Abstract:

Many researchers are focused on addressing the “engagement problem”: how to increase student engagement with online content in a flipped model of learning. This is a perpetual problem given learning environments are constantly changing due to technological innovation. Using technology to create technology-enhanced learning environments (TEL) to increase student engagement, satisfaction and achievement, a subsequent research question arises: what outcomes emerge from team-based curriculum design (TBCD) involving academics and experts, such as user-experience designers and learning scientists?

This presentation describes a project at Western Sydney University in Australia that aimed to:
(1) implement and evaluate an innovative TEL environment in a flipped and blended undergraduate media course to increase student engagement; and
(2) critically review a model of TBCD engagement; and
(3) explore opportunities for scalability to other units at the university.

Key features of the case study will be discussed, which include choice of technology to support the design of the innovative TEL environment, analysis of observational data from the perspective of the TBCD team, and analysis of student analytics and feedback data from surveys.

Preliminary findings are indicating increased student participation and engagement with learning materials within the TEL environment. In addition, the TBCD partnership has provided critical insights into the practice of members of the team, and the emerging model may have future applications within other disciplines.

This study aims to contribute to existing research into the nature and implications of a paradigm shift for academics’ training and digital literacy, and more generally in terms of the (changing) role of the academic in contemporary higher education contexts.

Keywords:

Collaboration, engagement, blended learning, technology-enhanced learning, analytics.