Learning and Teaching
by RMIT University
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Description
RMIT University's vision for learning and teaching is built on an understanding that learning is an active, participatory process. Our approach to education is characterised by a commitment to flexible study pathways, and the provision of work-integrated and work-relevant education that produces graduates who are capable of working and contributing to communities internationally.
| Name | Description | Released | Price | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | VideoThe Global University | -- | 6/17/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 2 | VideoRosemary Thomson and Guy Curtis (University of Western Sydney) - An institutional approach to standards-based assessment: Evalu | Increasingly, universities are adopting a standards-based approach to assessment as a means of improving the quality of assessment and clarifying expectations about what students will do in assessment tasks. The University of Western Sydney has recently introduced two new policies which require academics to articulate criteria and standards for each assessment task, to align assessment tasks with the learning outcomes for the unit, and to provide assessment criteria and standards to students in learning guides at the start of semester. Learning guides are unit-specific, assessment-focused documents intended to help students achieve the intended learning outcomes for the unit. This poster summarises how criteria and standards-based assessment tasks have been communicated to students via unit learning guides, in the majority of first-year units in Autumn semester 2009. In order to evaluate the content of the learning guides, we developed a framework that enabled us to make judgements about the clarity of assessment expectations, and alignment between learning outcomes, assessment tasks and criteria and standards. We describe the framework and present an analysis of the types of criteria and standards which have been developed by academics at this early stage of policy implementation. We highlight additional ways in which some academics have sought to clarify assessment expectations through learning guides and identify areas that will require continuing refinement of standards by academics and continuing support from central and school teams. | 3/21/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 3 | VideoJason Patten and Michael Abulencia (RMIT University) - Putting it all together and seeing things differently | In 2007, the optical dispensing program transitioned from a state-based curriculum to a national Health training package. With this transition came a partnership with the world’s leading designer and manufacturer of prescription frames – this industry partnership increased the student cohort by 1000% from 60 to 600+ workbased students in Australia and New Zealand. The optical team developed a learning and assessment pathway that integrated a variety of learning activities, assessments for learning and a range of evidence and assessment items collected over a period of time. Each student has a work-based mentor that helps facilitate the learning process and provides them with regular learning support. Of the 600+ enrolled students, over 40% or more than 150 students formally applied for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). The framework for RPL was based on a Learning and Assessment Guide (LAG). The LAG served two major purposes including, an evidence portfolio or for those enrolled – an assessment portfolio. Within the LAG, the evidence and assessment items are holistic and enabled students to record their major achievements achieved on the job and lessons learnt. In addition, employers, mentors, and peers are encouraged to provide feedback and support for the student. As part of the second phase, we aim to engage students to utilise existing mobile technology platforms and collaborative spaces to capture, share, tag, problem solve, highlight best practice and reflect upon lessons learned 'anywhere, anytime'. | 3/21/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 4 | VideoBarbara Morgan (RMIT University) - Moving across teaching and learning cultures: Assessment issues for international students | Often the difficulties that international students face with their assessment tasks are attributed to poor language levels. However, academic and pedagogical acculturation issues are also a significant cause of difficulty for international students. This poster presentation will highlight evaluative research into a new academic acculturation web site for international students. Utilising data from online surveys and focus groups (accessible graphs and short quotes) the poster will focus on the difficulties that international students face in appreciating the requirements of their assessments in a new and often alien learning and teaching environment. The research presented evaluates the effectiveness of International Student Stories website as a resource for academic acculturation and transition and covers key assessment issues for international students. The site and its evaluation draws on a significant body of research on the impact of cultural styles of academic discourse on both written and oral texts. Also highlighted will be acculturation issues impacting on assessment in relation to differing cultural views of knowledge creation and attribution as well as the critical thinking requirements underpinning assessment evaluations. It is argued that the tertiary discourses need to be explicit, for the successful participation of international students. | 3/21/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 5 | VideoMatthew Linden and Philip Poronnik (RMIT University) - Assessing understanding with the personal response | The personal response is an intellectually challenging written assignment constructed to engage students. It has been shown to address key limitations of traditional assessment writing, catering to the diversity of student interests. In this study we sought to determine if the personal response also addressed important areas of graduate attributes, including argument, problem solving, critical thinking and interpersonal understanding. Method: First year students in the course Introduction to Pharmaceutical Sciences (n = 32) were given a CD with 9 audio triggers on various topics aligned with the themes in pharmaceutical and biomedical sciences. Students were asked to write a personal reflective response to these triggers which were assessed for form, engagement, depth, quality of writing, and accuracy of content, using established criteria (Moni R.W. et al. Biochem Molec Biol Educ 2007:35;89-96). Students also undertook the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) Graduate Student Attributes (GSA) test and the results for each of the categories of key attributes were compared to the overall personal response to mark. Results: While significant correlation was observed between the personal response mark and the GSA assessment of argument (r = 0.48, p < 0.05) and critical thinking (r = 0.46, p < 0.05); greatest correlation was observed between the personal response mark and the GSA assessment of interpersonal understanding (r = 0.68, p < 0.01). There was no correlation with the personal response and GSA problem solving marks. Conclusion: Therefore in addition to providing an interesting, challenging and engaging assessment task for first year pharmaceutical science students, the personal response may also be an effective and efficient means by which key attributes such as argument, critical thinking and most significantly interpersonal understanding may be assessed. | 3/21/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 6 | VideoRichard Guy, et al (RMIT University) - Development of a 'just-in-time' assessment for the Interactive Electronic Atlas learning | The Interactive Electronic Atlas (IeA) is a self-directed online learning tool. As part of this project we are integrating seamless online assessment into the learning tool. The use of more timely and creative links between learning and assessment may provide significant advantages with respect to traditional models. Our IeA uses a template design constructed around an anatomical image. The image can be segmented into regions of interest by cursor “rollover” or by selecting from a list of structures. A limited amount of functional information is provided for each region. One segmentable image thus becomes one page (in a series) within the atlas. The RMIT 'WebLearn' system has been adapted to interface between the pages of the IeA. WebLearn provides randomized multiple choice questions and feedback. After completion of a single IeA page the student moves to a WebLearn quiz for assessment and feedback. The WebLearn quiz is closely linked to one IeA page using the same images, labelling and functional data. The assessment can be categorized as 'just in-time' in that it is available as soon as a small element of the learning tool has been used. This term has previously been used in a business context with respect to efficient car construction (Ford 1922) but we consider it an efficient means of assessment as it minimizes the interval between learning and assessment. The immediate reinforcement of the learning activity and the limited amount of material assessed may develop confidence in the learner. Thus the system blurs the line between learning and assessment such that assessment becomes an integral part of the learning process. This poster will present the development and integration of the “just-in-time” assessment process. | 3/21/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 7 | VideoMelissa Davis (Curtin University of Technology, Perth) - Authentic assessment in undergraduate psychology | Authentic assessment in undergraduate psychology training represents a significant challenge. Whilst key learning outcomes for undergraduate psychological assessment units relate to demonstration of skills in testing and reportwriting, authentic assessment of these skills needs to consider the ethical issues associated with working with real people in addition to the resource implications of large classes. This project reports on the development and implementation of a practicable and ethical form of authentic assessment of students psychological assessment and report-writing skills. Students selected one of six case studies, each of which comprised background information about a de-identified client, information about the why the assessment was conducted, the information being sought, and unscored test forms from a real client. Students were required to score the tests, interpret the results in the context of the client s background and the referral, and present the results, analysis, and conclusions in an assessment report. Formal support for the task was offered via online discussion boards monitored by postgraduate clinical psychology trainees and the lecturer. Student feedback indicated a high degree of satisfaction with the assessment item as an authentic learning experience that would be of value to their future professional work. From an instructor point of view, it was apparent that the authenticity of the opportunity to work with real client data facilitated student demonstration of the learning outcomes and eliminated the effects of extraneous variables such as having to create their own case study. The assessment also avoided complex ethical issues related to assessment of peers or members of the community, and the use of structured answer guides for each case study reduced the burden and increased the reliability of marking. | 3/21/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 8 | VideoAlison Brown and Elizabeth McKenzie (RMIT University) - A view from the bench: 10 things students want you to know about assess | This poster presents some insights from the Study and Learning Centre, RMIT University, on students’ views of assessment and feedback. The Study and Learning Centre works directly and very closely with students providing academic bridging programs, English language development, maths and science support, learning and assignment writing workshops from TAFE to higher degree research level, local and international. We run an extensive drop-in troubleshooting service and work directly with drafts of student work, offering direction and additional learning resources. To this end we are closely in touch with assessment and feedback from a student-centred position; we often act as interpreters in terms of requirements and academic expectations in an Australian context. This poster is a 'view from the bench' - 10 things students would like you to know about assessment expectations and feedback. These include such areas as wording (including language choice) of tasks, transparency (and legibility) of feedback. The poster highlights practical tips to enhance assessment and feedback to students. | 3/21/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 9 | Jan Herrington (Murdoch University, WA) - Authentic assessment of authentic tasks | Authentic tasks engage students in higher order thinking, problem solving, and the creation of polished products over extended periods of time. If such tasks are assessed, for example, by standardised multiple choice questions, a powerful message is sent to students that the kind of learning that is valued is lower order factual knowledge. If, as is claimed, we assess what we value and value what we assess, then it is important to ensure that assessment of complex tasks is integrated and authentic, and truly capable of assessing higher order learning and outcomes. This keynote address will present a model for the design and development of authentic learning environments, where tasks and activities have fidelity to the conditions under which they would occur in the real world. The alignment between an authentic task and its assessment is frequently neglected. Failure to effect this alignment can lead to the negation of the impact of any authentic task used by teachers and educational developers—even with the best of intentions. Alignment between task and assessment effectively allows the teacher to apply realistic criteria to assess real products, and examples of several e-learning tasks and assessment will be given. Using such an approach, students become better prepared for their future experiences as effective professional practitioners. | 3/15/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Jan Herrington (Murdoch University, WA) - Authentic assessment of authentic tasks | Authentic tasks engage students in higher order thinking, problem solving, and the creation of polished products over extended periods of time. If such tasks are assessed, for example, by standardised multiple choice questions, a powerful message is sent to students that the kind of learning that is valued is lower order factual knowledge. If, as is claimed, we assess what we value and value what we assess, then it is important to ensure that assessment of complex tasks is integrated and authentic, and truly capable of assessing higher order learning and outcomes. This keynote address will present a model for the design and development of authentic learning environments, where tasks and activities have fidelity to the conditions under which they would occur in the real world. The alignment between an authentic task and its assessment is frequently neglected. Failure to effect this alignment can lead to the negation of the impact of any authentic task used by teachers and educational developers—even with the best of intentions. Alignment between task and assessment effectively allows the teacher to apply realistic criteria to assess real products, and examples of several e-learning tasks and assessment will be given. Using such an approach, students become better prepared for their future experiences as effective professional practitioners. | 3/15/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 11 | Geoffrey Crisp (University of Adelaide, SA) - Moving towards Assessment 2.0 | The Internet is an interactive and participatory environment which is responsive to students’ actions; it provides access to content, resources and people from any part of the globe. Students are able to collaborate and interact in working spaces where they have control over how resources are used, what is shared with others and how their creations will be formatted and presented. If this is the learning environment in which students are immersed, how are we going to align our learning activities and assessment tasks, especially summative tasks, so that students can create responses using the same tools and resources with which they learn? Teachers have traditionally had almost total control over the learning and assessment environment and current approaches to setting assessment tasks are substantially based on these more controlled environments. The ability of students to operate in more open, collaborative, interactive and distributed environments is challenging many of the traditional perceptions about what constitutes a university experience and what are appropriate assessment tasks. This presentation will explore some of the options that are available to teachers as we move towards Assessment 2.0. Many teachers will be familiar with the term Web 2.0 which describes the social, interactive and collaborative spaces that are available on the Internet. Assessment 2.0 describes an environment in which the teacher sets tasks that allow students to use these more dynamic, immersive, interactive and responsive environments for exploring and creating relevant responses. Assessment 2.0 allows learning, social interaction and assessment to be blended in a way that provides a more authentic experience for both the student and the teacher. Assessments will become more like sophisticated games incorporating role-playing and scenarios; they will replicate the real world, allowing students to explore and describe the consequences associated with their responses. We will examine some of the opportunities that are available today to begin this journey towards Assessment 2.0 and explore some of the design principles that will be required to align learning and assessment. | 3/15/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Geoffrey Crisp (University of Adelaide, SA) - Moving towards Assessment 2.0 | The Internet is an interactive and participatory environment which is responsive to students’ actions; it provides access to content, resources and people from any part of the globe. Students are able to collaborate and interact in working spaces where they have control over how resources are used, what is shared with others and how their creations will be formatted and presented. If this is the learning environment in which students are immersed, how are we going to align our learning activities and assessment tasks, especially summative tasks, so that students can create responses using the same tools and resources with which they learn? Teachers have traditionally had almost total control over the learning and assessment environment and current approaches to setting assessment tasks are substantially based on these more controlled environments. The ability of students to operate in more open, collaborative, interactive and distributed environments is challenging many of the traditional perceptions about what constitutes a university experience and what are appropriate assessment tasks. This presentation will explore some of the options that are available to teachers as we move towards Assessment 2.0. Many teachers will be familiar with the term Web 2.0 which describes the social, interactive and collaborative spaces that are available on the Internet. Assessment 2.0 describes an environment in which the teacher sets tasks that allow students to use these more dynamic, immersive, interactive and responsive environments for exploring and creating relevant responses. Assessment 2.0 allows learning, social interaction and assessment to be blended in a way that provides a more authentic experience for both the student and the teacher. Assessments will become more like sophisticated games incorporating role-playing and scenarios; they will replicate the real world, allowing students to explore and describe the consequences associated with their responses. We will examine some of the opportunities that are available today to begin this journey towards Assessment 2.0 and explore some of the design principles that will be required to align learning and assessment. | 3/15/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 13 | Chris Rust (Oxford Brookes University, UK) - Assessment practice: a manifesto for change | The literature on learning and teaching is clear about the central importance of assessment in the learning process, both in terms of feedback, and in its influence on students’ approaches to their learning. But the literature is also full of serious criticisms of our current practice, supported by any number of different performance indicators. To put it bluntly, all the evidence is that it is something we generally do very badly. In November 2007, over 40 recognised researchers and experts in the field of student assessment were brought together and tasked with identifying the changes in practice they believed to be necessary. This keynote will focus on the six tenets of the ‘manifesto for change’ that resulted from these discussions, and especially the underpinning theory that supports the arguments for these changes. Participants will be encouraged throughout to consider the implications of the proposed changes for their own context and practice, and how they might implement them. | 3/15/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Chris Rust (Oxford Brookes University, UK) - Assessment practice: a manifesto for change | The literature on learning and teaching is clear about the central importance of assessment in the learning process, both in terms of feedback, and in its influence on students’ approaches to their learning. But the literature is also full of serious criticisms of our current practice, supported by any number of different performance indicators. To put it bluntly, all the evidence is that it is something we generally do very badly. In November 2007, over 40 recognised researchers and experts in the field of student assessment were brought together and tasked with identifying the changes in practice they believed to be necessary. This keynote will focus on the six tenets of the ‘manifesto for change’ that resulted from these discussions, and especially the underpinning theory that supports the arguments for these changes. Participants will be encouraged throughout to consider the implications of the proposed changes for their own context and practice, and how they might implement them. | 3/15/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 15 | VideoFrom Educational Technology to Technological Education | Professor Jim Barber, RMIT University's Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) from 2006 to 2009, delivered this presentation as a keynote address to the Australian New Zealand Higher Education Users Group (ANZ HEUG) 2009 Alliance Down Under Conference. Professor Barber repeated the presentation in December 2009, as his final address to staff at RMIT prior to acceping the position of Vice Chancellor at the University of New England. | 2/9/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 16 | VideoTeaching Award Winner: Clare Renner | 2007 Teaching Award Winner Clare Renner. RMIT Teaching Awards recognise, reward, and celebrate excellence in teaching practice and exemplary support services which enhance the student experience and the quality of teaching and learning. | 8/12/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 17 | VideoTeaching Award Winner: Tony Robins | 2007 Teaching Award Winner Tony Robins. RMIT Teaching Awards recognise, reward, and celebrate excellence in teaching practice and exemplary support services which enhance the student experience and the quality of teaching and learning. | 8/12/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 18 | VideoTeaching Award Winners: Paul Cerotti, Amalia Di Iorio | 2007 Teaching Award Winners Paul Cerotti and Associate Professor Amalia Di Iorio. RMIT Teaching Awards recognise, reward, and celebrate excellence in teaching practice and exemplary support services which enhance the student experience and the quality of teaching and learning. | 8/11/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 19 | VideoTeaching Award Winner: Rachel Wilson | 2007 Teaching Award Winner Rachel Wilson. RMIT Teaching Awards recognise, reward, and celebrate excellence in teaching practice and exemplary support services which enhance the student experience and the quality of teaching and learning. | 8/11/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 20 | VideoTeaching Award Winner: Andrea Chester | 2007 Teaching Award Winner Dr Andrea Chester. RMIT Teaching Awards recognise, reward, and celebrate excellence in teaching practice and exemplary support services which enhance the student experience and the quality of teaching and learning. | 8/11/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 21 | VideoWikis in Blackboard tutorial - Advanced features | A tutorial about adding tables, images, documents and other media into a Blackboard wiki. | 6/30/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 22 | VideoWikis in Blackboard tutorial - Basic wiki editing | A tutorial about editing a wiki in a Blackboard course. This includes how to create wiki pages, add content, create links. | 6/30/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 23 | VideoProfessional Development by working collaboratively | Sharing Experience: Professional Development by Working Collaboratively | 3/4/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 24 | VideoUsing a student response system in science lectures | Interactive clickers can be used to run question and answer sessions and get measurable results from the student audience, followed up by analysis and discussion. Dr Jeremy Keens of the School of Medical Sciences explains how the use of KEEpad clickers, integrated with PowerPoint presentations, has been effective in his teaching. | 3/4/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 25 | VideoWikis in Blackboard tutorial - Create a wiki | A tutorial about adding a wiki to a Blackboard course. | 2/15/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 26 | VideoTeaching in a digital lab | Anne-Marie Christensen describes the use of the School of Medical Sciences’ digital laboratory in Haematology classes. | 2/15/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
| Total: 26 Episodes |
