Australasian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education

ASCILITE NEWS

AJET Issue Vol 34 (3) 2018 Now Published

We are pleased to advise a new issue of the Australasian Journal of Educational Technology for 2018 has been published. The editorial for the issue and the articles it contains are available from the AJET website.

As always, we thank the wonderful team of associate editors who facilitate the reviews and author revisions. The associate editors are Associate Professor Shirley Agostinho, Dr Thomas Donald Cochrane, Dr Linda Corrin (University of Melbourne, Australia), Dr Helen Farley, Associate Professor Paul Gruba, (University of Melbourne, Australia), Professor Judi Harris (William and Mary School of Education USA), Dr Jason M Lodge (University of Melbourne, Australia), Associate Professor Lina Markauskaite (The University of Sydney, Australia), Dr Stephen Marshall (Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand) and Dr Michael Phillips (Monash University, Australia).

We would also like to acknowledge the authors for their contributions to AJET and for the support we received from them in preparing papers for this issue.

Assoc. Prof. Michael Henderson, Assoc. Prof. Eva Heinrich and Assoc. Prof. Petrea Redmond
Lead Editors, Australasian Journal of Educational Technology


5 Reasons to attend ASCILITE 2018

If you are thinking about coming to ASCILITE 2018 then let us give you some reasons to stop thinking about it and register today!

  1. ASCILITE 2018 Keynotes: Don’t miss your chance to hear from Paul LeBlanc, Margaret Bearman and Jan Owen.
  2. Visit Geelong and surrounds: Ever dreamed of learning to surf or driving the world renowned Great Ocean Road? Deakin University Waterfront Campus is at the doorstep of Bellarine Peninsula and Surf Coast where an abundance of activities and opportunities await. All of this a short drive or train trip from Melbourne or Avalon airports!
  3. Learn from others: Be challenged by, and learn from what your peers and colleagues are doing. ASCILITE brings together people from across the country and across the world, this is your chance to hear about what they are doing, what lessons they’ve learnt and how they plan to stay ahead of the tide.
  4. Join the conversation: The education landscape is changing, be part of the conversation about where it is headed and how to shape the future. The ASCILITE 2018 conference theme “Open Oceans : Learning without Borders” invites debate and conversation about new ways to learn, to teach, to research as we enter this new landscape – don’t get swept away in the waves, come and swim with the tide!
  5. Networking: ASCILITE offers an engaging and thought provoking conference program all tied together with a fun social program:
    – Welcome Reception proudly supported by D2L – Sunday November 25
    – Opening Breakfast proudly supported by Cengage – Monday November 26
    – Dine around – Monday November 26
    – Conference Dinner proudly supported by Open Universities Australia – Tuesday November 27

Visit the conference website to find-out more and to register at the Early Bird rate.


New TELall Blog post: Using the cARdiac ECG Augmented Reality Application to enhance student understanding

Colin Warren, Senior Lecturer, Medical Education (eLearning) at the School of Medicine, Deakin University has contributed an excellent post to the TELall Blog on the aim of the cARdiac ECG augmented reality (AR) application which is intended to create a realistic, three-dimensional, technology-enhanced learning environment where students can conceptualise both the underlying physiology of the normal beating heart, and understand the pathology leading to critical heart events. You can read this fascinating post here.

Colin will be conducting a webinar on this topic in August. Details are below.


ASCILITE Live! Webinar: The cARdiac ECG app – augmented reality for engagement and understanding

Date and Time: Thursday, 16 August 12pm AEST  You will find other time zones for the session here.

Abstract: cARdiac ECG is a mobile augmented reality app that helps healthcare students learn how to understand and interpret electrocardiography traces anywhere, anytime. Augmented reality was recognised as a technology that could present healthcare students with a way to integrate, and overlay, a 2D ECG trace with a 3D model of the heart to help their understanding of the relationship between the two. This webinar will explain the history of the cARdiac ECG project, staff and student outcomes, and provide a demonstration of the app itself.

Presenter: Colin Warren is an educator who has worked across various disciplines at Deakin University for over 20 years in several roles including teaching, research and administration. He has worked as a senior lecturer in the School of Medicine since 2012, and manages the eLearning team that supports the use of technology in the various degree programs of the School. As member of the cARdiac ECG team he was involved in the initial development of the project scope and the pedagogical design of the learn and assess modules of the application.

Registration: You can register for this session here.  Once registered, you will receive an email with login details for the session.  Pre-registering will allow us to email you a reminder prior to the session and forward you a link of the video recording. ASCILITE webinars are open to members and non-members.

Share the session: Use this link to share the invite with colleagues: https://ascilite.org/get-involved/ascilite-live-webinars/ascilite-webinar-16-08-2018/.


Final Call for EOIs to attend the Annual ASCILITE Spring into Excellence Research School

This is the final call for invitations to attend the annual ASCILITE Spring into Excellence Research School on 17 – 19 October 2018 at Griffith University, Southbank, Queensland. This event, which will be hosted by Learning Futures, Griffith University, will feature guest speakers and presenters including Professor Barney Dalgarno, Associate Professor Dominique Parrish, Associate Professor Sue Gregory and Emeritus Professor Margaret Lloyd.

The aim of the ASCILITE Spring into Excellence Research School is to:

  1. Provide support and guidance to participants in developing and progressing Technology Enhanced Learning research initiatives including but not limited to:
    – Formulating a relevant and effective TEL research project.
    – Collecting appropriate TEL research data.
    – Identifying what data is most appropriate for TEL research.
  2. Assist participants to identify and plan a contemporary TEL research project.
  3. Enable opportunities for participants to link with like-minded collaborators from other universities and potentially to establish viable cross-institutional research collaborations.
  4. Guide participants in developing a grant application or research plan for a TEL research project. This would include both projects that have already been conceptualized as well as new projects that have not yet been conceived.

At the end of the ASCILITE Spring into Excellence Research School participants will:

  • Have gained a sound understanding of current topical areas and methodologies for TEL research
  • Have broadened their professional networks
  • Have a well-developed and comprehensive plan for a TEL research project
  • Appreciate how to be successful in publishing manuscripts in journals
  • Be able to confidently review a manuscript and provide constructive feedback;
  • Have a strategy for identifying potential funding opportunities and developing funding applications

The ASCILITE Spring into Excellence Research School is most suited to:

  • Early to mid-career researchers
  • Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SOTL) enthusiasts
  • Teaching intensive academics
  • ASCILITE mentors and mentees
  • Anyone interested in applying for a TEL research grant
  • Anyone interested in TEL research collaborations and cross-institutional research projects
  • Academics seeking to incorporate research into their TEL practice and approach

This 3-day ASCILITE Spring into Excellence Research School, which includes lunches, morning and afternoon teas and 2 nights accommodation (17 & 18 October 2018), is $750 for ASCILITE members and $950 for non-members (less $290 if accommodation is not required).

Expressions of interest to attend the 2018 ASCILITE Research School are due by 6 August 2018. Please note that there are limited places available so don’t be disappointed, register today.

EOI outcome notifications will be sent by 13 August 2018 and successful applicants will be provided with registration and payment options at that time.

If you have any further questions, please email Dr Chris Campbell at Griffith University.


Survey closing to provide feedback on the development of ASCILITE’s Online Learning Accreditation Framework

Over the past 18 months, ASCILITE has been working on conceptualizing an internationally benchmarked online learning accreditation scheme that will assess, certify and recognize the quality of online learning.

More information about this initiative is now available on the ASCILITE website here.

To date the process of conceptualizing this scheme has been facilitated through several phases including 9 sector workshops held across Australasia and a National Summit with senior higher education leaders in online learning.

The next phase of implementation is extensive stakeholder consultation, particularly with the goal of finalizing the Accreditation Framework, which will inform the assessment and certification of online learning. Members were invited to participate in this next stage by submitting an EOI to attend one of the consultative workshops which are currently being organized in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Canberra and New Zealand. Feedback is also sought through the survey link below.

To this end ASCILITE would like to invite you to provide feedback by 31 July 2018 on the Accreditation Framework performance criteria via this survey link. You’ll find a copy of the framework here.  For all other feedback on the framework please contact the ASCILITE Secretariat.


Learning Analytics webinar recording available

Data Storytelling and Learning Analytics in Physical Spaces

A video recording of the LA-SIG webinar conducted on 25 July 2018 is now available for viewing on the LA-SIG website here.

The aim of this talk was to discuss the potential of a new metaphor for bringing Learning Analytics into blended/hybrid learning spaces that we call Classroom Translucence. A translucent classroom or learning space would be that where activity traces of online and in-the-classroom learning can enhance awareness of teaching and learning practices.

The session was presented by Dr Roberto Martinez-Maldonado is a full-time researcher at the Connected Intelligence Centre (CIC) and data visualisation lecturer at the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS). He has a background in Computing Engineering. His areas of research include Human-Computer Interaction (HCI, CSCW), Learning Analytics, Artificial Intelligence (AIED, EDM) and Collaborative Learning (CSCL). In the past years, his research has focused on applying data mining techniques to help understand how people learn and collaborate in co-present environments, empowering people with emerging technologies such as interactive surfaces, combining available technologies for capturing traces of collaboration and helping teachers to orchestrate their classroom through the use of interactive devices and learning analytics innovations. He is program co-chair of the research and industry track program of the International Conference of Artificial Intelligence in Education 2018, held in conjunction with the Festival of Learning in London in June.


Digital Equity SIG Survey

ASCILITE’s Digital Equity SIG is conducting a very short survey to collect ideas from the membership for a future SIG special event. We invite your suggestions. Please find the survey at this link: https://goo.gl/forms/Td59br3YeHyabMGC3

You can find-out more about the Digital Equity SIG on their website here.


OTHER NEWS

Final Submission Deadline: IEEE TALE 2018, Wollongong, 4 – 7 December

Asia-Pacific Conference on Educational Technology and STEM Education

TALE is the IEEE Education Society’s flagship Asia-Pacific conference, catering to researchers and practitioners with an interest in educational technology and STEM education. The target audience of the conference is diverse and includes those working in the higher education, vocational education and training (VET), K-12, corporate, government, military, and healthcare sectors. Sponsored by the University of Wollongong and Charles Sturt University, the theme of this year’s conference is “Engineering Next-Generation Learning”.

In addition to 10 Core Tracks, the conference will feature a number of Special Tracks, including:

  • XR (VR/AR/MR) & Immersive Learning Environments
  • Engineering of Technologies for Learning: An Emerging Discipline
  • Big Data Analytics & Machine Learning in Education

TALE 2018 will be held in Wollongong, New South Wales, from 4 to 7 December 2018—the week after ASCILITE 2018. By reciprocal arrangement, attendees of ASCILITE 2018 are entitled to register for IEEE TALE 2018 at member rates, and vice versa.

More information about TALE 2018 can be found on the conference website.

Submissions received to date already exceed that of total submissions for most previous TALE conferences, but due to overwhelming demand, a decision has been made to extend the submission deadline one final time, to 24 August 2018.


Can you help a fellow researcher?

My name is Evelyn Lewis and I’m a full-time doctoral student at Massey University’s Institute of Education (NZ).  I am looking for tertiary educators involved in one or more of the aspects of planning, designing and / or teaching in online environments in public institutions in Australia and New Zealand to take part in my research.

My research interest lies in the use of Open Digital Badges in online learning environments and the ways in which both badges and learning environments influence student use of self-regulated learning strategies.

I invite you to take part in the project by completing this questionnaire which will give you an opportunity to reflect on the ways in which you are organising and managing your online learning environment and using digital badges. It should take you approximately 15 minutes to complete the questionnaire.

Digital badges and the use of self-regulated learning strategies in online learning environments Survey.

Your support for a fellow researcher is much appreciated.

Kind regards
Evelyn Lewis
Massey University

Institutional Members