Presentation to Digital Economy Working Group

1. Digital Futures - Collaborative
Research Network (CRN)
Professor Mike Keppell
Executive Director
Australian Digital Futures Institute
Director, DF-CRN
Program Update
1Wednesday, 24 July 13

2. Overview
n DF-CRN
n Projects
n USQ Context
n ADFI context
2
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3. Digital
Futures
–
Collabora1ve
Research
Network
(CRN)
n This
project
is
supported
through
the
Australian
Government’s
Collabora1ve
Research
Networks
(CRN)
program.
‘Digital
Futures’
is
the
CRN
research
theme
for
the
University
of
Southern
Queensland.
3
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4. DF-CRN is a government
funded program to 2016
In 2011, the CRN Networks scheme -
$61.5 million for 12 projects - was
announced to strengthen Australia’s
research capability and excellence. In
2013, three more institutions were
awarded further funding.
USQ applied for and was awarded $5.1M
for the Digital Futures - Collaborative
Research Network (CRN)
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5. Through a partnership with The
Australian National University (ANU)
and the University of South Australia
(UniSA), the Digital Futures (CRN)
program will explore the future in a
digital age within three specific sub-
themes:
Social and policy challenges in a
digital future
Participation in higher education
Technology rich learning
environments
Focus
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6. Digital Futures-CRN
Outcomes
n An increase in the number of research active staff
n Increased mentorship activity (RLDP)
n An increase in joint publications
n An increase in joint applications for competitive
grants
n An increase in the number of research postgraduate
students
n Collaborative research has been influential in policy
circles.
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7. CRN Projects
Project 1: Developing an evaluation framework for mobile
learning
Project 2: Determining the social and policy challenges of a
digital future: A cross-sectional analysis of rural and regional
Australia
Project 3: Investigating the impact of a web-based, 'discussion-
support', agricultural-climate information system on Australian
farmers' operational decision making
Project 4: RALfie - Remote Access Laboratories for Fun,
Innovation and Education
Project 5: Enhanced professional practice and networking
across rural distances: farmers and teachers
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8. Develop a framework
for mobile learning
Achievements:
The project team has recently been
successful in securing grant funding
from the Department of Foreign
Affairs and Trade Australia-Malaysia
Institute to further research
partnerships in the field of mobile
learning with three Malaysian
universities: Multimedia University
(MMU), Universiti Tunku Abdul
Rahman (UTAR) and The University
of Nottingham.
Project 1
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9. 9Wednesday, 24 July 13

10. Investigate the extent of
the digital divide in Australia
Achievements:
It is intended that the findings on
the extent of digital divide and
their remedial measures will
assist regional, state and federal
government agencies to
implementation digital economy
strategies.
Project 2
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11. 11Wednesday, 24 July 13

12. Develop and test the
effectiveness
of a technology rich learning
environment to help farmers
Achievements:
In its first 12 months of operation,
Project 3 has developed a cohesive
collaborative cross-disciplinary research
team focused on delivering real-world
support for climate risk adaptation
through the development of innovative
critically-evaluated and cost-effective
digital agri-climate extension tools.
Project 3
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14. Research innovative ways to
build and use RAL systems in
Science, Technology,
Engineering and Maths (STEM)
education.
Achievements:
It is intended to have a better
understanding of the performance
and use of these systems, including
ways to increase collaboration and
communication.
Project 4
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15. Develop and pilot new
technology that connects
participants through rich
online learning communities
Achievements:
A major project achievement will
be integrating successful
outcomes in education,
engineering and farming in diverse
communities of practices.
Project 5
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16. USQ Research Context
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17. 17Wednesday, 24 July 13

18. Digital
Futures
Agriculture &
Environment
Resilient
Regions
Focussed Research
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19. Digital
Futures
Agriculture &
Environment
Resilient
Regions
Digital Rural
Futures 2013
Focussed Research
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20. Digital
Futures
Agriculture &
Environment
Resilient
Regions
Digital Rural
Futures 2013
ACCERT
Focussed Research
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21. Digital
Futures
Agriculture &
Environment
Resilient
Regions
Digital Rural
Futures 2013
ACCERT
Digital Rural
Futures 2014
Focussed Research
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22. ADFI
ACCERT
other?
ADFI Landscape
OLT
3 projects
Physical
& virtual
umbrella
DF-CRN
ANU
UNISA
64 Researchers
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23. OLT Projects
Stand Alone Moodle (SAM): From Access to
Success
Network of Australasian Tertiary Associations
(NATA)
Leadership
NATA
Transformative learning
Research Leadership Development Program
CRN
CRN Project 1: Mobile Learning Evaluation
Framework
CRN Project 3: Decision Support Systems for
Sugarcane Farmers with ACSC
Research Leadership Development Program
Health Aged Care Community, Education, Research &
training (ACCERT)
Digital Literacies
Digital Curation (Scoop.it!)
Digital Hubs
Personalised learning
Spaces
20Wednesday, 24 July 13

24. OER
Commonwealth of Learning
OERu
Conferences
Digital Rural Futures 2014
Agricultural Futures-Regional Futures-Digital Futures
25-27June 2014 Toowoomba
RUN
REGIONAL UNIVERSITIES NETWORK (RUN) MATHS AND
SCIENCE DIGITAL CLASSROOM: A CONNECTED MODEL
FOR ALL OF AUSTRALIA
Proposals 10-15 Submitted proposals
Books
Open Learning and Formal Credentialing in Higher
Education: Curriculum Models and Institutional Policies
Getting to Grips with Contemporary Learning Communities
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25. Vision, Mission, Values
& Focus
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26. Horizon Report
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27. CSIRO Megatrends
24
On the move
Personalisation
IWorld
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28. Beyond Current Horizons
n Networking and
connections - distributed
cognition
n Increasing
personalisation and
customisation of
experience
n New forms of literacy
n Openness of ownership of
knowledge (Jewitt, 2009).
25
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29. Trends
‣ People expect to be able to work, learn, and
study whenever and wherever they want.
‣ The abundance of resources and
‣ Need for digital literacies
‣ BYOD technology
‣ Mobility is here!
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30. ADFI - Vision
‣ Digital literacies that transform the
knowledge & skills of society
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31. Digital Literacies
n Literacy is no longer “the ability
to read and write” but now “the
ability to understand
information however
presented.”
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32. ADFI - Mission
‣ To innovate, research & collaborate
to explore and influence digital
literacies that impact societal change.
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33. ADFI - Values
‣ Innovative
‣ Transformative
‣ Inclusive
‣ Collaborative
‣ Connected
‣ Evidence-based
‣ Impact
‣ Open
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37. 34
Questions?
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