Showing papers in "Australasian Journal of Educational Technology in 2013"

Schools going mobile: A study of the adoption of mobile handheld technologies in Western Australian independent schools

Abstract: This paper reports on the adoption of mobile handheld technologies in ten Western Australian independent schools, based on interviews with staff conducted in 2011. iPads were the most popular device, followed by iPod Touches and iPhones. Class sets were common at lower levels, with 1:1 models becoming increasingly common at higher levels. Mobile learning, or m-learning, was still at an experimental stage in most schools, but common themes were already emerging around the need to integrate mobile devices into a broader learning ecology. Key discussions focused on their role in promoting consumption or production, collaboration or personalisation, and creating seamless learning spaces. Used for both organisational and pedagogical purposes, mobile devices were seen as enhancing student motivation, with empirical evidence of improved student learning also emerging in small-scale studies conducted by two schools. Challenges included the need to carefully manage the technology, ethical issues in its use, and staff roles in its deployment. Pedagogically grounded and adequately contextualised professional development (PD) was seen as vital for time-poor staff, while a desire to set up a professional community of practice was widely expressed. All the schools surveyed planned to extend their use of mobile handheld technologies in the future.

Learning to take the tablet: How pre-service teachers use iPads to facilitate their learning

Abstract: Mobile handheld devices are spreading rapidly in education. iPads, especially, are increasingly being adopted by different educational sectors, but there is currently little empirical evidence on whether, or how, they facilitate student learning. This paper reports on how iPads contributed to pre-service teachers' learning, including their learning about teaching. Case studies of eight pre-service teachers were developed based on semi-structured interviews and non-participant observations to determine how they used the iPad 2 in their learning. Focus group interviews of the larger cohort were also used to support findings. It was found that iPads supported pre-service teachers' learning in four ways: developing understanding of content, developing understanding of pedagogy, staying connected, and staying organised. More broadly, iPads helped them develop a new sense of learning spaces and learning networks. Three types of obstacles to using iPads as learning tools were also identified: device limitations, time limitations, and attitudinal limitations. Based on these findings, recommendations are made for developing pedagogical best practice for the use of iPads. These recommendations are relevant to pre-service teacher education in particular but also to higher education in general.

Preparing Teachers to Integrate Web 2.0 in School Practice: Toward a Framework for Pedagogy 2.0.

Abstract: Web 2.0 has captured the interest and the imagination of both educators and researchers while it is expected to exert a significant impact on instruction and learning, in the context of the 21st century education. Hailed as an open collaborative learning space, many questions remain unanswered regarding the appropriate teacher preparation and the pedagogical impact of using Web 2.0 tools in the classroom practice. Do teachers feel comfortable and ready to adopt educational Web 2.0? What are their beliefs and perceptions regarding the educational potential of Web 2.0? What are the educational and contextual issues that determine teachers' challenges and decisions to use Web 2.0 in their classroom practice? This paper addresses the questions above by presenting the design and the implementation of a development program aiming to prepare teachers to make meaningful and purposeful use of Web 2.0 tools in their classroom. The model of technological pedagogical content knowledge and the authentic learning approach were the guiding principles that largely influenced the Web 2.0 pedagogical framework, which was designed and applied in this particular teacher preparation program. The program findings were encouraging as far as the participants' perceptions and beliefs towards educational Web 2.0 and the expected outcomes for the students. Implications and recommendations are drawn in relation to the use of the proposed Web 2.0 pedagogical framework to guide teachers' development and the effective implementation of Web 2.0 tools in the classroom to maximize benefits and enhance students' learning.

Design of a blended learning environment: Considerations and implementation issues

Abstract: This study identified critical issues in the design of a blended learning environment by examining basic design considerations and implementation issues. Following a design-based research approach with the phenomenological tradition of qualitative research, the study investigated instructor experiences relating to the design, development, and implementation processes of a blended course. The results reveal that the design considerations centred on the pedagogical approach, course organization, materials preparation, interactions, and the instructor's and students' roles. The affordances of the implementation included the arousal of the students' interest and participation, flexibility, time conservation, the ability to track student progress, and the improvement of interaction, collaboration, and communication opportunities. The challenges were increased workload, course and time management, overlaps, and the creation of harmony between the face-to-face and online environments. The overall results show that the critical issues involved context, the pedagogical framework, instructor competency, and technical issues in the blended course design.

Exploring the TPACK of Taiwanese Secondary School Science Teachers Using a New Contextualized TPACK Model.

Abstract: Technological pedagogical and content knowledge (TPACK) has been one of the steering theoretical concepts widely employed by researchers in order to examine and develop teachers' knowledge of integrating technology into teaching. Existing research on TPACK shows little about in-service secondary school science teachers' TPACK through a quantitative approach. The purposes of this study were to explore TPACK of secondary school science teachers using a new contextualized TPACK model. Associations between in-service teachers' TPACK and other factors were also examined. The TPACK questionnaire was mailed to secondary schools randomly selected across different parts of Taiwan, and return envelopes were provided for completed questionnaires. There were 1292 science teachers from secondary schools for factor analysis. An independent samples t -test was conducted when there were two groups (i.e., gender) to be compared for TPACK. ANOVA was conducted when there were more than two groups (i.e., science teaching experience) compared for TPACK. The results indicated that secondary science teachers' TPACK was statistically significant according to gender and teaching experience. With the consideration of other TPACK sub-components, male science teachers rated their technology knowledge significantly higher than did female teachers. Experienced science teachers tended to rate their content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge in context (PCKCx) significantly higher than did novice science teachers. However, science teachers with less teaching experience tended to rate their technology knowledge and technological content knowledge in context (TPCKCx) significantly higher than did teachers with more teaching experience. The study shows how gender and teaching experience were influential factors for secondary school science teachers' TPACK. The research implications of this study are provided along with suggestions.

The influence of students' ICT skills and their adoption of mobile learning

Abstract: Mobile technology has gained increased focus in academic circles as a way to enable learning that is not confined by time and place. As the benefits of mobile learning are being clarified so too will researchers need to understand the factors that influence its future use. The adoption of mobile technology will largely depend on whether students believe that mobile technology fits their particular needs. However despite the interest in the potential of mobile learning, researchers have only a limited knowledge of the factors that may influence student adoption. To address this gap in the literature, the present study was undertaken to determine how ICT skills impact students' adoption of mobile learning. The study posited that the perceived ease of use and usefulness of mobile technology would mediate the relationship between ICT skills and the intention of students to adopt mobile learning. A survey of 446 students from three tertiary institutions found that students' intention to adopt mobile learning was influenced by specific types of ICT skills. In particular, it was found that advanced skill in mobile technology and basic ICT skills both played significant roles in the intention to adopt mobile learning. No evidence was found to support the assertion that advanced ICT skills influenced their adoption of mobile learning.

Investigating elementary school students' technology acceptance by applying digital game-based learning to environmental education

Abstract: In order to improve and promote students' environmental knowledge, attitudes, and behaviour, integrating environmental education into the primary education curriculum has become a key issue for environmental education. For this reason, this study aimed to investigate elementary school students' acceptance of technology applying digital game-based learning (DGBL) to environmental education. A total of 32 fourth graders in an elementary school participated in a seven-week DGBL teaching experiment. After the experimental teaching session, a survey concerning "perceived ease of use", "perceived usefulness", and "user intentions" was conducted. The results show that the DGBL system is suitable for both genders at all levels of experience. In addition, the 4th grade students' "perceived ease of use", "perceived usefulness", "attitudes toward use", and "intention to use" reveal a high degree of positive and significant correlations. Furthermore, a path analysis verifies that DGBL acceptance will be directly influenced by a learner's "attitude toward use" and "perceived usefulness." Finally, when designing DGBL for 4th graders, the rich learning content and ease of use should be taken into account because they significantly contribute to a learner's intention to use the system, which may result in greater learning effectiveness.

Getting inside the black box of technology integration in education: Teachers' stimulated recall of classroom observations

Abstract: This study explored the black box of technology integration through the stimulated recall of teachers who showed proficiency in the use of technology to support teaching and learning. More particularly, the aim of the study was to examine how these teachers use technology in their lessons and to gain deeper insights into the multifaceted influences affecting their current practices. In order to explore this black box, observations and stimulated recall interviews with primary school teachers were conducted in schools which were selected by the inspectorate on the basis of advances they had made in educational technology use. Stimulated recall interviews – a verbal reporting technique in which the teachers were asked to verbalize their thoughts while looking at their own classroom practice on video – seemed to be a promising approach to increase authentic understandings of technology integration. The results emphasize that (a) the teachers involved in this study were pedagogically proficient and flexible enough to fit technology in with the varying demands of their educational practices, (b) the teachers' ongoing learning experiences rather than training affected the development of the quality of their practices, and (c) the role of the school and the broader context of teachers' personal lives played an important role. By interpreting the results of the study, recommendations are discussed for teacher technology integration and future research.

Students' experiences and expectations of technologies: An Australian study designed to inform planning and development decisions

Abstract: The pace of technological change accompanied by an evolution in social, work-based and study behaviours and norms poses particular challenges for universities as they strive to develop high quality and sustainable technology-rich learning environments. Maintaining currency with the latest advances is resource intensive, hence the costs incurred in upgrading existing and introducing new technologies need to be carefully weighed up against the potential benefits to students. This calls for a multidimensional approach to planning, with the student voice being an important dimension. Three Australian universities have recently completed a project to gain a better understanding of students' experiences and expectations of technologies in everyday life and for study purposes. The LMS and 25 other technologies ranging from established university offerings (email, learning management systems) to freely available social networking technologies (YouTube, Facebook) were surveyed. More than 10,000 students responded. This paper discusses the development of the survey and presents the broad trends that have emerged in relation to the current use of technologies and desired future use of these for learning purposes. The implications of the survey findings for developing institutional infrastructure to engage students and support their learning are highlighted.

Validating and modelling technological pedagogical content knowledge framework among Asian preservice teachers

Abstract: The Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPCK) framework has been adopted by many educational technologists and teacher educators for the research and development of knowledge about the pedagogical uses of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in classrooms. While the framework is potentially very important, efforts to survey teachers' TPCK efficacy has yet to identify all seven factors postulated by the framework. This study attempted to validate a TPCK efficacy survey by implementing it on an Asian group of 550 preservice teachers from China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan. The seven factors underlying the TPCK framework were identified which suggested the research instrument to be valid and reliable. The structural equation model proposed based on the TPCK framework supported eight out of 12 hypotheses about the relationships between TPCK constructs. The results indicate that the positive effects of the basic knowledge factors of CK, PK, and TK were indirect, occurring through the second layer of knowledge factors (TPK, TCK, and PCK). Implications for preservice teacher professional developments are discussed.

Surveying In-Service Preschool Teachers' Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge.

Abstract: Many teachers are reporting that they need to develop more subject-specific applications of educational technology. However, there seems to have been a lack of theoretical frameworks to guide educators in preparing and developing in-service preschool teacher education in the area of educational technology until the recent emergence of the notion of technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK). This study utilizes the TPACK survey to explore 366 Taiwanese in-service preschool teachers' technological pedagogical content knowledge. Exploratory factor analyses of the TPACK survey used in this study yielded six scales: Content knowledge (CK), pedagogical knowledge (PK), pedagogical content knowledge (PCK), technological knowledge (TK), a combined factor of technological pedagogical knowledge and technological content knowledge (TPTCK) and technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPCK), respectively. The exploratory factor analyses indicated adequate reliability and validity of the TPACK survey. The correlation analyses revealed that more senior preschool teachers might show a certain degree of resistance toward technology-integrated teaching environments. Further analyses also showed that the preschool teachers with higher education qualifications tended to have more knowledge of technology use and ICT integration in their teaching environment.

A rubric for assessing teachers' lesson activities with respect to TPACK for meaningful learning with ICT

Abstract: Teachers' technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) for meaningful learning with ICT describes their knowledge for designing ICT lesson activities with respect to five dimensions: active, constructive, authentic, intentional, and cooperative. The ICT lesson activities designed by teachers can be assessed to determine the strengths and weaknesses of their TPACK for meaningful learning with ICT in practice. This study describes the conception, validation, and implementation of a rubric for assessing ICT lesson activities with respect to the dimensions of meaningful learning with ICT. It was conducted with 55 Singaporean pre-service teachers trained to teach Chinese as a second language. The 217 lesson activities they designed during a compulsory ICT module were rated using the rubric. High ratings were obtained for the active dimension because the activities involved students using and manipulating ICT tools. However, the ratings for the other dimensions were lower because opportunities for students' personal meaning-making, exploration of real-world phenomena, collaboration through divergent knowledge construction, as well as self-diagnosis and management of learning gaps were not as well supported in these activities. The uses of this rubric for enhancing TPACK assessment, ICT course design and the development of TPACK activity types will be discussed in the paper.

Improving assessment processes in Higher Education: Student and teacher perceptions of the effectiveness of a rubric embedded in a LMS

Abstract: Students and teachers play different roles and thus have different perceptions about the effectiveness of assessment including structure, feedback, consistency, fairness and efficiency. In an undergraduate Business Information Systems course, a rubric was designed and semi-automated through a learning management system (LMS) to provide formative feedback. Action research with a qualitative approach was undertaken by the teacher. A questionnaire was administered to the 55 students to gather their perceptions of the effectiveness of the process. Students reported benefits of clearly being able to see what they needed to do, what they had achieved, and what they needed to do to improve. The majority (95%) recommended further use of the rubric process. From the teacher's perspective, a key benefit was an estimated 40% reduction in marking time and improved student satisfaction with feedback. An insight from the student feedback and teacher reflection was that there is a balance between providing clear detailed structure versus challenging students with freedom to deal with the ambiguity of open ended issues. The study provides practical insights for further roll-out of assurance of learning initiatives based on rubrics embedded in LMSs, and contributes a model for further research into student and teacher perceptions of assessment effectiveness.

Learning in Facebook: First year tertiary student reflections from 2008 to 2011

Abstract: This paper reflects on the use of Facebook as an online learning environment for first year design students from 2008 to 2011. Between 2008 and 2010 three student cohorts from the University of Adelaide engaged with their peers through forums hosted by Facebook, submitting work-in-progress imagery and critiquing peers' submissions. In 2011 the study expanded to include national and international collaborators with first year cohorts from Swinburne University in Australia, and Nanyang Technological University in Singapore also participating, allowing students to interact with their global peers. The online forum facilitated increased peer interaction, particularly between local and international students, and improved academic performance as a result of consistent feedback from a range of sources. At the end of 2011 students from the four participating cohorts between 2008 and 2011 were invited to take part in a survey reflecting on and evaluating the learning experiences in Facebook. The results highlighted many positive outcomes regarding the online forum, and have led to the establishment of a series of recommendations for the future use of Facebook as a learning tool, outlined at the conclusion of this paper.

Using the TPACK framework to unite disciplines in online learning

Abstract: This paper builds on a previous case study in which a group of lecturers from various disciplines were interviewed about their practice as facilitators of online learning. The lecturers' comments about their teaching practices revealed their awareness of specific types of teacher knowledge about online teaching. This was an unintended outcome of the previous study. Subsequently, as reported in this paper, the data were interrogated further using a new lens to investigate the extent to which these elements of teacher knowledge were evident throughout their practices. The technological, pedagogical and content knowledge (TPACK) theoretical framework enabled the researchers to identify the lecturers' views about the content taught in online and blended environments, the pedagogy which guided teaching and course design, and the technology selected to facilitate students' learning. This paper also considers practical issues about using the TPACK framework as a research tool as a lens through which to view online teachers' knowledge about pedagogy, technology and content.

Designing interaction tasks in Second Life for Chinese as a foreign language learners: A preliminary exploration

Abstract: The aims of this research were to develop guidelines for designing interaction tasks for learners of Chinese as a foreign language (CFL) and to investigate the attitudes of CFL learners toward a full CFL class in Second Life (SL). Three research questions were addressed in this research: (1) what are the attitudes of CFL learners toward the language learning tasks in SL? (2) what kinds of social interactions emerge from learning activities in a CFL class in SL? (3) how do those activities benefit CFL learners in the learning of Chinese in SL? Two studies were conducted to tackle these questions. The cognition, usage, and expansion (CUE) model was proposed based on the findings obtained from study 1 and then implemented and evaluated in study 2. The findings of study 2 indicated that the activities run in the CUE model were effective at motivating CFL beginners and improving their oral communication and social interactions. Based on the video data analysis, three criteria were proposed for designing learning activities. Suggestions are also made for future research on CFL teaching/learning in SL.

A mindtool-based collaborative learning approach to enhancing students' innovative performance in management courses

Abstract: Educators have indicated that creative teaching is the most important educational activity; nevertheless, most existing education systems fail to engage students in effective creative tasks. To address this issue, this study proposes a mind map based collaborative learning approach for supporting creative learning activities and enhancing students' innovative performance. An experiment has been conducted on a university management course to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed method. The experimental results show that the proposed approach significantly enhanced the students' innovative performance in a project-based learning task. Such a finding not only provides evidence of the cultivability of innovative thinking, but also good references for those researchers who are interested in conducting creative learning activities.

Towards a TPACK-fostering ICT instructional process for teachers: Lessons from the implementation of interactive whiteboard instruction

Abstract: This paper describes an on-going design-based research project that aims to develop an instructional process to facilitate pre-service teachers' technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) development as they learn to integrate information and communication technology (ICT) in their teaching content subjects. In conjunction with an initiative to prepare pre-service teachers for integrating interactive whiteboard (IWB) in their teaching subjects, an instructional process comprising of tutor modelling, hands-on exploration, and group-based design was implemented. The data collected during this first implementation cycle (Cycle 1) was used to enhance the second implementation cycle (Cycle 2) through the inclusion of classroom-based case studies, subject-based design ideas and opportunities for peer sharing. The findings from both implementation cycles reveal that strategies such as tutor modelling and hands-on exploration of ICT tools appeared to be more advantageous for fostering technological knowledge and technological pedagogical knowledge. Group-based design experiences supported the pre-service teachers to formulate TPACK. The paper concludes with a discussion about the future developments of these TPACK-fostering ICT instructional processes.

"I'd Be So Much More Comfortable Posting Anonymously": Identified versus Anonymous Participation in Student Discussion Boards

Abstract: Academic staff members encourage university students to use online student discussion boards within learning management systems to ask and answer questions, share information and engage in discussion. We explore the impact of anonymity on student posting behaviour. An online survey was completed by 131 second year undergraduate psychology students (91% response rate). Overall, students reported being significantly more likely to post to discussion boards when anonymous posting was enabled than when identified posting was required ( d = .49). Students who preferred to post anonymously were significantly less likely to post on discussion boards requiring identification than other students ( η 2 = .27). The experimental manipulation of anonymous/identified postings using a simulated discussion board thread revealed no significant differences in the perceived credibility of authors of anonymous and identified messages, or in the likelihood of responding to these messages. A combination of individual level factors; including online privacy concern, self-consciousness and self-efficacy; were predictive of the likelihood of making identified postings ( R 2 = .387), but only self-efficacy was a significant unique predictor of anonymous postings ( sr 2 = .05). Educators can consider enabling anonymous postings and providing training to increase student self-efficacy as ways of increasing student engagement through decreasing concerns about self-presentation online.

Converged social media: Identity management and engagement on Facebook Mobile and blogs

Abstract: There is scant evidence to demonstrate that researchers grasp the social dimensions of convergence, and particularly, the academic and social implications of converged media on students' lives. Despite a surge in student appropriation of social media-enabled mobile phones for exchanging educational resources and social practices, little is known about this collapsing of academic and social contexts. Twelve purposively selected postgraduate students who used Facebook Mobile for exchanging learning resources and micro-management of their daily lives were interviewed to unravel the influence of converged social media on students' lives. Identity construction and convergence as theoretical constructs were drawn upon to examine student narratives of their Facebook interactions and navigation of their identities. The findings suggest that Facebook Mobile enhanced the students’ networked exchange of knowledge and meaningful participation in learning communities. However, students expressed uncertainty about educators' judgements of their online personae, invasion of their privacy, information security and fears of jeopardising future career prospects. The study recommends best-practice pedagogical designs that emphasise deep engagement, safe communication, measures to deal with plagiarism and policy interventions to address privacy and information security.

Using e-portfolios in a field experience placement: Examining student-teachers’ attitudes towards learning in relationship to personal value, control and responsibility

Abstract: This study extends the ownership of learning model by using e-portfolios in a field experience placement to examine student-teachers' attitudes towards learning in relationship to personal value, feeling in control and taking responsibility. A research model is presented based on research into ownership of learning . The student e-portfolio ownership of learning questionnaire (SEOLQ) was developed. Seventy-seven participants completed the survey measuring their responses to ownership of learning components of attitudes towards learning (ATL), personal value (PV), feeling in control (FIC), and taking responsibility (TR). Data were used to test the hypotheses postulating the main effects of ATL using e-portfolio on the constructs PV, FIC, and TR. The results of the study indicated that ATL had a significant influence on PV, FIC and TR. The results suggest the student-teachers valued the integration of the e-portfolio into the field experience and developed a sense of control of their learning. Responsibility-related findings suggest that participants were sensitive to both the means of manipulating the e-portfolio and the results of their efforts doing so. By providing student-teachers with the opportunity to reflect critically upon their work as educators, e-portfolios can serve as an invaluable resource for promoting effective ownership of learning.

Connected teaching and learning: The uses and implications of connectivism in an online class

Abstract: An instructor tried using connectivism to teach an online graduate Education course called Teaching in a Virtual World. As a way to embody the many connections inherent in the group, all members of the class created and taught modules of their own choosing to each other. The instructor and two former students reflected together online in depth about their experience and coded their joint understandings. Schwab's commonplaces of curriculum emerged in the data, demonstrating that it is still current. They found that the course, however, was not completely connectivist due to limitations emanating from its operation within a traditional university setting.

Enhancing an instructional design model for virtual reality-based learning

Abstract: In order to effectively utilize the capabilities of virtual reality (VR) in supporting the desired learning outcomes, careful consideration in the design of instruction for VR learning is crucial. In line with this concern, previous work proposed an instructional design model that prescribes instructional methods to guide the design of VR-based learning environments . This article provides a thorough elaboration on how formative research is employed to enhance the earlier model. The study has successfully generated five new hypothesized principles to enhance the robustness of the instructional design model through the formative research process. The newly derived hypothesized principles also provide insights into the design of various experimental studies for testing them in the effort to form a more comprehensive guide for the design of VR-based learning environments.

Mining interactions in immersive learning environments for real-time student feedback

Abstract: The analysis and use of data generated by students’ interactions with learning systems or programs – learning analytics – has recently gained widespread attention in the educational technology community. Part of the reason for this interest is based on the potential of learning analytic techniques such as data mining to find hidden patterns in students’ online interactions that can be meaningfully interpreted and then fed back to students in a way that supports their learning. In this paper we present an investigation of how the digital data records of students’ interactions within an immersive 3D environment can be mined, modeled and analysed, to provide real-time formative feedback to students as they complete simulated surgical tasks. The issues that emerged in this investigation as well as areas for further research and development are discussed.

Evolving technologies require educational policy change: Music education for the 21st century

Abstract: There is growing discussion among education and government authorities on rethinking education in the 21st century. This increasing area of interest has come in response to the evolution of technology and its effect on the future needs and requirements of society. Online applications and social networking capabilities have accelerated in popularity, revealing their potential. The recognised benefits of technology for the use of music education have resulted in collaborative projects and learning and teaching that is not constricted by walls or location. Music education can be accessible to all young people through a combination of social media, blogging and interactive creative musical activities to engage students in all locations, including rural and remote areas. In this 21st century classroom, music education includes online resources, digital learning, in-school workshops, online master classes and live concert streaming where a range of musical styles are explored. This article explores the learning and teaching outcomes of Project Music X , an online music education project designed to fill an important gap in the provision of music education programs in regional and remote schools using a range of web 2.0 technologies. Technology in this context does not only align with the thinking of young people, but also provides a platform for students in remote and rural areas to engage with high quality music education and performance experiences that they would otherwise not have access to.

Collaboration and competition on a wiki: The praxis of online social learning to improve academic writing and research in under-graduate students

Abstract: While the Internet has been described as fundamental to higher education students, social and leisure internet tools are also increasingly being used by these students to generate and maintain their social and professional networks and interactions. Rapid technological advancements have enabled greater and faster access to information for learning and education. As such, we sought to integrate interactive, online social media into the assessment profile of a Public Health undergraduate cohort at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT). The aim of this exercise was to engage students to both develop and showcase their research on a range of complex, contemporary health issues within the online forum of Wikispaces (http://www.wikispaces.com/) for review and critique by their peers. We applied Bandura's social learning theory (SLT) to analyse the interactive processes from which students developed deeper and more sustained learning, and via which their overall academic writing standards were raised. This paper outlines the assessment task and the students' feedback on their learning outcomes in relation to the attentional, retentional, motor reproduction, and motivational processes outlined by Bandura in SLT. We conceptualise the findings in a theoretical model, and discuss the implications for this approach within the broader tertiary environment.

Examining students' use of online annotation tools in support of argumentative reading

Abstract: This study examined how students in a Hong Kong high school used Diigo, an online annotation tool, to support their argumentative reading activities. Two year 10 classes, a high-performance class (HPC) and an ordinary-performance class (OPC), highlighted passages of text and wrote and attached sticky notes to them to clarify argumentation structures and to represent and share argumentation processes. Analysis of annotations revealed that highlighting was the most frequently used online annotation feature. The HPC made significantly more sticky notes and used them more to annotate terms, claims and judgments than the OPC. The study suggests that Diigo is a promising tool for supporting reading-to-argue. The findings may be of value to teachers and researchers in designing online annotation tools that more effectively foster the process of reading-to-argue.

Effects of Online Procedural Scaffolds and the Timing of Scaffolding Provision on Elementary Taiwanese Students' Question-Generation in a Science Class

Abstract: This study examined the effects of online procedural scaffolds (in the form of generic question-stems with context-specific examples) and the timing of scaffolding provision (immediate versus delayed) on supporting the online student question-generation learning process in a science class. A total of 78 fifth-grade Taiwanese students participated in eight online question-generation sessions. An online learning system equipped with a customizable scaffolding design in terms of content and timing of access was used. The results of ANOVAs on the students' week-by-week question-generation performance showed the immediate positive effects of immediate procedural scaffolding. However, the delayed procedural scaffolds group did not statistically distinguish themselves from the no-scaffolds group in any of the eight question-generation performances, nor did the delayed approach engender productive failure, as postulated by some researchers. The significance of this study is discussed, along with suggestions for related instructional implementations, online systems and future research.

iArchi[tech]ture: Developing a mobile social media framework for pedagogical transformation

Abstract: This paper critiques the journey of pedagogical change over three mobile learning (mlearning) project iterations (2009 to 2011) within the context of a Bachelor of Architecture degree. The three projects were supported by an intentional community of practice model involving a partnership of an educational researcher/technologist, course lecturers, and course students. The pedagogical changes achieved over three years of sustained collaborative participatory action research illustrate the potential for using a community of practice model for supporting pedagogical transformation in broader educational contexts. The Architecture case study thus serves as an example of the ethical, sustained, and collaborative educational technology research called for by Reeves, Herrington, and Oliver (2005) and reiterated by others. We use the concept of the pedagogy-andragogy-heutagogy continuum as a measure of the pedagogical change achieved by the integration of mobile social media within the Architecture curriculum. From our experiences of utilizing mobile social media to support a pedagogical change towards heutagogy we develop a framework for scaffolding a move along the PAH continuum and explore the application of this framework to the establishment of a wider global community of practice (icollab11).

The competencies required for effective performance in a university e-learning environment

Abstract: The aim of this study was to identify and rate the importance of the competencies required by students for effective performance in a university e-learning environment mediated by a learning management system. Two expert panels identified 58 e-learning competencies considered to be essential for e-learning. Of these competencies, 22 were related to the use of technology. The remaining 36 competencies encapsulated a range of practices considered to be essential for learning within a social constructivist framework. Six of the competencies identified were either new or substantially different from what had been previously identified in the literature. A survey of e-learning stakeholders rating the importance of the e-learning competencies indicated that the competencies were not of equal importance. Critically, a number of key competencies from a social constructivist perspective that dealt with interacting and working with others were rated as being unimportant. This suggests that there is a disconnect between what the literature says about the importance of social constructivism to e-learning environments in theory and what e-learning stakeholders perceive its importance to be in practice.