Lead Institution: Curtin University of Technology Partner Institution/s: UNSW@ADFA Funding support by: Australian Learning & Teaching Council - Project# CG7-450 Project Leader:  Dr Stephen Quinton

Title: Tribes and Cultures: Frameworks for shared language and intent to cost-effectively improve learning outcomes. 

Outcomes: This study will devise a software design methodology for the construction of electronic learning systems and tools that assist to improve student’s thinking capacity, knowledge productivity, and depth of understanding. To this end, there is a clear need to bridge the communication gap between software developers and lecturers to facilitate a shared understanding of the educational imperatives and technological possibilities.

Method: A series of field studies will be conducted on university lecturers and educationalists working with IT specialists to determine the design guidelines and methods that will assist in the development of educational software learning systems and accommodate the especial needs and preferences of students studying in universities.

Objectives:

1. determine the learning theory principles that are most conducive to devising educationally effective software solutions
2. identify the behavioural and interaction categories that facilitate effective communication between the project partners
3. devise a design evaluation methodology that will guide the development of educational software systems and enable educationalists and IT specialists to collaborate with a shared understanding
4. ensure that developments in learning technologies are human-centred, intuitive to use, useful, and readily transferred
5. promote technologies that enhance and extend the human ability to acquire, understand, and create knowledge that can be applied to interested educational sectors and subject domains.

Key Words: educational technology, pedagogical design, evaluation methodology, educational design, communication gap, shared language, student learning, higher order thinking, student preferences, educationalists, IT specialists