ASCILITE NEWS

2020 Australian Awards for University Teaching

ASCILITE would like to congratulate all winners in the Australian Awards for University Teaching and would particularly like to acknowledge our long term ASCILITE members who were awarded Teaching Awards, namely:

Associate Professor Michael Cowling (CQU), ASCILITE Executive member
Associate Professor Matt Bower (Macquarie)
Dr Amanda White (UTS)

We also congratulate the following ASCILITE members who received citations for their Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning:

Dr Jennifer Charteris (UNE) and Dr Lynn Gribble (UNSW).
Deakin University team members Dr Craig Parker and Assoc. Prof. Harsh Suri for their work in supporting international students to develop employability skills in the Information Systems programs.
Deakin University team members Ms Simone Tyrell, Assoc. Prof. Kerrie Bridson, Dr Leanne Ngo, Ms Kim Phu, Ms Sharon Chua, Dr Micaela Spiers and Assoc. Prof. Michael Volkov for the development of program wide resources which support business students’ professional literacies.

Please let us know if you are an ASCILITE member and one of the other winning team members so that we may congratulate you as well.

ASCILITE Learning Analytics SIG series – digging deeper into the ethical use of learning analytics

Ensuring that learning analytics are used in an ethical way is a concept that learning analytics practitioners, teachers, designers, and researchers continue to grapple with as data becomes more prevalent in education. Building a shared understanding of how we can bring together research on this concept with policy and practice is key to being able to address this challenge.

In response, the ASCILITE Learning Analytics (LA) SIG team have put together a series of activities to explore the ethics of learning analytics in more detail. The series starts with a discussion of a recent white paper on the ethical use of learning analytics in Australian higher education.

Throughout March the LA SIG will host an asynchronous discussion of the key issues that arise from the paper, followed by a panel of experts discussion (webinar) in mid-April. The LA SIG will then convene an online workshop focused on a topic that emerges from these conversations and the outcomes of the workshop will inform the development of a resource for the ASCILITE community. The series as a whole is designed to allow the LA SIG membership to delve into an important topic in greater detail than a single webinar may allow.

If you would like to be part of this series please email Hazel Jones to be added to the new Learning Analytics SIG Microsoft Teams space where the ongoing conversations as part of this series will be held.

Extended closing date – Applications for mentors in the inaugural ASCILITE Women in Academic Leadership Initiative

Applications are now being accepted for additional mentors via Expressions of Interest due on the extended closing date of 3 March 2021.

The Women in Academic Leadership Initiative (2021 – 2022) aims to provide mentoring opportunities for academics at levels C and D (or equivalent), with mentors from Levels D and E. The initiative will bring together its members via a community approach to support each other to progress in academia.

Applicants must be current members of ASCILITE and maintain their membership for the duration of the two year initiative.

Full details of the initiative along with the mentor application forms are available here where you will also find a video recording of an information session webinar conducted on 19 February 2021.

OTHER NEWS

ICDE Leadership Summit 2021 – Early-Bird registration closes today!

ICDE is pleased to welcome delegates to its first fully virtual international conference, hosted by the Open Polytechnic of New Zealand: the ICDE Leadership Summit 2021: Leadership for Responsiveness. By running the program across multiple time-zones we invite participants from all corners of the world in shaping the aspects of flexibility as a global response to resilient education. The early-bird registration deadline is extended until 1 March, and is open for all. This event will take place virtually on 8 – 9 April 2021, and we have now confirmed our speakers.

Read more about the Leadership Summit, the speakers and registration here.

PhD scholarship in Assessment in Higher Education opportunity with CRADLE

CRADLE is pleased to announce that applications are now open for a new PhD scholarship in Assessment in Higher Education opportunity. If you’re a domestic student or international student residing in Australia interested in assessment and digital learning, come and study at CRADLE.

Applications close Monday 15 March 2021

This scholarship is open to domestic and international students residing in Australia only, will be awarded on a full-time basis, and will be based at CRADLE’s Melbourne CBD location, Deakin Downtown. The successful applicant will work on a project that considers assessment and learning in the changing settings and increasingly digital context of education, and will contribute evidence to inform assessment research, policy and practice. We welcome submissions that align to CRADLE’s research themes, and also encourage applicants to consult our list of proposed doctoral topics.

CRADLE’s research program seeks to establish what works to improve learning in higher and professional education. Our current areas of research include: academic security and academic integrity; assessment design (including self/peer, authentic and programmatic); feedback and feedback literacy; developing evaluative judgement; assessment in a digital world; digital identities; inclusion and belonging in a digital world; learning in and for the workplace; representation in and beyond assessment; and quality and standards.

Throughout this research, we use cross-cutting approaches, including innovative methodological and theoretical approaches and knowledge transition. Our team of leading higher education researchers includes Alfred Deakin Professor David Boud, Prof. Phillip Dawson, Prof. Margaret Bearman, A/Prof. Rola Ajjawi, Dr. Joanna Tai and Dr Trina Jorre de St Jorre, and we collaborate with Deakin faculties and divisions, along with a range of industry partners and international collaborators.

Scholarship applicants must meet Deakin’s PhD entry requirements, enrol on a full-time basis, and hold an Honours (First Class) degree or an equivalent standard Masters degree with a substantial research component.

Refer to Deakin research degree entry pathways for further information. The successful applicant will be enrolled through the Faculty of Arts and Education and will receive a top-up of $5,000 per annum over three years.

All Expressions of Interest (EOI) must be submitted to through the Faculty of Arts and Education; however, potential applicants should contact a CRADLE supervisor aligned with their preferred project topic prior to submitting an EOI. Further information about the Faculty of Arts and Education’s EOI process, along with the EOI form, may be found here.

For more information please visit the Deakin Scholarships page and the CRADLE website. and for all other enquiries, please email CRADLE’s Research Manager, Dr Helen Walker, or call (03) 9244 5448.

EDEN Open Education Week, 1 – 5 March 2021

The European Distance & eLearning Network (EDEN) is hosting its acclaimed Open Education Week #OEWeek; an online webinar series from 1 – 5 March and coordinated by The Open Education Global, an association of universities, colleges, schools and organisations from all over the world that are committed to the ideals of open education.

The 2021 EDEN OEW, as a celebration of the global Open Education Movement will be also a good time to reflect on changes and achievements influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic and to enhance the possibilities of online and distance learning in today’s “new normal”. During the event you will have access to daily online webinars and panel sessions of expert scholars and practitioners who will present a variety of cutting edge open and online learning topics, from innovations in design to open educational research.

You can join Open Education Week anytime and participation is free. EDEN will issue open badges to acknowledge and appreciate your participation at these events. Be sure to mark March 1-5 on your calendar and register here.

Participants invited for networked music performance in virtual reality study

Do you enjoy singing and have a virtual reality headset? Would you like to be part of a research study looking into music performance in virtual reality and video conferencing? Participants over the age of 18 are sought to assist with research into the experience of singing online while in virtual reality and video conferencing. Participants with a musical background are encouraged to apply, however advanced musical ability is not essential. Those with an interest in music and its use in emerging technology mediums may also be interested in participating. The study will involve singing a simple, well-known tune with a facilitator in both a video conference session and a virtual reality environment. A Zoom interview will follow the singing sessions.

Participation will take approximately 30 – 45 mins. No financial payment will be provided, but participants will get to experience a unique remote musical collaboration while helping to increase knowledge in the field. (HREC ID number: 1954997.3)

FLANZ 2021 Conference: 14 – 15 April 2021

The FLANZ 2021 Conference (Flexible Learning Association of New Zealand) in association with Massey University, invites delegates to register and secure their place at the conference. The FLANZ 2021 Conference is a blended event with the conference hub at Victoria University of Wellington, four satellite venues across New Zealand (Auckland, Waikato, Palmerston North and Christchurch) and live online presentations and discussions.