Over the past few years increasing online learning is part of the normal educational experience of students. This paper examines the changes faced by two universities in different countries as they move to blend traditional face-to-face learning activities with those online. In particular, it reviews lessons that can be drawn for others moving into blended learning environments for successful implementation.

This paper describes a design approach for integrating learning objects based on a strong pedagogical framework, the Smart Learning Design Framework (SLDF). The framework is based on the assumptions that good learning settings focus on pedagogically sound design and that reusable learning objects can be effectively located and incorporated into learning settings. This paper describes a tool developed to illustrate the framework through metadata tagging of learning objects using an application profile which incorporates a pedagogical vocabulary, and development of units of study based on high quality learning designs and the inclusion of learning objects.

With many learners failing to engage with didactic and outmoded instructional methods, and unwilling to use technology that simply replicates the one-way transfer of information from teacher to student, authentic learning designs have the potential to improve student engagement and educational outcomes. This paper argues that online technologies afford the design and creation of truly innovative authentic learning environments. The theoretical foundations of this approach are strong, and they are also explored, together with discussion of the importance of tasks as the focus of authentic activities. Finally, the case is made for a more comprehensive approach to investigating the effectiveness of authentic learning environments through design-based research.

Current reports indicate literacy rates among adult Indigenous Australians remain low despite years of improvement initiatives. Synchronous learning technology has potential to provide literacy and training to Indigenous learners living in remote communities. Although considerable research has been devoted to the area of internet-based learning in general, there is less research in the area of online synchronous learning opportunities for remote Indigenous learners. This paper offers insights gained from a unique research project that empowered members of a remote Indigenous community through a hands-on opportunity with synchronous technology where learners shared their strengths, and saw potential for their own futures.

The adoption of mobile technologies in higher education has been variable and inconsistent across the sector. Little is known about how people learn best from mobile devices such as mobile phones, personal digital assistants and portable digital audio players, and yet these are the technologies of choice of a generation of young adults who are proficient and competent in their use. This paper describes a project to explore, implement and document pedagogies that go beyond the use of mobile technologies for information delivery and communication. It describes a design-based approach to researching the use of mobile devices as cognitive tools in the completion of authentic tasks in higher education.

Research and development for an Internet-facilitated distributed community of practice (DCoP) for special education in Bulgaria is in its final phase. The DCoP is called Special Education Bulgaria. Results from the needs assessment indicated that special education researchers, practitioners, and parents in Bulgaria would benefit from such a community and that there is sufficient Internet access. Formative evaluation results directed website usability and sociability improvements and the incorporation of Moodle, a popular course management system. An effectiveness evaluation is currently underway to investigate the DCoP’s effect on the job performance and satisfaction of special educators. Preliminary results indicate that though a DCoP has begun to coalesce, it may remain unclear if it helps special educators do their jobs better. Partnership with the European Union 6th Framework integrated project, TENCompetence, may help address this finding. The expected outcomes of such a partnership include the implementation and testing of ePortfolios and online courses to assist Bulgarian special educators with lifelong competency development.

Clay animation is a form of stop motion animation but is rarely used as a teaching approach in higher education classes because it is too tedious and time consuming. “Slow Motion Animation” (Slowmation) is a simplified form of clay animation that is different in four ways and can be completed in 1-2 hour tutorial or workshop: (i) models of science concepts are made and manipulated in the horizontal plane; (ii) a range of materials can be used; (iii) the animations are played at 2-6 frames per second; and (iv) science concepts are annotated with factual text. This study demonstrates how 30 teacher education students used Slowmation to make a QuickTime animation of the life cycle of a frog in a two-hour tutorial. Slowmation is a teaching approach that is feasible for use in university classes and is a motivation for students to engage in the content knowledge of science.

Many educators in higher education are now delivering their courses online. For some however this move was initially a reluctant one as it was difficult to perceive how their face-to-face classes could be successfully transported into the online medium. This paper describes the journey of one academic who took on the challenge ofdeveloping a knowledge building online distance education community. It describes the model used to guide this process and reports on the interaction that occurred. The challenges and surprises are described.