Units

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Sample subject outline - Semester 2 2013

Note: Subject outlines often change before the semester begins. Below is a sample outline.

Rationale

Learners are increasingly exhibiting digital expectancy. They expect and demand learning through innovative practices using existing and emerging technologies. Current education systems have been designed with less digitally-fluent learners in mind and it has become necessary to reconsider the form and shape learning will take in both formal and informal educational settings in the future. Concomitant with this is the need for you to understand the nature of emergent technologies and the characteristics of these new learners and their educational expectations.

There is a growing imperative to design and develop pedagogically sound learning experiences and environments using new technologies. Therefore, not only do educators and system leaders need to understand new learners and their digital expectancies, they need to be able to select, use and innovate using new technologies. Those in positions to lead, advise or support teaching and learning also need an awareness and understanding of innovative practice and emergent technologies.

This unit will formalise understandings of digitally expectant learners and how emergent technologies can be used to meet their needs, preferences, attitudes and habits. It will investigate the nature and affordances of emergent technologies and apply this understanding to a learning context.

Aims

The aim of this unit is to provide you with a clearer understanding of how curricular and learner needs can be met through the affordances of new information and communication technologies. This will include a particular emphasis on emerging technologies and digital learning capabilities.

Objectives

On completion of this unit, you should be able to:

1. use digitally-mediated forms of communication and collaboration to enhance learning; GC A

2. experience a range of emerging technologies and reflect upon their educational affordances; GC A, B

3. critically analyse contemporary professional practice in terms of contemporary issues such as digital fluency and digital expectancy; GC A, B, C

4. develop proposals for change that demonstrate an understanding of digital expectancy and the changing role emerging technologies will have on teaching and learning; GC A, B, G

Content

This unit will cover the following topics:

Digital Expectancy
Digital expectancy is the implicit demand brought to learning by those whose lives are permeated by new technologies. This topic will include an examination of who our learners are, how they expect to learn and where learning will be conducted. It will explore digital fluency, online collaboration and connectivity, the creation of digital content and social networking.

Nature of Emerging Technologies
Understanding the potential and capacity of emerging information and communication technologies requires consideration of characteristics such as mobility and immediacy and how this will affect learning. This topic will include an exploration of issues such as mlearning, lifelong learning and just-in-time learning.

Re-envisioning the future
This topic will explore the potential of emerging technologies on changing the form and shape of learning. It will consider formal and informal learning in differing contexts.

Approaches to Teaching and Learning

During the semester, you will use flexible channels of communication and collaboration and learning will be supported by standard and emergent technologies. Your active participation in the unit through peer mentoring and online discussion is encouraged.

Assessment

Assessment in this unit is both formative and summative. There will be two items of assessment in this unit: a guided reflection and a case study.

Assessment name: Guided reflection
Description: You will examine four emergent technology showcases introduced through unit content in terms of their affordances for learning. Your reflection will be presented via a Wiki linked to the unit Blackboard site.
Length: 2000 words
Relates to objectives: 1 & 2
Weight: 40%
Internal or external: External
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Mid semester

Assessment name: Assignment 2
Description: You will be asked to present a case study report which will include an audit, analysis and plan of current and preferred uses of emergent digital technologies in teaching and learning. The case study process will be scaffolded through three critical stages: (i) conducting an audit of the current technological practices in a relevant workplace; (ii) analysing, supported by the theoretical frameworks underpinning digital literacy and digital expectancy, how those practices could be enhanced to meet the needs of digitally expectant learners; and (iii) planning for the re-envisioning of existing practices through emerging technologies.
Length: 3000 words
Relates to objectives: 1, 2, 3, & 4
Weight: 60%
Internal or external: External
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: End of semester

Academic Honesty

QUT is committed to maintaining high academic standards to protect the value of its qualifications. To assist you in assuring the academic integrity of your assessment you are encouraged to make use of the support materials and services available to help you consider and check your assessment items. Important information about the university's approach to academic integrity of assessment is on your unit Blackboard site.

A breach of academic integrity is regarded as Student Misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties.

Resource materials

There is no set text for this unit. Current readings drawn from the professional and research literature will form the basis of content for this unit.

Journals and conference proceedings are a critical resource in emerging domains. Academic journals with relevance to this unit include:
Australian Educational Computing
Australian Journal of Educational Technology
British Journal of Educational Technology (BJET)'
Computers in Schools
Journal of Research in Technology Education (JRTE)
Journal of Technology and Teacher Education
Technology, Pedagogy and Education

References:

Bruns, A. (2007). Beyond difference: Reconfiguring education for the user-led age. Paper presented at the ICE3: Ideas, Cyberspace, Education Conference, Loch Lomond, Scotland, March.

Bonk, C. (2004). Research related to the effectiveness of e-learning and collaborative tools. Retrieved March 6, 2008, from

Clark, R. C., & Mayer, R. E. (2007). E-learning and the science of instruction (2nd ed). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Condie, R., & Livingston, K. (2007). Blending online learning with traditional approaches: Changing practices. British Journal of Educational Technology, 38(2), 337-348.

Dye, J. (2007). Meet Generation C: Creatively connecting through content. EContent, 30(4), 38-43.

Jenkins, H. (2006). Convergence culture: Where old and new media collide. New York: New York University Press.

Salmon, G. (2000). E-moderating: The key to teaching and learning online. London: Kogan Page.

Risk assessment statement

There are no out of the ordinary risks associated with the general conduct of this unit. Workplace health and safety protocols in relation to computer use will apply.

Disclaimer - Offer of some units is subject to viability, and information in these Unit Outlines is subject to change prior to commencement of semester.

Last modified: 31-Oct-2012