Education Commons^™

Educational Evaluation Of Cybersmart Detectives: Final Report: Presented To The Australian Communications And Media Authority (Acma), Julian Dooley, Laura Thomas, Sarah Falconer, Donna Cross, Stacey Waters

Research outputs 2011

The aim of the Australian Communications and Media Authority‟s (ACMA) Cybersmart Detectives (CSD) activity is to teach children key Internet safety messages in a safe school environment. The activity brings together a number of agencies with an interest in promoting online safety for young people, including education, State and Federal Police, government and child welfare advocates. The activity has been played by over 28, 000 students in Australia since initial trials in 2004.

Cybersmart Detectives is offered free to schools by the ACMA as part of the Australian Government‟s commitment to cyber-safety. Based on a real-world Internet safety scenario, the …

Learning Through Standard English: Cognitive Implications For Post-Pidgin/-Creole Speakers, Ian Malcolm

Research outputs 2011

Despite their (albeit limited) access to Standard Australian English through education, Australian Indigenous communities have maintained their own dialect (Aboriginal English) for intragroup communication and are increasingly using it as a medium of cultural expression in the wider community. Most linguists agree that the most significant early ancestor of Aboriginal English is New South Wales Pidgin, which developed in the first decades after the European occupation of Australia in 1788. Influence of present or past Aboriginal languages can be traced in Aboriginal English both directly and by way of NSW Pidgin and other contact varieties. Recent work in Western Australia …

Teaching Software Engineering Project Management-A Novel Approach For Software Engineering Programs, Craig Caulfield, David Veal, Stanislaw Maj

Research outputs 2011

In response to real and perceived short-comings in the quality and productivity of software engineering practices and projects, professionally-endorsed graduate and post-graduate curriculum guides have been developed to meet technical developments and evolving industry demands. Each of these curriculum guidelines identifies better software project management skills as critical for all graduating students, but they provide little guidance on how to achieve this. One possible way is to use a serious game - a game designed to teach and educate players about some of the dynamic complexities of the field in a safe and inexpensive environment. This paper presents the results …

Embedding And Integrating Language And Academic Skills: An Innovative Approach, Anne J. Harris, Joanna L. Ashton

Research outputs 2011

A growing body of research into the provision of learning support suggests that good practice is exemplified by the integration of language and academic skills (LAS) into specifically targeted core discipline units. There are many reasons offered: that contextualised support picks up weaker students who commonly fail to self-select for voluntary workshops; that students favour contextualised workshops over general workshops, often perceiving the latter to have little relevance to them; that the number of students in Australian universities with English as an additional language (EAL) has increased markedly over the past decade; and that in some units the delivery of …

A Pedagogical Rich Interactive On-Line Learning Platform For Network Technology Students In Thailand, Woratat Makasiranondh, Stanislaw Maj, David Veal

Research outputs 2011

Internetworking enables communication between networks and forms the foundation of the Internet. Internetworking teaching is typically conducted in a traditional face-to-face classroom, but nowadays it can be conducted online. Online learning environments have many advantages that include allowing remote students’ access to not only curriculum but also lecturers and other enrolled students. However, unlike some other disciplines, teaching internetworking courses online is problematic because students need to be given access to internetworking equipment. It is technically possible to provide remote access to online students in order to compensate for the lack of direct physical equipment access, which normally is offered …

Jumping Through 'Loops': A Reflective Study On Preparing Generalist Pre-Service Teachers To Teach Music, John Heyworth

Research outputs 2011

Generalist classroom teachers are being given more responsibility for music education in their schools. How confident and competent are they to do this? I find myself in a position where I am expected to train pre-service generalist teachers to be able to facilitate music in their future classrooms within one unit of music study over a four year general bachelor of education course. This paper is a self study on how I reflect on and describe the methods and the tools that I have used to try to both encourage and empower pre-service teachers to facilitate musical activities in their …

Student Opinions On Their Development Of Non-Technical Skills In It Education, W Makasiranondh, S Maj, D Veal

Research outputs 2011

It is recognized that non-technical or soft skills are a vital part of the IT curriculum and hence are considered to be core curriculum components, particularly in the USA and Australia and is also an important worldwide issue. An extensive analysis within an Australian university context found a mismatch between employer expectations and the university-based instruction in these skills. However, it was noted that this unpreparedness in soft skills may be because students may not have appreciated the importance of these skills – a result confirmed by this study, which used a questionnaire delivered to project students undertaking a range …

Digital Assessment In Secondary Schools: A Western Australian Experience Focusing On A Senior Engineering Course [Conference Paper], Jeremy Pagram, John Williams

Research outputs 2011

This paper reports on the results of a three-year study conducted at the Centre for Schooling and Learning Technologies (CSaLT) at Edith Cowan University in collaboration with the Curriculum Council of Western Australia which concerns the potential to use digital technologies to represent the output from assessment tasks in four senior secondary courses: Applied Information Technology, Engineering Studies, Italian and Physical Education Studies. This paper focuses on Engineering Studies. The general aim of this study is to explore the potential of various digitally-based forms for external assessment for senior secondary courses in terms of manageability, cost, validity and reliability.

Small Group Knowledge Management And The Support Of Student Learning, Stuart Garner

Research outputs 2011

Personal knowledge management has been defined to be “A process and strategy for properly using the tools of technology for enhancing information, learning and inquiry skills” [1] and has been applied to student learning by using a model [2] based on that of Dorsey [3]. This paper extends that model to include interpersonal, small group knowledge management in an attempt to better reflect the way in which students are required to collaborate in their production of group projects. The model of small group knowledge management (SGKM) has then been implemented by using wikis and then utilized within an MBA unit …

Reengineering The Academic Unit's Research Practice: A Stages Model, Dieter Fink

Research outputs 2011

The paper presents a stages model that guided the efforts of an academic unit at an Australian university to improve its research performance. Aiming to grow the research culture it used the re-engineering approach to bring about a transformation. There are four stages in the model used: establishing the current research presence, facilitating research interaction, increasing research transactions and achieving research transformation. Part of stage 1 was a survey to establish significant gaps between staff research expectations and perceptions. Progress for stages 1 and 2 were able to be managed within the academic unit but stage 3 was largely influenced …

Transition From Long Day Care To Kindergarten: Continuity Or Not?, Lennie Barblett, Caroline Barratt-Pugh, Pamela Kilgallon, Carmel Maloney

Research outputs 2011

TRANSITION PRACTICES THAT ENSURE continuity between early childhood settings have been shown to be important in assisting children’s short-term and long-term growth and development (Vogler, Cravello & Woodhead, 2008). In Western Australia many young children move from and between long day care (LDC) settings to kindergarten. In that state, kindergarten is a non-compulsory sessional program for four-year-olds, conducted on school grounds and administered by the school principal. This paper describes the perceptions and practices of kindergarten teachers concerning transition processes and continuity of experience for the children who had attended long day care centres prior to kindergarten entry. Evidence from …

Inclusion At University: Can We Do More Than Open The Door?, John O'Rourke

Research outputs 2011

The inclusion of students with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) in university settings is an emerging policy initiative. Different models have evolved to support the inclusion of students with IDD in university settings from full inclusion to specialized separate programs. This paper reports the process of creating a program of inclusion for a student with IDD in a Western Australian university. Based on extensive field notes and interviews with the included student and her mentors, the author seeks to assess the pilot study using a case study approach and reflect on what might be required by university staff to enhance …

Thinking Outside The"I Am The User" Box: A Trial Of Social-Emotional Design In Hci Education, Jo Jung, Barnard Clarkson, Martin Masek

Research outputs 2011

A socio-emotional approach to consider human-computer interaction (HCI) has emerged as a discipline responding to much neglected aspect of interaction design: the social nature and emotions of users. Teaching a socio-emotional design in practice can be challenging due to the newness and multidisciplinary nature. This paper reports a trial of a collaborative socio-emotional design project shared by two faculties and three design disciplines–interface design, software design, and 3D design. Success and challenges encountered during the project are presented to share our experience of teaching and managing a multidisciplinary collaboration project.

Shared Assessment: A Strategy For Managing Multidisciplinary Projects, Barnard Clarkson, Joo Jung, Martin Masek

Research outputs 2011

Assessment-centered is the new black, apparently, if you believe recent research literature (eg. Boud & Associates, 2010) – but multi-disciplinary student assessments in multimedia are already challenging to assess. Naturally the more complex the project the more challenging it is for those administering the assessments, and in multi-unit settings (rather than end-of-course ‘capstone’ units) the complexity can be extreme. The consequential staff overload is insufficiently addressed even if the results are worth it. Shared assessments start with one large situated project and ask multiple staff running multiple units to collaborate whilst designing their assessments, all based around student teams ‘solving’ …

Exploring The Use Of Audio-Visual Feedback Within 3d Virtual Environments To Provide Complex Sensory Cues For Scenario-Based Learning, Michael Garrett, Mark Mcmahon

Research outputs 2011

The continuous quest for ever increasing fidelity in 3D virtual worlds is running parallel to the emergence and adoption of low-cost technologies to implement such environments. In education and training, complex simulations can now be implemented on standard desktop technologies. However, such tools lack the means to represent multisensory data beyond audio-visual feedback. This paper reports on a study that involved the design, development and implementation of a 3D learning environment for underground mine evacuation. The requirements of the environment are discussed in terms of the sensory information that needs to be conveyed and techniques are described to achieve this …

The Natives Are Restless: Meeting The Diversity And Needs Of Millennial Students In A Large Undergraduate Unit, Mark Mcmahon, Joo Jung

Research outputs 2011

Today’s students are referred to as ‘digital natives’. But what does it mean to be digitally native? How does the digital nativeness affect the way student learn and we teach? This paper examines the key characteristics of Millennial students, and outlines teaching and learning strategies. A modular structure was implemented in first year undergraduate unit to trial the new strategies. Challenges and successes of the trial are described.

Enhancing Nutritional Learning Outcomes Within A Simulation And Pervasive Game-Based Strategy [Conference Paper], Mark Mcmahon, Shane Henderson

Research outputs 2011

Games are often seen as a means of enhancing motivation in learning. Despite the rhetoric, however, games that provide quality experiences for learners are hard to find. One reasoning is the focus on the game medium without a clear understanding of the strategy behind it. This paper outlines a game designed to raise primary school-aged children’s awareness of nutritional issues using simulation and pervasive gaming strategies. Nute implements ubiquitous mobile technology and QR Code scanning to allow players to engage in virtual shopping. The effects of their dietary choices are manifest in a simulated character, Nute, who has similar dietary …

Exploring The Nature Of Immersion In Games To Enhance Educational Engagement, Mark Mcmahon, Shane Henderson

Research outputs 2011

Student engagement is often considered one of the most important determinants of successful learning. An often cited argument for games in learning is their value to be ‘immersive’. Beyond the rhetoric however, a model needs to be developed of immersion to identify the cognitive and affective factors involved and to tie it into existing theories relating to flow and narratology. This paper presents a model of immersion and details findings based upon the development and implementation of a range of levels in a 3D ‘first person shooter’ game which were evaluated according to criteria for immersion. A range of potential …

Online Supervisor Compliance Training, Joseph Luca, Mark Mcmahon

Research outputs 2011

Supervisor training for postgraduate research candidates has been recognised as a priority area by the Australian Government and institutional quality auditing agencies for many years. The need for increased Doctoral completions to help bolster the academic workforce is well documented, as is the influence of effective supervision for timely completions. More discussions need to be had about delivering effective supervisor training, and also distinguishing between training for supervisor compliance and training for supervisor best practice.

Managing Large E-Learning Development Initiatives: Lessons Learnt From The Australian Flexible Learning Toolbox Project, Mark Mcmahon

Research outputs 2011

This paper reports on a research consultancy undertaken for the Flexible Learning Framework in reviewing management processes undertaken as part of Series 13 of Flexible Learning Toolboxes. Toolboxes are e-learning products that cover multiple Units of Competency in National Training Packages. In the 13th iteration of the project a number of initiatives were implemented designed to support the development of 7 Toolboxes. The research explores the role of documentation and communication processes and their impact on the development experiences of key stakeholders such as the designers, developers and managers of the products. Findings identified a number of important factors with …

Assessing Practical Laboratory Skills In Undergraduate Molecular Biology Courses, Lynne Hunt, Annette Koenders, Vidar Gynnild

Research outputs 2011

This study explored a new strategy of assessing laboratory skills in a molecular biology course to improve: student effort in preparation for and participation in laboratory work; valid evaluation of learning outcomes; and students’ employment prospects through provision of evidence of their skills. Previously, assessment was based on written laboratory reports and examinations, not on the demonstration of practical skills per se. This action research project involved altering the assessment design so that a greater proportion of the marks was allocated to active participation and learning in the laboratory, partially replacing a single examination with direct observation of student participation …

Correlating The Developmental Test Of Visual Perception -2 (Dtvp And The Test Of Visual Perceptual Skills - Revised (Tvps-R) As Assesssment Tools For Learners With Learning Difficulties, Janet Richmond, K Holland

Research outputs 2011

Learners are often referred to occupational therapists to assess their visual perceptual functioning. It is, therefore, imperative that the occupational therapists use the best assessment tools to obtain accurate and reliable results that lead to effective intervention which will be noticeable in the classroom functioning of these learners. A study was therefore conducted which correlated the results of the Developmental Test of Visual Perception (second edition) (DTVP-2) and the Test of Visual Perceptual Skills Revised (TVPS-R) in a cohort of 173 learners from Grade 1 to Grade 4 (children aged 6 years to 11 years). The learners attend a remedial …

Australian Children’S Experiences Of Parents’ Online Mediation, Lelia Green, John Hartley, Catharine Lumby, Danielle Brady

Research outputs 2011

This paper draws on the work of the "EU Kids Online" network funded by the EC (DG Information Society) Safer Internet plus Programme (project code SIP-KEP-321803); see www.eukidsonline.net, and addresses Australian children‟s online activities in terms of risk, harm and opportunity. In particular, it draws upon data that indicates that Australian children are more likely to encounter online risks – especially around seeing sexual images, bullying, misuse of personal data and exposure to potentially harmful user-generated content – than is the case with their EU counterparts. Rather than only comparing Australian children with their European equivalents, this paper places the …

Student Enfranchisement In Business Undergraduate Studies, Gary Marchioro, Maria Ryan, Helen Cripps

Research outputs 2011

Aligning business undergraduate programs with industry skill and work requirements is reshaping higher education. This approach is now an acknowledged and strategic initiative to react to business demands in the education sphere. The framework for learning generic skills has been well developed and documented in reference to employer groups and articulated through many university programs. However, the development, monitoring and evaluation of the uptake of these skills using student views are not well documented. This paper presents university students’ perceptions of their personal generic skills capabilities. The literature addresses the need for these skills to be inclusive of personal attributes …

A Case Study Of Teachers' Professional Learning: Becoming A Community Of Professional Learning Or Not?, Carmel Maloney, Deslea M. Konza

Research outputs 2011

This paper describes a school’s participation in a project designed to support critical reflection of teachers’ beliefs about best practice in early childhood education, and how these beliefs and practices intersected with shifting policies and trends in the broader early childhood field. The “Professional Learning” Project (PL project), was conducted in collaboration with a local university. As the project unfolded, multiple influences were found to affect its ultimate outcomes, including the tensions associated with day-to-day classroom commitments and varying levels of willingness to engage in what were at times confronting and challenging discussions. As a result, engagement, collaboration and participation …

Investing In Sustainable And Resilient Rural Social Space: Lessons For Teacher Education, Simone White, Graeme Lock, Wendy Hastings, Maxine Cooper, Jo-Anne Reid, Bill Green

Research outputs 2011

An opinion is presented that the relationship between teacher education and the sustainability of rural communities is reciprocal. Such a reciprocal relationship is explored using research findings of an Australian Research Council funded project (2008-2010) of schools and communities that identified sustainable practices concerning staff recruitment and retention. The paper discusses the context of the study, its method and conceptual framework as well as emerging themes from twenty case studies across Australia. The implications of these themes in terms of better preparing a future rural teacher workforce are examined.

Sport, Recreation And Event Management Practicum Placements: What Do Stakeholders Expect?, Ruth Sibson, David Russell

Research outputs 2011

Structured practicum placements or Workplace Integrated Learning (WIL) are a long-standing and integrated component of many university programs. One of the challenges of facilitating appropriate and sustainable WIL experiences, however, is the complex and multi-faceted nature of the relationship between the university, student and host agency/supervisor. Of particular importance, is the management of expectations and perceptions between the stakeholders, and there is limited research in this area. This paper presents the findings from the first stage of a research project which used self-completed questionnaires to compare the expectations and perceptions of sport, recreation and event management students and their host …

Enhancing Psychology Students' Experiences: The Development Of An Undergraduate Leadership Programme, Lynne Cohen, Paul Chang, Joyce Hendricks, Vicki Cope, Bronwyn Harman

Research outputs 2011

Leadership is a practical skill, highly valued by employers but not formally taught in Australian psychology curricula. The Edith Cowan University School of Psychology and Social Science developed a programme aimed at addressing the lack of leadership training in undergraduate psychology students. This 12-month extracurricular programme provided theoretical and practical experience in leadership, and incorporated a formal series of workshops and seminars with three curricular components: leadership knowledge, leadership skills, and leadership in action. Students were then provided with the opportunity to develop and practise their leadership skills by participating in a series of expert-driven seminars, through role-playing, perspective taking, …

Class Music Learning Activities: Do Students Find Them Important, Interesting And Useful?, Geoffrey Lowe

Research outputs 2011

Retaining students in elective class music programmes is an issue in many secondary schools. Retention is particularly problematic among lower secondary students. Eccles (2005) states that the subjective task values students attach to learning activities in any elective subject are key indicators of future enrolment decisions. Accordingly, this article reports on a study which utilized subjective task values as a theoretical foundation for investigating why many students drop out of elective class music programmes at this early stage. Specifically, the article reports on a study into students’ valuing of class music learning activities in Western Australia. Participating students were in …

Decision Making Regarding Employee Access To Training And Development In Medium-Sized Enterprises, Alan Coetzer, Janice Redmond, Jalleh Sharafizad

Research outputs 2011

Employees in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) form part of a ‘disadvantaged’ group within the workforce that receives less access to formal training and development than employees in large firms. The manager’s decisional role is critical when considering employee access to training and development. Unfortunately, there is scant research into factors affecting managers’ decisions regarding employee access to a requested development opportunity in SMEs. To address this research gap, semi-structured interviews incorporating critical incidents were conducted with a purposive sample of 12 managers of medium-sized enterprises based in Perth. We report key findings of the interviews and assess the effectiveness …