Virtual Reality Training Kit for Arc Welders. The aim of this research is to develop a virtual reality training package that enables welders to obtain basic manipulative skills in a safe environment before they are exposed to additional welding hazards. The research addresses the problem of welder training in a novel manner by utilizing a virtual reality simulator to allow the welding trainee to develop his manipulative and functional skills prior to attempting real welding tasks. An additional ....Virtual Reality Training Kit for Arc Welders. The aim of this research is to develop a virtual reality training package that enables welders to obtain basic manipulative skills in a safe environment before they are exposed to additional welding hazards. The research addresses the problem of welder training in a novel manner by utilizing a virtual reality simulator to allow the welding trainee to develop his manipulative and functional skills prior to attempting real welding tasks. An additional feature of the package is the internetworking facility that will allow monitoring and feedback of results to trainers. This is an advantage especially for remote communitiesRead moreRead less
Improving university teaching: Creating strategies and tools to support the design process. This project will create strategies and tools to help university teachers design effective online learning experiences. Excellence in online education is important to Australia, socially and economically. Social benefits come from greater participation and graduates better equipped to contribute to their communities. Economic benefits come from graduates with skills and knowledge to be flexible, adaptable ....Improving university teaching: Creating strategies and tools to support the design process. This project will create strategies and tools to help university teachers design effective online learning experiences. Excellence in online education is important to Australia, socially and economically. Social benefits come from greater participation and graduates better equipped to contribute to their communities. Economic benefits come from graduates with skills and knowledge to be flexible, adaptable and productive in a dynamic workplace. As high quality online education providers, Australian universities will be more competitive in the international education market. This project will raise the profile of Australian research and lead to new commercial ventures through the development of innovative technologies for online learning.Read moreRead less
Living and Learning in a Knowledge Society: The implications of young adults' knowledge-creating practices for higher education. As society moves into a new era, knowledge creation has become vital to Australia's participation in global society. Knowledge creation fuels innovation and economic prosperity, and fosters social cohesion through new forms of community engagement. Young adults play an important role in our society as the next generation of knowledge workers, with many already active k ....Living and Learning in a Knowledge Society: The implications of young adults' knowledge-creating practices for higher education. As society moves into a new era, knowledge creation has become vital to Australia's participation in global society. Knowledge creation fuels innovation and economic prosperity, and fosters social cohesion through new forms of community engagement. Young adults play an important role in our society as the next generation of knowledge workers, with many already active knowledge creators in their everyday and academic lives. By investigating how young adults create knowledge across these diverse contexts, this research will provide important practical insights for educators and policy-makers who are trying to determine the role of higher education in a knowledge society.Read moreRead less
Teaching effective 3D authoring in the middle school years: Multimedia grammatical design and multimedia authoring pedagogy. This project addresses the National Research Priorities goal 'promoting an innovative culture and economy'. It provides radical re-thinking of literacy pedagogy essential in globalised knowledge-based economies mediated by digital multimedia literacies. 3D multimedia authoring pedagogy, emphasizing playful innovation and explicit knowledge of multimedia design, will increa ....Teaching effective 3D authoring in the middle school years: Multimedia grammatical design and multimedia authoring pedagogy. This project addresses the National Research Priorities goal 'promoting an innovative culture and economy'. It provides radical re-thinking of literacy pedagogy essential in globalised knowledge-based economies mediated by digital multimedia literacies. 3D multimedia authoring pedagogy, emphasizing playful innovation and explicit knowledge of multimedia design, will increase digital-age student engagement in learning. The Australian Children's Television Foundations' Kahootz is uniquely effective, highly motivating authoring software for schools. What is needed is a thoroughly researched multimedia authoring pedagogy to fully realise Australian leadership potential in renovating literacy pedagogy for the digital multimedia age. Read moreRead less
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 Pedagogy for Multiliteracies with Information and Communication Technologies in Early Childhood Education. The goal of this project is to determine the most effective pedagogy for the use of ICT in Australian early childhood education. The research is essential in order to plan for a world-class educational future for young Australians. A collaborative action-research program will be undertaken by three leading academics in association with a network of thirty-six teachers in three states. Thi ....A Pedagogy for Multiliteracies with Information and Communication Technologies in Early Childhood Education. The goal of this project is to determine the most effective pedagogy for the use of ICT in Australian early childhood education. The research is essential in order to plan for a world-class educational future for young Australians. A collaborative action-research program will be undertaken by three leading academics in association with a network of thirty-six teachers in three states. This innovative research approach is based on a multiliteracies framework. The project will investigate how ICT can best be used for enhancing children's learning and identify specific ways in which teachers can develop multiliteracies in early childhood education environments. Read moreRead less
Learning through inquiry in Higher Education. This project can make a significant contribution to socioeconomic well-being. It addresses a major dilemma in higher education practice. It focuses on learning through inquiry - an approach to education that many claim is particularly appropriate for training graduates for knowledge work in the 21st Century. Our project makes a timely intervention by providing broad-based evidence that can inform debates about the future direction of this area of hig ....Learning through inquiry in Higher Education. This project can make a significant contribution to socioeconomic well-being. It addresses a major dilemma in higher education practice. It focuses on learning through inquiry - an approach to education that many claim is particularly appropriate for training graduates for knowledge work in the 21st Century. Our project makes a timely intervention by providing broad-based evidence that can inform debates about the future direction of this area of higher education. In practical terms, take-up of the outcomes of this project can improve the quality of Australian higher education, as well as the knowledge and skills of graduates entering the Australian workforce. It helps understand what is involved in promoting an innovation culture.Read moreRead less
Learning through online and co-present discussion in higher education: expectations, experiences and outcomes. This project will make a substantial contribution to international research in the fields of learning and teaching in higher education and learning and teaching with ICT. In practical terms, the project will provide evidence-based guidelines for the integration of 'blended' learning approaches, especially with respect to the ways ICT can support small group discussion activity. Scientif ....Learning through online and co-present discussion in higher education: expectations, experiences and outcomes. This project will make a substantial contribution to international research in the fields of learning and teaching in higher education and learning and teaching with ICT. In practical terms, the project will provide evidence-based guidelines for the integration of 'blended' learning approaches, especially with respect to the ways ICT can support small group discussion activity. Scientifically, the project will add to our understanding of how students and teachers approach learning and teaching through discussion (co-present and online). Such knowledge is a vital, strategic asset given the growing economic importance of Australian higher education and of its international reputation for quality.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