2012
Flexible Delivery
CLD
Edith Cowan University
1/1/2012
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INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................ 4
DEFINITION: ................................................................................................................................... 5
TECHNOLOGY .............................................................................................................................................. 5
PEDAGOGY ................................................................................................................................................. 5
IMPLEMENTATION ....................................................................................................................................... 6
THE DEPARTMENT OR INSTITUTION ................................................................................................................ 6
FLEXIBLE DELIVERY OF HEALTH PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION ........................................................................ 7
SCHOOL OR INSTITUTION .............................................................................................................................. 7
TECHNOLOGY .............................................................................................................................................. 7
PEDAGOGY ................................................................................................................................................. 7
IMPLEMENTATION ....................................................................................................................................... 7
THE COURSE ............................................................................................................................................... 8
Use of video and audio ........................................................................................................................... 8
Simulations.............................................................................................................................................. 8
Animations .............................................................................................................................................. 9
WILL’S APPROACH TO FLEXIBLE LEARNING ........................................................................................... 10
TECHNOLOGY ............................................................................................................................................ 10
PEDAGOGY ............................................................................................................................................... 11
IMPLEMENTATION ..................................................................................................................................... 12
THE DEPARTMENT OR INSTITUTION .............................................................................................................. 13
FLEXIBLE DELIVERY OF LECTURES ........................................................................................................ 14
SCHOOL OR INSTITUTION ............................................................................................................................ 14
TECHNOLOGY ............................................................................................................................................ 14
PEDAGOGY ............................................................................................................................................... 14
IMPLEMENTATION ..................................................................................................................................... 15
THE COURSE ............................................................................................................................................. 15
Process .................................................................................................................................................. 16
FLEXIBLE ECONTENT ........................................................................................................................ 17
SCHOOL OR INSTITUTION ............................................................................................................................ 17
TECHNOLOGY ............................................................................................................................................ 17
PEDAGOGY ............................................................................................................................................... 17
IMPLEMENTATION ..................................................................................................................................... 18
THE COURSE ............................................................................................................................................. 18
TABLETS....................................................................................................................................... 19
SCHOOL OR INSTITUTION ............................................................................................................................ 19
TECHNOLOGY ............................................................................................................................................ 19
PEDAGOGY ............................................................................................................................................... 20
IMPLEMENTATION ..................................................................................................................................... 20
THE COURSE ............................................................................................................................................. 20
AN ONLINE COURSE........................................................................................................................ 22
TECHNOLOGY ............................................................................................................................................ 22
PEDAGOGY ............................................................................................................................................... 22
IMPLEMENTATION ..................................................................................................................................... 23
THE DEPARTMENT OR INSTITUTION ............................................................................................................... 23
SELECTED EXAMPLES FROM UNE “GOOD PRACTICE EXAMPLES” ................................................................ 25
Master of Arts (Applied Linguistics) – MAAL ........................................................................................ 25
Sakai: Distance Learning and Teaching in the School of Education ...................................................... 25
Teaching Collaborations and Flexible Learning .................................................................................... 26
STAT100: Flexible Learning ................................................................................................................... 26
Innovation in Professional Experience .................................................................................................. 27
eReserve and Exam Papers Online ....................................................................................................... 27
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Modularisation of Unit Content ............................................................................................................ 27
Virtual supervision of professional experience..................................................................................... 28
A collaborative approach to enabling sciences courses at regional Universities in New South Wales,
Queensland, the Northern Territory and Victoria ................................................................................ 28
New Bachelor of Music ......................................................................................................................... 29
Sheep and wool units via distance education....................................................................................... 29
COMPARISON BETWEEN DIFFERENT DELIVERY METHODS .......................................................................... 31
PRINT ...................................................................................................................................................... 31
FACE-TO-FACE INSTRUCTION ....................................................................................................................... 31
STREAMING/BROADCAST OR NARROWCAST TELEVISION/RADIO SIMULCASTING .................................................... 32
TELECONFERENCING (AUDIO, VIDEO, SATELLITE - SKYPE, CONNECT PRO, CHAT) ................................................... 33
COMPUTER-SUPPORTED COLLABORATIVE LEARNING (CSCL) ............................................................................ 37
DISCUSSION IN ONLINE UNITS ............................................................................................................ 38
TECHNOLOGY ............................................................................................................................................ 38
PEDAGOGY ............................................................................................................................................... 39
IMPLEMENTATION ..................................................................................................................................... 39
THE DEPARTMENT OR INSTITUTION ............................................................................................................... 40
ASSESSMENT IN FLEXIBLE LEARNING .................................................................................................... 41
INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................................... 41
ISSUES EMERGING FROM THE LITERATURE ...................................................................................................... 42
Security and authenticity of student performance .............................................................................. 42
Assessment of higher order skills and thinking .................................................................................... 42
Multiple-choice questions, true/false and short-answer formats........................................................ 42
Assessing teamwork.............................................................................................................................. 42
CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................................................ 43
TO LECTURE OR NOT? ...................................................................................................................... 44
A MUCH SUMMARISED ARGUMENT ............................................................................................................... 44
DESIGNING AN FLEXIBLE DELIVERY UNIT .............................................................................................. 45
A GENERIC APPROACH ................................................................................................................................ 45
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Introduction
Flexible learning is a strategy that, potentially, can deliver an enhanced, student-centred approach
to learning by applying the most effective, flexible and appropriate teaching and learning modes and
technologies. If well implemented, it can increase learning opportunities and give students more
control over the learning process. “It focuses on improving learning outcomes and maximising
student engagement in learning by using the most effective, varied and appropriate teaching and
learning modes” (http://www.uq.edu.au/teaching-learning/statement-of-principles-for-flexiblelearning)
Web-enhanced, online and distance learning are aspects of flexible learning, but are not the only
aspects. There are opportunities for enhancing flexible learning, information access and selfmanaged learning through the effective use of information and communications technologies
Planning units to for flexible delivery requires:

an audit of the curriculum choices available to students (content and method)

description of the enhanced learning opportunities flexible delivery creates

adequate resources

revisiting of outcomes including graduate attributes

revisiting of assessment practice

a collaborative development process

consideration of workload issues

continual self-evaluation

adequate instructional planning incorporating of possible an instructional designer

meeting and aligned with usual policies and procedure meeting agreed university standards
(Adapted in part from http://www.uq.edu.au/teaching-learning/statement-of-principles-for-flexible-
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learning)
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Definition:
The meaning of Flexible Delivery (FD) is a contested area and has many different flavours, often
concocted to suit the needs of individuals or institutions. Last year a group of ECU staff participated
in a professional learning course with the aim of making their course or unit more flexible. We
started by exploring the meaning of FD and we constructed a definition of “Flexible Delivery” to suit
our needs:
Learning, teaching and assessment strategies using multiple modes including:
F2f; print; multimedia; online and blended
This definition can be improved, I believe, by encompassing the ideas of Collins and Moonen
(2002): According to them FD involves:

Technology;

Pedagogy;

Implementation; and

The department or institution.
FD puts the student at the center of education delivery and offering him/her multiple ways of
getting access to education. Perhaps you prefer this definition:
“Flexible delivery is the term used to describe effective, student-centred learning. It includes the
provision of resources and the application of technologies to create, store and distribute course
content and enrich communications to engender more effective learning”
(http://www.uq.edu.au/teaching-learning/statement-of-principles-for-flexible-learning).
Technology
Academics must use technology and pedagogy that suit the needs of the students. This means
students having access to a stimulating and interesting learning environment that the student
controls, and is responsible for, based on his/her life situation and individual goals.
Check this interesting article: http://www.icbl.hw.ac.uk/ltdi/implementing-it/sothink.pdf
Pedagogy
gives students a choice that suits their needs. A simple example is allowing the students to complete
a lab on campus at their own pace and at a time that suits them, or not scheduling lectures early, or
in large lecture halls constructing support systems offering students a plethora of ways they can get
access to the material.
http://usergeneratededucation.wordpress.com/2011/06/13/the-flipped-classroom-model-a-full-
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FD is not necessarily e-learning or distance education. It can be any pedagogy or technology that
picture/
It is important that developers, implementers and proposers of FD have an understanding of
pedagogy. Androgy or heutagogy may be a suitable pedagogy to underpin FD. From Wikipedia:
In education, heutagogy, a concept coined by Stewart Hase of Southern Cross
University and Chris Kenyon in Australia, is the study of self-determined learning. The
notion is an expansion and reinterpretation of andragogy, and it is possible to mistake
it for the same. However, there are several differences between the two that mark the
one from the other.[1]
Heutagogy places specific emphasis on learning how to learn, double loop
learning, universal learning opportunities, a non-linear process, and true learner selfdirection. So, for example, whereas andragogy focuses on the best ways for people to
learn, heutagogy also requires that educational initiatives include the improvement of
people's actual learning skills themselves, learning how to learn as well as just learning
a given subject itself. Similarly, whereas andragogy focusses on structured education,
in heutagogy all learning contexts, both formal and informal, are considered.
Implementation
We suggest that implementation proceed slowly and with much support. Please read through the
examples in this book, audit your training needs, consult widely with people especially learning
designers, decide upon your technology needs and keep in mind that this is all about learning
outcomes for students. Implement as much of the “Designing a Flexible Delivery Unit” as is
necessary.
http://www.voced.edu.au/content/ngv18923
The Department or Institution
It is important that your Course Coordinator and Head of School are aware of any unit redesign
activity. There are institutional requirements that need to be satisfied and both these people can be
considerable sources of assistance. Certainly their support is necessary if funds are required to
support implementation.
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Consider constructing a business case.
http://pre2005.flexiblelearning.net.au/projects/businessmodels.htm
In this document “School” is used instead of “Department”.
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Flexible Delivery of Health Professional Education
This example is adapted from:
Seaton, P. & Sobek, M. (2007). Preparing the next generation: Flexible delivery of clinically relevant
health professional education. In T. Bastiaens & S. Carliner (Eds.), Proceedings of World
Conference on E-Learning in Corporate, Government, Healthcare, and Higher Education 2007
(pp. 1277-1282). Chesapeake, VA: AACE.
Retrieved from http://www.editlib.org/p/26517.
School or Institution
Staff in the School of Nursing and Midwifery at Griffith University in Australia worked with a
team of flexible delivery specialists, incorporating instructional designers and content experts.
They operated in a multi-campus environment.
Technology
They had access to technology such as targeted audio and video, 3D animation and interactive
flash programming. The eLearning developed had to “contribute to a number of the
requirements of health education: up to date accurate and relevant content, key conceptual
knowledge, introduction to the professional culture of the discipline, collaboration with clinical
experts, bringing alive the clinical context” (Seaton & Sobek, p2)
Pedagogy
They developed a range of eLearning activities. The curriculum itself included scenario based
learning activities, delivering clinically relevant opportunities for learning in an environment
that actively fostered learning between students, teachers, and clinical partners. It promoted
clinical relevance; deepened learning, critical thinking, promoted critical thinking and clinical
decision making.
These technologies were used to support specific case–based scenarios within a problem-based
curriculum.
The authors wished to develop a structured and relevant course, building on the students’
previous knowledge and laying the foundations of a structured programme. The developers had
close working relationships with academics and consulted continuously with them. Additionally
they followed a formal Instructional Design methodology.
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Implementation
The Course
Use of video and audio
The team produced video and audio that reinforced processes and procedures taught during
clinical practice. The video captured and displayed these processes and procedures in a way
that a textbook couldn’t. Students could work at their own pace, and review materials a number
of times to reinforce their learning. This is important for our CaLD (Culturally and Linguistically
Diverse) students. Students had delivery access to the material via their course sites all the time,
at any time.
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Simulations
Staff built a virtual treatment that gave students access to a treatment facility where they had to
complete set tasks. Students were not allowed to continue if safety concerns were raised by the
simulation – if they missed a critical safety action like not washing hands or picking up medicine
cabinet keys, for example.
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Animations
The development of flash based animations allowed the team to target and highlight very
specific knowledge. In the example shown in the diagram above, dealing with the changes in
foetal-circulation reinforced important midwifery concepts. “It allowed student to identify the
changes in foetal circulation from placental oxygen supply to oxygen from the lungs, by
encouraging exploration within the animation” (Seaton & Sobek, p6)
Animations also allowed students to see and enter worlds previously unavailable to them.
Interactions in this animated world were safe and posed no risk to student or patient.
Animations could compress time frames so that students could quickly see the course of a
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disease over a given time frame
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Will’s Approach to Flexible Learning
The unit ICT1250 in the School of Education has an enrolment of about 500 students spread
over two campuses and three years in the Bachelor of Education (Primary) program. Aimed
mostly at first years this unit aims to acquaint these students with a range of different learning
technologies and their eventual use in the primary classroom. It is run early in the course so
that subsequent units can utilize and build on these ICT skills.
This approach was flexible in time, place and approach: “Our students come from all over the
place. They’re working people, they’re working mums, they’re people who like to stay in bed.
Why should it be that they have to come to a lecture at 8:30 on a Monday morning?”
There is also flexibility in that students could choose whom they work with, at what pace and
what multimodal activities they chose to assist their own learning.
Technology
All lectures for every week were on BlackBoard, prerecorded and available to students before
the first week. All 12 were recorded using Camtasia (http://www.techsmith.com/) and in
recording them Will realized how much audience feedback is important to the success of a
lecture.
The first assignment utilized online collaboration and, due to past problems with the Wiki side
of BlackBoard, Join.Me (www.join.me.com) was used. This is basically a screen share
collaboration tool so groups working on an assignment could meet online at a set time and
collaboratively construct their assignment. As part of the assignment they had to produce a
video dealing with the raising of awareness of the use of ICT in schools. The best assignments
were kept and mounted on BlackBoard for eventual use as a teaching resource by students on
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their practicum.
If students didn’t want to use Join.Me, or couldn’t make the meeting at the same time, they also
could use Google Docs for sharing items like scripts – they were shown how. Google Docs was
useful in that changes to documents are automatically saved and changes to documents are easy
to track.
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Vodcasts (Video on Demand casts) supported all this. Will created a recording of him talking
through the marking key for the assignment and what each sentence meant in the rubric. It was
a comprehensive rubric and it could have been a barrier to students understanding the
assignment. It was an advantage to students in their understanding of the assignment to hear
Will explain every aspect of it.
Pedagogy
An “open window” session is conducted once a week. This is a live, online session conducted
using Adobe Connect (http://www.adobe.com/products/adobeconnect.html). At Monday’s
lecture time the meeting is open and students can drop in and ask any questions they want.
A major assignment is due in the first six weeks. In week one, once students have seen the
lecture, completed the readings, done the activities for the tutorial (online) they then complete a
self marking, multiple choice test on Blackboard. They have to get 100% on this test and are
allowed two attempts. It is marked by BlackBoard, is very straightforward and based on the
readings with results automatically entered into gradebook.
It forces students to interact with BlackBoard giving then a chance to make sure they can use it
at the required level. As the multiple-choice test is based mostly on comprehension of written
material, it serves as a basic literacy test. BlackBoard generates a list of students who did not
obtain 100% and Will then emails the student and offers them support. This test activity acts as
an early warning sign and is repeated occurs four times during the semester.
The pedagogical approach is grounded in multimodal delivery (using various technologies like
print, web quests, iPads, IWBs, computers and Google docs and forms) It is very much a “watch
and do” unit. The approach is basically modelling technology use and its pedagogical
of the unit. This approach is also used in each tutor session. For example when showing how to
use blogs the tutor will model and explain and then students might be set the task of showing
how features of blogs might be used in classrooms. Often a think - pair - share
(http://olc.spsd.sk.ca/DE/PD/instr/strats/think/) approach is utilised.
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application. The unit starts as tutor-centred leading onto to student-centred in the second half
Assignments set in the unit are authentic (in that they model skills needed by these Education
students in contemporary classrooms) and results of a student’s assignments have to be trialled
in their later practicum. Lots of creativity, inquiry processes, self-paced activities are used in
constructing the assignment. This assists in ensuring the higher order thinking required in
order to produce a final product.
Implementation
Will wanted to do as much as he could, online, in this unit in order to demonstrate how this
delivery method could best be used in the classroom. He proceeded step by step and slowly,
evaluating as he went along. Initially he used the online delivery for six weeks and at that time
he evaluated outcomes and decided if he should continue or revert to a more traditional
approach.
The first lecture is face to face so that Will could explain some of the technology involved to
students and how the unit would work. He took the first tutorial on Monday morning and
recorded anything that did not go to plan. This was distributed by emailed to tutors as a sound
file. These amendments were made available to tutors before the next tutorial on Tuesday.
One of the topics covered in the first week is the use of EndNote (www.endnote.com/). Click by
click guides, videos, lectures are all used toby tutors to explain the use of the program.
Tutors have to be technologically skilled enough to teach in this unit.
For at least the first module students do not have to attend to learn how to use things like iPads
in schools and Interactive White Boards (IWBs) but can if they want to, the tutor will be there.
This is because comprehensive videos have been prepared to show students how. If they don’t
have an iPad then they can come in and use one of the School’s. For things like IWBs they can
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download software that emulates the whiteboard on their own computer. Use is monitored by
students providing feedback using a Google Form (https://docs.google.com) as this models
good use of this technology. It will used to monitor student perceptions of how to learn through
self-paced learning at home.
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Tutoring staff were picked for the course because of their interest in the various technologies
and were trained in use of technologies at tutor meetings. Every new member of the team
received a USB with all resources, assessments, lectures, overviews of tutorials, “how tos” and
detailed tutorial plans. As a team they met regularly. Students were asked regularly what they
want, and the unit was reviewed regularly using a watch, evaluate and adapt methodology
The Department or Institution
This flexibly delivered unit meant that students did not have to find a parking spot, find
transport to the campus and got around the problem of some students having just one lecture
on a particular day and nothing else – making problems for their employment. It is a very
flexible unit but it needs to achieve the stated outcomes, so in its implementation it was
reviewed after six weeks. Will is aiming for all online next year provided outcomes are apparent.
The unit is compulsory for all primary education students. It was designed in collaboration with
last year’s tutors, experts within the school and program staff.
These are technology tutors. No timetable or workload issues though Will expects a higher than
usual personal workload. Most of the workload is administrative
He is running 22 tutorials across two campuses every week but has tried to keep staff numbers
small - 9 tutors
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“If we are not flexible than students will go somewhere else”
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Flexible Delivery of Lectures
This example is adapted from:
Wettergren, G. & Hansson, H. (2011). Making campus education flexible - Adapting to student
needs. In M. Koehler & P. Mishra (Eds.), Proceedings of Society for Information Technology &
Teacher Education International Conference 2011 (pp. 822-828). Chesapeake, VA: AACE.
Retrieved from http://www.editlib.org/p/36379.
School or Institution
We created a set of requirements that can be summarized as follows:

Each room should have 3 separate viewing surfaces in order to support multiple input
devices and other media such as movies and the internet;

Lecture theatres should allow for different teacher’s pedagogy. It should not limit the
teachers in what they want to do in class; and

The system should be able to interconnect the various lecture theatres in order to create
large lecture theatres, thus saving costs.
Technology
In this project staff wanted to give students access to lectures in three different ways in order to
meet their needs. These were:

On campus in the lecture theatre;

At home via a live video, streaming feed; and

Through recorded video after the lecture finished.
They wanted to give students the opportunity to be able to pause, go back and look again at a
lecture if needed. They wanted the potential for students to connect using a web-browser or via
video conferencing so they could ask questions in real time.
The quality of sound and video was important as it adds to the experience of going to class.
Teachers needed interactive tools such as smart boards so that new types of pedagogy could
grow.
All three screens should be able to be shown at once (lecture, internet and video for example)
Lecture theatres should be able to be used as video conferencing rooms so teachers can send
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lectures to not only other universities but also to students, and the other way around. A guest
speaker should be able to lecture at home.
All video recording, conversion, and publishing of recorded lectures had to be automatic.
Pedagogy
Staff wanted to allow the student to stay in control of his/her own life, and personal learning
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situation. They recognized that some students need a teacher in front of them to stay focused..
Other students needed peace and quiet to concentrate (students with dyslexia, or ADHD).
The system should allow for students to get involved in the lecture and be inviting.
Implementation
A major goal of implementation was that the whole system had to be easy to use for teachers so
that they felt comfortable in expanding and improving their pedagogy. This imposed a
considerable training burden that had to be allowed for in implementation and costing.
According to the authors, “it is very hard to express, explain, and design these types of systems
with so many stakeholders. It is very important that focus is put on stakeholder management
and keeping affected personnel in the loop. Our suggestion here is to bring in the teachers as
early as possible” (Harrison & Smith, 2003, p823)
While it was OK to consult with teachers, most of the answers got will be based in the notion of
non-flexible learning and traditional values and views of higher education.
Implementation can be an action research activity.
Do not focus just on the technology. Make sure that pedagogy and technology feed off each
other.
The above schematic shows what the completed lecture theatre looked like. Traditional
whiteboards have been left alone and complemented with a Smartboard (RHS) to enhance
interactivity. There are 5 cameras in each lecture theatre that are used to record the teacher and
the various students that ask questions.
Each student can request the floor by pressing a button. In doing so the various cameras in the
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The Course
lecture hall will find the student in question and broadcast the video feed, making sure that
students at home or watching after the fact can see the student and hear the question.
There teacher can draw and write on the virtual whiteboard using the SmartPodium in the
middle of the desk.
Process

The teacher enters the administrative system and decides whether the course/lecture
should be recorded;

The administrative system informs the booking/recording system 20 minutes before the
lecture starts that the lecture should be recorded (automatic);

The lecturing teacher always has the final say and selects yes/no once he/she enters the
lecture hall;

The encoder takes the signals and sends them to the streaming server and the video
server; and

Streaming server broadcasts live and the video server automatically converts the video
and publishes it online. It takes roughly three hours (after completion) before it is
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published to the students.
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Flexible eContent
This example is adapted from:
Harrison, L. & Smith, R. (2003). All I Really Need to Know About E-Content I Learned In
Kindergarten: Share and Share Alike. In A. Rossett (Ed.), Proceedings of World Conference on ELearning in Corporate, Government, Healthcare, and Higher Education 2003 (pp. 2004-2006).
Chesapeake, VA: AACE.
Retrieved from http://www.editlib.org/p/12269.
School or Institution
Most units at ECU have a BlackBoard presence. At the simplest level this course management
system serves as a repository for digital content. If this content could be modularized it would
enable it to be shared among and between different end users.
The infrastructure (networks, technical environments, repositories, and portals) built to deliver
digital content can then be used to maximum efficiency and duplication of effort in producing
new content every semester is reduced.
Developing flexible e-content in a way that not only allows sharing, but may in fact promote
repurposing, will provide further cost savings and opportunities to enhance, sustain and extend
the content and the associated infrastructure.
Technology
A Management System is needed as a comprehensive solution to creating and delivering flexible
e-content.
The key to these strategies are development and use of tools that create flexible content by
separating internal components into content, media, programming, metadata, and graphical
user interface layers.
Pedagogy
There are three types of reuse: sharing, multipurposing, and repurposing.

Share – To use again, with little or no special treatment or processing.

Multipurpose – To use again, especially after special treatment or processing permitting

Repurpose - – To use again, especially after special treatment or processing permitting
reuse across mediums and audiences.
Content to be shared needs to be able to be reused, accessible, durable, customizable, adaptable.
Flexible content must enable all three types of reuse.
Truly flexible e-content would be appropriate for other kinds of information sharing.
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reuse across mediums.
Implementation
To accompany the Flexible Content Tools (below), templates, documentation and workshops
guiding design and development are required.
Appropriate content creation tools are a key component to creating reusable and flexible
content. These tools should allow full-interactivity, layering, programming, and flexibility.
The Course
Designing e-content in such a way that content is separated from presentation is the aim. The
design and development of truly flexible e-content must also be independent and separable
from the medium, societal context, cultural, accessibility enhancements, language and media
literacy components. In doing so, flexible e-content contains the potential for repurposing
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across mediums, societal contexts, languages and cultures.
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Tablets
This example is adapted from:
Youm, J. Wiechmann, W., Ypma-Wong, M.F., Clayman, R., GerMaguire, G., Haigler, H., and Lotfipour,
S. 2010. Launching an iPad Program: Lessons Learned from the iMedEd Initative, University of
California, Irvine, School of Medicine. Retrieved from http://www.editlib.org/p/12269.
Many primary schools and high schools are implementing the use of tablet computers like iPads in
their curriculum. For example see:
http://www.ipadsforeducation.vic.edu.au/
In Perth, iPads in Years one and two are being used:
http://www.skynews.com.au/tech/article.aspx?id=713905&vId=
There are large numbers of schools in Australia that have a strong ICT in education focus. For
example at Manor Lakes College in Victoria all Year 7 and 8 students, roughly 290 students, are
involved in a 1:1 MacBook laptop program. Each classroom across the College has a bank of
MacBooks, iMacs, iPod Touches, Flip Video cameras, still digital cameras, audio recording devices
and video cameras are spread throughout the school for students to use.
These students are going to be well versed in the use of ICT in the learning and will expect to see ICT
being used to provide flexibility in their learning at University. If it is not apparent then they will
wonder why.
School or Institution
The University of California, Irvine (UCIrvine), School of Medicine, in August 2010 was the first US
medical school to distribute iPads to an entire class. Apple iPads were distributed to all incoming
first-year medical students of the class. The iMedEd Initiative was started at UCIrvine to transform its
traditional curriculum into a digital one and the iPad was a major step in this direction. As an early
adopter of this new platform, many issues were encountered.
Two main factors affected the iPad orientation at UCIrvine. First, the iMedEd team had only a sixweek window until the incoming students arrived for orientation. Second, the time allotted to the
orientation was only one hour. This was due to the late introduction of the iPad program to the
curriculum and new student orientation scheduling that had already been in place months prior to
Technology
Many students owned an Apple iPhone so the transition to an iPad was fairly intuitive. However, for
others, an adjustment period was necessary as is the case when learning any new operating system.
Practice was needed in syncing and navigating with iTunes. The main challenge was in determining
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the decision to move to an iPad-based curriculum.
the best way to utilize this device in the various medical education learning environments.
Offering ongoing student support on the iPads including addressing technical issues, app and
peripheral recommendations and iOS updates is another significant factor to an iPad program’s
success.
Pedagogy
The colloquiums held by the iMedEd Innovators Group presented tips, app and product reviews as
well as strategies for studying with the iPad and incorporating it into one’s daily workflow.
http://sites.uci.edu/imeded/imeded-innovators-group/)
eTextbooks present a chance for publishers to reinvent the traditional textbook by taking it from a
passive, static medium to a dynamic, interactive one. The portability of eTextboks offer students the
opportunity to be more efficient with the time they spend studying, i.e. they can read whenever and
wherever they are without having to carry heavy textbooks with them.
Implementation
Students and staff had to learn about the device and how to successfully integrate it into an evolving
curriculum.
Textbooks and other materials were preloaded onto the iPads. The iMedEd team provided individual
and small-group support for restoration of content that was lost due to the use of generic profiles on
the iPad.
The most frequently cited issue that the UCIrvine students had about the iPad program was the lack
of a proper orientation to the iPad. The first few weeks are busy and learning to use a new platform
became a lower priority for some students who found that they did not have time to fully take
advantage of the iPad. Getting students actively engaged with the iPads was challenging during the
short periods of time the iMedEd team interfaced with them.
The iMedEd team found that an effective way to reach the student body was through the students’
themselves. Student volunteers from this first year class along with the iMedEd team formed an
“innovators” group to help students and faculty navigate the iPad experience.
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The Course
Note taking from lectures, textbooks and small group meetings is a significant activity as a student
and one in which many students feel pen and paper still serve them well. Yet, the touch-screen
interface (especially with a stylus) is a more direct analogue to the way we take notes on hardcopy
than a laptop, and the screen real estate of the iPad is better suited for looking at lecture slides than
most smartphones or other mobile devices.
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UCIrvine was fortunate enough to be able to provide all required first-year textbooks in a digital
format to the students in the iPad program. The amount of use of the digital texts varied among the
class, with some students choosing to purchase traditional hardcopy texts on their own.
Simply providing the textbooks and an iPad did not guarantee flexibility nor a transition to reading in
a digital medium. There were aspects of the digital textbooks that students found extremely
valuable. Students cited the

ability to search within the texts with greater ease and speed than with traditional hardcopy;

access to higher quality, higher resolution images, sometimes available in three dimensions;

portability; and

eco-friendly potential to save paper
as significant advantages.
Curricular integration of the iPads is a step that allows the technology to become more effective
for learning. It was important to leverage existing technologies like the course management system
which offered course materials in a PDF-format that students could access on their iPads. Similarly,
students could access podcasts for all live lectures through the same system.
A major benefit of the introduction of iPads at UCIrvine was to serve as a catalyst for implementing
further digital changes in the medical school curriculum.
The iPad has definitely become a catalyst for change in students’ studies and in the faculty’s vision of
their curriculum throughout the course of this first year of the iPad program. Evolving expectations
now include having more effective and interactive eTextbooks, better use of podcasting, information
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on useful iPad apps and curricular integration.
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An Online Course
Adapted from Taylor, J.C. (N.D). Technology, Pedagogy and Globalisation
University of Southern Queensland, Australia
Retrieved from http://www.usq.edu.au/material/unit/resource/taylor/technolo.htm
This Grad Cert is offered solely via electronic means. Participating students need to have access to
appropriate hardware and software to communicate via electronic mail and to download materials
through the Internet.
Technology
Courseware was developed to make extensive use of existing electronic resources already available
on the World Wide Web such as:

31 electronic journals and magazines and 43 newsletters relevant to educational technology;

electronic journals related to distance education;

29 electronic journals related to instructional technology;

28 associated electronic discussion groups; and

numerous databases all specifically related to the content of the course.
Students gain access to these materials through the use of an Internet Browser.
Interaction with other students, teaching staff and other experts, who act as mentors, is achieved
through the use of computer mediated communication (CMC)
Computer conferencing is not just another technology but a quite different communication medium
with its own affordances such as the potential for more reflective and precise responses. But of
course other facets of human communication such as gesture and facial expression are not as
prominent.
Pedagogy
The design of the electronic teaching and learning environment, although developed independently
by the USQ team, has much in common with the technological environment created by the
Laboratoire d’Informatique Cognitive et Environments de Formation (LICEF) at the Télé-université in
Montreal. Ricciardi-Rigault, Henri and Damphousse (1996) articulated the design and operation of a
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"pedagogical virtual space" to support a learning process that is non-linear, collaborative and
interactive. This unit utilised this approach.
Students are provided with an interactive study chart. This set the broad parameters of the subject
matter content to be investigated, and lists a number of exemplary references. References are both
to traditional print-based materials that might be found in a local library and to electronic references
which are hot linked via specific URLs. The lecturers were assisted in the task of locating relevant
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materials on the WWW by a research assistant, who surfed the Net for potentially useful materials
according to lists of key words provided by the teaching staff. These materials were then
bookmarked and made available for evaluation. As members of the teaching team assessed these
materials, each electronic reference was annotated with a comment on the relevance of the content
for particular modules of the course. Because of the transient nature of many web sites, any
material which was evaluated as being essential, was cleared for copyright and stored on the local
USQ server.
In due course, students also contributed to this database.
Students are encouraged to communicate through various electronic conferences, established for
specific content areas as well as for informal social interaction through the "Coffee Chat"
Conference.
This activity led to a member of the team basing his teaching on the simulation of a company
involved in the design, development and marketing of multimedia products. This involved students
in collaboration and the running of production team meetings via Internet Relay Chat, supplemented
by audio.
Implementation
This Grad Cert is offered solely via electronic means. Participating students need to have access to
appropriate hardware and software to communicate via electronic mail and to download materials
through the Internet.
The department or institution
At a more specific level, some members of the teaching team are exploring different styles of
interaction.
“These approaches are supplemented by a mentoring system in which each student has access to a
mentor through email in an effort to provide individual support and advice. Each of these
system, which will lay the foundation for continuous improvement. It is planned that the results of
such action research will lay the foundation for a series of experimental research studies in the
future. Initial indications are, however, that the quality of student learning outcomes is extremely
high and in some respects quite exceptional. For instance, the student project generated through
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pedagogical variations is being systematically evaluated through the use of an online evaluation
collaboration among 18 students in 11 countries, who were learning to use multimedia, was superior
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to that of the same unit taught on campus”.
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Selected Examples from UNE “Good Practice Examples”
Quoted and amended from the University of New England Good Practice Examples pages 5 to 13.
Currently permission is being sought to use these examples in this booklet.
Retrieved from http://www.une.edu.au/auqa/resources/goodpractices.pdf
Master of Arts (Applied Linguistics) – MAAL
The MAAL represents UNE best practice in online pedagogy. The content delivery uses a variety of
online tools and media, with the emphasis on interactivity and on developing conceptual depth.
Students and staff participate in an academic and social ‘virtual classroom’, where they learn much
from collaboration and interaction with each other. The MAAL has been developed by a team in
linguistics who combine world-class standing in their disciplines with unparalleled experience in
online curriculum development and practice. With the support of programmers and educational
developers, MAAL is being continually upgraded and improved so as to maintain its place at the
forefront of its field.
Sakai: Distance Learning and Teaching in the School of Education
The project focused on the Bachelor of Teaching (Primary) and the innovative redesign and
development of the Master of Education (e-learning), reflecting modern trends and current best
practice in education and training for professionals who wish to apply new pedagogies and
technologies in life-long professional learning contexts. In addition, the project has provided the
opportunity to trial the open source Learning Management System (LMS), Sakai, and related
pedagogies for Web 2.0 technologies
Impressive outcomes have been achieved in the project to date. There has been significant upskilling of academic and support staff in the use of appropriate pedagogies for technologysupported learning, while redesigning their print-based units for technology-supported distance
learning modes. There have been a number of innovations in Phase 1 involving 11 units of study
in the BTeach (Primary) including:

podcasting- the integration of audio and visual elements delivered online and in some
instances supplemented by CD;

group strategies to create interaction between students using online communication tools

case studies to stimulate discussion and problem solution strategies for student cohorts;

alternative assessment strategies incorporating use of progressive online testing;

video segments to illustrate important concepts in music;

investigation of e-portfolios to enhance practicum placement reflections;

consideration of strategies for mathematics involving audio/video, and the use of
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(forums, blogs & wikis);
equation editors and excel spreadsheets;
Blended Learning in Nursing
In 2008 the Nursing Course Team of the School of Health was successful in gaining some Academic
Renewal funding from UNE to assist with conceptualising and developing the new curriculum to
allow for more flexible delivery options, a strategy needed to encourage more students into nursing
courses, provide all students with more options to assist them to complete their studies as well as
enhance their skills with e-technology. Blended learning is the primary mode in which the UNE
nursing course is offered to students and will provide them access to an innovative, high quality,
flexible and challenging nursing education. Blended learning means an approach that integrates
face-to-face academic/student and student/student learning opportunities with the best of distance
education technology.
Those who opt to take the off campus option study via a combination of intensive schools,
structured and supported online learning activities and clinical practice blocks. This new curriculum
also incorporates multiple entry and exit points leading to two tiers of nursing qualification: an
Advanced Diploma in Nursing and a Bachelor of Nursing where the former leads to Enrolled Nurse
and the latter to Registered Nurse status. The new flexibility in the course also allows those who are
already Enrolled Nurses to upgrade to a Bachelor of Nursing and Registered Nurse status by studying
for 2 years full-time.
Teaching Collaborations and Flexible Learning
This is an innovative collaborative teaching model for the delivery of language courses at
Australian universities. Essentially, UNE’s blended model of language teaching is based on
combining an enhanced distance education approach with face-to-face contact and online
computer assisted language learning materials and support. Students remain students of the
host institution, they are enrolled as such and the face-to-face contact takes place at that
institution’s campus.
This model provides an opportunity for offering courses in languages that are less commonly
taught. Cooperative ventures between universities and based on the UNE blended model allow
departments with one or two staff members to augment their programs with complementary units
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from other disciplines.
STAT100: Flexible Learning
The unit offers a model of learning that delivers learning resources and activities that are accessible
to all students regardless of location. Most recent innovations in STAT100 include the development
of:

a software installation wizard to overcome student frustration with the software and
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address the problem of attrition among off campus students (new in 09);

demonstration videos using screen capture software to show students how to use statistical
software and equation editors (new in 09);

online quizzes to encourage student learning of fundamental statistical concepts;

online practical exercises, incorporating instantaneous feedback, allowing students to
promptly check their responses against exemplary answers (new in 09, but trialed in 08);

incorporating interactive applets that allow students to explore fundamental concepts first
hand;

incorporating lecture slides and podcasts online, providing access to learning material for all
students.
Innovation in Professional Experience
Professional experience in the School of Education has taken on new initiatives during 2008 and
2009. Responding to a major need to enhance the distance education experience for students
undertaking school placements, the professional experience office has introduced a range of online
activities to help prepare students for their placements. Forum activities and modules on important
topics such as child protection and professional expectations have helped distance education
students to approach their placements with more confidence.
eReserve and Exam Papers Online
eReserve was specifically designed with the needs of off campus students in mind and as a tool
for the University to move teaching programs to a flexible online environment for all students. It
provides high-demand unit readings in a robust and Copyright compliant environment 24/7 to
staff and students of UNE anywhere on the globe where internet access is available. The service
currently delivers over 23,000 documents as pdf images on local servers or via “deep linking” to
subscribed electronic journal articles.
The value and accessibility of eReserve was enhanced in 2008 by redevelopment to add functionality
and allow embedding in the myUNE / myUnits environment. The 2008 upgrade included a facility
allowing documents added since early 2008 to be read by “read aloud” software. This has provided
not only better access for students with a print disability, but also additional flexibility for students
to prove itself a robust and powerful tool of high value in the development of the UNE teaching
program.
Modularisation of Unit Content
Modularising Entomology teaching units to increase flexibility and relevance to the university,
entomology students and their professional communities of practice, provides appreciable
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who have a learning preference for this form of ‘vocal/listening’ learning mode. eReserve continues
benefits. Modules are independently marketable, combinable and adaptable to changing
learner and industry needs.
Modularisation makes it easier to take the learning requirements of individuals (and industry)
into account and adds flexibility to the current structure, enabling better integration into future
teaching structures. New modules can be more easily generated with comparatively little effort
by devising novel combinations of existing units. The ability to choose from a wider range of
topics is of considerable benefit to students wishing to specialise in certain aspects of
entomology. Modularisation offers improved economy and efficiency of delivery through the
exploitation of economies of scale and scope, such as easier redevelopment or re-ordering of
existing elements into new programs and the development and inclusion of new modules. A
potential income stream may also be generated by making the unit/modules available to other
institutions and offering them off-shore in partnership with other institutions.
Virtual supervision of professional experience
In 2008 the UNE School of Education as part of a DEEWR funded Research project awarded to Dr
Stephen Winn has been involved in a project that utilises synchronous video conference links from
UNE Armidale to Department of Education NSW schools in the NE Region of the state. This project
supported by DET NSW includes up to 10 schools and will utilise in-class cameras to link to schools to
observe pre-service teacher educators while teaching. The project has had considerable interest
from DEEWR particularly around inclusion, enhancing quality teacher education training and explicit
links with peak educational providers.
A collaborative approach to enabling sciences courses at regional Universities in New
South Wales, Queensland, the Northern Territory and Victoria
This CASR (Collaborative And Structural Reform) project approved by DEST late in 2007 involves a
partnership between Charles Darwin University (CDU), The University of Southern Queensland
(USQ), The University of the Sunshine Coast (USC), The University of New England (UNE), The
University of Canberra (UC), and Deakin University (DU). The objective is to explore ways to
efficiently harness each institution’s niche discipline strengths in chemistry, physics and
environmental sciences and to develop, construct and make available to students at the
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participating universities, packages of high quality shared science discipline units.
A broad project goal is to retain science discipline core degrees in Australian regional Universities
through providing more viable larger class sizes per unit for the delivering institution(s), yet fewer
overall science units needed on offer by each individual institution to maintain a full science
program. Students will be able to enrol cross-institutionally as necessary for the combined suite of
units identified through this project using a variety of delivery modes including: flexible / distance
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learning; on-line; and intensively. Project funding ($897,400) is available over 2008-2010 for time
release of academic staff, instructional design and multimedia development to ensure high quality
learning materials for students.
The project team will also explore opportunities for up-skilling science teachers in schools, through
making available the units on offer either as single study options for in-service study, or
combinations of units could be packaged as a certificate or a diploma, and branded by all
participating institutions. In addition, the project will enhance articulation arrangements between
participating universities, and provide opportunities for exploration of better RPL processes and
entry pathways for VET sector graduates into the university sector. The lead organisation Charles
Darwin University is already a fully integrated VET / Higher Education institution.
New Bachelor of Music
In 2007, the Discipline of Music has transformed the discipline's offerings from a position of no
online teaching to where almost 70% of units offered over the two year cycle are either fully online
or have non-mandatory intensive school attendance requirements for distance education students.
This shift provides a high degree of flexible learning for this category of students, many of whom
are people with family and other responsibilities. It also enables more regular engagement with
lecturers, translating into greater levels of skills and knowledge acquisition. Students have been
further advantaged by updating of the conceptual bases of musical knowledge and technologies
made possible through the process of Academic Renewal. The new course and units have been
designed with a focus on producing graduates with knowledge and a skills base suitable to regional
contexts in music education, while also satisfying the new requirements for graduate music
teachers established by the NSW Institute of Teachers. New units are modularised and taught by a
team of experts, providing flexible options for the design of future units and best practice in the
provision of expert knowledge at all levels of tertiary study.
Sheep and wool units via distance education
UNE delivers sheep and wool units via distance education using the Sakai LMS to students at all
Australian Universities with agricultural science degrees via cross-institutional enrolment. UNE
has negotiated with all these Universities to have these units as an accredited part of their
The Citrix-thin client system is used to provide access to a sophisticated farm systems simulation
model, GrassGro3, developed by CSIRO and others, that presents a problem based learning
approach, based on real local farm data, to livestock production. This approach integrates
knowledge and learning across climates, soils, pastures, nutrition, livestock production and
economics. Students have secure 24/7 access to various simulation programs running on a UNE
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various agricultural and economics degrees.
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server from anywhere in the world via the internet. The model is state-of-the-art.
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Comparison between different delivery methods
This example is adapted from the University of Queensland :
http://www.uq.edu.au/teaching-learning/index.html?page=11257&pid=11142
Print
Print based materials are still a viable means of delivering instruction in a flexible manner. Reading is
a fundamental skill and print based materials enable the student to focus easily on the content
without being distracted by the delivery method. Print materials are easily revised and need no
sophisticated presentation equipment. In development print enables the developer to focus on the
content rather than technical requirements.
Possible uses/learning activities
Enables written interaction between learner and instructor
Students access at own rate - self-paced
Advantages
No special equipment required
Wide range of versatile and flexible teaching and learning strategies Serves the needs of a wide
range of learners such as overseas, on/off-campus and second-language students
High level of learner independence
Economical option in terms of development and production
Disadvantages
Limited in the level and forms of interaction with teacher and other students
May only be used as a delivery mechanism rather than an interactive approach
Often more effective when used in conjunction with other media and communication technologies
Requires publishing resources
Issues for special consideration
Role of instructional design in development is essential
Use of support materials to enhance learning program
Face-to-face instruction
Face to face instruction is often regarded as the “normal” way to teach in Universities and is
the usual delivery method in tutorials and lectures. However even though University
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In-house desktop publishing of materials to reduce costs and improve quality
teachers may feel they have to deliver instruction in this way there is still room for
flexibility. For example lectures can be made available before the lecture freeing up lecture
time for other more interactive activities. Tutorials may be allocated as one hour per week
for example but negotiation with students may enable a tutor to combine weeks’ allocations
and deliver two hour tutorials every second week. There are more examples of this kind of
flexibility given in section xxxx on page yyyyy
Possible uses/learning activities
Lectures, tutorials, seminars, discussion groups
Any forum where information is to be disseminated, shared and discussed
Advantages
Enables variety of stimulating and informative methods
Presenter can stimulate and enthuse
Economical
Interactive
Enables questioning techniques
Enables students to clarify information and interact with each other
Disadvantages
May restrict students to being in a particular place, at a particular time. Important information can
be missed
Depends heavily on the skills of the teacher
Can be a problem for people whose first language is not English
Intensive note-taking may dominate the experience
Issues for special consideration
Teacher's role paramount in the success of this delivery option. Presentation skills and questioning
techniques will be examined closely. Needs adequate facilities such as physical infrastructure and
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often technological infrastructure.
Streaming/Broadcast or narrowcast television/radio simulcasting
As described earlier, it now technologically straightforward to stream a lecture either
prerecorded or live to an audience. If this audience is students then this automatically give
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students flexibility in that they don’t have to attend at a particular place. If the lecture or
streaming material is prerecorded then students have even more flexibility in that they
don’t have to “attend” at a particular time.
Possible uses/learning activities
Enables one-to-many delivery
Delivery of information and/or education to either the public or specific groups of people
Presentation of information - prerecorded video/radio and live presentations
Explaining, providing examples possible
Advantages
Can be transmitted widely or specifically to a range of audiences
Instruction can be dynamic and stimulating.
Can be recorded and replayed at learner's convenience
Can utilise different instructional formats
Widely used as audience has high literacy of the medium
Disadvantages
Possible limited interactivity but see earlier
Possible high expenses in the development of programs
Public nature of the medium may limit the format, style and specificity of content
Transmission costs may be high but not necessarily for streamed video
Learners may expect high quality production values in TV like presentations
Issues for special consideration
Instructional design – how is the medium used to enable students to learn?
It is difficult to plan all elements of content delivery and interactions in advance.
These forms of instruction place a high level of emphasis on presenter skills - Presenter training
Possibility of degraded quality of vision, sound.
Technologies that take advantages of computer networks like Skype (www.skype.com)
enable face to face communication at a distance. People can see each other and so can
interpret visual clues making interactions much richer. Using technologies like Connect Pro
enables documents to be exchanged in real time. This gives the instructor flexibility in terms
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Teleconferencing (audio, video, satellite - Skype, Connect Pro, Chat)
of location and if the session is recorded other students can take advantage of flexibility in
time – although they will miss the real time interaction with a teacher.
Possible uses/learning activities
Use of telephone/television/computer systems for teacher-learner and learner-learner links
Group participation at one site and with others on a number of other sites
Immediate
Advantages
Shares advantages of video but adds interactivity
Allows for questions, feedback, transmitting information, clarification
Less isolation than one-way streaming video
Allows teacher to respond to visual/auditory cues
Enables conventional teaching to be delivered at distance
Disadvantages
Can be difficult to establish infrastructure
Network issues may intrude – dropout, slow response.
Level of learner independence drops with instantaneous delivery and viewing
The more people participating, the more confusing and less interactive it could become.
Expense
Issues for special consideration
Instructional design
It is difficult to plan all elements of content delivery and interactions in advance.
Presenter training
These forms of instruction place demand on presenter skills.
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Possible poor quality of vision/sound
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Games/Simulations/Role plays/Computer Based Learning/Interactive multimedia
The use of games in flexibly delivered instruction is increasing. In 2008 Anne Derryberry estimated
that the serious games market would be worth $1.5 billion globally. Games have power to engage
learners. Serious games are designed with the intention of improving some specific aspect of
learning, and players come to serious games with that expectation. Serious games are used in
emergency services training, in military training, in corporate education, in health care, and in many
other sectors of society. They can also be found at every level of education, at all kinds of schools
and universities around the world. Game genre, complexity, and platforms are as varied as those
found in casual games. Play, an important contributor to human development, maturation, and
learning, is a mandatory ingredient of serious games.
Games are a natural successor to simulations, role-plays, computer based learning and interactive
multimedia. Much of what follows can be applied to these media.
The use of all these media gives learners flexibility in how they learn. They also gain flexibility in time
and place of learning.
Possible uses/learning activities
Provides the user with a range of ways of interacting with the material
In the case of simulations, games and role-plays, it allows students to test theoretical knowledge in a
simulated environment.
Can be used for tutorials, competency-based assessment, information dissemination, skills
development, simulations and case studies
Advantages
Able to deliver an instructional program that is time and location independent
High levels of interactivity and learner independence
Dynamic learning environment
Facilitates problem-based learning
Can be tailored to individual needs
Can include in-built assessment and feedback
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Suits a range of learning styles
Disadvantages
Learners need access to appropriate computer technology.
Expensive to produce
Can be quite costly to alter
Current computer systems can quickly become obsolete.
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Is more effective for students who already have some background knowledge
"Naive" students may flounder.
Students who need a lot of structure and guidance find simulations confusing.
Issues for special consideration
Often can be just page-turning software
To be effective, software must be interactive and stimulating.
Much of the current CBL is replicated textbooks.
Compatibility of different platforms, systems and applications
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Student access to equipment
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Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL)
Networked computers have the potential to be able to facilitate communication between
disparate groups of people. This can assist the flexible delivery of instruction as it can go
some way towards the building of a community of learners even though they may be
separated in time and place.
Possible uses/learning activities
Virtual communities, such as virtual classrooms: "Classroom with electronic walls", "Teaching Teleapprenticeships", “Communities of Practice”.
Advantages
Enhances team performance
Facilitates collective activities
Mentoring capacity (especially over distance)
Social - motivating, reinforces learning
Prepares students for similar technology in business environment
Contributions from experts
Disadvantages
Can be difficult to create a sense of community among a dispersed group People may prefer face-toface interaction
Requires people to have good group work skills
Issues for special consideration
Appropriate levels of skill are required by teachers and learners. These need to be identified and
developed prior to the learning experience.
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Structuring of tasks and progress requires ongoing monitoring.
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Discussion in online units
The development of many units often follows a path from initial development, delivery face to face,
further development, placing on-line, more development and sometimes through to wholly on line
delivery. This can occur over time, if the level of web support becomes so high that it began to make
sense to also offer the unit flexibly, as a fully online unit.
There are many reasons for wholly online delivery including flexibility in time and place of learning.
However one of the facets that often needs attention is the development of a sense of belonging to
a class in an online environment. This sense of belonging can be enhanced through attention to, and
encouragement of, discussion – and this is true of face-to-face delivery. The major challenge in
offering the unit flexibly has been to incorporate discussion groups to allow for the interactivity
provided by tutorials in a face-to-face unit.
Remember it’s not like face to face:
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Technology
Blackboard has a discussion board available from the menu options (left hand side). You will have to
create a forum (see button in figure below) and post some initial questions. Students may need help
in finding the discussion board.
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Pedagogy
One issue faced was how to pose questions so that they stimulate online discussion. Existing
questions in tutorial guides, which work well face-to-face, aren't necessarily questions that stimulate
online discussion. Questions that are more controversial, especially early on, are useful as discussion
needs to start early in the unit otherwise it may never start.
Creating a format for the discussion board can pose challenges. It takes time and experimentation to
find a good discussion group format and model that suits the students in the unit. The approach
used needs to engage students and generate a good online presence. It needs to draw the students
out and into that discussion forum. These skills are quite different to skills required in face to face
interactions in tutorials.
A start in developing your own model or approach might be to:

post comments that are interesting, engaging and stimulate discussion, and at an

post comments at an appropriate level for the group.

not say a lot, but instead to

link the discussion to current learning, and

encourage students to discuss the topic in relation to that current learning.
Implementation
Participation in online discussions is compulsory, and is defined analogously to participation in a
participate in two-thirds of the tutes. Participation is reading other people's posts and posting your
own replies. The assumption is that if you've posted you've participated; if you've stimulated
discussion you've participated to a higher degree.
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face-to-face tutorial. Most tutors implement some form of compulsion. For example: students must
The department or institution
If your unit has a BlackBoard presence then the discussion board is automatically available for that
unit for you and your students. The only School involvement is to make sure that your unit is
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available for that semester and that it is rolled over when necessary.
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Assessment in flexible learning
Adapted and extensively quoted from
Hyde, P. Clayton, B., And Booth, R. 2004. Exploring assessment in flexible delivery of vocational
education and training programs. Australian National Training Authority
Retrieved from lofrances.edublogs.org/files/2009/07/hyde_13casestudies.pdf
Introduction
The interest in assessment in general in higher education has focused attention on assessment in
Online learning. While current attention on assessment is tending to focus on assessment for
learning, learners are “more dependent upon effective, early communication of assessment
requirements, together with well-designed and cohesive assessment tasks, useful and timely
support, and a transparent marking scheme that explains how judgements are to be made”
(Morgan & OíReilly 1999, p.22)
Despite often diverse approaches to assessment capable of utilizing or being part of online learning,
the question remains “Are there unique issues facing teachers and learners in open and distance
settings (Hyde, Clayton, and Booth, 2004, p.20)
In general unsuccessful assessment in online learning can occur because:
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students have not been prepared adequately for participation in learning experiences that
they have not encountered before;
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students’ willingness to engage in higher level learning activities can be overestimated,
especially when they are not related to assessment
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the assessment of learning has not been changed to reflect changed learning outcomes.
It can be argued that a commitment to flexible delivery needs a commitment to flexible assessment.
Distance and online flexible delivery arrangements pose challenges in using a range of assessment
methods. While courses may be delivered at a distance, assessment, particularly summative
assessment, more often than not takes place within the host institution or within special authorised
centres particularly for courses where some level of certification takes place. (Bartolome &
Underwood 1998, pp.5,7)
online geographic information science program. He identifies the benefits of using online quizzes
and virtual field trips as being flexible, enabling early and regular feedback and increasing
motivation.
The main issues regarding assessment remain:
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providing timely and prompt feedback to students; and
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Veenendaal (2001) reports on a flexible assessment project for campus and distance learners in an
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using assessment to motivate students to keep up to date with their study program.
Issues emerging from the literature
Security and authenticity of student performance
A range of strategies is suggested for ensuring security and authenticity (McNickle & Pogliani 1998;
Morgan & OíReilly 1999). At least one view is that the concern for cheating is exaggerated (Williams
2000) and that in some large-scale, formal face-to-face or take-home assessment verification
processes are not always in place.
Assessment of higher order skills and thinking
The assessment of higher order skills and deep approaches to learning are often cited in discussion
of online assessment arrangements. There are diverse views in the literature in regard to the
benefits and constraints associated with online assessment.
Multiple-choice questions, true/false and short-answer formats
It is often thought that online multiple-choice questions lend themself to content areas in which
factual, recall-based and technical information are assessed. However with careful planning and
design, multiple-choice questions can be used to assess critical thinking and other higher order skills.
To develop good multiple choice questions that test understanding or ability to synthesise may take
considerable time.
Assessing teamwork
While the value of group and teamwork for the development of learning and workplace skills is
acknowledged, its assessment has proved a challenge in that students often enjoy learning in teams
and developing teamwork skills, but criticize team assessment as unfair if team members are equally
rewarded for unequal contributions.
Tools such as chat rooms and bulletin boards can be used for collaborative learning and assessment
purposes.
Please see our fact sheet on developing teamwork skills:
http://intranet.ecu.edu.au/learning/for-academic-staff/curriculum-2012-resources/academic-
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factsheets/ability-to-work-in-teams
and our “How to do it” guide which contains a section on assessing teamwork:
http://intranet.ecu.edu.au/learning/for-academic-staff/guides-handbooks-and-tip-sheets/how-todo-it-guides/teamwork
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Conclusion
Assessment is central to University education and drives the learning efforts of teachers and
students. In a flexibly delivered environment it poses challenges poses for the design of valid,
reliable, fair and flexible assessment. There are relatively few published accounts of experiences
with assessment in a range of flexible modes.
While definitive conclusions may be hard to draw there is nothing to suggest that the principles that
underpin good assessment in traditional delivery do not apply to flexible delivery. However, the key
issues might include:
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the need for creativity in managing the process of collecting evidence in flexibly delivered
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using a range of assessment methods;
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involvement of learners and others in the collection of evidence;
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quality assurance of evidence collection;
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balancing the degree of formative and summative assessment;
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monitoring and balancing the assessment load on learners/teachers;
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integrating learning and assessment to improve motivation and learning;
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the role of context in assessment; and
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developing a range of feedback processes.
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instruction;
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To lecture or not?
Adapted from Taylor, J.C. (N.D). Flexible Delivery: The Globalisation of Lifelong Learning. University
of Southern Queensland, Australia
Retrieved from http://www.usq.edu.au/users/taylorj/readings/caudit.htm
A much summarised argument
The lecture is a process whereby the notes of the lecturer are transmitted to the notes of the student,
without passing through the minds of either
"It doesn’t matter what you say, as long as it lasts for 45 minutes!"
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Bligh (1972) pointed out, the lecture is extremely ineffective and primarily a waste of time,
as the majority of students would testify.
On campus educators have largely ignored the new technologies, with the process of faceto-face conventional teaching regarded as being patently superior to all other forms of
teaching.
On campus educators have focussed their energies on research and other forms of scholarly
activity.
One major reason that the lecture has been around for hundreds of years is that "it works".
It is also cheap. The fact that it is ineffectual is irrelevant. It has become institutionalised.
Changing a university is like moving a graveyard. It is extremely difficult, and you don’t get
much internal assistance.
The rate of change of technology with the potential to enhance teaching and learning is
exponential.
The relative geographical remoteness and isolation of Australia is now largely irrelevant,
since it takes an email from Queensland to Queenstown only marginally less time than one
from Queensland to London.
The opportunity for institutional leaders to become proactive, and to ensure that flexible
delivery technologies (the fourth generation/the virtual campus) become a structurally
integrated part of the teaching-learning process has never been greater.
However, while the trend towards "technology-mediated" flexible delivery is perhaps
inexorable in a wide variety of education and training contexts, it is crucial to realise that the
use of a range of instructional media does not automatically enhance the quality of teaching
and learning.
The challenge is to understand the technology and apply it "to create new and more
effective learning situations".
It is crucial to realise, however, that no technology will automatically improve learning to a
significant extent.
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Designing an Flexible Delivery Unit
Designing a unit involves planning the learning activities and content presentation. It involves
plotting how you will get students to learn what they need to learn in order to pass the unit. This
means that you need to start with what you will be asking them to demonstrate, consider what they
can already do and how you will help them close the gap.
Learning design (http://www.learningdesigns.uow.edu.au/) is the common term used for this
process and a learning design approach is used to describe the form of the learning environment,
the pedagogy, appropriate learning experiences and what is to be learned. It describes the strategies
used to engage the learners. It results in a plan for learning that comprises a deliberate set of
learning tasks, resources and supports. Good design results in learning tasks that are structured so
that the learning is stepped, sequenced and scaffolded. Resources and supports assist in this
scaffolding.
Learning is not a spectator sport so an important aim in learning design is to create a learning
environment that can optimise the engagement in active learning for the many (different) learners
in any one unit.
A generic approach
Please consult http://www.learningdesigns.uow.edu.au/ for examples of many approaches to the
design of learning. On that site are examples drawn from many different disciplines and from many
different learning approaches.
Below is a simplified generic approach that will serve to acquaint you with the kinds of decisions that
have to be made when designing a unit for flexible delivery.
1. Describe the nature of the flexibility required. Is the unit required to meet student need in
terms of time, or place or content? Describe the flexibility required in terms of the target
students (what is their need both in terms of learning and in terms of flexibility?)
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Who are the key people who need to be involved in the design of the unit?
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Are there implications for accreditation?
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What staffing is required?
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2. Context:
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What is you timeline for implementation?
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What technical capabilities are required of you, your staff and the institution?
Write these answers down.
3. Clearly state the outcomes desired. How do they differ from the previous version of the unit
and what benefits accrue from the revised outcomes??
4. How does your proposed flexible unit improve learning outcomes for students?
5. List resources required (apart from those in 2 above) and ensure you have sufficient
resources of all kinds (including personal) to complete the task? Identify available resources
such as books, websites, trainer notes, hardware and software. Remember that print-based
resources cannot simply be converted to online – there is much design involved.
6. Describe (in similar ways to this document) how
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Technology;
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Pedagogy;
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Implementation; and
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The School
are involved in your eventual design and unit. This helps form a rationale for your approach.
7. Take your answers to 1, 2, 3, 4,5 and 6 above to your course coordinator and discuss at a
course and/or unit meeting. Table a cohesive document.
8. Ensure that your Head of School knows of your plan and is supportive.
9. After receiving approval and securing required support, identify someone to act as a content
expert. This person quality assures the designed content to ensure that it is accurate, correct
and is the right thing to teach.
10. Start working out the assessment, keeping in mind the flexibility required in step 1. What
evidence will you need to gather in order to decide if the outcomes have been achieved?
The assessment items should be in keeping with the flexibility required. Feedback should
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always be provided to students and how this will be provided needs to be described. The
assessment might include:
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immediate feedback available automatically through a quiz or interactive tests;
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more complex summative, holistic assessment at cumulative points in the unit, such as a
problem to solve or project to complete; and
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an opportunity for learners to self-assess what they know.
Assessment for learning enables learners to come to know what they don’t know and what they
need to do in order to close the gap to what they need to know – consequently any assessment
should have this purpose in mind.
Write the assessment items at this stage.
11. Decide what type of learning is most likely to help students achieve outcomes to the
required standard. Are learners going to work through elements in a step-by-step sequence,
is problem-solving involved, will they research information, is it going to be cased based or
will they be presented with a scenario or scenarios?
12. Specify the content that needs to be covered in the type of learning described above.
Content is the bridge to conceptual understanding and achievement of outcomes.
13. Group the content so that it leads naturally to the achievement of each outcome. Describe
the level of guidance you will provide for learners, aligned with your description of the
learning that is going to occur
14. Sequence the content logically checking that it aligns with the assessment points.
15. List resources that learners need to assist them in completing learning tasks such as content,
background information, resources, links, and references. If utilising online technology then
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Threaded discussion
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Bulletin board
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Quiz (Blackboard)
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Online debate
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Flickr/Slideshare – sharing via graphics
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Wiki
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Text messaging
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Podcasting
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Research including web quests
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Online search
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Role play
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Video demonstration
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describe what is needed. Consider:
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Interactive panorama
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Collaborative projects
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Portfolio development and peer review
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Email games
16. Construct a diagram or flowchart to show how the unit will be presented which describes
the role of the element/s, performance criteria, scenario, and tasks. Think about factors like
legislation, accreditation, realistic workplace tasks, skill sets, documents, and procedures?
17. Go back to 1 again and work through your design, aligning element. This step might need to
be repeated throughout the stages.
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Useful assistance can be found at: http://toolboxes.flexiblelearning.net.au/ldt/
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