ASCILITE NEWS
Two Weeks to the ASCILITE Conference!
In addition to the distinguished keynotes and invited speakers ASCILITE 2016 will be presenting 34 full papers, 51 concise papers, 6 Symposiums, 22 Posters and 4 special presentations in just two weeks from now. Are you joining us?
Socially this year's conference will be offering a busy program that starts on Sunday night with the Welcome function at the base of UniSA’s Jeffrey Smart Building followed by Monday night with a Dine Around opportunity where you can book a place at one of our local restaurants offering special deals for ASCILITE delegates. Tuesday is our Gala Dinner which will be held upstairs in the Convention Centre overlooking the iconic Adelaide Oval and on Wednesday night we will have some post conference drinks not far from the venue.
It's not too late to register.
Speed Editing with an AJET Lead Editor at ASCILITE 2016
There's still time to sign-up for the Speed Editing session at ASCILITE 2016.
These short, sharp, speed editing sessions will allow prospective authors to discuss with an Editor of AJET an idea for a paper that could be submitted to the journal. Your session can be booked in advance of the conference via the below link. At the session, authors need to bring along a maximum one page summary of their proposal. Details of what needs to be included in the one page summary, as well as the booking sheet can be found at this link: https://goo.gl/forms/bKaJbGE1zEqGuMV12.
Other queries can be directed to e.heinrich@massey.ac.nz.
Awards for Excellence in Learning Analytics Finalists
The Learning Analytics SIG is pleased to announce the finalists in this year’s Awards for Excellence in Learning Analytics:
- Carl Reidsema, Lydia Kavanagh, Peter Sutton and Melanie Fleming (UQ) – A student-facing approach to learning analytics. Supporting students learning and engagement through innovative tools and more active approaches to learning, with learning analytics used to assist students to improve their own learning in this process.
- Adam Aitken (UTS) – Academic Writing Analytics, an online learning application using Natural Language Parsing techniques to analyse student analytic and reflective writing, and then giving feedback at sentence and whole text level.
- Sakinah Alhadad (Griffith) – Re-design of the Blackboard Analytics integrated reports by applying cognitive and design science, as well as developing formats that scaffold users across a wide range of pedagogical data literacy.
We hope you can join us at the LA SIG session at the ASCILITE Conference (10.30am Tues 29 Nov) to hear our finalists present their work and for the announcement of this year’s award winner.
For more information on the LA-SIG and the awards, visit the website.
Transforming Assessment (e-Assessment SIG) News: Next Webinar
Topic: Multiple Measures – Benchmarking Interdisciplinary Assessment Approaches
Time and Date: 7 December, 7am UTC. You will find your local time zone here.
Abstract: This webinar will explore the benchmarking of quality assessment tasks to facilitate interdisciplinary learning in the creative arts and humanities. The session will cover the resources collated as part of the Multiple Measures project that have been placed into a rich library of interdisciplinary assessment approaches on the project website here.
Presenters: Kate Tregloan (Monash University), Su Baker (University of Melbourne), Kit Wise (University of Tasmania / Monash University), Graham Forsyth (University of New South Wales).
For further information and to register for this webinar visit this link.
Recording released
A video recording of the previous session, Writing Analytics to Improve Formative Feedback conducted on 2 November is now avaialble for viewing. This session was presented by Simon Buckingham Shum, Simon Knight, Andrew Gibson and Philippa Ryan (University of Technology Sydney) and it introduced the rationale, design and evaluation of writing analytics tools under development along with the results of pilots with academics and their students engaged in analytical and reflective writing. You can view the recording here.
ASCILITE Blog Contest
We need more entries!
The ASCILITE Executive plans to launch an ASCILITE blog in the very near future and would like to find a suitable name for the blog. As a result, ASCILITE is running a contest to find the best name for the new blog.
The winner will receive a $50 gift voucher of their choice from Amazon, iTunes or Westfield and three finalists will each receive a $20 gift voucher (Amazon, iTunes or Westfield).
To qualify all you have to do is think of an attention grabbing name that matches the focus of the blog which will be a forum for members and others to find-out about issues they are struggling with and the critical topics, theories, or research that we should be engaging with as an association in the field of educational technology.
The entry form also includes two optional fields where you can suggest a future topic and author for a blog entry.
The contest closing date has been extended to Friday 18 November and the winning entry will be announced in next fortnightly bulletin on 28 November.
Good luck!
OTHER NEWS
THETA Call for Submissions Extended
This is a reminder for anyone considering presenting at the The Higher Education Technology Agenda (THETA) conference in May 2017. The conference submissions close has now been extended to midnight NZT, 21 November 2016.
AUT and the University of Auckland are co-hosting THETA from 7 – 10 May 2017. The conference is a high-level forward looking conference held every two years with the aim of advancing higher education by promoting the intelligent use of information technology.
THETA is open for submissions, addressing the key theme “Connecting Minds. Creating the Future”. The THETA Conference presents an opportunity for sharing of ideas, new innovations and experience in the areas of Information Technology, Teaching and Learning, Library and Knowledge Management in higher education across Australia, New Zealand and overseas.
The Conference provides an ideal forum to present and publish the latest results of research, development and deployment of Information Technology in Tertiary Institutions.
Submissions are invited to address one of the following suggested sub-themes:
- Digital Transformation
- Innovation in Learning and Teaching
- Technology Innovation and Service Management
- The Research Ecosystem
- The Next Generation Library
- Strategic Leadership
- People, Culture and Capability
The deadline for submissions has now been extended to 21 November so don’t miss out!
You can also sign up for the THETA newsletter or join THETA 2017.
Latest ODLAA Conference News
We on the ODLAA Conference organising committee are excited about how the upcoming ODLAA conference is shaping up. As well as our wonderful keynotes a fine selection of insightful papers from delegates around the world, there will also be a number of engaging workshops, in which delegates can participate and interact. This conference will be hands-on rather than talking-heads.
Workshop sessions will be scheduled throughout the conference program, including the opening Sunday afternoon. The final workshop sessions and conference program will be finalised soon, but here's a sneak preview of some of the workshops:
- Olaf Zawacki-Richter (EDEN and Germany) on Exploring Frameworks for Research in Open, Flexible and Distance Learning
- Sandra Wills (CSU) Moving an institution to online at scale. What does it really mean for a university to really be an “online” university?
- Jingjing Zang (Beijing Normal University) on Social Network Analysis as a tool for Learning Analytics.
- Dr Stefan Popenici (CSHE, University of Melbourne) on Engaging Students in Online Learning
- Carina Bossu (University of Tasmania) on Enabling open education in Australia
Conference delegates will be treated to a cocktail function at the grandly elegant Melbourne Town Hall on the Monday night of the conference. The cocktail function is included in the cost of conference registration.
You can register online at ODLAA. Early bird registrations close on 5 December so make sure you register soon to receive the discounted early bird rate.
Job Vacancies: RMIT (Various)
RMIT is a global university of technology, design and enterprise. Its mission is to help shape the world through research, innovation, teaching and engagement, and to create transformative experiences for students, preparing them for life and work.
The Education Portfolio’s 550 professional and academic staff provide the support, policy direction, infrastructure and services that give our students transformative learning experiences and highly-valued employment outcomes: no matter where, through which medium and what programs they study with us.
The provision of a stimulating and satisfying experience for students is a priority for the University. The Education Portfolio plays a key role in empowering students to access education, participate actively in the life of the University and achieve successful and fulfilling lives beyond graduation. The provision of a stimulating and satisfying experience for students is a priority for the University. A core aspect of enabling our students is the support provided to staff in teaching and learning, our desire for data-led approaches and the use of technologies to support the learner experience.
In line with new directions set by the RMIT Strategic Plan 2020, the Education portfolio is changing too and we are seeking high performing senior leaders who can work as a team and who are interested in joining the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Education and Vice President at RMIT University, Professor Belinda Tynan, on a highly energised journey The fundamentals of teaching and learning remain true but the context within which they are applied is changing rapidly around us. New technologies, big data, decreasing lecture attendance and the need for inspiring teaching that moves towards a 21st Century framework of competencies and attributes is required to meet student and employer expectations.
RMIT is proactively engaging with the implications of this new social contract – working to build strong relationships with students and industry employers, engender inspiring teaching in our academics and move confidently into a digital future where we do not lose sight of the powerful value of face-to-face learning.
The Senior positions
There are five senior positions initially being advertised as part of the creation of a new group, RMIT Studios. Further team positions will be advertised soon. Collectively, this group will drive the delivery of pedagogical innovation and sustainable improvement within the framework of the University’s Strategic Plan; their brief to transform student learning experiences:
- Director, RMIT Studios (555936)
- Director, RMIT Learning and Teaching Academy(555937)
- Assistant Director, Learning Analytics (555938)
- Program Manager, Learning Design Media (555940)
- Product Experience Manager (555941)
The incumbents will lead the University in the provision of student learning experiences, staff support, learning analytics and digital innovation, particularly in terms of the University’s commitment to blended learning approaches, technology-enhanced learning, online digital delivery, and student co-creation.
We are on a journey and we are looking for the right people. Beyond domain knowledge, leadership skills and experience, we are seeking passionate individuals who are strategic in their thinking, great relationship makers and courageous in their actions. We want people who are willing to be bold, and to work in new ways with staff and students. We would like inspirational leaders who place our students front and centre. Importantly we want our new senior staff to work as a start-up and embrace the principles of working in agile and lean ways. Along with the seriousness of starting something new, having a sense of humour will be essential.
To view a Position Description or to apply online please visit yourcareer.rmit.edu.au and search via the job reference number bracketed above.
PhD Scholarship Opportunity, Deakin University
The Centre for Research in Assessment and Digital Learning, Portfolio of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor at Deakin University has a PhD Scholarship opportunity available. The student will be based at Deakin University's Melbourne City Centre and will work with researchers in the centre on the topic of assessment in higher education. Further details are available here.
