Multi-Faceted Professional Development Models Designed to Enhance Teaching and Learning within Universities

In this chapter we advocate the reconceptualisation of pedagogical focused professional development to a more flexible and systematic approach and present two technology-oriented models. This chapter is of interest to a range of educational stakeholders including university professional developers, academics, leaders, students, and support staff. Two mixed method case studies of students’ and academics’ experiences of online and blended teaching and learning informed the design of the models. These multi-faceted models are designed to promote effective pedagogically-focused professional development, the scholarship of teaching and learning, social and professional networking, and supportive university leadership all aimed at improving teaching and learning. We articulate how the integration of technology can facilitate all of these important activities. It is anticipated that, if implemented, these models will result in a more pedagogically- and techno- efficacious academy; more satisfied and successful graduates; more informed, involved, and trusted leaders; greater sustainability for programmes; and the enhancement of institutional reputation.

Mobile Learning in Higher Education

In recent years, there has been an explosion in the growth of mobile learning across all sectors of education. Keen interest in mobile learning has led to a proliferation of views, perspectives, and diverse activities underpinned by different learning theories. This chapter focuses on various dimensions of mobile learning, including definitions, theoretical dimensions, mobile learning applications in higher education, and future research directions. Mobile learning is still an emerging and immature field. The chapter provides broad definitions and discussions of mobile learning drawing upon existing work. By exploring the experiences and views of various researchers, the chapter reveals the opportunities and challenges involved with mobile learning.

Priorities in the Classroom

Innovative and informed design for higher education must begin with attention to teaching, not with shopping lists for digital media tools or blueprints for high performance spaces. The outcomes of the action research program embodied in Wallenberg Hall, a “socio-technical system” at Stanford University created to explore the futures of classroom learning, demonstrate the merit of this perspective. Framed in terms of an evolved implementation of the Technology, Pedagogy and Content Knowledge (TPACK) model of course design and presenting a three level categorization of teaching innovation, this chapter discusses a collection of course case studies to argue that the most innovative and informed design happens by keeping well-supported pedagogy at the forefront of higher education.

Social Network Informed Design for Learning with Educational Technology

This chapter discusses and illustrates how knowledge of social networks can be used to inform social and technical design for learning and teaching in higher education. The chapter introduces the social network perspective and how this can be used to explore learning. It shows how a relational approach can be used to explore the basis of learning ties, uncover social roles and positions, and form a basis for a network’s social capital. This is followed by a discussion of current research directions illustrating how this approach can be applied in education. This research indicates how knowledge of informal learning networks can facilitate informed design for learning, teaching, and professional development.

Fostering NCL in Higher Education

Networked Collaborative Learning (NCL) is undeniably a double-edged sword. On the one hand it can yield high-quality learning and enhance both teachers’ and learners’ satisfaction. On the other hand, however, it requires careful planning and specific skills for the design and management of online learning activities. This is one of the main reasons for the limited adoption of NCL in a number of educational contexts. The focus of this chapter is a specific proposal aimed to foster the wide diffusion of Educational Technology (ET) and NCL in higher education (HE). In this perspective the chapter analyses the main barriers that limit the diffusion of Network-Based Educational Technology (NBET) approaches, in particular NCL, and then, in order to overcome them, presents an innovative approach to faculty training in Educational Technology Instructional Design. This approach is founded on multidimensional scaffolding, which supports teachers to integrate rules, heuristics, and best practices for design of active and collaborative online learning into their everyday activity.

Debating Across Borders

Internationally, virtual world environments such as Second Life® (SL) have become accepted as platforms for innovative educational activities at many universities in recent years. One such activity includes innovative ways of students coming in contact with other students in so-called telecollaborations. The present case study explores the initial stages in an Action Research process, namely the design and initial implementation of a telecollaborative language learning activity between four universities in Second Life under the EU-funded Avalon project. The chapter describes how theoretical frameworks including the Ecology of Language Learning (van Lier, 2004), the Five Stage Model of Computer Supported Collaborative Learning (Salmon, 2004) and Activity Theory (Leont’ev, 1978) were used in order to address different aspects of the design of the course. Based on questionnaire responses from students and observations, the chapter then goes on to evaluate the relative success/failure of the first course trial. Finally, the chapter discusses the implications of the lessons learnt from this pilot project on further developments of the course concept in the action research process, and goes on to discuss implications of the findings for the use of virtual worlds in more mainstream educational settings.

3D Virtual Worlds in Higher Education

3D virtual worlds are becoming widespread due to cheaper powerful computers, high-speed broadband connections and efforts towards their tighter integration with current 2D Web environments. Besides traditional gaming and entertainment applications, some serious propositions are starting to emerge for their use, particularly in education, where they are perceived as enablers of active learning, learning by doing, and knowledge construction through social interaction. However, there is still little understanding of how 3D virtual worlds can be designed and deployed effectively in the education domain, and many challenges remain. This chapter makes a contribution towards such an understanding by reporting on three notable case studies at the authors’ own institutions, which have pioneered the use of Second Life, a 3D virtual world, in higher education.

The Impact of Instructional Simulation Use on Teaching and Learning

As simulation usage becomes more prevalent in education, it is important to analyze how teaching and learning is impacted by its use. We present here a case study of a specific computer-based instructional simulation, the Virtual Audiometer, and instructor and student perspectives regarding the simulation use’s effects on teaching and learning. Specifically, findings are described within a model of five areas in which technology can effect education: visualization, authentic engagement, quality and quantity of practice and feedback, interaction and collaboration, and reflection. Although room for improvement was identified, data showed that in this specific case, the computer-based instructional simulation improved teaching and learning experiences in all five areas. An understanding of how simulations impact teaching and learning can help inform design of both the simulations produced for higher education and the implementation of these simulations within a course.

The Design of Learning Materials within Small Scale Projects

This chapter discusses the design of learning materials in the context of small scale projects within higher education. It describes the enduring appeal of instructional material and its growing use following the take up of virtual learning environments (VLEs) / learning platforms in teaching and learning. It suggests that action research approaches may be of value in the design of instructional material as they offer systematic, formative feedback at an early stage in the design process and prioritise user participation. A case study is provided of a broadly action research approach to the design of instructional material to support academic reading skills at one university. The case exemplifies the strengths of action research but also highlights the tensions and difficulties, in particular that of securing the engagement of stakeholders. The implications for further research are brought out.

Designing Learning Ecosystems for Mobile Social Media

Social media has gained interest not only in entertainment applications, but also with learning and business applications; however, there are not many research frameworks available for designing learning activities for learning ecosystems based on mobile social media. In this chapter, a framework for designing and analyzing learning activities in learning ecosystems that are based on mobile and social media is presented. The framework is based on Activity Theory (AT) and Experiential Learning Theory (ELT). In the chapter the existing research on e-learning, mobile learning, and multimodal learning are discussed and reviewed. The research on learning ecosystems based on mobile social media is also positioned to this multi-scientific research field. Finally, two examples of using the framework for designing, learning, and analyzing learning activities in mobile social media learning ecosystems are presented.