Mary Jane Mahony

Effectiveness of feedback: the students’ perspective

While effective feedback has frequently been identified as a key strategy in learning and teaching, little known research has focused on students’ perceptions of feedback and the contribution feedback makes to students’ learning and teaching. This reported qualitative study aims to enrich our understanding of these perceptions and importantly to provide insight into the meaning of ‘effective’ when related to feedback. The study involved four focus groups of undergraduate students of varying levels and from a range of Schools completing degrees in the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Sydney. Students’ perceptions relating to a definition of feedback, how they use it and preferences for delivery were prompted by the facilitators. Thematic analysis resulted in three key dimensions: perceptions of feedback, impact of feedback and credibility of feedback. The analysis demonstrated that effectiveness of feedback extends beyond mode of delivery and timeliness to include the credibility of the lecturer giving the feedback. The role of effective feedback includes not only enhancing learning and teaching but also facilitating the transition between school and university.

Managing quality improvement of eLearning in a large, campus‐based university

Purpose – This paper seeks to discuss the characteristics that shape a model to manage eLearning in a large, predominantly campus‐based university. It focuses on how such a model can provide a sustainable approach to supporting eLearning for more than 40,000 students while still managing basic quality assurance for the University executive and the individual disciplinary needs of faculties.Design/methodology/approach – Prior research and theoretical issues related to a generalised course development and teaching process are discussed followed by an analysis of a case‐study from a large metropolitan Australian university. The case‐study illustrates key aspects of the management model providing insights into how staff are empowered and supported to develop meaningful eLearning resources for students, how quality improvement is managed, and how organizational learning takes place.Findings – Following the analysis of how key aspects of the model relate to the university discussed in the case study, several ch...

Distance Education in an Era of eLearning: Challenges and Opportunities for a Campus-Focused Institution.

The growth of eLearning technologies has blurred the boundaries of educational modes to a point where distance education programs can be offered without drawing particular notice on campus. The experience of distance education staff working in campus‐focused universities and their perceptions of their chances of successfully planning and teaching by distance should inform evaluation of a university’s quality framework. In this case study, we report on the experience of distance educators at an Australian campus‐focused university. We identify organisational structure and culture as critical success factors for quality in distance education, with technology a, perhaps surprisingly, minor consideration. While the eLearning era has opened the door to a distance education cottage industry, eLearning strategy has failed to comprehensively prepare the way for the issues unique to distance education. The paper recommends that campus‐focused universities must protect their reputation by systematically assuring the quality of their (inevitable) distance offerings.

Postgraduate Education in Gerontology in the Asia-Oceania Region.

Abstract This paper provides an overview of opportunities for graduate education in Gerontology in the Asia-Oceania Region. It locates emerging demand in a demographic context, highlighting high rates of growth in the aged population within the Region and growing awareness of governments of the need for appropriate planning. An important component of infrastructure development will be professional access to specialised education about ageing. Of postgraduate programs currently available, most are offered by Australian universities. The trend among providers is towards flexible delivery by distance education using a variety of models, including traditional print-based independent study, cross-national partnerships using block or blended teaching models, and predominantly online education. An innovative model developed by a leading local provider, The University of Sydney, is described. StudyAgeOnline is a Web-supported postgraduate coursework program in ageing and aged care for practising health professionals in which short courses can be undertaken as stand-alone modules or build towards a Masters degree. We describe a typical module and discuss how learning and teaching strategies have been designed for practical relevance in a multi-professional and multi-cultural “virtual classroom.”