Innovations in Education & Teaching International

doi: 10.1080/14703290701240895pmid: N/A

Ramsey, Philip; Ramsey, Deborah; Mason, Robyn

doi: 10.1080/14703290701251264pmid: N/A

Like many institutions, Massey University has experienced growth in enrolments of international students. Increasing numbers of international students has led to frustrations for international and domestic students, and for staff. This paper describes an innovative programme designed to help with the orientation of international students. Domestic students (Kiwi Friends) run workshops for small groups of international students as part of a course on Cross‐cultural Management. Key issues in designing the programme include the content of the workshops, development of the facilitation skills of Kiwi Friends, extending the programme to include supplementary activities that are attractive to international students, organisation of how students sign‐up for the programme, and assessment of Kiwi Friends in ways that do not interfere with their performance as workshop facilitators.

Boud, David; Costley, Carol

doi: 10.1080/14703290701241034pmid: N/A

Project work has been a common feature of undergraduate degree programmes for many years. While it has been named in a variety of ways, it typically involves students undertaking a substantial learning activity that is partly self‐initiated and managed. More recently, programmes organised around the idea of work‐based learning partnerships have emerged. These can be regarded as programmes that rely on significant amounts of work‐based project work. This paper examines the implications of practices in these new programmes for project advising more generally. It argues that the conception of the role of academics in project work needs to change from one focused on project supervision to one of learning adviser. It identifies key features of this practice and discusses differences in advising from one context to another. It suggests that the activities in which academics engage need to be reappraised and that the skills and knowledge of those acting in the role of adviser be extended.

Smith, Karen; Clegg, Sue; Lawrence, Elizabeth; Todd, Malcolm J.

doi: 10.1080/14703290701241042pmid: N/A

The importance of employability in higher education and increasing numbers of students working while studying led leaders on a social science degree to introduce work experience modules. This paper reports on an in‐depth case study based on the analysis of staff and student interviews, the students’ reflective assignments, and a focus group session with students a year after completing the module. The themes of reflection and linkages are discussed. Linking theory to practice was difficult, but when achieved, students spoke of new ways of seeing the social sciences. The major challenge was learning to be reflective about themselves as employees, while reflecting on the workplace. The paper concludes by emphasising the value of this mode of study for producing deep learning.

Price, Margaret; O’Donovan, Berry; Rust, Chris

doi: 10.1080/14703290701241059pmid: N/A

This paper reports the latest stage of a research project focused on developing students’ understanding of assessment criteria, the assessment process and assessment standards. It explains the theory of a social‐constructivist assessment process model and details one particular module where the authors have tried to put it into practice. In particular, it focuses on attempts to actively engage the students with feedback on their work, and the feedback process, and considers the evidence of whether it has been effective.

Bird, Len

doi: 10.1080/14703290701251231pmid: N/A

This paper outlines a model for online course design aimed at the mainstream majority of university academics rather than at the early adopters of technology. It has been developed from work at Coventry Business School where tutors have been called upon to design online modules for the first time. Like many good tools, the model’s key strength is its simplicity, but this simplicity springs from an extensive application of current theoretical thinking on the pedagogy of networked collaborative e‐learning. The model forces consideration of some of the key features of online design, and steers the designer away from creating the impoverished online learning experience that can result from an undue emphasis on course content alone. The paper builds on the work of Fowler and Mayes (2000) by examining the underpinning theory surrounding three basic ingredients of an online learning experience and the crucial role played by dialogue and discussion within a social constructivist paradigm of learning.

Pozzi, Francesca; Manca, Stefania; Persico, Donatella; Sarti, Luigi

doi: 10.1080/14703290701240929pmid: N/A

This paper describes a method for analysing the learning processes that take place in a computer‐supported collaborative learning (CSCL) environment. The approach is based on tracking the interactions between learners and tutors. Keeping track of meaningful events serves three main purposes: evaluation of the quality of the process, monitoring students’ performance in real time and the assessment of individual learning performances. The results can be of benefit to course designers, tutors/instructors and researchers involved in collaborative learning experiences. The method is based on a five‐dimensional model that includes a participative, an interactive, a social, a cognitive and a teaching dimension. Each dimension can be analysed through a set of indicators obtained by tracking course participants’ behaviour within the learning environment. Examples of significant indicators, drawn from the literature and the authors’ field experience, are discussed for each dimension. The paper also proposes a taxonomy of the data needed to obtain the described indicators. Finally, possible directions for further research are outlined.

Hung, Wei‐Chen; Chao, Chia‐An

doi: 10.1080/14703290701240986pmid: N/A

This study has reviewed major design approaches for electronic performance support systems and identified two common problems: users’ inability to comprehend screen‐based material and poorly designed instructional scaffolds. This paper presents a design approach, called the ‘Matrix‐Aided Performance System’ (MAPS), which enables these problems to be avoided. The MAPS design framework incorporates Ausubel’s theory of advance organizers and a matrix information display structure. The latter is derived from a thorough analysis of the knowledge domains relevant to a particular user’s performance objectives and information needs. A multidimensional information display is then used in order to minimize user’s navigational confusion. The paper discusses the MAPS design framework and provides two working examples of its use. The effectiveness and impact of our design approach has been field tested; the findings, design guidelines and some future research suggestions are presented.

Ip, Barry; Jones, Steve; Jacobs, Gabriel

doi: 10.1080/14703290701241018pmid: N/A

Pre‐registration nursing and midwifery students are under considerable pressure to acquire the necessary information technology (IT) skills by the time they embark on a professional nursing career. There is a multitude of research findings detailing the use of computer‐based learning materials, IT training initiatives and how such materials are beneficial to learners. There is, however, relatively little in terms of the extent to which students are given the opportunity to use such skills during study periods over an extended period of time. This paper explores related issues by presenting the results of a study into the extent to which a cohort of undergraduate nursing and midwifery students retained and applied IT knowledge six months after the initial training period. The results reveal an interesting disparity between the skills taught and their retention and use in practice. Concerns are raised over the risk of such skills being forgotten by the time students enter professional nursing careers.

ChanLin, Lih‐Juan; Chan, Kung‐Chi

doi: 10.1080/14703290701241026pmid: N/A

The study reported in this paper has explored the use of an electronic forum facility in order to provide support for problem‐based learning (PBL). A Web‐based course involving the use of PBL (called ‘Drug and Nutrient Interactions’) was implemented and was augmented with interdisciplinary expert support using electronic forums. As part of their PBL experiences, students interacted with their peers, the teacher, the facilitator and experts (a dietician, a doctor, and a librarian) in order to enhance their knowledge and complete a group project. Students’ online interactions and their written reflections were used to identify the types of online support which contributed to self‐directed, Web‐based learning in a PBL context. The study concluded that both cognitive support (guidance, clarification, suggestion, inquiry, information) and affective support (comment, confirmation, reminding and encouragement) are needed in order to facilitate the process of learning. Overall, students were positive about this approach.