Book Review: Bach, S., Haynes, P., & Lewis-Smith, J. (2007). Online learning and teaching in higher education. Berkshire: Open University Press/McGraw-Hill Education

2008 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 124-125
Author(s):  
Teresa Vinuesa Sancho
Author(s):  
Claire Saunders

A book review of M. Healey, K.E. Matthews and A. Cook-Sather (2020) Writing about learning and teaching in higher education: creating and contributing to scholarly conversations. North Carolina: Center for Engaged Learning


2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 54-73
Author(s):  
Marichen van der Westhuizen ◽  
◽  
Sibulelo Gawulayo ◽  
Nomvuyo Lukelelo ◽  
◽  
...  

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need to prepare students for emergency online learning and teaching. The blended-learning approach that includes online learning and teaching options in social work theoretical modules has been described as valuable in providing students with a variety of modes of learning and teaching. However, its use in fieldwork modules requires further research. This article aims to explore the experiences and perceptions of undergraduate student social workers and their supervisors regarding the inclusion of technologies in the first-year fieldwork module, and how this affected their online experiences during the pandemic. The activity theory served as a theoretical framework. A qualitative approach was followed with an explorative-descriptive research design. Participants were selected through purposive non-probability sampling. Data was collected through written reflection sheets that were analysed through thematic content analysis. Ethics included voluntary participation, informed consent, privacy, confidentiality and anonymity. The findings indicate that all the components of the activity theory were present, while challenges experienced prior and during the pandemic were identified as a lack of previous exposure to the use of technology and of access to technological resources, socioeconomic challenges, the need to become skilled in becoming independent scholars, a need for direct interaction among students and between students and supervisors/lectures, and the importance of a variety of role-players to support learning. The findings provided a foundation to draw conclusions and make recommendations regarding what is needed to effectively use the activity theory’s components in fieldwork modules and to prepare students for technology-based learning and teaching in higher education settings.


Author(s):  
Geraldine Lefoe ◽  
Robyn Philip ◽  
Meg O'Reilly ◽  
Dominique Parrish

<span>The ALTC Exchange (formerly the Carrick Exchange), is a national repository and networking service for Australian higher education. The Exchange was designed to provide access to a repository of shared learning and teaching resources, work spaces for team members engaged in collaborative projects, and communication and networking services. The Australian Learning and Teaching Council (ALTC) established the Exchange for those who teach, manage and lead learning and teaching in higher education. As part of the research conducted to inform the development of the Exchange, models for peer review of educational resources were evaluated. For this, a design based research approach was adopted. Findings from the literature and feedback from key practitioners and leaders within the sector are discussed in this paper. Finally, key recommendations for implementation are identified.</span>


This paper reports on a case study of the use of Facebook in learning and teaching in higher education. Facebook was used as a venue for online discussion to support the existing Learning Management System (in this case Blackboard) in the unit Internet Collaboration and Organisation as part of the Internet Communications degree taught fully online through Open Universities Australia (OUA). Students’ posts to both Facebook and the Blackboard discussion forum were analysed for content, length, and when throughout the study period they were posted. This is significant as much of the previous work in this area has relied on students self-reporting, rather than direct observation of student behaviour. These results were then compared to earlier instances of the same unit that ran within the previous twelve months, one fully online with OUA only using the Blackboard discussion group, and a second taught at Curtin University with both blended learning for students at the University’s Bentley campus as well as fully online for external students, that utilised both Blackboard and Facebook. The results show that Facebook greatly increases the level of student activity in online discussions, both absolutely and in the level of sustained activity across the unit’s study period. Facebook groups also had a different pattern of content from Blackboard. In Blackboard discussion is more focused on the set unit learning content, in Facebook students were using the groups to discuss administration and assignments and also bring in additional material from outside the units set learning materials. Facebook posts, while more sustained over the semester, were shorter in length. This study found that the addition of a Facebook discussion forum does not noticeably impact on the use of Blackboard’s discussion forum, but rather adds a new dimension to the mix of online interaction. The paper concludes that there is value in using both of these forums for student interaction, but unit design needs to take into account the different affordances of each to maximise their utility.


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