Michael Sankey

Framing and Enhancing Distributed Leadership in the Quality Management of Online Learning Environments in Higher Education.

This article reports on the findings of senior leadership interviews in a nationally funded project on distributed leadership in the quality management of online learning environments (OLEs) in higher education. Questions were framed around the development of an OLE quality management framework and the situation of the characteristics of distributed leadership at the core of the framework. The project’s premise is that distributed leadership is a descriptive reality of managing OLEs given the various leadership parties involved and the complexities of the contemporary technological landscape. Leaders’ understandings of distributed leadership were examined—its nature, value and potential for advancing the quality management of OLEs. There was confirmatory evidence of its reality, but its meaning and value were not uncritically accepted. It can be concluded that building distributed leadership must start through deliberative formal leadership commitment and action starting at the highest levels of the institution.

How to Develop 15 Multimodal Design Heuristics in 3 Easy (Not) Lessons

Abstract The necessity to establish a range of pedagogically sound delivery guidelines for the development of multimodal learning environments is proposed in this paper. To support this discussion a summary of findings from four research projects investigating three multimodal learning environments delivered at the University of Southern Queensland is used. These findings were also used to help refine a set of 15 multimodal design heuristics (or rules of thumb) to be considered when designing multimedia enhancements for learning environments. In proposing these heuristics, this paper attempts to contextualise the importance of multimodal delivery and considers how catering for a multiliterate clientele, by using a combination of multimedia enhancements, may improve the learning opportunities of students. The studies described in this paper also demonstrate that higher levels of student engagement are possible when using a range of multimedia enhancements in learning environments, whilst also maintaining a balance for more traditional learners.

ACODE Benchmarks for technology enhanced learning (TEL): findings from a 24 university benchmarking exercise regarding the benchmarks’ fitness for purpose

Purpose: This discussion presents findings from 24 higher education institutions (HEIs), recommendations regarding the benchmarks themselves and for university practice, potential expansion of the benchmark methodology to provide more capacity to create and use data to evidence student learning in a technology enhanced learning (TEL) environment. Design/Methodology/Approach: These are preliminary results of a major benchmarking activity that is designed to be part of a continuing program that is still under review. Results are provided through frequency distribution and illustrative qualitative information gleaned from two surveys provided participants, one during the collaborative session between participants from the 24 HEIs and nine months later. An analysis of the data in the form of recommendations is also provided. Findings: Findings specific to participating HEIs are not shared due to confidentiality. The most important conclusion were the interest and usefulness of the benchmarks for participating HEIs, especially the sharing of information between HEIs. Findings led to 6 recommendations: [1] minor revisions to the benchmarks are needed, [2] to formally endorse the ACODE Benchmarks, [3] not pursue the merger of benchmarks 7 and 8 or 5 and 6 at this time due to insufficient evidence, [4] that ACODE agree to facilitate a formal benchmarking activity every second year, [5] create a series of online tools and a collaboration space to facilitate inter-institutional knowledge of institutional practice with a capacity to maintain confidentiality, and [6] the online collaborative space have an area to allow institutions to share good practice examples that align with the performance indicators. Practical Implications: Firstly, Australia’s Tertiary Education Quality & Standards Agency (TEQSA) is expanding the use of benchmarking activities at HEIs as part of their quality assurance practice to meet regulatory compliance requirements. The use of the ACODE Benchmarks facilitates therefore assists HEIs meet their regulatory compliance obligations. Secondly, Originality/value: ACODE is one of the few international agencies focusing on TEL benchmarks, criteria, guidelines or standards. A number of the participating HEIs are considered leading practitioners of learning and teaching in TEL and thus they not only inform but help shape the values and inform QA agencies of appropriate practice that should be embedded within the standards and/or practices that generate recognition of HEI practice.

“You Can Lead the Horse to Water, but … ”: Aligning Learning and Teaching in a Web 2.0 Context and Beyond

Collectively, Web 2.0 technologies constitute a major conceptual shift in the way the Web is used. Two central concepts within this shift are collective intelligence and user participation, as these have seriously blurred the boundaries between knowledge management and dissemination. From a learning and teaching perspective, Web 2.0 technologies offer a variety of opportunities in terms of what such technologies could be used for, and in many cases already are, by a new generation of students entering universities. The challenge from a higher education perspective is to align what students are already doing with technologies with how they are being taught, without blurring the boundaries between “private” and ABSTRACT