Australasian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education

ASCILITE NEWS

Reminder: Learning Analytics SIG Webinar – The impact of COVID-19 on the use of learning analytics in higher education

Date and time: 30 July @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm AEST (Australia). For the start times in other time zones go here.

In this online, interactive panel session we will hear from learning analytics specialists across four Australian universities about how the COVID-19 situation has impacted the use of learning analytics in their institutions. The panel will include:

  • David McLay – Senior Manager Learning Data & Analytics at RMIT University
  • Bill Searle – Manager of Learning Technologies at Charles Darwin University
  • Dr Hassan Khosravi – Senior Lecturer, Learning Analytics at the University of Queensland
  • Dr Negin Mirriahi – Associate Director of the Teaching Innovation Unit at the University of South Australia

The session will also provide an opportunity for participants to share their own experiences and for discussion about what we can learn and take forward from this current situation to support future uses of learning analytics in higher education.

Registration: You can register for this session here. The session is free and open to all.


TELedvisors SIG webinar and performance

In this webinar we let the presenters show the broad scope of our TEL community. Presenters from a Secondary College, Higher Education, and Independent Schools Australia, present open source collaboration tools, eTools and an outro of a live music performance. So grab a cuppa, keep the heater on, invite a friend and join us for this exciting July 2020 webinar.

Collaborating with peers around the world and in real-time

Presented by Steven Kolberg. Using open source and accessible software to allow Teachers, Educators and Academics to come together and share around common themes and set readings. Open sourcing collaboration and idea sharing around the world and within localised contexts. Discussion of the development of these ideas, offshoots from them, and how you can participate or replicate these ideas will be shared.

eTools: The best fit

Presented by Sandra Thwaites. The most appropriate tool for purpose and people (academic focus)

Clearway

Performed by Francis Kneebone. ‘Clearway’ is a song about our response to the COVID-19 shutdown and reflects on our ability to adapt and persevere in the new ‘normal’.

When and where

Thursday 30 July 12 noon (AEST). The join link is https://bit.ly/TELedsinar


ASCILITE 2020 Virtual Conference registration is open and Call for Papers extended to 7 August

Registration is now open for the ASCILITE virtual conference (30 Nov – 1 Dec 2020) and the deadline for paper submissions has been extended to 7 August. The registration fee for ASCILITE members is $100 and $250 for non-members.  The ASCILITE conference has a reputation for being one of the best Technology Enhanced Learning events of the year.

You will find further details on submissions on the conference website here.


ASCILITE Business Education SIG webinar: Virtual Work Integrated Learning

Date and time: 11 August @ 10:30 am – 11:30 am AEST (Australia). For session start times in other time zones go here.

Work Integrated Learning (WIL) placements and projects enable students to interact directly with host industries or communities to work on real-life problems or projects. With COVID 19 restrictions, it is timely for us to discuss the opportunities and challenges associated with engaging students in authentic virtual WIL experiences offered via online platforms which may be independent of time, space, geographical boundaries and disciplines.

This session will be co-facilitated by Assoc Prof Harsh Suri (Deakin University), Ms Friederika Kaider (Deakin University) and Dr Sandra Barker (University of South Australia).

This is the first in a series of webinars to be facilitated by the ASCILITE Business Education SIG.

To login to this zoom session, go here.


OTHER NEWS

COVID-19: teacher perceptions of institutional readiness for change and teaching online

It appears that there has been a wide variety in institutional response to COVID-19, based on their preparedness for change. Below are details of an international study examining teacher perceptions of institutional responses to COVID-19 and online teaching. Outcomes could provide significant insights into how different institutions are responding and what is needed going forward. People who complete the survey can opt to receive a copy of the results, and go into the draw to win an iPad or one of ten $US50 Amazon shopping vouchers.

For further information and to participate, visit: https://mqedu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8Giqe3o5BFqJEH3.


Invitation to attend free webinar – An online engagement framework to support ‘Pivoting to online teaching during crisis’

Abstract

The shift to online learning has been galvanised globally and unexpectedly by COVID19. While assumed to be a straightforward process, the reality is that this shift challenges academics new to online teaching in terms of the limited time, training, resourcing and the steep learning curve associated with this the unique pedagogy of online L&T. These understandings are reinforced by Redmond, Heffernan, Abawi, Brown, & Henderson (2018) who note that while there has been an increased emphasis on online engagement, there was a lack of clarity regarding ‘what counts’ as online engagement, or the implications these types of engagement have on teaching strategies. Drawing on the Online Engagement Framework for Higher Education (Redmond et al., 2018), this presentation shares an easy to use and accessible framework to support decision-making and strategies for online L&T relevant and simply applicable across disciplines and contexts to support with novice online educators ‘pivoting to online teaching during crisis’.

Redmond, P., Heffernan, A., Abawi, L., Brown, A. & Henderson, R. (2018) An online engagement framework for higher education. Online Learning Journal, 22(1), 183-204. doi:10.24059/olj.v22i1.1175

Presenters

Petrea Redmond is an Associate Professor of Educational Technology in the School of Education at the University of Southern Queensland. Her research is situated in interrelated fields of educational technology including: online engagement; blended and online learning and teaching; using technology to keep sick kids connected to school; cyberbullying; online collaboration; online communities of inquiry; online mentoring; gender and STEM; community of inquiry; and the integration of technology to enhance learning and teaching in the school and higher education contexts. She has published and co- published in a number of international refereed books, journals and conference proceedings. Petrea has received 6 outstanding conference paper awards at international conferences; along with faculty and university awards for research and teaching. She is also a lead editor for Australasian Journal of Educational Technology (AJET).

Alice Brown is a Senior Lecturer (Early Childhood Education), specialising in early childhood health, wellbeing and online student engagement in higher education, in the School of Education at the University of Southern Queensland. Alice has been teaching online for over a decade and has been recognised for exemplary online teaching evidenced by a number of Dean Commendations. She has led and been the recipient of a number of learning and teaching research scholarships related to online learner engagement Her research is focussed on innovative strategies, such as the use of nudging and course analytics, to enhance and monitor early online engagement, particularly for low and non-engaged learners. She has a strong reputation in scholarly research at University, national and international levels through conferences, publications and research collaborations, including the co-authoring of a book focussed on online pedagogy.

Date and time

You are invited to attend either of the following scheduled times:

11 August, 8am – 9am Australian Eastern Standard time – https://usq.zoom.us/j/97394767273
11 August, 8pm – 9pm Australian Eastern Standard time – https://usq.zoom.us/j/734459442

Institutional Members