ASCILITE NEWS

Contextualising Horizon: Call for Exemplars Extended

Contextualising Horizon seeks case examples of the 2021-2022 Educational Technology and Practice Trends for the Australasian Region. Submissions will be accepted through 30 May 2022. To self-nominate or to nominate your colleagues, complete the Exemplars Nomination Form. Nominated case studies may be highlighted in the final report.

This year’s trends are as follows:

Redefinition and Interrogation of Longstanding Pedagogical Practices (e.g., lectures and exams)
Self-Care and Well-Being for Staff and Students
Blended Models of Learning
Ed Tech Infrastructure to Enable Learning
Accessible Content and Digital Equity
Co-Design of Higher Education
Microcredentials

Contextualising Horizon aims to identify the educational technologies and practices likely to impact the Australasian tertiary sector. Intended as a companion to the Educause Horizon Report, the Contextualising Horizon Report brings together analysis of the trends impacting tertiary education and insights and exemplars of the significant educational technologies and practices.

For more information, visit the ASCILITE website here.

ASCILITE Live! Webinar on doubling engagement with professional learning through choose-your-own adventure: the Modular Professional Learning Framework (MPLF)

Date and time: 19 May 2022 @ 11am – 12pm AEST | Singapore 9am | Auckland 1pm | Other time zones

This University of Sydney team received an ASCILITE Innovation Award in 2021 and their presentation will highlight the team’s reimagined continuing professional development (CPD) program for educators: the Modular Professional Learning Framework (MPLF).

The MPLF allows instructors to choose their own adventure through 21 bite-sized two-hour modules on effective and applied teaching practices. Built in collaboration with faculties and subject matter experts from across the institution, modules model hybrid and blended teaching, promote reflection, and focus on evidence-based practical applications covering diverse concepts including student engagement, educational technology, inclusivity and diversity, peer review, groupwork, assessment, and even career development. Modularisation, instead of a one-size-fits-all approach, allows educators to design their own CPD journey, and allows us to quickly adapt and share professional development. Educator engagement is up 75% with 3400+ module completions in two years, including uptake by two other institutions.

Presenters

Samantha Clarke is a marine geologist and academic developer, passionate about learning and teaching. She has a strong background in student engagement, first-year transition to university, widening participation, and technology-enhanced learning. She has won international, national and faculty teaching awards for learning and teaching innovation and is also a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy UK. Sam is currently a Senior Lecturer (Education-Focused) in the Educational Innovation team in the DVC (Education) Portfolio, Academic Co-lead of the MPLF and Honorary Associate in the School of Geosciences.

Kimberly Baskin is a lecturer with the DVC (Education) portfolio and has extensive experience in developing professional learning courses for university educators. She currently provides coordination and design support for the University of Sydney’s flagship professional learning program – the Modular Professional Learning Framework – and the institution-wide Sydney Educational Fellowship Program, which supports staff to attain Fellowship to AdvanceHE.

Danny Liu is a molecular biologist by training, programmer by night, researcher and academic developer by day, and educator at heart. He works at the confluence of educational technology, student engagement, learning analytics/educational data science, pedagogical research, organisational leadership, and professional development. He has won multiple international, national, and university awards for learning and teaching, and is also a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy UK.

Eszter Kalman started her career in academia as a neuroanatomist researching the neurobiology of pain disorders. While retaining some of her teaching in the discipline of neuroscience her substantive role is in academic development with a research interest in the effective use of technology. Currently a Senior Lecturer (Education-Focused) in the Educational Innovation team in the DVC (Education) Portfolio, she is responsible for the first line of support for educators at the University of Sydney. Eszter is currently a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy UK.

Jessica Frawley has a multidisciplinary background spanning arts, social sciences and information technology. Her primary area of research specialisation is on understanding people’s lived experience with new and emerging technologies and using such understandings to inform future technology design and use. Jess is currently a Senior Lecturer in Academic Development and Leadership in the Educational Innovation team in the DVC (Education) Portfolio, the Director of the Sydney Educational Fellowship Program, and an Honorary Associate in the Sydney School of Architecture, Design, and Planning. She has won national and university teaching awards for her work in student engagement and technology, and is also a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy UK.

You will find the session login here. Please mark your calendars if you would like to attend.

Transforming Assessment SIG webinar AHE Session Two

Date and time: 1 June @ 5pm – 6pm AEST | 0700 universal time | 8am UK | 3pm SG/HK | 7pm New Zealand.

This is a joint panel session hosted by the Assessment in Higher Education Network (UK) and Transforming Assessment SIG. The session chair is Fabio Arico (University of East Anglia, UK). Check the SIG website below for presenter and topic details. The session will allow time for Q&A.

Please go here for further information and registration.

New TELall Blog Post on the Pedagogy of Kindness

In our latest post, A/Prof Campbell (CSU) explores the merits of practicing a pedagogy of kindness towards each other, particularly for many academics and even students who feel exhausted as the result of working through several difficult years. What we can do to help ourselves through this long term exhaustion?

Learning Design SIG webinar recording available on exploring the value of Design Thinking for higher education

Design Thinking approaches have informed creative and participatory decision making, problem identification and solution design in corporate, creative and community contexts since the late 1950s. Recent research and practice has explored the application of design thinking in the context of learning and curriculum design in higher education. In this session Susie Macfarlane and Jane Kiddell explored definitions and principles, shared experiences using Design Thinking and Co-design mindsets and considered the next steps for applying this approach to the session participant’s own practices.

Jane Kiddell is Lecturer, Learning Futures, in the Learning Innovations (Health) team at Deakin University. She has been digressing at the boundaries of education and learning technology for more than 20 years. Jane thrives on working together with academics, learners and colleagues to co-create authentic, inclusive learning experiences and strategic projects using human centered and design thinking approaches.

Susie Macfarlane (Associate Professor, Learning Futures) leads the Learning Innovations team in the Faculty of Health at Deakin University. Susie’s research and practice focus on promoting the agency and unleashing the creativity of students and educators in higher education, and her strategic leadership is informed by her background as a psychologist and educator, and her studies in design, computing, systems thinking and participatory leadership.

Jane and Susie co-lead the Co-design+Design Thinking Community of Practice at Deakin University.

View the video recording

Open Educational Practice (OEP) Digest – May 2022

The OEP-SIG’s latest digest has been published; curated by Ash Barber, Jennifer Hurley, Nikki Andersen, Alice Luetchford, and members of the Australasian OEPSIG with selected content from SPARC’s OEP Digest.

Reminder: Call for Papers and Reviewers open for ASCILITE 2022

This is a reminder that the call for papers for the 2022 ASCILITE conference is now up and details are provided on the conference website with submission templates having been added in recent days.

Full details on submission types, sub-themes and presentation formats are available on the conference website and the submissions portal will be opening soon to upload submissions. The call for papers closes on 2 July 2022.

If you are interested in participating as a conference reviewer, you fill find further details on the conference website here. The call for reviewers also closes on 2 July 2022.

Reminder: Listen to the latest edition of the ASCILITE Wavelength Podcast

In the latest edition of ASCILITE’s Wavelength Podcast, Michael Cowling chats with Michael Milford about science communication and its value in learning and teaching. Amanda White completes her series on staff addressing academic integrity at the coal face. “The Student Voice” examines student motivation for pursuing tertiary education.

Episode 4

You’ll find all podcast episodes with additional information including episode transcripts and how to get involved on the ASCILITE website here.

Wavelength is a community-contributed podcast, and we invite members of the ASCILITE community and affiliates to produce and contribute segments for the podcast.

OTHER NEWS

Call for Papers Distance Education Special Edition: Addressing the ‘challenging’ elements of learning at a distance

In this special issue, we aim to explore the challenging aspects of learning online, from the perspective of the learner with a particular focus on those elements that seem the most difficult. We welcome studies that explore authentic learning activities that were considered only possible in a face-to-face context, from a variety of disciplines such as healthcare, education, information technology, science, engineering and beyond. We are particularly interested in innovative strategies, design experimentation and use of technology to enable students to fulfill authentic learning requirements. This could include adjustments that needed to be made to meet professional accreditation requirements. What do our learners and educators, who have not necessarily chosen to study or teach online, value from online learning experiences related to these challenging elements? Additionally, what risks do authentic online learning experiences present and how can they be addressed?

We encourage papers that reflect on the challenges and successes of moving traditional face-to-face authentic learning experiences online and what this means for the future of higher education. Topics may include but are not limited to:

Work Integrated Learning experiences for online students
Online internships and work placements
Conducting lab work in online environments
Virtual Field trips and “In the field” research
Virtual student exchanges
The Higher Degree by Research online experience
Online Authentic learning and assessment within creative disciplines
Virtual reality and/or simulation-based learning as alternatives
Students’ expectations of authentic experiences online.

Expressions of Interest are due on 1 June 2022

For more information: https://odlaa.org/2023-de-special-editions/ or contact Rachel.Fitzgerald@uq.edu.au.

HERDSA Annual Conference 2022

The HERDSA (Higher Ed Research Development Society Australasia) conference takes place on 27 – 30 June 2022 at the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre.

HERDSA 2022 aims to inspire: drawing together experience, analysis and insight in a rapidly changing environment. The disruption of the global pandemic has challenged our assumptions and prompted deep reflection and creative solutions. We are changing the way we work, learn and interact, but we are building from strength.

HERDSA is a scholarly society committed to the advancement of higher education and promoting the development of policy, practice and the study of teaching and learning. Research and development in higher education, in which we are all involved, is the foundation of learning that equips students to flourish in a changing world. HERDSA 2022 is the place to meet your colleagues and debate the latest ideas in higher education.

Showcasing contemporary practice, HERDSA 2022 will combine vibrant face-to-face and virtual streams to welcome participants wherever you are to friendly and collegial activities. The physical conference will be held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, conveniently located on the banks of the iconic Yarra River in South Wharf. Only 20 minutes from Melbourne Airport, and close to trains, trams and buses.

For futher information, visit the HERDSA website here.

CRADLE Seminar Series on developing students evaluative judgements: pedagogical activities and practices

Date and time: Tuesday 7 June 2022 @ 2pm – 3:30pm AEST

Join the CRADLE team for their Seminar Series 2022 to hear from CRADLE students and their latest research in evaluative judgement.

Developing students’ evaluative judgement is key for gaining expertise and lifelong learning. Evaluative judgement is the capability of making decisions about the quality of work of self and others (Tai et al., 2018). In this seminar PhD graduate Dr Abbas Mehrabi Boshrabadi and PhD candidate Juan Fischer will present their PhD research on evaluative judgement in first year academic writing and writing laboratory reports in undergraduate physics.

In the first talk, Abbas will present his research which sought to better understand the “what” and “how” of students’ development of evaluative judgement. Using multiple sequenced interview and document analysis he interviewed 21 first year students about their evaluative judgements of academic writing. He found that evaluative judgement is a capability that encapsulate three interrelated components of understanding quality standards, making judgements, and taking actions. Three key pedagogical activities that promoted judgement making were peer review, group discussion, and reflection on performance in the context of sequenced assessment tasks. Abbas will discuss the significant role of these pedagogical activities on students’ development of evaluative judgement.

In the second talk, Juan will use theory of practice architectures to offer insights into the situated aspects that mediate students’ judgement-making about writing laboratory reports in undergraduate physics. These findings are part of Juan’s doctoral research, in which he used ethnographic approaches to explore the development of evaluative judgement as part of learning in disciplinary everyday practices. Through longitudinal observations and interviews with students of all year-levels of undergraduate physics, this talk will uncover how decisions about quality are mediated by discourses on assessment, the use of material artefacts, and local social arrangements, resulting in judgements that at times are in tension with the expectations of educators. This raises questions about what the aims of supporting students’ evaluative judgement may look like.

These presentations will discuss the importance of designing sequences of activities that support students’ development of their evaluative judgement in a sustainable way and that are sensitive to contextual aspects of students’ learning.