student learning experience (both for the students involved in the project and the wider student …

An Investigation Of The Impact Of Research-Led Education On Student Learning And Understandings Of Research., Fuming Jiang, Pamela J. Roberts

Journal of University Teaching & Learning Practice

This study investigated the impact of two approaches to research-led education on students’ learning and their understandings of research in the context of two university courses in international business involving third year undergraduate and graduate students. One approach involved the lecturer using his research as the basis for a case-study assignment involving an intercultural business negotiation. In the second approach students conducted a research project in which they reviewed the academic literature to identify practical implications for business and theoretical gaps as the basis for future research. A questionnaire was used to explore students’ perceptions of the impacts on their …

Teething Problems In The Academy: Negotiating The Transition To Large-Class Teaching In The Discipline Of History, Philip A. Keirle, Ruth A. Morgan

Journal of University Teaching & Learning Practice

In this paper we provide a template for transitioning from tutorial to larger-class teaching environments in the discipline of history. We commence by recognising a number of recent trends in tertiary education in Australian universities that have made this transition to larger-class sizes an imperative for many academics: increased student enrolments in the absence of a concomitant rise in teaching staff levels, greater emphasis on staff’s research and service, and governmental and institutional pressures to maximize resource efficiency. All this, of course, taking place in an environment where staff are required to engage with discipline-specific pedagogies in teaching and learning …

Catering For Student Diversity: Building Academic Skills In Graduate Attributes Learning And Assessment Opportunities Through Collaborative Work, Susanne Owen, Gary Davis

Journal of University Teaching & Learning Practice

Australian higher education institutions are increasingly operating within broader political, economic and social frameworks and the global context. The link between productivity and high level skills and qualifications and the importance of establishing a systematic process for ensuring increased participation of those from under-represented groups have been emphasised.

In relation to the law profession in Australia, over the past twenty years there has been a proliferation of law schools established to meet increasing demand, with higher student numbers and greater diversity of backgrounds evident. Concerns about the stresses on law students and the consequences for their mental well-being (especially compared …

Editorial 8.2, Geraldine E. Lefoe

Journal of University Teaching & Learning Practice

Welcome to the second issue, Volume 8 of the Journal of University Teaching and Learning (JUTLP). We are very pleased to see the way the journal continues to grow and the improvement in the quality of the papers. For this we would like to thank our editorial board and reviewers for their considerable efforts in providing valuable feedback to the contributors. Recently many people farewelled the Australian Learning and Teaching Council at the Opera House in Sydney as they presented the final round of Teaching and Learning awards and citations. Recognition for these outstanding teachers, as well as support through …

Continuous Team Assessment To Improve Student Engagement And Active Learning, Alexis S. Esposto, Debbi Weaver

Journal of University Teaching & Learning Practice

A strategy of continuous team assessment over three years, comprising of a series of tests and a major project, was introduced into scheduled tutorial classes in an attempt to improve flagging attendance and low student motivation. The assessment tasks were designed to be undertaken in teams of two students, with ongoing feedback as an integral component. After a single semester of implementation, attendance at tutorials improved (to nearly double the previous year), and this rate was sustained over a three year period. Average assessment marks rose a full grade compared to the previous student cohort, and this was also sustained …

Factors That Encourage Student Engagement: Insights From A Case Study Of ‘First Time’ Students In A New Zealand University., Barbara Russell, Gloria R L Slater

Journal of University Teaching & Learning Practice

This case study reports on the findings from one of nine tertiary institutions that took part in a project funded by the Teaching and Learning Research Initiative (TLRI) in New Zealand. The research question explored how institutional and non institutional learning environments influence student engagement with learning in a higher education, university setting. Data was collected initially by means of a questionnaire; subsequently more in-depth data was gathered through semi-structured interviews with students randomly selected from those who indicated, on the questionnaire, that they were willing to be interviewed. Respondents were enrolled for the first time in this institution, but …

Right From The Start: A Rationale For Embedding Academic Literacy Skills In University Courses, Cathy Gunn, Shari Hearne, Julie Sibthorpe

Journal of University Teaching & Learning Practice

This paper summarizes relevant research concepts, and then describes a case where online tutorials were used to integrate one generic academic skill - information literacy - into first year business courses. Tutorials covering the skills and information required to complete course assignments were designed so the content can be easily modified for different subjects and assessment tasks. Feedback from trials suggests that significant gains can be made using this embedded approach. Theoretical grounding of design concepts, integration into course activities and collaboration between course lecturers and academic support staff are all key success factors. The authors propose that this integrated …

Using Self- And Peer-Assessment To Enhance Students’ Future-Learning In Higher Education., Glyn Thomas, Dona Martin, Kathleen Pleasants

Journal of University Teaching & Learning Practice

In higher education settings, assessment tasks get the attention of students, but once students submit their work they typically become disengaged with the assessment process. Hence, opportunities for learning are lost as they become passive recipients of assessment outcomes. Future-learning oriented assessment engages students in the assessment process to improve both short- and long-term outcomes by requiring students to make sophisticated judgments about their own learning, and that of their peers. In this paper, we describe and critique three initiatives that experimented with future-learning oriented assessment within a faculty of education. These initiatives involved self- and peer-assessment in a mathematics …

The Pros And Cons Of Problem-Based Learning From The Teacher’S Standpoint, Luis Roberto C. Ribeiro

Journal of University Teaching & Learning Practice

This article focuses on a teacher’s evaluation of an experiment with problem-based learning (PBL) and its effects on his professional development. This case study, of a descriptive-analytical nature, involved the collaboration between the researcher and teacher in the planning, implementation of PBL and, to some extent, analysis of results. Research data—collected via participant observation of classes and open-ended interviews with the teacher—were analyzed in light of the literature on PBL, teacher knowledge base, and professional development. Results indicate teacher satisfaction, but also point to higher class unpredictability and increased time/workload. PBL also seems to distribute teaching workload more evenly throughout …

Learning Financial Accounting In A Tertiary Institution Of A Developing Country. An Investigation Into Instructional Methods., Indra Abeysekera

Journal of University Teaching & Learning Practice

This study examines three instructional methods (traditional, interactive, and group case–based study), and student opinions on their preference for learning financial accounting in large classes at a metropolitan university in Sri Lanka. It analyses the results of a survey questionnaire of students, using quantitative techniques to determine the preferred instructional method. It analyses the written comments made by students in the survey questionnaire using thematic analysis to determine the reasons behind their preference. The findings reveal that the most preferred instructional method is interactive and the least is traditional.

Instructional Preferences Of Students In Transnational Chinese And English Language Mba Programs, Mary Bambacas, Gavin B. Sanderson

Journal of University Teaching & Learning Practice

This paper reports on Stage 1 of a learning and teaching project focused on students studying in the Chinese and English language delivery of transnational Master of Business Administration (MBA) programs of an Australian university. The programs are delivered using limited and intensive face-to-face teaching augmented by self-directed and web-based learning, and ongoing (mainly email) contact with lecturers before and after they have returned to Australia. The aim of this stage of the project is to provide a greater understanding of students’ instructional preferences so that, where appropriate, lecturers can better scaffold learning and teaching arrangements (Stage 2 of the …

Editorial 8.1, Geraldine E. Lefoe

Journal of University Teaching & Learning Practice

Welcome to Volume 8, Issue 1 of the Journal of University Teaching and Learning. JUTLP continues to grow and submissions have increased dramatically since journal rankings were implemented in Australia. We would like to thank our editorial board and reviewers for their consistent effort and valuable feedback to potential authors. Two production changes underpin this issue. Firstly, use of new publication guidelines which can be found here: http://ro.uow.edu.au/jutlp/styleguide.html. Secondly, we welcome support for journal desktop publishing from the Centre for Academic Systems & Resources, University of Wollongong.

From now on there will be three editions per year, comprising two general …