Enhancing student learning experiences in digital learning spaces: what can we do as teaching academics?

Thursday 4 July: Conference day two, 11:30am – 12:00pm parallel session

Venue

Room 5 – 301-G050 Lg Chem

Presenters

Dr Susan Richardson
Central Queensland University, Australia
s.richardson@cqu.edu.au

Dr Miriam Ham
Central Queensland University, Australia
m.ham@cqu.edu.au

Dr Wendy Fasso
Central Queensland University, Australia

Craig Richardson
Central Queensland University, Australia

Background

Academics at Central Queensland University, a multi-campus, regional university, are lecturing more often to students across campuses using video conferencing technology called ISL: Interactive System-wide Learning. Our project explores how academics in the Bachelor of Education degree program can make pedagogical changes in teaching practices to ensure that these ISL digital learning spaces are interactive and responsive teaching spaces that enhance student learning experiences.

This presentation reports on students’ and academics’ perceptions about, and engaged experiences with, the interactive ISL teaching and learning space. It focuses on the pedagogical and systemic approaches used by academics to replicate a multi-campus, synchronous face to face teaching and learning space for students through the use of ISL.  It targets the ways in which academics identified, responded to and met student learning needs.

The methodological focus uses surveys and focus group methods within a Participatory Action Research frame (Kemmis, McTaggart & Nixon, 2014) to explore and highlight the perceived strengths and challenges of the initiative. Data was gathered from participating academics and students prior to and after the delivery of targeted first and second year units. The findings were analysed using a “three resources” framework (Nasir & Cooks, 2009); materials and activities, relationships and professional identity. Findings confirm that academic and student experiences were both positive and negative.

The presentation highlights the ways in which the use of a virtual teaching space can optimise student learning experiences in a range of discipline areas in the broader context of higher education.

Presentation topic

Academics – Changing Academic Practice