ASCILITE NEWS
Reminder: New Community of Practice for CMALT Accreditation
ascilite is now proactively supporting CMALT Australasia accreditation of professionals by offering a Community of Practice (CoP) with mentoring opportunities and incentives to those preparing their CMALT portfolio.
There are two parts to the support offered. The first part comprises online mentoring, advice and support to assist with portfolio preparation and the second part is a one-off $A250 subsidy to attend the ascilite2015 conference. The subsidy is available to successful CMALT Australasia applicants who participate in the CoP 2015. Full details and conditions for subsidies are outlined in the CoP Guidelines (PDF). Enquiries may be directed to Mark Northover, Co-Chair CMALT Australasia. The CoP is open to all ascilite members.
Transforming Assessment SIG
Transforming Assessment is now an ascilite Special Interest Group (SIG).
Next Transforming Assessment Webinar
Topic: Virtually Enhanced Language Teaching
Date & Time: 1 April 2015, 7am – 8am (UST/GMT)
Presenters: Scott Grant (Monash University, Australia).
Abstract: The Virtually Enhanced Languages (VEL) project builds on five years of experience using online 3D multiuser virtual environments (MUVEs) to enhance tertiary level language and culture learning. The project aims to reduce barriers to entry for educators interested in 3D MUVEs and task-based language learning. Free, shareable resources, both pedagogical and technical have been developed. The session will cover both the background and goals of the VEL project and will include a live demonstration of the 3DMUVE environment used for Chinese language and culture learning.
The session will be hosted by Professor Geoffrey Crisp (RMIT University, Australia) and Dr Mathew Hillier (The Institute for Teaching and Learning Innovation, The University of Queensland, Australia.
To register, please create a free account here. Note that the new website has made RSVPs redundant. If you encounter any issues with registering, please email Matthew Hillier.
For further information on the webinar, visit the website.
Call for papers – special journal issue on e-Assessment
We are editing a special issue of the 'Universities and Knowledge Society Journal' on the theme of Using e-Assessment to enhance student learning and evidence learning outcomes. Start planning your paper now for submission by 15 September 2015. Further information is available here.
Past Recording released
A recording of the 4 March webinar Enhancing student learning outcomes with simulation-based pedagogies (in business) is now available for viewing here. This session was presented by Assoc Prof Pierre Benckendorff (University of Queensland, Australia). It explored the techniques used to assess the learning outcomes of online business simulations.
OTHER NEWS
OLT Project Complete: Creativity Skills MOOC
The OLT funded project A creativity skills MOOC for Australian coursework Master’s students has been completed. The MOOC requires 20 hours of student engagement and has been designed to assist coursework Master’s programs to develop and assess AQF level 9 creativity skills. Students can enroll in the MOOC or program directors and unit coordinators may customise and embed the course materials into their programs.
In semester two, 2014 the MOOC was piloted with students from Victoria University, Queensland University of Technology and the Australian National University. Ninety-three percent of the students who completed the MOOC agreed that they would use what they had learned about creativity and their own creative processes in future learning, whether in their Master’s program or in their professional lives.
The MOOC was reviewed by coursework Master’s program directors from Victoria University. Ninety percent of program directors reported that they would either require their students to use theMOOC or they would customize the materials and embed them into their programs.
The MOOC is hosted on the CQUniversity open access course platform (OOC) and is open for Program Directors and Unit Coordinators to review here. Before the MOOC Creativity Unlimited runs later in semester 1, colleagues may review it by enrolling and then using the guest password 'cps-creativity’.
For all queries about accessing the MOOC please contact the CQUniversity course coordinators – Professors Denise Wood (d.wood@cqu.edu.au) and Donna Lee Brien (d.brien@cqu.edu.au).
The resources from the MOOC include:
- The (Moodle) exported file of the MOOC which can be imported to other university’s Learning Management System.
- Guidelines for Program Directors and Unit Coordinators who want to either use the MOOC or customise and embed the MOOC content.
- Word documents which include the content of the MOOC – so that program directors can customise and embed the MOOC content into their program.
The resources are located here.
If you would like further information about the MOOC, please email Adjunct Associate Professor Kym Fraser.
Call for Participation: Second IEEE International Conference on Education Technologies and Computers (ICETC2015)
You are invited to participate in the Second International Conference on Education Technologies and Computers (ICETC2015) which is being organized by the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce in cooperation with the Society of Digital Information and Wireless Communications (SDIWC). The conference will take place in Bangkok, Thailand on 20 – 22 May 2015.
Topics of interest include but are not limited to the following:
a) Education Technologies
– Technology Enhanced Learning
– Computer-Aided Assessment
– Technology Support for Pervasive Learning
b) E-Learning
– E-Learning Hardware and Software
– E-Learning Platforms, PortalsÅ
– Immersive Learning
– E-Learning Success Cases
All registered papers will be submitted to IEEE for potential inclusion in IEEE Xplore. Best selected papers will be published in special issues of the International Journal of New Computer Architectures and their Applications (IJNCAA), the International Journal of Digital Information and Wireless Communications (IJDIWC) and the International Journal of Knowledge-Based Organizations (IJKBO).
Important Dates
Submission deadline: April 15, 2015
Notification of acceptance: 2-3 weeks from the submission date
Camera Ready submission: May 10, 2015
Registration deadline: May 10, 2015
Conference dates: May 20-22, 2015
Further details, including paper submission instructions and information on how to volunteer to serve as a reviewer for the conference, are available here.
Queries as well as expressions of interest to organize a workshop, tutorial or special session may be directed to the Conference Secretariat.
Job Vacancy: Educational Developer, UNSW
The Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at the University of New South Wales is seeking to appoint an Educational Developer. The post is full time and permanent. The appointee will work with academic and professional staff across the Faculty.
The position description and application process can be found here.
New ALT (UK) Articles of Interest
Reclaiming the webinar: challenges and opportunities for live online learning
Are webinars critical for distance learning? This question sparked lively conversation on the ALT mail list recently. The answers, from individuals with a wealth of experience in delivering live online learning, ranged from ‘not critical’, to ‘important’, to ‘it depends on the context’. Read more >>>
