1. ICTs in practice:
students and academics as agents
Professor Shirley Alexander
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Teaching, Learning and Equity)
University of Technology, Sydney @SAlexander_UTS
5. The hype cycle for evolution of
new technologies (Gartner group)
Peak of
inflated
expectation Slope of
enlightenment
Excitement
Plateau
of
Technology productivity
Trough of
trigger disillusionment
Years
6. Castells (2001, p28)
• “..we engage in a process of learning by
producing, in a virtuous feedback between
the diffusion of technology and its
enhancement….. It is a proven lesson from
the history of technology that users are
key producers of the technology, by
adapting it to their uses and values, and
ultimately transforming the technology
itself…”
10. What does it mean to be a
University of Technology?
Technology as system
Technology as practice
Technology as tools
11. Who are the
learners?
How to
design the
curriculum?
Which
technologies
support aims? Which learning
spaces support
curriculum
and
technologies?
12. Who are the
learners?
How to
design the
curriculum?
Which
technologies
support aims? Which learning
spaces support
curriculum
and
technologies?
13.
14. Hours in paid work
2009
2004
1999
1994
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
JAMES, R. KRAUSE, K. & JENNINGS, C. (2010). The First Year Experience in Australia Universities: Findings from 1994 to 2009.
15. Attendance at University
50
45
40
35
30
3 days
25
4 days
20 5 days
15
10
5
0
1994 1999 2004 2009
JAMES, R. KRAUSE, K. & JENNINGS, C. (2010). The First Year Experience in Australia Universities: Findings from 1994 to 2009.
16. Classroom audits
Weekly comparison shows that attendance
decreases slightly each week over the course of the
semester (approx average of 3% per week)
17. Who are the
learners?
How to
design the
curriculum?
Which
technologies
support aims? Which learning
spaces support
curriculum
and
technologies?s
paces
18. 1. An integrated exposure to
The UTS professional practice through
dynamic and multifaceted
model of modes of practice-oriented
education
learning
2. Professional practice situated
in a global workplace, with
international mobility and
international and cultural
engagement as centre piece
3. Learning which is research-
inspired and
integrated, providing academic
rigour with cutting edge
technology to equip graduates
for life-long learning
19.
20.
21. Who are the
learners?
How to
design the
curriculum?
Which
technologies
support aims? Which learning
spaces support
curriculum
and
technologies?
25. Student current and preferred involvement in course learning
activities that use technologies
Develop an e-portfolio
Participate in virtual worlds
Collaboration using web conferencing
Collaboration using Facebook etc
Collaboration using wikis
Collaboration using documents
Share using social AV media (YouTube, Flickr)
Share using social bookmarking
Use Twitter Preferred
Develop and share blogs Current
Design and build webpages
Create and share AV
Use discipline-specific software
Use RSS feeds to subscribe to info
Listen to student podcasts
Join in remote webconference lectures
Listen to lecturer podcasts/vodcasts
Find info using earch engines
Find info using library online resources
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Current or preferred use: a few times a week, daily or more often
26. Communication with other students and teaching staff
Face-to-face
Blogs
Virtual worlds
Social networking eg Facebook, Twitter
Mobile phone-voice Students-preferred
Students-current
Web conferencing eg Skype Teaching staff-preferred
Teaching staff-current
UTSOnline-discussion boards, mail
Email
SMS
Instant messaging
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
27. Who are the
learners?
How to
design the
curriculum?
Which
technologies
support aims? Which learning
spaces support
curriculum
and
technologies?
30. Learning spaces: importance vs. performance
2007
(4.5, 3.4) There are 3.5 (4.65, 3.7) My classes are held in sufficient, well
equipped lecture theatres, classrooms and other
adequate spaces on
learning areas
campus for me to work
with other students on
group assignments
High (4.4, 3.3) There are
sufficient quiet
places to study on
campus
Importance
(3.9, 3.4) There are
sufficient spaces for me
to use my laptop on
campus
3.5
Low
Low Performance High
34. Bad
Building 5B, outside Room
111
• It is beside the lecture
hall and there are many
students passing by
• It is noisy and students
cannot concentrate when
studying or when having
discussion
• I would not like to study
and have my discussion
in that area as it is noisy
35. Student Feedback: Informal space that does not
work well
• The area outside the computer
labs at building 5.
Reasons:
- Too noisy (during the day)
- Bad lighting.. Really bad lighting
- Not suitable for serious study or
undisturbed discussions (during
peak hours)
- However it is a good quite place
to study alone for the night.
50. Student feedback
• When asked to rate the space, 92% of students
rated it as Good or Very Good
• What do you like about the space?
– Access to microwaves, free internet, powerpoints
(25%)
– A good place to study (20%)
– Quality of the design – colour and variety of spaces
(13%)
– Access to computers (11%)
– Quiet (10%)
51. Learning spaces: importance vs. performance
2007
(4.5, 3.4) There are 3.5 (4.65, 3.7) My classes are held in sufficient, well
equipped lecture theatres, classrooms and other
adequate spaces on
learning areas
2009
campus for me to work
with other students on
group assignments
High (4.4, 3.3) There are
sufficient quiet
places to study on
campus
Importance
(3.9, 3.4) There are
sufficient spaces for me
to use my laptop on
campus
3.5
Low
Low Performance High
52. Learning spaces: importance vs. performance
2007
(4.5, 3.4) There are 3.5 (4.65, 3.7) My classes are held in sufficient, well
equipped lecture theatres, classrooms and other
adequate spaces on
learning areas
2009
campus for me to work
with other students on
group assignments
2011
High (4.4, 3.3) There are
sufficient quiet
places to study on
campus
Importance
(3.9, 3.4) There are
sufficient spaces for me
to use my laptop on
campus
3.5
Low
Low Performance High
53. Business as usual Flipped Learning Individualised learning Hybrid Learning
54. Individualised learning
Each student undertakes a course personalised
to their background, interests, and strengths
Business as usual and weaknesses. Technology is used to provide
access to:
Greater use of technology • content that is personalised
• mentors as per individual requirements
• access to international experts and
practitioners
Flipped Learning
Diminished use of traditional models of
accessing content – done through OER such as
MOOCs.
Hybrid Learning
Student still participate f2f and come to
Students move around countries, institutions
campus but for more interactive learning
and MOOCs accumulating credits then sitting
experiences such as:
challenge tests to determine what they still
• project work
need to do in order to gain qualification
• more f2f interaction with academics and
other learning support staff such as
Librarians, careers counsellors, learning
advisorys
The question was ‘How often do you, and how often would you like to, engage in the following learning activities that use technologies as part of your course?’The responses represent students who checked ‘a few times a week’ or ‘daily or more often’Current use was lower than preferred use for every item except use of search engines, which is fully within students’ control. (I haven’t put the data through SPSS so am unsure whether all differences are significant.Biggest gaps between current and preferred use related to:listening to/watching podcasts/vodcasts made by lecturers RSS feeds to information relevant to your studiesusing webconferencing etc to join in remotely to lectures or tutorialsuse of discipline-specific softwareOne of the other questions asked ‘Use a tablet computer (egiPad) to access or contribute study-related information on the internet’ Only 5% of students currently do this, but 42% would like to!
The responses represent students who checked ‘a few times a week’ or ‘daily or more often’Email, UTSOnline and face-to-face were the most popular current and preferred means of communicating with teaching staff.Methods of communicating with other students are more diverse. Email and F2F are still popular, but SMS comes in third followed by mobile phone calls and social networking sites like Facebook.
When asked what was missing a significantnumber of students said Nothing (11% ofresponses), however the most commonrequest for additions to this space was thateven more space like this be provided (15%).Students specifically identified that additionalcomputers were required (8%) and that quietspaces for study were needed (7%). Thestudents also suggested that the wirelessprovision the space was too slow for theirneeds (5%).Reflecting the blendednature of studyandrelaxing was alsoreflected in the requestformore Casual Seating (5%). ImportantlystudentsalsowantedBetter Food (8%), Water(5%) and Coffee (5%) suggestingtheyweresettling in thisspacefor significant periods oftime. Thiscorrespondstostudentsreportingtheyspend on average 2 hours in the space.
