Design experiments in ICT in education research. How to use information and communication technologies (ICT) to improve teaching and learning outcomes has become a critical question for educators world-wide. Governments are investing hugely in hardware, software and infrastructure to support the use of technologies but the research conducted into their effective use in inadequate. This proposal will investigate a relatively new methodology, design experiments, that has potential to provide the b ....Design experiments in ICT in education research. How to use information and communication technologies (ICT) to improve teaching and learning outcomes has become a critical question for educators world-wide. Governments are investing hugely in hardware, software and infrastructure to support the use of technologies but the research conducted into their effective use in inadequate. This proposal will investigate a relatively new methodology, design experiments, that has potential to provide the basis for enhancing both pedagogy and outcomes through technology integration. The research will determine the major principles, methods and critical characteristics of design experiments, and develop guidelines for their use in ICT research.Read moreRead less
A learning design to operationalise new pedagogical frameworks: developing critical multi-literacy within a technology-supported learning environment. This study seeks to use the goals of current state and national education policies to develop specific teaching and learning strategies that can be employed in secondary school classrooms. The study will research the process of implementing such strategies and measure outcomes associated with improved student learning. These learning outcomes wil ....A learning design to operationalise new pedagogical frameworks: developing critical multi-literacy within a technology-supported learning environment. This study seeks to use the goals of current state and national education policies to develop specific teaching and learning strategies that can be employed in secondary school classrooms. The study will research the process of implementing such strategies and measure outcomes associated with improved student learning. These learning outcomes will be assessed in terms of the development of critical levels of technology, media, visual and information literacies. It is this critical multi-literacy that is considered necessary for the next generation of contributors to Australia's economic and societal innovation and growth.Read moreRead less
Blended learning in schools, TAFE and universities: experience, principles, patterns and practice. Effective use of technology in education depends upon the teacher's understanding of good ways to support learning. New uses of technology to improve learning are emerging constantly: the challenge is to share good practice. This project focuses on investigating the quality of blended learning experiences and using the outcomes to identify and share good practice using a format called a 'design pa ....Blended learning in schools, TAFE and universities: experience, principles, patterns and practice. Effective use of technology in education depends upon the teacher's understanding of good ways to support learning. New uses of technology to improve learning are emerging constantly: the challenge is to share good practice. This project focuses on investigating the quality of blended learning experiences and using the outcomes to identify and share good practice using a format called a 'design pattern'. Design patterns combine research-based evidence and the knowledge of experienced practitioners in a format which is relatively easy to communicate, learn and apply. They are not yet used in teaching with technology. We will generate and test design patterns for learning through discussion in technology-based and other classroom settings.Read moreRead less
Supporting personalised learning in secondary schools through the use of specific mathematics assessments that reveal thinking. This project will improve numeracy standards in secondary schools, by assisting teachers to personalise the teaching of each student. Through detailed research, the project will develop sophisticated assessments that clearly reveal students' mathematical thinking. On-line diagnosis will suggest teaching activities that can bring about desired conceptual changes. The eff ....Supporting personalised learning in secondary schools through the use of specific mathematics assessments that reveal thinking. This project will improve numeracy standards in secondary schools, by assisting teachers to personalise the teaching of each student. Through detailed research, the project will develop sophisticated assessments that clearly reveal students' mathematical thinking. On-line diagnosis will suggest teaching activities that can bring about desired conceptual changes. The effectiveness of the resources will be thoroughly tested, for impact on student achievement and the mathematics teaching skills of teachers, especially those working out-of-field. Rural schools will have equal access to these resources. Good numeracy provides the foundation for life-long learning, employment satisfaction and the economic competitiveness of Australia.Read moreRead less
Equity and access: analysing the level and pattern of funding of teaching and learning resources in Australian schools. The project will develop indicators and evidence of best practice that will enable educators and schools to make improved and more informed decisions on how to support learners in the provision of teaching and learning resources.
Multi-user virtual environments and research into the learning and transfer of scientific knowledge and inquiry skills. The aim of this project is to understand how innovative multi-user virtual environments (MUVEs) can be designed and used in Australian schools to enhance the learning of important scientific knowledge and inquiry skills. Working closely with teachers in secondary science classes, researchers will investigate ways in which the features of intelligent agents in educational MUVEs ....Multi-user virtual environments and research into the learning and transfer of scientific knowledge and inquiry skills. The aim of this project is to understand how innovative multi-user virtual environments (MUVEs) can be designed and used in Australian schools to enhance the learning of important scientific knowledge and inquiry skills. Working closely with teachers in secondary science classes, researchers will investigate ways in which the features of intelligent agents in educational MUVEs enable innovative pedagogical approaches that have the potential to enhance learning in secondary science classes. In addition, this project will develop science inquiry-based curriculum modules employing MUVEs that run on computers being distributed as part of the national Digital Education Revolution initiative.Read moreRead less
School-University e-Learning research partnerships for scaling up innovation. Despite optimism about new technologies for learning, e-learning innovation has been slow to scale up. This project tests a novel research strategy for engaging schools sustainably with e-learning. Teams of students (school and university), teachers (including beginning teachers), community members, consultants and e-learning researchers are constituted, in schools, to identify, collaboratively, hard-to-learn (technolo ....School-University e-Learning research partnerships for scaling up innovation. Despite optimism about new technologies for learning, e-learning innovation has been slow to scale up. This project tests a novel research strategy for engaging schools sustainably with e-learning. Teams of students (school and university), teachers (including beginning teachers), community members, consultants and e-learning researchers are constituted, in schools, to identify, collaboratively, hard-to-learn (technology-and-science) concepts and effective teaching approaches, develop ways of exploiting new media to teach such concepts and scale up their solutions within and beyond their schools. Re-conceiving the problem so students and teachers gain equity as e-learning researchers yields a model for scholarly, future-oriented educational renewal.Read moreRead less
Learning the complexity of scientific knowledge about climate change with computer modelling and visualization technologies. This project provides benefits to the national priorities of a environmentally sustainable Australia; and frontier technologies for building and transforming Australian industries. The project helpins students in Australia more deeply understand the sciences that underlie environmental sustainability. Learning with modelling and visualization technologies will help student ....Learning the complexity of scientific knowledge about climate change with computer modelling and visualization technologies. This project provides benefits to the national priorities of a environmentally sustainable Australia; and frontier technologies for building and transforming Australian industries. The project helpins students in Australia more deeply understand the sciences that underlie environmental sustainability. Learning with modelling and visualization technologies will help students learn important scientific knowledge and prepare them for the use of frontier technologies that are becoming infused into the practices of scientists and professionals in many fields. This project also directly contributes to the national Digital Education Revolution initiative.Read moreRead less
Using and creating knowledge in the high school years: Performance, production, process and value-adding in electronic curricular literacy. Success in the emerging communicational demands of high-school learning is crucial for cultural cohesion, economic productivity, and employment. It also minimizes inter-generational exclusion and alienation for at-risk socio-economic and cultural groups. No research exists into the products and processes associated with high-school students' engagements in e ....Using and creating knowledge in the high school years: Performance, production, process and value-adding in electronic curricular literacy. Success in the emerging communicational demands of high-school learning is crucial for cultural cohesion, economic productivity, and employment. It also minimizes inter-generational exclusion and alienation for at-risk socio-economic and cultural groups. No research exists into the products and processes associated with high-school students' engagements in electronic curricular literacy practices (ECLs), so 'standards' frameworks for ECL cannot be developed. This project will provide an empirical map of students' expected achievements in ECLs in key curricular areas at various year levels. It aims to inject a practical and a futures orientation into research, debate and policy formation in literacy education.Read moreRead less